"For as Elisha washed
the hands of Elijah, so also you must learn to be a servant first. Indeed
Elisha rose up in double the anointing, as shall you - but it did not come
without cost. It came from being a servant. And so will your ministry begin.
In the shadow of the one I have placed over you.
Allow me to make of you an
example of a true disciple. Then as you excell in being a disciple, I will
make of you a master. But first begins servanthood. So follow close to My
heart and know I have planned your steps. Trust now and rest in faith - for
I indeed have all in hand says the Lord. "
his
is a portion of a journal the Lord gave me
in my private time. As the Lord
leads me through my personal preparation and training, I am learning vital
principles on this position we call ‘leadership. I have learned over the
course of these 2 years that a leader never defends himself, but stands in his
authority. I have learned that a true leader is one who has no fear of being
transparent, allowing others to see his weakness as a man. I have learned also
that true leader is so secure in that leadership that he has not problem
humbling himself publicly. He does not fear the rejection or rebuff, for he is
secure in his relationship with the Lord and he is secure in what the Lord has
placed in him.
The lesson I am learning now as the Lord leads me into
apostolic training is that a leader cannot be trusted to lead until he is made
a servant first! It is very easy to look at those who are in a position of
leadership and authority and envy what they have. It is easy to look at them
and say: "I can do that! What makes them so special?"
Many think that to be a leader means you have to ‘act’
like one. Many think that to be a leader you need to gather and work up
agreement in others. The definition of a true leader is really quite simple: A
leader is one who has a following. The Lord is teaching me stage by
stage that to be s true leader you need to be a servant. Before you can truly
understand the pressures and responsibility of a leader, you first need to
remain in the shadows, learning and being trained by example.
When I look at the example of Elisha and Elijah I am
reminded what a servant Elisha truly was. How humiliating it must have been to
him to carry out those menial tasks – like washing the hands of Elijah – a
woman’s job! Yet every for every step Elijah took, Elisha was there,
learning, taking it in and watching. As I pondered this, the Lord showed me
the innocence of a child.
Just consider one of your children. Do you remember when
they first began talking? How they would use your expressions? Deborah-Anne
(my eldest) follows fast in my foot steps. She puts her hands on her hips,
when she is annoyed – just like I do! She paces the floor up and down
pretending to preach – just like I do! She even makes up her own songs about
Lord Jesus – just like she has seen her mom and gramps do in the spirit!
Now did I have to set her aside and teach her these things?
No, she just followed by example. She has not questioned if this was the ‘right
way’ of doing things. She just copied what I do. The time is coming soon
when she will use those skills for herself. I am reminded of a time not too
recently when she met up with another child in the local park. I ‘listened
in’ to their conversation and it was hilarious! It went something like this.
Chad (to Deborah): Destiny is afraid of the boogie
man!
Destiny: No I am NOT!
Chad: Yes you are!
Destiny: Ok, maybe when it is night, I am scared of
the boogie man. But if my mom switches the light on I am ok, but still a
little scared. Are you afraid of the boogie man?
Deborah: "I am not afraid of the boogie man! I
just tell him to ‘Go away in Jesus Name!’ and he goes away"
I did not teach her how to deal with the boogie man, she
learned it by example. This is how a true disciple is born! As she rises up,
she will in turn pour into others what she has learned. But before she can be
a leader and an adult, she must learn first to be a disciple and a child.
So also we need to learn this important step in becoming
leaders in the Kingdom of God. If the Lord has placed a leader over you,
instead of misunderstanding and kicking against all you see that is wrong,
allow yourself to become a servant! The one who has been placed over you, got
there not by chance, he got there by giving of himself for the Kingdom of God.
He got there because of what the Lord has put into him. He may have faults and
he may have weaknesses, but yet he holds that position because he learned to
first be a servant.
No one is born into leadership. Leadership, authority and
respect are earned and they are earned through humility and sacrifice. If you
have a desire to change the Body of Christ and to lead others in the truth,
learn first to be a disciple. Because soon enough the Lord will raise you up
as a leader of His flock and you in turn will have diciples beneath you.
Having been there you will in turn pour out in the correct order.
Choosing a Leader
Of course to be a disciple you need a ‘master’ to
follow. The relationship does not necessarily need to be personal – all you
need is to find someone you want to be like. Look around for someone with the
qualities of leadership that you most desire. Then submit yourself to their
instruction and teaching. Do not compete or try to prove yourself. Just sit
and watch and take it in. Soon enough the Lord will raise you up into their
anointing as you desire and follow after with passion. An example from Christian
circles would be to look at Benny Hinn, who is known as the one true disciple
of Kathryn Kuhlman. Yet do you know he two of them never met? Benny watched
all her shows and desired to be just like her! If you look at him now, you
would think they were blood related! They look the same, operate the same and
even dress in the same white clothes!
In the New Testament Paul and Timothy are also a good
example. Timothy took all Paul taught him and implemented it in his own
churches. I bet if you had to bump into Timothy on the street, he probably
spoke like Paul, walked like Paul and preached like Paul! It is God’s order.
When Jesus ascended He told the disciples: "Go ye into all the world and
make disciples of all men!" The Apostles could go and make disciples,
because they sat under Jesus for those three years. They gave up their
families, homes and lives for Him. They were as servants for Him. Preparing
the meals, organizing venues to sleep and to eat. Yet look what they birthed
in the New Testament church! This is God’s order and if you would just learn
to humble yourself for a season then the time will come when the Lord will
raise you up in the sight of others.
When that time comes, you will rise up in humility and you
will rise up in fear and trepidation, realizing the responsibility and weight
of the call the Lord has placed on your shoulders!
