A Leader in the Making

A LEADER IN THE MAKING

Have you heard the statement, "That person is a born leader." Are leaders born or they made? It is true that some people seem to be born with an abundance of leadership qualities. It is also true that some of the best leaders in the Kingdom of God are those whom the world would probably disregard as even qualifying for leadership. There is a great need for leaders in the Kingdom of God. Let’s examine the Scriptures and see if we can get an idea what it takes to be a Biblical leader.

DEVELOP YOUR POTENTIAL

Unit 1

NOBODY STARTS AT THE FINISH LINE

Development – (Web) an unfolding; the discovering of something secret or withheld from the knowledge of others; disclosure; full exhibition.

Potential – (Web) existing in possibility, not in act.

D.L. Moody – A minister told Moody, "The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him." Moody’s response, "By the grace of God I will be that man."

(a) 1Pet 4:10 NLT God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage (develop) them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.

OUR NUMBER ONE JOB:

The development of personal potential is each person’s number one job. We all have undeveloped potential, in fact we are full of potential, but will never see it manifested until we believe God and believe we can do whatever He says we can do in his word. Until we take a chance and step out in faith believing that with God all things are possible our potential will never be developed. The dreams and visions God gives us for the future (Joel 2:28) are possibilities not ‘Positivelys’

(b) Gal 6:10 And let us not be weary on well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

NO RETURN WITHOUT INVESTMENT:

(Gal 6:10 Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap) Many people are not willing to invest in something with the hope of reaping a return somewhere down the road. Their philosophy is, "If I’m going to do anything right now, I want some pay now." Many people wish they had some great work to do for God but will not invest the time and hard work that is necessary. What lies between potential development and manifestation is simple everyday things like time, determination and hard work.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON:

(Gal 6:10 If we faint not) Nobody can promise ‘That you will arrive’ at your destination in a week or a year. The children of Israel took 40yrs to complete an 11-day journey. You may have to go through a number of difficult trials or deal with a number of unlovely people. But if you are going to ever develop the potential God has put in you, you must make up your mind that you are not going to quit no matter what, until you see manifested in you what God has placed in you. (Psa 57:7; Ep 3:13)

ACTIONS NEEDED TO DEVELOP POTENTIAL

1Cor 9:24-25 AMP Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither.

How are we running our race? Are we running it to win? In this passage Paul says there are 2 things that we must do to run our race properly (to win) and thus develop our potential. First he says that those who run to win ‘Conduct themselves temperately.’ This means we cannot allow ourselves to do everything we want to do. Second, he says that they ‘Restrict themselves in all things.’ This means we live a balanced life. There is no area of our life, which is out of control. Simply stated a disciplined life is essential to developing our potential. Self-discipline in simple terms is – Keeping ourselves going in the right direction without someone making us do it. Potential is a priceless treasure, like gold. All of us have gold hidden within, but we have to dig it out. Let’s look at some things we need to do.

(a) STAY FOCUSED

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

This verse tells us that if we are going to run our race we must lay aside every weight and run the race with patience. We must remove or strip away anything from our lives that would hinder us. Things like:

(1) Too many commitments

(2) Letting other people control you

(3) Not knowing how to say no

(4) Becoming entangled in someone else’s problems

If we are going to do what God has called us to do, we are going to have to stay focused because the world we live in is filled with distractions and entanglements.

(b) CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS

Prov 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, he who rules his [own] spirit than he who takes a city.

As this scripture indicates, a person who operates in self-control is pretty powerful. But no one will ever develop into a leader if they cannot control their emotions, especially the emotion of anger. Moses in a good example of what anger can cause. It Cost Moses 20yrs on the backside of the desert (Ex 2:11-12) and the opportunity to lead Israel into the Promised Land (Nu 20:7-13). Related scriptures on anger: (Prov 14:17, 19:11; Ecc 7:9; Ja 1:19-20)

Ep 4:22 AMP Strip yourselves of our former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion.

