Knowing
the Lord is not the end of the matter,
but the beginning of the journey for
every believer. We become part of the
Lord’s army; we are His representatives
on earth. We are commissioned as
leaders of souls, bringing people into
an eternal relationship with their
creator.
When we come to
know Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit fills
us; the Spirit of God directs our life,
if we allow him. Through the Spirit of
God, our bodies become instruments for
the Lord’s service in the spiritual war
for the souls of humanity.
Jesus trained the
disciples to be leaders, not followers,
they were to lead the lost to salvation.
The disciples started out as fishermen,
tax-collectors and revolutionaries, but
they were transformed by the Spirit of
God into world-changers. They became
leaders in the church, not because of
their own abilities, their leadership
came from the Spirit dwelling in them.
Jesus commanded them to stay in
Jerusalem until they received power from
the Spirit.
8 "But you shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8
This same power which
transformed this group of common men
into extraordinary men was the Holy
Spirit. This is the same Spirit which
dwells in every believer. We have the
same power available to us to change
nations; therefore each of us should
strive to be leaders. We are to
transform the world, through the power
of the Holy Spirit. The problem with
many Christians is they do not realize
the power they have dwelling within.
They don’t know we are called to be salt
and light in dark world; Jesus gave His
church all authority and power over the
works of Satan.
This point is
illustrated with the seventy disciples
who were sent throughout Jerusalem, when
they returned they were rejoicing over
their power through Christ. Jesus
declared they have the “authority” over
all the “power of the enemy”. This is
the same “authority” we have; we are
only limited by our flesh, which often
gets in the way of God’s Spirit. God
wants us to be leaders in a fallen
world, we need to run to our Christ
appointed positions of leadership.
17 Then the seventy
returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even
the demons are subject to us in Your
name." 18 And He said to them, "I saw
Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 "Behold, I give you the authority to
trample on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy, and
nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:17-19
What is leadership?
A leader is someone who has a vision of
what he or she wants, and then inspires
others to share
that
vision. The world from the beginning
has had leaders, both good and bad. The
goal of a leader is to motivate people
to see and act on their vision. The
reason people submit to leadership can
vary, some allow others to lead them for
a variety of reasons, including;
intellect, beauty, power, wealth,
charisma, expertise or any number
reasons. Sometimes the leader just has
the answers the person wants to hear,
answers which suit their lifestyle and
desires.
Imagine if were
wandering in a forest, filled with trees
stretching for unknown miles, you don’t
know where you are going. While you are
wondering, a stranger appears who
promises to lead you to an exit. What
choice do you have? You don’t know
where you are going? You are lost; at
least this person seems like they know
where they are headed. In
many ways, this is what happens in life.
We live our life, trying to figure out
the way; sometimes we think we find
someone who knows their way around the
forest. They volunteer to lead us to
the exit; we go along because they sound
like they really do know. Only to find
out, at a future point they are as lost
as we are. When we find Christ, we find
the exit in the forest.
Knowing Christ,
allows us to return to the forest and
find those who are lost, and lead them
to safety. When we found Christ, we
found the way through the forest. Now
we understand the forest, now we have
the ability to rescue those lost like we
were. This requires the leadership
ability that comes through the Spirit as
we are transformed into the image of
Jesus Christ. We are then equipped by
the Spirit of God, through the armor of
God to reach and lead those who are
lost. Reaching and leading lost people
is all about being a leader, a leader of
lost people, bringing them to salvation.
We are the Lord’s warrior.
10 Finally, my brethren,
be strong in the Lord and in the power
of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor
of God, that you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. 12 For
we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:10-12
Our
leadership counters Satan
Satan was a
leader, he led one-third of the angels
to rebel against God’s leadership.
Satan cast his vision, and was able to
convince the other angels to follow.
Today Satan’s workers are still leading
the rebellion against God; they are the
spiritual force behind leaders in the
world, opposed to the Gospel. They are
the hunters of souls, who knowingly or
unknowingly keep lost people in under
Satan’s power. We as Christ
leaders/disciples oppose, Satan and his
fallen leadership.
The other day, my daughter was with me
in hunting store, as I looked for a
string for my bow. The shop also
provided taxidermy services, so we were
surrounded by the bodies and heads of
mounted animals. Tremendous specimens of
deer, elk, moose, bears, boars and rams
seemed to come to life as we walked
through the shop. As we left the store,
my daughter seemed very sad, tears
rolling down her face, because she
really loves animals and felt sad,
because they were killed and displayed.
Later she said,
Dad wasn’t that one of the saddest
stores you ever saw, because all those
beautiful animals were killed and
displayed. I explained to her God
allows the hunting of animals, and even
though you or I might not display them,
there is nothing wrong with it.
