Exhortation is a part of every leader’s tool kit. Christian leaders find confidence when they base the foundation of their exhortation on truths from God’s word. Read Jeremiah 1:16-19.

Jeremiah had to confront some powerful people about their sin. He was asked to exhort kings, priests, and city officials. He was told upfront that they would fight against him but that they would not overcome. Exhortation is a tough task, but when a leader stands on God’s moral principles they have an objective basis for exhortation.

A Christian leader can display unbelievable courage when they are sure of God’s assignment. Read Jeremiah 1:5-10.

Jeremiah was God’s prophet to Judah during a time when God was about to discipline the nation. The military and religious leaders were blind to their opposition to God and felt the nation was flourishing, not about to be judged. Jeremiah would deliver messages of judgment to leaders that were hostile to the concept. This would take courage. Even Jeremiah may have faltered except for his unshakeable conviction that he was God’s man for this specific time and place.

God equips each Christian leaders with a unique mix of temperament, education, background, aptitude, and ability; and He couples this mix with a distinctive sphere of influence. Read Jeremiah 1:1-10.

God called Jeremiah to a specific leadership role. God commissioned him to be a prophet to the nation of Judah. Jeremiah had some initial reluctance because of his age and experience but God assured Jeremiah that he would be adequate for the task. God not only assigned Jeremiah his leadership role but He empowered him to be able to complete the assigned tasks.

Leaders must cling to their God-given vision even when their team doesn’t comprehend. Read Jeremiah 7:27-28.

Without question the prophet Jeremiah received one of the toughest assignments of any leader in the Bible. God called him to lead a stubborn people, then God informed him in today’s verses that the people would not follow his lead. Jeremiah spent nearly five decades, from 626 BC to 585 BC, urging a rebellious people to repent of their rebellion against God without seeing any significant positive response to his messages. In spite of his frequent discouragement and pain, Jeremiah is a model of a faithful leader who demonstrated endurance in the face of extended opposition.