UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP
“THE KING ANSWERED DANIEL, AND SAID, “TRULY YOUR GOD IS THE GOD OF gods, THE LORD OF KINGS, AND A REVEALER OF SECRETS, SINCE YOU COULD REVEAL THIS SECRET.” ”
Daniel 2:47 (NKJV)
If you as a leader, God's minister, obeyed the commandments of the Lord, He would make a commander of you.
Daniel was promoted: “THEN THE KING PROMOTED DANIEL AND GAVE HIM MANY GREAT GIFTS; AND HE MADE HIM RULER OVER THE WHOLE PROVINCE OF BABYLON, AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OVER ALL THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON” (Daniel 2:48).
Promotion in the ministry work comes through obedience to God's instructions.
When you obey God, do His work as you are instructed and commanded, then He will promote you (Psalm 75:6,7).
“ALSO DANIEL PETITIONED THE KING, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; BUT DANIEL SAT IN THE GATE OF THE KING.”
Daniel 2:49 (NKJV)
• As God started promoting you and your work, you should not forget you associates—the people who have been with you, labouring together with you in the work.
• If you sit on other people's blessings, you will soon crash: "INDEED THE WAGES OF THE LABOURERS WHO MOWED YOUR FIELDS, WHICH YOU KEPT BACK BY FRAUD, CRY OUT; AND THE CRIES OF THE REAPERS HAVE REACHED THE EARS OF THE LORD OF SABAOTH [Hosts]" (James 5:4).
• You as the general overseer, or founding minister, should not be the only one entitled to some benefits in your ministry.
If you are having good cars, let the people working with you also have the benefits or advantages of having one.
A Good leader thinks of the well-being of the people who are working with him or her—not about the self only.
• Do not try to suppress someone who is emerging under your leadership because of his or her giftedness.
Always know that anyone who rises and comes to the limelight under your leadership is a plus, and it gives credibility to your leadership.
God will through you, or use you to raise the people who are great in His Kingdom, if you have a good heart.
If your heart is bad and bitter towards other people's success, particularly those who are under your influence; you have already placed a limit on the greatness of your ministry.
The truth is:
• The greatness of your ministry lies in the number of people you are able to raise as leaders.
• If you failed to raise others because of fear of being overshadowed, you may never be great. The reason being that, those whom you raised are the ones who will announce your ministry—your work.
The person whom you fear not to overshadow you, would eventually do.
An insecure leader would want to block and stop the progress of others.
Take note of these:
• There is something about you as a leader, aura of God, that no one can take or remove, and that makes you unique.
If you understand this you will be secure and unafraid of anyone's greatness, progress or success, around you.
• Focus on your uniqueness, concentrate on your God-given assignment, and build other people around you to move up that they may know what you know—and leave the results with God.
• If you wish other people well, you help them discover purpose, visions and pursuits; God will never keep you down—He will promote you for your good work (Ephesians 2:10).
• God is just and faithful: “FOR GOD IS NOT UNJUST TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND LABOUR OF LOVE WHICH YOU HAVE SHOWN TOWARD HIS NAME, IN THAT YOU HAVE MINISTERED TO THE SAINTS, AND DO MINISTER” (Hebrews 6:10).
If you kept the people under your leadership bound because of the fear of being overshadowed, know for sure that you will reap it: “DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED; FOR WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT HE WILL ALSO REAP” (Galatians 6:7).
• You cannot mock God! You cannot deceive yourself! Everything you do is a seed that will germinate and bear fruit which would be harvested by the planter.
Some ministers detest greatness of other ministers.
• I have seen ministers who wanted to frustrate the work of other ministers.
If you, out of envy, blocked the work of others, or hindered the progress of others, other ministers, you will surely reap it—except you have a change of heart (Acts 13:45; Galatians 6:7).
• If you used your influence in a community or city to hinder the work of a visiting minister, know that the harvest of it is coming; the seed you sow will bear fruit and you will harvest it.
And most importantly, you should remember that the harvest is always much more in quantity than the seed sown.
• If you are not happy at other people's success or greatness, you may never be happy or experience greatness!
You may always experience failure at the edge of success!
Anyone specializes in fighting the work of another minister can be sure that his or her own work would be fought as well.
• If you held someone down that the person would not make any progress, you should know that you would not make progress either—you remain on the same spot, marking time, as the person you held down.
That said, some subordinates or assistants want to supplant their leaders (2 Samuel 15:1-6).
• Some plan for the downfall of the leader over them.
• If you conspire and rebel against the authority over your life you may not attain greatness except you repent: "THEN ABSALOM SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL THE GILONITE, DAVID'S COUNSELOR, FROM HIS CITY—FROM GILOH—WHILE HE OFFERED SACRIFICES. AND THE CONSPIRACY GREW STRONG, FOR THE PEOPLE WITH ABSALOM CONTINUALLY INCREASED IN NUMBER" (2 Samuel 15:12).
Greatness in God's kingdom is through service:
43 "YET IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU; but WHOEVER DESIRES TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT.
44 “AND WHOEVER OF YOU DESIRES TO BE FIRST SHALL BE SLAVE OF ALL.
- “FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY” (Mark 10:43-45 NKJV).
• Path to greatness is servant-hood. If you cannot serve you cannot be Great!
You serve your way to greatness in the kingdom.
You will not fail in Jesus' name. Peace!