Let The Spirit Be Your Leader

Let the Spirit Be Your Leader

John 16:13- "But when He the Spirit of Truth, the truth-giving Spirit, comes, He will guide you into all Truth (the whole, full truth). For He will not speak His own message (on His own authority) but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future)."

Illustration: There are five requirements for the leadership task that are amazingly reliable and useful for those who dare to lead churches:

(1) a leader works;

(2) a leader sees his assignment as responsibility rather than rank or privilege;

(3) a leader wants strong, capable, self-assured, independent associates;

(4) a leader creates human energies and vision;

(5) a leader develops followers’ trust by his own consistency and integrity.

H.B. London, Jr. and Neil B. Wiseman, Pastors at Risk, Victor Books, 1993, pp. 227-228.

Illustration: What great things are there in the character of God which are not found in the Spirit? What titles which belong to God are not also applied to Him? He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of adoption, of truth, of liberty; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, of godliness, of the fear of God. This only begins to show how unlimited He is.

The following are thirteen greater levels of blessing that we receive from the Spirit when we trust and obey the Lord Jesus to be our leader:

1. GREATER TRUST AND OBEDIENCE - The Holy Spirit develops genuine trust and obedience in leaders without turning them into unthinking puppets. Paul wrote, "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful." (I Cor. 4:2) Ask the Lord to help you grow in greater trust and obedience to the Lord without becoming a mere figurehead.

2. GREATER KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM & UNDERSTANDING - The Holy Spirit builds leaders up in their knowledge, wisdom and understanding without making them arrogant. David wrote, "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way." (Psa. 25:9) Ask the Lord to help you grow in knowledge, wisdom and understanding without become prideful.

3. GREATER COURAGE - The Holy Spirit gives leaders courage to make difficult decisions without becoming dictatorial. God told Joshua, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Josh 1:9) Ask the Lord to help you grow in your courage without becoming dictatorial, demanding or autocratic.

4. GREATER DISCIPLINE - The Holy Spirit supplies leaders with discipline to accomplish organizational goals without becoming insensitive to people’s needs. Paul wrote, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Tim. 1:7) Ask God for the discipline to see your goals through to the end without becoming insensitive, callous or indifferent to people’s needs.

5. GREATER PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES - The Holy Spirit furnishes leaders with problem-solving abilities without bogging them down in daily palavers. Dr. Luke wrote, "The Grecian Jews complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked... So the twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:2-4) Ask the Lord to give you special problem-solving abilities without getting bogged down in lower priority ministries.

6. GREATER SUPPLIES - The Holy Spirit assists leaders in raising the funds needed for their ministries without allowing them to become greedy. Paul wrote, "My God will supply all you need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19) Ask the Lord to help you raise the funds you need for your organization without falling into the temptation of loving money.

7. GREATER COMMUNICATION SKILLS - The Holy Spirit creates in leaders communication skills to teach their people God’s truth without becoming Pharisaical. Jesus said, "The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) Ask the Lord to give you special communicational skills to teach your people God’s truth without becoming like the Pharisees who emphasized law more than grace or love.

8. GREATER DECISIVENESS - The Holy Spirit grants decisiveness to leaders without allowing them to become too rigid. Many leaders vacillate in their decisions according to the popular opinions of the day. Jesus endured great opposition yet it was said of Him, "As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51) Ask the Lord to help you not waver in your decisions or stance for God’s truth while remaining flexible, adaptable, and compassionate to the concerns of your people.