A Good Leader by Keith Cook
"To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you," Colossians 1:2,3
Since coming to know Christ in my teenage years, God has blessed me with spiritual leaders and mentors in my Christian walk and ministry. Through their great example I have learned the importance of having a good leader to help you as you grow in life and ministry. It is my desire to serve my Lord as a Spirit led evangelist and spiritual leader for future generations.
In Colossians, chapter one, Paul gives us seven characteristics of a spiritual leader.
1. A spiritual leader Identifies You. He (she) knows where you are in your walk with God (verse 2). He should be able to call you a Saint because he sees your position in Christ. He also desires to call you a faithful brother or sister in Christ because of your activities for Christ. He should even be able to locate you. He also knows where you live. In other words your life is public and transparent.
In identifying with you he knows your situation, obstacles and opportunities.
In identifying with you he sees your present reality and future potential.
In identifying with you he connects with every area of your life, not just the spiritual aspect.
2. A spiritual leader Blesses You with Grace and Peace. He helps bring the presence of God clearer and more powerful into your life. Avoid leaders who do not make you feel blessed or at peace. Uneasy feelings and numerous nagging questions about someone's leadership are often God's warning signs to find another mentor or leader. True peace comes by being under the leadership of a real Godly leader. You see the love of God reflecting in every area of their lives as they bring into focus a real and living Christ.
3. A spiritual leader Gives Thanks For You (verse 3). He appreciates you and values you in the work of God's Kingdom. A Godly and Good Leader knows of your faith in Christ and is grateful to God for you and thankful to you for living for Christ. If you wonder how he can know if you are a person of true faith and vision I can assure you that he can! If you are living a life worthy of thanks, you do not have to tell him; nor, if you are not living in victory you cannot fool him. A good leader is associated with the real thing so often that he can tell the fake from the genuine. Give a good leader reason to give thanks for you. Be real. Do the work of the Kingdom. Seek His Kingdom first!
He also knows of Your Love for (All) Saints. How can he know this? Your actions will show this! You cannot be a lover of all and not give and bless others. You have been blessed to be a blessing. If your life is a blessing to others then others will be thankful for you and will actually show their appreciation. Their showing of appreciation will give you great joy but even if no outward appreciation is given, you are to live your life for Jesus and others and not fall into the trap of living you life for fame or recognition.
4. A spiritual leader Prays For You. He is always praying for you and bringing your needs to God. Good leaders do not depend on their own ability to direct those in whom they are mentoring. They know it is a God thing. They understand that spiritual work takes spiritual resources. You cannot get spiritual giftedness by human efforts or education. Prayer opens doors, brings power, shows directions, and calms fears. Asking for and receiving prayer is not a sign of weakness but of dependence. Having someone praying for you does not mean that they see you as being less of a Christian but that they know what it really takes to rise to greatness. Great leaders see that you have so much potential and do not want to see you miss out on what God has for you. Therefore they pray for you, about you, and with you.
5. A spiritual leader Encourages You (verse 4). Good leaders always seem to get to know good prospects for greatness and service. Good leaders look for opportunities to help those who are coming up in the service of the Lord. They do not feel threatened or jealous. Many good leaders encourage you with their words, while others help you by their example. Often I have been helped by a Godly leader giving me a book that has blessed them or by their telling me a powerful story that illustrates a great spiritual truth.
One famous minister actually, in front of hundreds of others, called me by name and greeted me like I was "somebody" special. He slapped me on the back, hugged me and stood talking with me for many minutes. Five minutes later he was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. This impressed me so much. He knew the election was going on yet he wanted me to feel loved and appreciated. He wanted to encourage me in my ministry. He did! I make it a point to spend most of my time when I am at parties and social events to talk with and share with younger leaders and make sure they leave encouraged not discouraged. The Devil uses discouragement to hinder the zeal and effectiveness of many Christians. Encouragement is a valuable tool though it takes very little time and effort. Take time today to encourage someone, it will make a lasting impression as it will not only effect the individual, but will also influence yourself, and many others that you both come in contact with. Through your encouragement, one might receive just the gift needed to equip him for 20, 30, or even 40 years of effectively leading others in their walk with God.
6. A spiritual leader Instructs You and is not afraid to share with you. He is not ashamed to tell you the truth, good or bad. A good leader is not neutral in His directives and promotes standards of excellence that are worthy of following and emulating. Take the time to find someone who can mentor you and help you move to the next level in spiritual service to our Lord. Do not be afraid to ask for or receive help. Great leaders are always learning and growing.
7. A spiritual leader Warns you because he knows firsthand the tricks of the adversary. He shares from personal observation and experiences always telling you the truth about what you will face and genuinely wants you to succeed not just survive.
Decide today to be a good leader. Or if you dream of being a leader one day, look around and seek out someone to help you begin to learn how to lead others. The Lord will direct your steps. A righteous man's steps will be directed by the Lord Himself. It's time to take that first step to being the leader God wants you to be.
Daily Prayer Focus: Pray that God will give you the heart of a Leader and greater urgency to identify, bless, give thanks, pray, encourage, instruct, and warn others in their walk with Christ.
On The Go Prayer Focus: The Families of the On The Go staff. Pray for their emotions, finances, safety, wisdom, and spiritual health.
Thank you for taking the time to pray for this important division of On The Go Ministries. For more information on any our ministries here at On The Go, you may send your questions to info@onthego.org.
On The Go Daily Devotion For February 24, 2017
Brought to you each day by On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Team
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