However, I said Satan, in many ways
displays his hunted and captured victims
in many stores. Just like a proud
hunter, who vanquished a beautiful
specimen, Satan is proud of his trophies
of human souls. Souls made in the image
of God, captured and on display in
Satan’s trophy room.
I explained to
her, we however have the ability to
rescue those souls on display in Satan’s
trophy room, unlike those in the hunting
store; there is something we can do.
Our leadership counters Satan’s
leadership, Satan and his fallen angels
through human agencies lead the lost
into hell, we are called to counter his
work. Therefore we need to understand
how to lead, how to help people
understand the Gospel, without our flesh
getting in the way.
Using leadership principles
Leading people can be a hazardous
undertaking, because there are so many
conflicting messages in the world. Each
message is vying for the attention of
those who will listen. Donald Trump
leads people, telling them the way out
of the forest is by being wealthy and
successful. Hollywood stars and
starlets cast the vision fame and
fortune will bring you happiness. Some
preach the way of solving problems is by
solving Global Warming. Religious
leaders tell people if you just do
enough good works, then you will attain
eternity, it does not matter what your
faith is as long as your are “good.”
The “Born Again”
believer must compete with all these
false messages along with their false
prophets to lead lost people into
eternity. This is why it’s important
for the believer to be equipped with
understanding leadership principles. We
need to ask the Lord to equip us for the
work at hand, gaining from the
experience of God’s word and God’s
people. Scripture is filled with
examples how God raises leaders up,
those who want to be used, God will
use. Let us pray for God to use us, and
transform us.
There were 12 who
entered the Promised Land, yet only 2
trusted the Lord, both Joshua and Caleb
became leaders to Israel. Noah in the
face of adversity was preacher of
righteousness in the earth, before the
flood, God used him to him. Paul was
willing to be stoned for the Gospel,
because he knew it was true. Daniel was
thrown into a den of lions; Shadrach,
Meshach and Abendego were thrown into a
burning furnace. They knew and trusted
the Lord, they knew their message was
eternal, they were used as leaders,
because they made themselves available.
Before anybody
can lead there are basic principles
which each of us needs to know;
1. Know and
understand your vision (The Gospel)
2. Know why your
message is important for others to know.
3. Know how to
present your vision
4. Know how to
develop those you are leading
These same principles,
even apply to competing world-views.
Leadership principles are based on our
human nature. The goal is to cause
people to act, a change in behavior
through the cast vision.
Competing world views
The pattern is
the same with any message, which leads
somebody to action. We all respond to
logical reasons for our actions.
Its within the context
of Christian leadership, we need to know
how should we present the Gospel to lost
people, without our flesh getting in the
way. According to Dale Carnegie’s How
to Win friends and Influence People,
there are 9 points to remember when
leading people. In Part 1, we will
cover 4 of the 9 points.
Part 1
1. If you are going to find
faults.......Begin with praise and
honest appreciation
Have you ever
been on the highway and a faster car is
behind you? The faster car then begins
flashing its lights, letting you know
you are going too slowly. How do you
respond? Does a part of you want to
slow down? Is the driver behind you
“Praising” or “Criticizing”? The driver
behind you is critical of your driving
ability, although many might move out
his/her way, the do it grudgingly, ill
will is created in the process.
This is part of
human nature, when confronted with
negative and critical comments about our
work, decisions or beliefs; it’s our
nature to become defensive. We want to
defend against any attack, especially if
we feel the attack unjust. And most
criticisms are taken as unjust, because
its human nature to justify our actions.
Before a critical
comment is spoken, first look for areas
where the person can be praised, or
honest appreciation can be made. For
example if a person is a co-worker and
they make offensive comments, how could
you handle the situation? First look
for an area where you can honestly
praise him before, you make the critical
comment. Dale Carnegie, in How to Win
Friends and Influence People, tells how
President McKinley used this principle.
One of the prominent Republicans of that
day had written a campaign speech that
he felt was just a trifle better than
Cicero and Patrick Henry and Daniel
Webster all rolled into one. With great
glee, this chap read his immortal speech
aloud to McKinley. The speech had its
fine points, but it just wouldn’t do.
It would have a tornado of criticism.
McKinley didn’t’ want to hurt the man’s
feelings. He must not kill the man’s
splendid enthusiasm, and yet head to say
“no.” Note how adroitly he did it.
“My friend,
that is a splendid speech, a magnificent
speech,” McKinley said, “No one could
have prepared a better one. There are
many occasions on which it would be
precisely the right thing to say, but is
it quite suitable to this particular
occasion? Sound and sober as it is from
your standpoint I must consider its
effect from the party’s standpoint. Now
go home and write a speech along the
lines I indicate, and send me a copy of
it”
He did just
that, McKinley blue-penciled and help
him rewrite his second speech, and he
became on the effective speakers of the
campaign.
