Where There's a Will

Lee Burns

Thereʼs a leadership saying: As soon as you get tired of saying something, your
people are just starting to get it. Believe it or not, it can be good to hear the same
things over and over, especially when they are keys to help you and your team get
where youʼre going.
So, at the risk of saying something youʼve already heard… Thereʼs a motto that
begins, Where thereʼs a will… Iʼm sure you know the rest – thereʼs a way.
Where thereʼs a will, thereʼs a way.
Letʼs step it up. Where thereʼs Godʼs will, thereʼs The Way. So, if we stick with
what God has called us to do, we will eventually ‘possess the landʼ.
Numbers 13 sets the stage for a narrative opposition between the ten spies and
Caleb. Consider the two character categories and decide which one youʼre in.
They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it
does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there
are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants
of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and
Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the
Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should
go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men
who had gone up with him said, “We canʼt attack those people; they are stronger
than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land
they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All
the people we saw there are of great size.”
Of course, no one wants to be like the ten spies because their confession was
negative and defeated. A word of advice up front: if you donʼt want to be like the
ten spies, donʼt confess the way they did, because your confession will frame your
reality. If you could confront any of the ten spies about their negative report,
theyʼd say, “Hey, weʼre just keeping it real. Weʼre just telling it as we saw it.”
What made Caleb say something completely different when all twelve witnessed
the same thing? Caleb chose to believe what God had promised, despite the
evidence before his eyes.
Caleb and Joshua continued their appeal the next day,
 “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is
pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,
and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid
of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone,
but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
I love this about Caleb – where thereʼs a will, thereʼs a way! Look at the contrasting
perspectives. Group one says, “If the Lord would…., then we could.” The other
says, “The Lord will, therefore we will.” The big difference is that the ‘wouldʼ
culture takes no responsibility while the ‘willʼ culture takes faith.
A ‘WILLʼ CULTURE:
1. Takes Ownership
Have you ever noticed when you decide to align your life with God, things start to
get chaotic? God is realigning things that are out of order. So, donʼt allow
challenges to derail you. Own it; donʼt excuse it or run the other away. Someone
once said, “”
2. Takes Initiative
We all play a part in a bigger picture. Learn to take initiative with the part you play.
If you can measure where youʼre at, then you will know how to get where youʼre
going. When you do, you will take ground and gather momentum.
3. Takes Commitment
Jesus spoke about counting the cost before building (see Luke 14V28-30). You
never take ground without cost. Finish what you start by committing to the
process and the journey of seeing it through. Half-hearted or neglected projects/
ministries are open to ridicule. If youʼre going to do something, do it with all your
might.
4. Takes (calculated) Risks
It has been said, “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K”. If youʼre in faith, an element of
calculated risk is implicated. That means having the confidence that if God is in it,
it will happen, so going back is never an option; going forward is the only way.
5. Takes Courage
Not offense. Unfortunately, the world we live in is seething with oversensitive
people, actively seeking ways to be offended – our world has a culture of offense.
As Christians, we are called to be over-sacrificial, not over-sensitive; offense is a
trap of the enemy. Choose courage in every circumstance.
6. Takes Faith
You canʼt live all in for God without going all in with God.
Faith will always require unanswered questions. God is a God of the details – the
thing is, He doesnʼt give you the details! When you take faith, the details unfold as
you go; and thatʼs a problem for those who like to be in control and know
everything ahead of time. Faith means getting your guarantees from God, not your
understanding. Faith is okay with not knowing everything upfront.
7. Takes a Different Spirit
The Lord blessed Caleb because he had a different spirit and followed God
wholeheartedly (Numbers 14V24). A different spirit takes a different direction;
while the ten spies wanted to go back to Egypt, Caleb wanted to go forward and
build something new. A different spirit believes God, despite what circumstances
say.
So… Are YOU a ‘would beʼ or a ‘will beʼ leader? Believing God will make a way is
the key to possessing your promised land; where thereʼs a will…
Lee Burns
Executive VP, Hillsong College