Leadership

INTRODUCTION

Leadership does not make sense until can connect with your spirituality. No one can become a genuine, true leader until they are completely broken with no ego, self, or fleshly ambition or desire left, and all they are consumed with is how to glorify God.

Apostle Paul was a great leader in the eyes of the Jews and paraded in the pride and ignorance of his zeal until he met with Jesus Christ.

Leadership as a subject has always been a challenge in all generations, nations, cities, communities, businesses, organizations, cultures, ethnicity, gender, and race. Even God had a challenge with leadership when one of his trusted lieutenants commented mutiny and led the first recorded insurrection and coup.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning? How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weakens the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Isaiah‬ 14:12-15‬ KJV

“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.”
Revelation‬ 12:3-4, 7-8‬ KJV‬‬

80 percent of frustrations and challenges faced by pastors and congregations in local assemblies and churches have to do with leadership. Why most churches fail to grow is attributable to spiritually unconnected leaders. Causes of church spilled is due to disgruntled and egocentric leadership. Cases of poor management and financial misappropriation in businesses and ministries are due to poor leadership.

The questions are, why is leadership important? Why must churches, organizations, and businesses pay great attention and invest most of their resources, money, time, and attention to growing or making leaders?

Spiritual leadership is a man or woman, under the instructions and guidance of God, who NOW has the desire, passion, and focus to manifest God’s instructions spirit, soul, and body.
Spiritual leadership is rooted in God.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP

The following represents the mark of Leadership:

• vision, foresight and hindsight
• resourceful
• thinking through
• listen
• follow order
• Give guidance, instruction and direction
• Attentive to details
• live by example
• disciplined
• givers
• lovers
• faithful
• diligent
• prayerful
• committed
• discerning
• compassionate
• Selfless

GODLY LEADERSHIP VERSUS FLESHLY LEADERSHIP

1 SAM 8:9-18
“Now, therefore, hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, ‘This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.’ And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, 9-and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”
1 Samuel‬ 8:9-18‬ KJV‬‬

TYPES OF LEADERSHIP
We have various types of leadership. In our teaching series, we have identified 9 of them, and they are:

1. POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP
2. AUTHORITATIVE LEADERSHIP
3. SERVANT LEADERSHIP
4. PIONEER OR FOUNDATIONAL LEADERSHIP
5. GENERATIONAL LEADERSHIP
6. MINISTERIAL LEADERSHIP
7. QUALITATIVE LEADERSHIP
8. INTEGRITY LEADERSHIP
9. ANOINTED LEADERSHIP

POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP
I SAM 13:5-15
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, ‘Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I forced myself, therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.’ And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart, and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his people because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee. And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.”
1 Samuel‬ 13:5-15‬ ASV‬‬

GOD IS A GOD OF POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP
Our God is a God of Order.

“For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one.” 1 John‬ 5:8‬ ASV‬‬
Before he created Man, he first had to create the earth, planted a garden, and then He made man.
“And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
“And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.” Genesis‬ 2:1, 7-8‬ ASV‬‬

GOD’S LEADERSHIP POSITION IS REVEALED IN HIS INSTRUCTIONS
“And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now, therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way when he came up out of Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” 1 Samuel‬ 15:1-3‬ ASV‬‬

Every of God’s instruction is to put you in position. Whenever God wants to position you, He gives you instructions.

GOD’S POSITION REVEALS HIS BLESSINGS/PROMOTION OR ELEVATION
“And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.” 1 Samuel‬ 13:13‬ ASV‬‬

GOD’S POSITIONAL POSITION IS MATURATION
—rooted in the fear and respect for God.
“There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
Genesis‬ 39:9‬ KJV‬‬

GOD’S POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP IS RELATIONAL
“But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love.” Revelation‬ 2:4‬ ASV‬‬
– SEEK YE FIRST the Kingdom, “But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew‬ 6:33‬ ASV‬‬

GOD’S POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP IS TIMING
“And he said unto him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive yards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.” 2 Kings‬ 5:26-27‬ ASV‬‬

WHY KING SAUL FAILED IN HIS LEADERSHIP

LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF POSITIONAL LEADERSHIP
1. He did not know his job description.
As a king, you listen to your King and Maker.
“It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.” 1 Samuel‬ 15:11‬ KJV‬‬

2. He compromised his assignment.
“And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?”
1 Samuel‬ 15:13-15, 18-19‬ KJV‬

3. He did not remain humble.
“And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?”
1 Samuel‬ 15:17‬ KJV‬‬

4. He robbed ranks with individuals of less spirituality.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 1 Samuel‬ 15:9, 15‬ KJV‬‬

PIONEER LEADERSHIP
PIONEER OR FOUNDATIONAL LEADERSHIP
“And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus‬ 3:7-11‬ KJV‬‬

It is important to note that, not everyone can lead, some have to be a subject. But God can take a subject, and turn them into a leader. Those whom God uses as starters: They are pioneers
These sets of people have the apostolic anointing. They are builders; They are visionaries; They have motivational and inspiring spirit and anointing; they are stakeholders. They assume responsibilities and they pay the price for it.

INTEGRITY LEADERSHIP

Samuel’s children were appointed judges, but lacked integrity
“And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 1 Samuel‬ 8:1-5‬ KJV‬‬

ANOINTED LEADERSHIP

Not all leaders are anointed, but it takes the anointing to make a great leader.
“And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel‬ 16:12-13‬ KJV‬‬

Every man and woman aspiring to become a leader should crave the anointing of God in their lives. For it is the anointing that destroys yokes and removes burdens.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”
Isaiah‬ 10:27‬ KJV‬‬

“No genuine and true leader in God’s house can do anything of worth without the anointing. “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts‬ 1:4-5, 8‬ KJV‬‬

QUALITATIVE LEADERSHIP

Great leaders are woven in the fabric of their character. The strength of their character is submerged in the castle of their experience, and their experiences are rooted in a culture of sufferings.

Why Africa is suffering today is because it lacks qualitative leadership
LEADERS OF QUALITY ARE GOOD AT FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS
A good leader should be good at following instructions.
“And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.” 1 Samuel‬ 10:8‬ KJV‬‬
Unfortunately, King failed as a leader because of his inability to follow instructions.

“When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.” 1 Samuel‬ 10:21-23‬ KJV‬‬

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.” 1 Samuel‬ 13:9-14‬ KJV‬‬

“Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.”
1 Samuel‬ 15:1-3, 7-9‬ KJV‬‬