Even when we think we have our negative emotions under control, something will happen to set them off. The ‘Old-nature’ represents our old ways of doing things and he does not totally disappear. The ‘New-nature’ represents the new ways in which we are now to behave. We must choose which way we act. To develop our potential we must choose to follow the ‘New-nature’ on a consistent and daily basis.

(d) BE PATIENT

Ja 1:2-4 AMP Consider it wholly joyful, my brethern, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed] [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

Without patience we will never see the fulfillment of our potential. If we are lacking in patience we must let God develop it in us. Before tribulation brings out patience it brings out a lot of things in us that are undesirable that must be gotten out of our life.

Heb 10:35-36 AMP For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.

If our dream is not coming to pass, sometimes we get angry with everybody and everything. We must be patient with life and learn to take each day as it comes, living it to the fullest extent. This is one of the characteristics of a leader – the ability to take life as it comes and to make the very best of it.

(e) BE ALL YOU CAN BE

Matt 25:14-15 AMP For it is like a man who was about to take a long journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his property. To one he gave five talents [probably about $5,000] to another two, to another one – to each in proportion to his own personal ability.

Jesus here tells the story of a man who gathered his servants together and gave them different amounts of money to handle, depending on their abilities. When God gave Moses leaders to help him with his task of governing the Israelites, some were to be rulers over thousands, some over hundreds, some over fifties and some over tens. Everyone does not have the same abilities but whatever we are called to do, do it with excellence.

THE HEART OF A LEADER

UNIT 2

Acts 13:22 And when he (God) had removed him (King Saul), he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will."

As we talk about the ‘Heart’ of a leader we are referring to the approach a person has toward God, people and circumstances. We could almost exchange the word ‘Heart’ with the word ‘Attitude’. God does not always use the most talented people but those who have the best heart attitude, a right heart attitude toward him.

(1.) NEGATIVE CONDITIONS OF THE HEART

Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

1Pet 3:3-4 AMP Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or change of clothes; But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person (KJV man) of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.

God is concerned with what the Bible calls the ‘Hidden Man of the Heart’. When we look at one another what we see is not necessarily the way things really are. If we go around doing the right things with a wrong heart, what we do won’t mean anything to God. God is more concerned about our heart than our performance because if our heart is right, our performance will eventually catch up.

What goes on in us? What king of heart do we have? What are we really like inside? What is our thought life like? What kind of attitude do we have? What goes on behind closed doors? If we want to be a good leader, we have to look deeper into those things that nobody knows about but God and us. Let’s examine some negative heart conditions that the Bible speaks of and honestly examine ourselves. Whether, or not, we are a leader, this is an important issue.

(a) AN EVIL HEART

Gen 6:5-8 AMP The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved at heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy, blot out, and wipe away mankind, whom I have created from the face of the ground --- but Noah found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord.

In this passage we see 3 things about people that displeased God: wickedness, evil imaginations, and evil thinking. Most of the time we don’t keep a close enough guard on our heart. We let in too much junk and nonsense. We must realize that we are not going to take garbage in and produce glory. We have got to be careful not only about our actions but also our imagination, our intent, and our motivation. Remember - Garbage in Garbage out!

(b) A HARD HEART

Heb 3:7-8 AMP Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear his voice, Do not harden your hearts, as [happened] in the rebellion [of Israel] and their provocation and embitterment [of me] in the day of testing in the wilderness.

As we see in this passage referring to the Israelites in the wilderness, a hard heart causes rebellion. How can we be a leader in the Kingdom of God and rebel against our Commander-in-Chief?

Ep 4:32 AMP And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

Having a tender heart is equivalent to having a tender conscience and tenderness of conscience is vital to being used by God. When we do something wrong, just say, "You are right Lord, I’m wrong. There is no excuse, so please forgive me and help me not to do it again.

Heb 3:12 AMP [Therefore beware] brethern, take care, lest there be in any of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof form the living God.

