PART 4
LIFESTYLE LEADERSHIP
Source of Power
In our last discussion we demonstrated the difficulty that many
have with the required traits for leadership in the world and in the
Kingdom. It is important that we take a deep look at these
differences:
NATURAL SPIRITUAL
Self Confident Confident in God
Knows men Knows man and God
Makes own decisions Seeks God's will
Ambitious Self-effacing
Originates methods Finds God's methods
Enjoys commanding Delights to obey God
Personal motivations Agape motivations
Independent God-dependent
Now that we have this table, we should note another difference -
that of LEADERSHIP and MANAGEMENT. Leadership is an attitude and an
action. Management is an action. In illustration, we can make the
following comparison:
1. Leadership is a quality. - Management is a science and art.
2. Leadership provides vision. - Management supplies realistic
perspective.
3. Leadership deals with concepts. - Management relates to functions.
4. Leadership exercises faith. - Management works with facts.
5. Leadership seeks for effectiveness. - Management strives for
efficiency.
6. Leadership influences for good with potential resources. -
Management coordinates resources for maximum accomplishment.
7. Leadership provides direction. - Management provides control.
8. Leaderships thrives on finding opportunity. - Management succeeds
on accomplishment.
It is not unusual to find a leader who can manage; However, a
manager is usually utilized exclusively as a manager.
TRAITS OF LEADERSHIP
I have found only one place where traits of leadership are given
a commentary. Turn to HEBREWS, chapter 11:24. We find the
following:
FAITH. (:24 "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.")
INTEGRITY. (:25 "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people
of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.")
VISION. (:26 "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than
the treasure of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the
reward.")
DECISIVENESS. (:27 "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath
of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.")
OBEDIENCE. (:28 "Through faith he kept the passover, and the
sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyeth the firstborn should
touch them.")
RESPONSIBILITY. (:29 "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by
dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.")
SO, we see from the above that leaders have specific traits that
God honors with blessings. Blessings that come only from the
"stepping out" that a leader must do. This "stepping out" is not a
one-time occurrence, but is a lifestyle. It is one that is open to
scrutiny of the body and the world. Then we come to the matter of
"How does a leader have the strength or power to accomplish his
calling?"
With little exception, especially in a church environment, the
answer to the question "What is the source of power for a Leader?"
would result in the immediate answer - "GOD!" But how many of us
really tap Him as the sole source of power in our lives? Why do so
many believers lead defeated lives?
In our last discussion, we covered the I AM facet of God's
nature. We found that God is to be our sufficiency. Today we discuss
another I AM of God. He is telling us: "I AM your power and your
strength!"
We then have the task and question "HOW DO WE AVAIL OURSELVES OF
THIS POWER?" Let's look at the people called by God to lead. What
major feature of their lives prepared them for leadership under GOd?
Scripture shows no one passing ROTC or ADMINISTRATION 101 or any other
worldly school of preparation. It was the time spent with God that
made them ready to be a leader under God. Fellowship with our creator
was the primary purpose for the creation of man in Genesis, and Isaiah
43:7 gives us the continuing purpose for mankind: "Even every one that
is called by My name: for I have created him for My glory, I have
formed him; yea, I have made him."
Turn to Philippians 4:13 where Paul tells us, "I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me." This is similar to
David's proclamation of II Samuel 22:33 where we are told the basis
for David's strength - "God is my strength and power: and He maketh my
way perfect."
In order for a person to lead, that person must first identify
the direction they are going. There was one person who was able by
every thought, word and deed to glorify God. That person is Jesus
Christ. Jesus told His Father in John 17:4, "I have glorified Thee on
earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest Me to do." What
does that have to do with each of us?
Romans 8:29 tells us that God's desire is that we become like His
Son. "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn
among many brethen." To become like Christ is to glorify God!
How do I become like Christ? Have you ever noticed how a man and
wife, after several years of marriage become truly one flesh? They
act alike, they talk alike and they even think alike. If you have
noticed the couples that enjoy their 50th anniversary, they even look
alike. They become this way because they are together by choice. We
become like Jesus only when we spend time with Him. By being around
Him, talking with Him and doing things together with Him. To be
"conformed to the image of Jesus Christ" we must develop a
relationship with Him and invest time alone with Him. God wants each
of us to be like this, He even searches for that person. Look in
Ezekiel 22:30 where God tells us, "And I sought for a man among them,
that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the
land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none." When God finds
this type of person - one who places FIRST priority on an intimate and
personal relationship with Him, God directs His power and wisdom into
and through that person. God can change the world with such a man.
Implementing this fellowship has three basic elements:
I. THE WORD OF GOD
We must get into the Word. "All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy
3:16,17)
We must get the Word into us. "O how love I Thy law! It is my
meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97)
Just like our physical food, we must meditate on our spiritual
food to make it a part of our very life. The word Meditate means to
ponder or to contemplate, and indicates that we are to probe below the
surface for meaning. (Psalm 119:35, 112:1, 119:47)
II. PRAYER
In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus Christ told about different kinds of
praying that men practice - even today! Please read this section of
God's word.
Take special note that Jesus stated, "He prayed thus with
himself." The one man had his business with God, and wanted to
accomplish something with God, the other to impress other men. James
5:16 states, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much." We must be aware that a prayer has to be FERVENT to be
effective. The greek term translated FERVENT is the term used to
describe the intensity of feeling a person has when being pulled apart
on a torture rack! Some of us pray as though God has a pair of
heavenly earphones - we should be praying as though God hears us
through a heavenly stethoscope! The call of Jeremiah is as valid
today as when he first called God's chosen to "Pour out thine heart
like water before the face of our Lord." (Lamentations 2:19) We hear
so many say, "I'll be praying for you" as a form of saying goodbye.
We should do as Paul did: "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my
spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention
of you always in my prayers." (Romans 1:9)
We must always be aware that a worldly Christian stops praying
while a praying Christian stops the world!
III. OBEDIENCE
This last facet of fellowship with God is the most ignored by
believers. In all walks of life there is no fellowship with a
superior unless there is obedience to him. Our Superior, or Leader,
is the Lord Jesus Christ, and to have fellowship with Him, we must
obey His commandments.
In John 14:21 we find our Lord telling us, "He that hath My
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that
loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest Myself to him."
Luke 6:46-49 is where our Lord Jesus Christ tells us the danger
of disobedience - turn to this passage and read it.
A leader who leads a life of obedience is the greatest motivation
to those who follow him. A leader must be able to state as Paul did
in Phillipians 4:9 where he told Christians to follow him as he
followed Christ. The secret of his following is the same as John the
Baptist stated, "I must decrease while He increases."
Pray that God will touch your heart to create a desire to begin a
fellowship with Him based on these three points - The WORD, PRAYER and
OBEDIENCE. Pray that God will become the priority of your life and
that the fellowship that comes from that dedication will be honored by
His power flowing through you to this needy world, beginning in our
own homes. AMEN
Computers for Christ - Chicago
Index of Preacher's Help and Notes
These documents are free from BelieversCafe.com, the complete christian resource site with more than 5000 webpages.