{"id":2178,"date":"2025-09-16T14:29:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T14:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=2178"},"modified":"2025-09-25T13:16:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T13:16:10","slug":"lesson-16-the-inner-life-of-a-lasting-leader","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/lesson-16-the-inner-life-of-a-lasting-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"The Inner Life of a Lasting Leader – Lesson #16"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Inner Life of a Lasting Leader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Leadership Devotional Talk<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Chronicles 26:3\u20135, 15\u201316<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hey friends, tonight I want to talk with you about leading from a place of strength. Leading from a place of integrity. <\/strong>And that only happens if we are intentional about caring for our soul. So, let’s talk about the inner life of a lasting leader.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As leaders, if your days are anything like mine \u2014 then they are packed full of responsibilities \u2014 right? Like appointments, conversations, deadlines, and decisions. And all of that has the potential of wearing you out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for the next few moments, I want to invite you to slow down, take a deep breathe, and open your heart to hear what the Lord might want to say to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve discovered: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership is not for the weak or faint of heart.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because, it brings challenges into our lives at the deepest of levels. It also has a way of pulling us in every direction (sometimes at the same time). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, every leader I\u2019ve ever met has the same desire: we want to lead well. <\/strong>We want our lives and ministries to matter. We want to see fruit, impact, and success. (Right<\/em><\/strong>?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If my experience has taught me anything, it\u2019s that sometimes our role<\/strong> and responsibilities can lead us to only see what\u2019s happening around us<\/strong> (all the meetings, the deadlines, the challenges, and ministry needs), and cause us to miss (or neglect), what\u2019s happening within us<\/strong>!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Scripture reminds us that true, lasting leadership isn\u2019t built on talent alone<\/strong> nor is it measured only by results<\/strong>. BUT\u2026It\u2019s built on something deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, it\u2019s <\/strong>built on character.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the lesson we find in 2 Chronicles 26 \u2014 it comes from the story of King Uzziah. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have your Bible, look at it with me. Ezra<\/strong> writes and tells us (In verse 3):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother\u2019s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, he was only sixteen<\/strong> when he became king. But he reigned for 52 years<\/strong>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning, he seemed to get things right \u2014 he sought the Lord, he listened to wise counsel, and God gave him great success.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under his leadership, the nation of Judah experienced prosperity and military strength. He rebuilt Jerusalem’s defenses, expanded the nation\u2019s territories, and modernized the army. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s what the verses I just read describe. But in verses 15-16,<\/strong> his story takes a heartbreaking turn, here the Bible tells us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Chronicles 26:15\u201316 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

15 \u2026His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. 16 But after Uzziah became powerful, <\/em>his pride led to his downfall<\/em>. <\/em>He was unfaithful to the Lord<\/em> his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, he\u2019s the king \u2014 and doing well. But as he experienced success, his pride increased, and he became self-reliant instead of God-dependent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And his arrogance and pride led him to step outside of his lane and try to function like the High Priest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen again to verse 16<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about that for a moment. He didn\u2019t fall on the battlefield. He wasn\u2019t defeated by an enemy army. His collapse didn\u2019t come from the outside \u2014 it came from the inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His downfall was pride.<\/strong> He stopped paying attention to his inner life. He stopped leading himself. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s not just his story \u2014 too often it\u2019s ours as well. In life and in leadership, we must give our greatest attention to the things going on inside of us.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Maxwell<\/strong> once said, \u201cThe hardest person to lead is ourselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I\u2019ve found that to be true. So tonight, I want challenge with three things, actions or applications \u2014 to help ensure you last as a lead!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the first one is this\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I challenge you to\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. SEEK THE LORD \u2014 BEFORE YOU SEEK SUCCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uzziah\u2019s story begins with this key phrase: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.\u201d<\/em> (v. 5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Success isn\u2019t wrong. In fact, it\u2019s good to want your ministry to grow and to reach more people. But success can become dangerous when it increases at a rate greater than your soul. When your calendar grows but your character doesn\u2019t, that\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intentional dependence on God isn\u2019t optional \u2014 it\u2019s essential. Because <\/em>in the end<\/em>:<\/em> True success doesn\u2019t come from your hustle<\/strong>; it comes from Him!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can have staff wins, ministry wins, budget wins \u2014 and still lose the one thing that matters most: your daily walk with the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So before we chase growth, before we measure outcomes, let\u2019s be leaders who seek Him first. Because our public influence will always be anchored in our private devotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. GUARD YOUR HEART \u2014 WHEN THINGS GO WELL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scripture says in verse 16<\/strong>, \u2018But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.\u2019<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice \u2014 it wasn\u2019t a struggle or battle that took him down, it was success<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we was quick to guard Jerusalem and the nation of Judah \u2014 he failed to guard his own heart. As he grew stronger in power, he grew weaker in faith.\u00a0 While his armies and success increased, so did pride and self-reliance. It was pride that led him to cross a boundary that God had established (for his protection).\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wasn\u2019t content with the role God had given him as king \u2014 he wanted to take on the role of a priest. So he entered the temple and tried to burn incense on the altar (something only the priests\u2014 the descendants of Aaron), were permitted to do (2 Chronicles 26:16\u201318).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That boundary wasn\u2019t there to hold him back \u2014 it was there to protect him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\u2019s commands are never arbitrary; they are\u00a0 always purposeful, reasoned, and intended to protect us! But pride<\/strong> has a way of blurring our vision \u2014 leading us to overstep God\u2019s boundaries.\u00a0Pride sits at the root of all sin \u2014 it\u2019s demanding for ourselves something that doesn\u2019t belong to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Uzziah<\/strong>, crossing that boundary led to struggle, judgment and ultimately to the loss of his influence. The consequences of Uzziah\u2019s pride<\/strong> were devastating.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n