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Table of Contents

Introduction: Leading Fearful People - 3

The Mission - 4

Their Discovery - 5

Overcoming - 6

Conclusion: Bringing It All Together - 7

Practical Application - 8

References - 9

About The Author - 10

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Leading Fearful People

Leadership is influence. In leading others comes the challenge of personalities and doubt.

Maxwell (2011) identifies it as “Fearful Fred” and Moses simply said: “What shall I do with this

People (Exodus 17:4).” Doubt, which is fear, was the main challenge Moses faced while leading

Israel out of the wanderings and there was only one way he was able to overcome.

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The Mission

God spoke to Moses and instructed him to send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which was

the land He would be giving the children of Israel. Moses sent men out to spy the land of

Canaan, which from Paran was about a 500 mile round trip according to Tyndale (1997, pp. 214).

They were to enter the land from the South and investigate the land, its people, their lifestyles,

and if it was good for harvesting.

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Their Discovery

After forty days they came back informing Moses the the land was rich in resource with fulfilling

fruit. The people of the land were mighty and fierce. The city was inaccessible, very large and

the attitude of the majority was pessimistic because of their perspective. This influenced the

entire congregation to refuse entry into Canaan, which according to Crossway (2008, pp.

257-258) was well over half a million people.

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Overcoming

“And now, I pray, let the power of my LORD be great... (Numbers 14:17, NKJV).” He went back

to the original source that instructed him! Moses did not approach the people and tell them how

foolish they were or even belittle them because of their fear. Instead he listened to God and

prayed for them. In doubting Moses they were also doubting God and “it is the complaint

concerning Moses’ leadership that gets God’s attention (Kraeger 2011).”

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Conclusion

“How long will these people reject me? And how long will they not believe Me... (Numbers

14:11, NKJV).” When doing what God has instructed, there comes leadership. When leading in

pursuit of obeying God, everything others do to the leader is taken personally by God because it

is not the leader they are disobeying but God’s instruction which has been given through the

leader. Israel doubted the leadership of Moses, in turn doubting God. To get their attention God

wanted to send pestilence, disinherited, and kill them in the wilderness but it was through

Moses’ prayers that God was merciful (Numbers 14:11-25). Fearful people will always surround

leadership and as seen with Moses, prayer will bring direction on what steps to take.

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Practical Application

Also there are some practical things which ought be taken when encountering fearful/doubting

individuals:

Understand Fearful Individuals:

1. They have an attitude with low enthusiasm

2. They are motivated by support

3. Their strength is in their stability

Listening to fearful individuals

1. Privately sit down and discuss their fears

2. Identify fears and the reasons why they are fears

3. Develop a game plan

Leading Fearful Individuals

1. Planning a project together will give them strategy

2. Giving them guidelines to follow will give them structure

3. Doing a project together will give them security

4. Accomplishing a winnable project will give them success

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References

Maxwell, John C. (2011, June) Leading difficult people: Fearful Fred. Retrieved August 8 2011,

From http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2011/06/06/leading-difficult-people-fearful-

fred/

Life Application Study Bible (1997). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers

Wenhem, G. (2003). Exploring the Old Testament: A guide to the Pentateuch. Downers Grove,

IL: InterVarsity Press.

Kraeger, Shane. (n.d.) Historical Foundations III: Transitions to Nationhood (Number and

Deuteronomy) Module 5. Grand Canyon University

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About The Author

Taking men from dreamers to leaders, Terrence J. White, owner of My Joy In The Morning, has a vision to take ordinary individuals and lead them into their destiny. Maximizing their potential by taking them through a process of self discovery, he asserts that "God has given each man and woman desires, those desires cause a yearning. This pulling on the soul is what is mentioned in the bible when God says He knew us before we were in our mothers womb. Also too, there are thousands out there that have no clue what their calling is or are fearful to walk into their destiny. God has given me - and continues to every day - the tools, resources and wisdom to help unlock the action needed to press others into their destiny." A strong statement for such a young man and he makes clear the process he endured in his book My Joy In The Morning: Rising From The Ashes. As many have already ideas of what God has called them to do he takes current leaders and ordinary individuals, then presses them to be the light in a dark world they are meant to be.

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All written material, other than cited scripture, is the work of terrence j. White.

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