Here in this passage it talks about an ‘Unbelieving Heart’. This is a major problem because everything we receive from God comes through believing. To receive from God we must come to him in simple, childlike faith and just believe (Heb 11:6).

Here are some thoughts as to what can cause us to have an ‘Unbelieving Heart’.

(1) When we get tired, it is hard to believe God

(2) Phoniness in the Church. Seeing people prophecy ‘Thus saith the Lord’ and nothing happen because God is not in it

(3) Being taught in your early formative years to be suspicious of people: "Don’t trust anybody. Everybody is out to get you."

One thing is for sure. We will never get to where we need to be if we refuse to admit where we are. Phoniness, pretense and acting like we have something we don’t have won’t work. It is the truth that sets us free (Jn 8:32)

(d) A DECIEVED HEART

Deut 11:16-17 AMP Take heed to yourselves, lest your [minds and] hearts be deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, and the Lord’s anger be kindled against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the land will not yield its fruit, and you perish off the good land which the Lord give you.

There are many things that can become a god to us. Even a ministry can become a god. Having a ministry and seeing it grow can become more important than God Himself. We must never forget that is the Lord who calls us and gives us the desire. He must always maintain the first and preeminent place in our lives. If we put before him the thing that He has blessed us with, it offends him.

Jn 8:31-32 AMP If you abide in my word [hold fast to my teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

If we don’t really care enough about the Word of God to abide in it, we are going to be in trouble in these last days. When we know the Word, God will protect us and keep us. Otherwise we will be sucked up in deception.

(e) A PROUD HEART

Psa 101:5 AMP He who has a haughty look and a proud and arrogant heart I cannot and I will not tolerate.

How can we tell if we have a problem with pride? Examine yourself.

(1) Do you have an opinion about everything

(2) Are you judgmental

(3) Can you be corrected

(4) Do you rebel against authority

(5) Do you want to take the credit for a project well done

(6) Do you say ‘I’ too often

If the answer to any of these is ‘Yes’ then you have a pride problem. The more ‘Yes’ responses the greater your problem is with pride.

It is interesting to note that most people who are really equipped for leadership come prepackaged with a major spirit of pride. They just believe they are right and know the best way. The truth is to do anything important, it is necessary to have that kind of assurance. But it also necessary to have an attitude of humility to realize that we are not always right about everything and be willing to take correction. If we do not have a certain degree of humility we are headed for trouble. This is illustrated clearly in the life of King Hezekiah. Let’s look briefly at this story.

2Chr 32:22-23 AMP Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand--- of all his enemies, and He guided them on every side. And many brought gifts to Jerusalem to the Lord and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so from then on he was magnified in the sight of all nations.

In answer to the prayers of King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the Lord intervened and saved Hezekiah and Judah from their enemies. As a result, Hezekiah began to be lifted up in the sight of the people. This led to pride in his life.

2Chr 32:24-26 AMP In those days Hezekiah was sick unto the point of death; and he prayed to the Lord and He answered him had gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not make return [to the Lord] according to the benefit done to him, for his heart became proud [at such a spectacular response to his prayer]; therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

Hezekiah developed a proud heart, fell ill, and almost died. God has to deal with pride. One of two things will happen. First, if we repent as Hezekiah did, God can continue to bless us. Second, if we refuse to repent and come back to a place of humility then we lose God’s blessing, any place of honor that God may have granted us and possibly our life.

A HYPOCRITICAL HEART

Rom 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse or defense or justification, O man, for in posing as judge and passing sentence on another; you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce].

Any person who judges and condemns other people for doing the same things he does has to be deceived. Yet to some degree, we all do that. We tend to look at ourselves through rose-colored glassed while looking at everyone else through a magnifying glass. We make excuses for our wrong behavior, while claiming that others who do the same things we do are deserving of judgment. A hypocrite is a phony. It is someone who puts on an act but doesn’t have a right heart.

