Rise Up. Take Heart. Discovering Your Identity in Jesus.

I had a youth leader that I inherited from the previous youth pastor that wrote me a long email telling me how inadequate I was for the position; how inexperienced I was, etc. The reality, I was ill-equipped and inexperienced but I knew God had asked me to be the youth pastor at the church. I knew He wanted to do something special through my inexperience within the youth ministry.

I had to learn to not allow people to put borders on me when God hadn’t done so.

2. Remember what God has already done through you (1 Samuel 17:31-37).

You must not forget what God has already done through you. Remember when He set you free from the law of sin and death! Remember when He used you to reach people in your community. Remember when He used you to minister to unsaved family members. Remember those moments and allow them to be an encouragement for new hardships and trials; knowing that the same God that saw you through in your past will see you through in your present.

3. Remember that God wants to use the real you, so quit trying to be something or someone else (1 Samuel 17:38-40).

One of the pressures I faced my first three years of ministry, and I am sure many others faced or are facing, was the urge to be someone else.

The majority of my youth leaders served under the previous Youth Pastor and loved him, which was awesome but they wanted me to be him. I tried learning from them but the only way I seemed to please them was if I functioned like him and did things like him.

I was going into battle with Saul’s armor (1 Samuel 17:38). I couldn’t move properly; always feeling as if I was walking on eggshells. I was miserable wanting to quit, when God spoke to my heart, “Why are you trying to be something I never asked of you? My anointing rests on the real you. Be who I called you to be!”

I had to begin to take things off. The more I began to take those things off that I allowed others to place on me and what I even put on myself, the freer I became and the stronger I was becoming to slay those giants in my life and in the ministry God placed me. Do yourself a favor – take them off! God wants the real you to shine in that ministry and church, not the cheap imitation of you.

Sure some people may get frustrated or even jealous, Saul did that with David, but you will soon find people rising up to fight with you.

What things do you need to take off so you can begin being the man or woman of God He called in the first place?

God wants to use your unique gifts and abilities to impact the Kingdom of God in the city He’s placed you in. He’s for you, so rise up in His strength and use what He’s placed in your hands to slay the enemies that are coming against you and the people under you. You can do this!

Josh McCann has been in ministry since 2002 as a youth pastor for the last 12 years and has recently become the Senior Associate. His passion is to see people changed by the Person of Jesus and be an encouragement to leaders and the body of Christ. He is married to the love of his life, Jill and they have four amazing kids.