Jesus when He
wrote the letter to the Seven Churches
in Revelation, for the most part
prefaced his critical comments, with
commendation. For example in the Church
of Ephesus had lost it’s “first love”,
Jesus pointed out what they were doing
right first, before he pointed out the
faults.
1 "To the angel of the
church of Ephesus write, 'These things
says He who holds the seven stars in His
right hand, who walks in the midst of
the seven golden lampstands: 2 "I know
your works, your labor, your patience,
and that you cannot bear those who are
evil. And you have tested those who say
they are apostles and are not, and have
found them liars; 3 "and you have
persevered and have patience, and have
labored for My name's sake and have not
become weary. 4 "Nevertheless I have
this against you, that you have left
your first love. 5 "Remember therefore
from where you have fallen; repent and
do the first works, or else I will come
to you quickly and remove your lampstand
from its place-unless you repent.6 "But
this you have, that you hate the deeds
of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Revelation 2:1-6
In leading
others, we should follow the example of
Jesus, lets look for areas of praise and
accomplishment, before we find fault.
The purpose of finding fault is correct
the direction, someone might be going,
to their harm.
2. To criticize and not be hated for
it..... Call attention to people’s
mistake indirectly.
At times,
depending on the situation, we might
need to be critical. There are ways to
be critical and not confrontational.
The method is using indirect criticism,
letting the person get the message,
without having to confront them with
it. Dale Carnegie uses the example of
steel president Charles Schwab to
illustrate this point.
Charles Schwab was passing
through one of his steel mils one day at
noon when he came across some of his
employees smoking. Immediately above
their heads was a sign that said “No
Smoking.” Did Schwab point to the sign
and say, “Can’t you read?” Oh, no not
Schwab. He walked over to the men,
handed each one a cigar, and said, “I’ll
appreciate it, boys, if you will smoke
these on the outside.” They knew that
he knew that they had broken a rule—and
they admired him because he said nothing
about it and gave them a little present
and made them feel important.
Another method is
known as using a third party example,
without directly confronting someone.
People can get the message without a
direct confrontation. Direct
confrontation can often defeat a person,
they feel like they are backed into a
corner. Indirect confrontation such as
Schwab used, allowed workers to get the
message without feeling smothered by its
words.
Jesus often used
indirect methods to illustrate His
points. For example, the Pharisees
wanted Jesus to say Jews should not pay
taxes to Caesar. They wanted Jesus to
make a direct critical statement; Jesus
used the image on a Roman coin to answer
their question.
15 Then the Pharisees went
and plotted how they might entangle Him
in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him
their disciples with the Herodians,
saying, "Teacher, we know that You are
true, and teach the way of God in truth;
nor do You care about anyone, for You do
not regard the person of men. 17 "Tell
us, therefore, what do You think? Is it
lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness,
and said, "Why do you test Me, you
hypocrites? 19 "Show Me the tax money."
So they brought Him a denarius. 20 And
He said to them, "Whose image and
inscription is this?" 21 They said to
Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them,
"Render therefore to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's, and to God the things
that are God's." 22 When they had heard
these words, they marveled, and left Him
and went their way.
Matthew 22;15-22
3. Talk about your own mistakes
first.... before criticizing the other
person
Trying to get
someone to act, by pointing out faults
is like a minefield. Many times the
wrong comment or suggestion can cause a
bomb to go off. We are very sensitive,
and when we human beings are backed into
a corner we tend to fight rather then
give in. For that reason, its important
to demonstrate our own humanity first,
before we make a comment at times.
A parent might,
use himself as an example to the child,
how when he was the child’s age, he also
went through a similar experience, how
he felt when he was confronted. The
child then sees the humanity, of the
parent, and its easier to take the
criticism, because the child knows the
parent understands.
Paul constantly
referred to his own failures in his
epistles, How he persecuted the church
and was least of all saints, but by the
Grace of God. Paul when he was on trial
for preaching the Gospel, referred to
his own mistake how he persecuted the
Church. He used his own personal
failure as an example, he gave his
persecutors grace.
6 "And now I stand and am
judged for the hope of the promise made
by God to our fathers. 7 "To this
promise our twelve tribes, earnestly
serving God night and day, hope to
attain. For this hope's sake, King
Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8
"Why should it be thought incredible by
you that God raises the dead? 9 "Indeed,
I myself thought I must do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. 10 "This I also did in
Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut
up in prison, having received authority
from the chief priests; and when they
were put to death, I cast my vote
against them. 11 "And I punished them
often in every synagogue and compelled
them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly
enraged against them, I persecuted them
even to foreign cities. 12 "While thus
occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus
with authority and commission from the
chief priests,
Acts 26:6-12