Matt 23:2-7 The scribes sit on Moses’ seat [of authority]. So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them. They do all the works to be seen of men; for they make wide their phylacteries (small cases enclosing certain Scripture passages, worn during prayer on the left arm and forehead) and make long their fringes [worn by all male Israelites, according to the command]. And they take pleasure in and [thus] love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, And to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi.

Jesus was saying that these people were hypocrites because they put on a big show of being holy while refusing to help anybody, yet helping people is what ministers and leaders are supposed to do.

A DESPISING HEART

Prov 5:12 And you say, how I hated instruction and discipline, and my heart despised reproof!

As leaders we should be teachable. If we ever get to the point where we think we know everything, that is a sure sign we know nothing.

Acts 16:14 AMP One of those who listened to us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in fabrics dyed in purple. She was [already] a worshipper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

An open heart is very important because without it we won’t listen to anything new or different. It is amazing the things in the Bible we will refuse to believe because they are not a part of what we have been taught in the past.

Jn 1:48-49 Nathanael said to Jesus, How do you know me? [How is it that you know these things about me?] Jesus answered him, Before [ever] Philip called you, when you were still under the fig tree, I saw you. Nathanael answered, Teacher, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel.

In Jn 1:43-47 we see that Nathanael had a strong opinion about anyone who came from Nazareth because that was the prevailing opinion of the day. But he had an open heart and was willing to go and check out the possibility that he may be wrong.

AN OFFENDED RESENTFUL UNFORGIVING HEART

Prov 14:10 The heart knows it own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

This is probably the most dangerous heart condition we can have because the Bible tells us plainly that if we will not forgive other

people then God cannot forgive us (Matt 6:14-15). If we do not forgive others our faith will not work. We can see in the Scriptures that the great men and women of God had a forgiving heart.

Gen 37:23-24 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; And they took him and cast him into a pit.

In the O.T. Joseph was wrongly treated by his brothers because they were jealous of him. It seemed as though everywhere Joseph went, he tried to do the right thing, but he was treated wrongly for it. It must have been tempting for him to get even with his brothers when they came down to Egypt in trouble. But we can see by his response to his brothers (Gen 50:16-21) that he had a forgiving heart.

Acts 7:58-59 AMP Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit! And falling on his knees, he cried out loudly, Lord, fix not this sin upon them [lay it not to their charge]! And when he had said this, he fell asleep [in death]

2Tim 4:14-16 AMP Alexander the coppersmith did me great

wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. At my first trial no one acted in my defense [as my advocate] or took my part or [even] stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Matt 18:21-22 AMP Then Peter came up to him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

We are never going to get anywhere unless we are ready to forgive people. It is something we are going to have to do frequently. If wedo not forgive we cut ourselves off from access to the power of God, because forgiveness releases the anointing of God.

A DOUBLE HEART

1Chr 12:33 AMP Of Zebulun, 50,000 experienced troops, fitted out with all kinds of weapons and instruments of war that could order and set the battle in array, men not of double purpose but stable and trustworthy.

In this passage the writer is listing the brave men who came to help David wage war to make him king of Israel. As we see these men were not double-hearted but were stable and trustworthy.

Isa 43:19 AMP Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it?

Ja 1:8 AMP [For being as he is] a man of 2 minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

One aspect of being double-hearted is that we want to hold on to the past and still go into the future. When God calls us into a new work we must we must turn loose of the old. We have a tendency to want to hang on to the old because we are comfortable and we most likely enjoyed it. Abram is a good example of this. When God called him he asked him to leave familiar surroundings and go to a new place (Gen 12:1). We need to be decisive. Once we feel like we have heard from God and know what he wants, we need to put our whole heart in it and go forward.

A FAINT HEART

Deut 20:1-4 AMP When you go forth to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. And when you come near to the battle, the priest shall approach and speak to the men, and shall say to him, Hear O Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies. Let not your [minds and] hearts faint; fear not, and do not tremble or be terrified [and in dread] because of them. For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you.

Faint-hearted people are people who give up too easily. In our heart we say, "I can’t do this. It’s just too hard." If we are going to fill a position of leadership in the kingdom of God we can not be wimpy or a quitter.

Deut 20:8 AMP And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, What man is fearful and fainthearted? Let him return to his house, lest [because of him] his brethren’s [minds and] hearts faint as does his own.

Here the Lord is saying that if we are faint-hearted we will not be able to stand up against the enemy. The faint-hearted person is here told to go home before the battle begins because his faint-heartedness may cause others to faint in the face of the enemy. A

faint-hearted person cannot take much. He has to have everything a certain way or he gives up and quits. He gets discouraged and depressed easily. Everything bothers him. We need to remember who our enemy is (1Pet 5:8) and be meek and gentle toward people but bold, tough and aggressive with the devil.

Heb 12:5 AMP And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him.

Another area in which we need not to be faint-hearted is in God’s correction of us. When God is dealing with us and chastening us, sometimes he has to do it over and over again. At such times it is easy for us to feel like we are never going to change, so we are tempted to just give up and quit. God is making something out of us (Rom 8:29). Let’s not give up till he has completed his work.

Psa 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.

David says we need a fixed-heart not a faint-heart. This means to have our mind made up so that we are not going to change it.

A REASONING HEART

Prov 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths

People who must reason out everything have a hard time with faith because reasoning is not faith. If we try to figure why everything happens in life we will have no peace of mind and heart.

Lu 2:19 AMP But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.

It is important to have a pondering heart. By this we mean a heart that meditates (Psa 1:1-2) upon what is taking place in accordance with God’s word. But when our pondering turns into confusion then we have moved out of meditating into reasoning.

A GREEDY LUSTFUL HEART

Psa 106:12-15 AMP Then [Israel] believed His words [trusting in, relying on them; they sang his praise. But they hastily forgot his works; they did not [earnestly] wait for his plans [to develop] regarding them, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert. And he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls and [thinned their numbers by] disease and death.

God gave Israel what they wanted but they were not ready to handle it. We need to be careful about a greedy lustful heart that can never be satisfied. If we are not careful we can waste our entire lives by always wanting something else. Don’t always be wanting something God is not ready to give to you. Learn to settle down and be happy with what you already have while the Lord is preparing you for something better.

A CONDEMNED HEART

1Jn 3:20-22 NKJV For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do those things, which are pleasing in his sight.

A condemned heart steals confidence. Anyone who wants to be a leader must learn how to handle condemnation -("You of all people ought to know better"). When he sins, he had better know how to shake it off and go on because no one is perfect. He may have a perfect heart, a heart after God’s Own, but he will still not be perfect in his every thought, word and deed.

TESTS OF LEADERSHIP

UNIT 3

Psa 7:9 AMP Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the [uncompromisingly] righteous [those upright and in harmony with you]; for you, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God.

Jer 11:20 NLT O Lord Almighty you are just and you examine the deepest thoughts of hearts and minds.

The Bible says God tests the hearts and minds. How do we test anything? We put pressure on it to see if it will do what it says it will do, if it will hold up under stress. God does the same to us. When we pray and ask God to use us, his answer is, "Let me try you out first. Let me put you to the test." In God’s economy leaders are not promoted because of what they know or think they know, by their education or by how polished or charismatic they are, but by what they do during the testing times. In this unit we will look at some tests a person must pass in order to be promoted.

(a) THE TRUST TEST

Job 23:10 AMP But he knows the way that I take [He has concern for it, appreciates, and pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold [pure and luminous]

One of the tests we can expect to encounter in our journey with God is the ‘Trust Test’. We must learn to trust God when we don’t understand what is going on in our life. There is no such thing as trusting God without unanswered questions. If we have all the answers there is no need for trust.

Ex 16:4 Then said the Lord unto Moses. Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.

When God rained down manna from heaven, He forbade the Israelites to gather more of if than what they needed for one day at a time. This was a "Trust Test’. Remember that ‘Tomorrow’s answers don’t usually come until tomorrow gets here.’

(b) THE SECURITY TEST

Phil 3:3 AMP Put not confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances.

We are to put no confidence in the flesh, not ours or anybody else’s. God despises independence. He wants us to be totally dependent on him as a branch is on a vine (Jn 15:5). We are taught all our lives to be independent. Then we get saved and God says that is unacceptable to me.

Isa 2:22 AMP Cease to trust in [weak, frail, and dying] man, whose breath is in his nostrils [for so short a time]; in what sense can he be counted as having intrinsic worth?

Isa 3:1 AMP For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff [every kind of prop], the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water.

Sometimes we think we are very secure in our confidence in the Lord until somebody rejects us, and suddenly we don’t understand what is happening or why. They may hurt us at the time, but eventually it helps us to get our trust back where it belongs. The truth is if we are placing our trust in the circle of friends we have, sooner or later we will be let down. Somebody is going to disappoint us by doing what we did not expect them to do. This is just a part of human nature.

As New Believers we need a prop or support system, something to help us stand up straight. It may be a prayer group or Bible study groups, playing an instrument, being part of a worship team or singing, but without it we maybe blown over. Part of the ‘Security Test’ is that God will begin to knock our props out from under us until we have nothing left to hang on to but him.

Jn 15:20 AMP Remember that I told you, a servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you---

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

People will reject us just as they rejected Jesus, Paul and the other disciples. It is not a matter of if we are rejected, just when will we be rejected.

Matt 10:14 AMP And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.

Jesus says here if there is a call on your life and one person or group of people rejects you, just shake the dust off your feet and move on.

(d) THE JUDAS-KISS TEST

Lu 22:48 AMP But Jesus said to him, Judas! Would you betray and deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?

Another test we may encounter is which is very tough is being betrayed by friends. How many times have we seen an associate Pastor take a portion of the congregation and start a new church. This hurts!

Matt 24:10-13 AMP And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred. And many false prophets will rise up ands deceive and lead many into error. And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

Jesus says there are some enduring to be done. We are going to be hurt and betrayed. It is not what happens to us that ruin us. It is our wrong response to what happens to us that ruins us. Our response will determine whether or not we are ready to be promoted. We must realize that when God gets ready to promote us, there are going to be times when Satan will step in, and attacking our weaknesses, to try and stop us. He will cause us to try to manifest a bad attitude or reaction so God will say, "I guess you’re not ready yet, so one more trip around the mountain."

When we are betrayed we can cry but it is not going to help. We just need to make up our mind we are just going on with God.

(e) THE SERVANT TEST

Jn 13:12-15 AMP So when he had finished washing their feet and had put on his garments and had set down again, He said to them, do you understand what I have done to you? You call me teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are firth in doing so, for that is what I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.

God will give us an opportunity to be a servant, and then he will check our attitude to see if we think we are too good for that. God gives us opportunity each day to be a blessing to someone. So the ‘Servant Test’ is simply how we respond to the opportunities God give us to be a blessing to others. It reveals whether we really and truly want to help people or whether we just want to be in the public eye.

Something to remember: When God anoints a person, He is not necessarily anointing that person to be famous. But he is anointing that person to be a servant, like His Son Jesus.

(f) THE FRUSTRATION TEST

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God

We all get many opportunities to get frustrated. We get frustrated because the things we want to happen are taking too long or what we have been given to do is too hard or because no one will help us. Frustration comes from trying to do something about something you cannot do anything about. God is the only One Who can make things happen in your life. So in order to pass the ‘Frustration Test’ we have to let go and trust God to do what only He can do. Before we can move on we have got to learn to trust His timing and not become frustrated.

(g) THE LONELINESS TEST

Matt 14:22-23 Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds. And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.

One of the things about leadership we need to understand is that if we really want to be a key leader we are going to have to experience some loneliness. You simply cannot be everybody’s buddy and also be their leader. Why?

(1) They will take advantage of you

(2) Your judgement is clouded when it comes time to make decisions in which your ‘Buddies’ are involved.

(3) The more time you spend with someone, the more likely our flaws will show. This may cause them to lose respect for us and thus we can’t minister to them.

In order to win and keep respect as a leader we must show reserve and restraint. Keep a certain distance between you and them. As a leader we must wait for God to bring people into our lives who are right for us, people who understand your call and how they should relate to you and your ministry. You may be thought of as ‘Stuck Up’ or ‘Anti-social’ but the truth is it is just a part of the job description. Remember birds fly in a flock but Eagles fly alone.

(h) THE FAITHFULNESS TEST

1Tim 3:10 AMP And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let him serve.

We are all going to be tested. There are no exceptions. Many of the requirements for a leader can be found in 1Tim 3:2-7. All these requirements point to one overall qualification as a leader. We must be faithful. God works through and blesses faithful people, those who are faithful in the wilderness as well as in the Promised Land. Being faithful is being devoted, supportive and loyal. Faithful people are worthy of trust; they are reliable, meaning they will stay wherever God places them and be true to those God has given them to work with. The great men and women of God have always been faithful:

(1) 1 Sam 26:11 David remained loyal and faithful to King Saul recognizing and respecting God’s anointing on him even though Saul was trying to kill him.

(2) Job 2:9-10 Job was faithful to the Lord in spite of all the tests and trials he went through.

(3) Moses was faithful over God’s people during the 40yrs in the wilderness

(4) Mark 6:14-28 John the Baptist remained faithful to his calling even though it cost him his life.

Such examples encourage us to be faithful. Despite the hardships, we must stay where we are and continue to do what we have been given to do until God Himself releases us.

Heb 3:1-2 AMP So then, brethren, consecrated and set apart for God, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest Whom we confessed [as ours when we embraced the Christian faith]. [See how] faithful He was to Him Who appointed Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses was also faithful in the whole house [of God].

Jesus is a perfect example of faithfulness. He was faithful and obedient to his earthly parents as well as his heavenly Father. Jesus spent 30yrs preparing for a 3yr ministry. It was during the silent years that He grew in strength, wisdom and knowledge. This is where character is developed.

REQUIREMENTS OF LEADERSHIP

UNIT 4

(1.) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Rom 8:29 AMP For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of his Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.

In unit 3 we talked about tests that build character. In this unit we will talk about some areas of our lives which must have character. Character is important because it determines the image that is presented. You may say, "Image is not important to me", but it is important when it comes to carrying out the Great Commission of winning the lost.

Gal 4:19 AMP My little children, for whom I am again suffering birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you.

When God said, "Let us make man in our image." He was not referring to physical likeness but character likeness. The greatest goal of every believer should be Christlikeness. We should want to handle situations the way Jesus would handle them and treat people the way Jesus would treat them.

Lu 12:1-3 AMP In the meanwhile, when so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were trampling on one another, Jesus commenced by saying primarily to His disciples, Be on guard against the leaven (ferment of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy [producing unrest and violent agitation]. Nothing is [so closely] covered up that it will not be revealed, or hidden that it will not be known. Whatever you have spoken in the darkness shall be heard and listened to in the light, and what you have whispered in [people’s ears and behind closed doors will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

Character is revealed by what we do when nobody is watching. Many of us can do the right thing when everybody is watching, but can we do the right thing when nobody is watching but God? What do we do, what do we think and how do we act in the privacy of our own home. Let’s each one rededicate ourselves to reaching the goal that God has set for us. This will not only allow us to become usable to God, but will also help us to become intimate with God, which should be our desire. Let’s look at some areas in which we must have character. As we do keep in mind that Character is developed by habits. What we do over and over is our character.

(a) SPIRITUAL LIFE

A person who wants to become usable to God must develop a deep personal relationship with God. We must all beware of working for God but spending no time with Him. A common mistake we make is thinking that once we have ‘Arrived at the top’ we don’t have to keep doing the same things that got us there in the first place. We must remember that what God lifts up, God can bring down. We must maintain a good prayer life and stay in close fellowship with God.

(b) PERSONAL LIFE

We must also develop good character in our personal life. What goes on in our private lives will affect our ability to minister to other people. If we have a lot of junk going on in our private lives it will affect us. Remember that we are all called to minister (serve). At any moment our phone could ring and someone on the other end depending on us to help them, to give them godly counsel.

What we choose for entertainment – what we read, what we do for fun and relaxation, what we talk about with our friends and family, what we watch on the movie, TV or computer screen – shows character. We can cancel out ‘Spiritual Things’ like prayer and memorizing scriptures with our wrong thoughts and activities. An excessive need for entertainment reveals a lack of character. Remember the computer phrase ‘Garbage in, Garbage out’. If we take garbage in our system, then one way or another that garbage is going to come out. We would be better off sitting around all evening bored than to poison our system and ruin our spiritual life.

(d) OUR FINANCIAL LIFE

There is also a great need for good character in our financial life. It is sad but true that many lending agencies will not lend money to churches because they have found out that they will not pay their bills. We should pay our bills on time and avoid excessive debt. We should be willing to give not only the tithe but also beyond as God blesses us. What a person is willing to give away shows a lot about their character.

(e) OUR SPEECH

We need character in our speech. In other words we must speak the truth. Sometimes we stretch the truth to get what we want or we neglect to tell the whole truth because we don’t want to look bad. It is a challenge to tell the absolute truth in every situation but we need to strive for that and not just tell people what they want to hear.

A BALANCED LIFE

1Pet 5:8 AMP Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a roaring lion [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour

A balanced life is very important. Peter tells us we need to be well balanced and sober of mind, which really means to be disciplined and serious. The devil is looking for someone whose life is out of balance, who is paying too much attention to one area of their life and letting other areas go to pot, someone whose priorities are all out of line. Becoming a ‘Spiritual Person’ is a goal many of us have. To accomplish this we need to incorporate some good old ‘Common Sense’ into our lives. Here are a few thoughts on leading a balanced life.

Ex 18:17-18 AMP Moses’ father-in-law said to him, the thing you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out yourself and this people with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it all by yourself.

We sometimes like to think we are invincible, that we can do anything we set our mind to, that we don’t need anybody. Don’t try to do everything all by yourself. Allow the people that God has placed in your life to help carry the burden.

If we are going to keep our lives in balance it would include such areas as (1) Diet (2) Spending (3) Mouth – some talk too much, some not enough (4) Our personal opinion of ourselves – some think too highly, some too low (5) Work vs recreation

COMMON PEOPLE

1Cor 1:26-29 For [simply consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble and boast in the presence of God birth. [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are, so that no mortal man should have pretense for glorying.

God uses common, ordinary everyday people who have uncommon goals and visions. Here Paul tells us plainly what God chooses and why. He says that he chooses what to the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. As we briefly summarize this study lets look at the people God uses.

WHO DOES GOD USE:

(1) People who are faithful over little things

(2) Those who will give Him all the glory

(3) People who want to bear fruit for him

(4) Those willing to finish what they start

(5) Those who stay on the narrow path

(6) People who make wise choices

(7) Those who are good examples to others

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

God has a wonderful plan for our lives designed for us personally. We must work with God to bring this plan into being. We may have gotten off to a slow start but remember it is not how we start that matters, but how we finish. Let me challenge you as we conclude this study to step out in faith and become an ‘Uncommon Person’ for the Lord. Let’s become all we were designed to be.