UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL

LEADERSHIP
1. BEING MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE MEANS WE ARE
CREATED TO LEAD
Spiritual leadership
According to verse 26, we are made in God’s image.
“Let us make man in our image ….and let him “rule”
What does this mean? One clue is found in the next
(GENESIS 1:26)
phrase: “let them rule” Part of what it means to be like
God is knowing we were fashioned to lead and rule.

Introduction: Spiritual leadership

Spiritual Leadership- is the most important and Being salt and light
powerful kind of leadership. It is the basis of influence
In the New Testament God confirms this calling to
because it directs affect our spiritual orientation.
influence others Look at;
Spiritual orientation – directly determines our beliefs,
MATTHEW 5:13-26
values, attitude, and motivation-the fundamental basis
for how we live our lives. 13. We are the salt of the world. But if the salt should
lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It’s good
for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by
GOD’S CALL FOR US TO LEAD people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city located
on a hill cannot be hidden.15 People don’t light a lamp
(WHY AND HOW GOD CALLS US TO LEAD) and put it under basket but on a lampstand, and it gives
“Let us make man in our image… and let him rule light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let
(Genesis 1:26) your light shine before people in such a way that they
will see your good works and glorify your Father in
Christians have debated the subject of leadership for heaven.”
centuries. Is it biblical to lead? Are we not called to be
followers, instead of leaders? Are we not called to be Salt influence the food we eat. Light influence the home
servants not rulers? Can we honestly believe that we live in. Jesus is calling us to embrace our calling to
leadership is a biblical idea? influence, and shine where ever we go. The Apostle Paul
took this calling seriously, when he said:
When we study the bible closely, we see that leadership
is indeed, God’s idea. God is not only Ultimate Leader, “Therefore, knowing the fear of God, we persuade
but He has called us to lead as well. Men…” (2 Corinthian 5:11)

We are born to lead Divine permission to lead

Consider this. The first description of mankind in the Many of us feel like Moses did, when he faces God at
Bible involves leadership. God designed us to lead, to the burning bush, in EXODUS 3-4. He felt inadequate
have authority and take dominion. According to Genesis and unprepared to lead. But that’s what God called him
1:26-31, you and I were born to lead. to do. Many potential leaders in the Bible were afraid
and ran from there call. God had to give them
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, and in permission to do it.
our likeness; Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over
the birds of the air and over the cattle, over all the earth Most of us can list why we don’t lead effectively, just as
and over creeping thing that creeps on the Moses did. When God called him, he instantly has five
earth.”(GENESIS 1:26) excuses why he couldn’t lead.

Let us notice how God responds to them.

Excuse one: Who am I? (Exodus 3:11) someone catching a vision from God. And mobilizing
others to join them in its fulfilment. When this happens,
Moses struggled with his identity. He just didn’t feel
leadership arises in its purest form.
qualified. He thought God picked the wrong leader.
Dr. Myles Monroe
God’s response: It doesn’t matter who you are. I’ve
called you; I am with you. -True Leadership is an attitude that naturally inspires
and motivates others.
Excuse two: Who are you? (Exodus 3:13)
-Learning about leadership and knowing what it means
Moses struggled with his intimacy. He didn’t know God
to be a leader are two different things. Learning comes
will enough to describe Him to the people. His
from education, while knowing comes from revelation.
relationship with God was weak.
Knowing is spiritual while learning is natural.
God’s response: I AM WHO I AM. I’m anything you need.
-Most of us are not leaders because, in our hearts we
Excuse three: what if they don’t listen? don’t believe that is who we are
(Exodus 4:1)
-The leadership spirit is our inherent leadership
Moses struggled with intimidation. He worried about potential.
people reaction to him.
-The spirit of leadership is the consciousness of our
God’s response: When I am finished, they’ll listen. Trust being made in the image of our creator, as well as the
me. attitudes that accompany that awareness.

Excuse four: I’ve never been a good speaker. (Exodus -Every human being has the raw material for leadership,
4:10) but most do not have the desire, courage, or will to use
it.
Moses struggled with inadequacy. Who could follow
him if he couldn’t speak well? -True leadership is an attitude of the heart that is
birthed by a renewed understanding of purpose.
God’s response: Guess who made your mouth? I’m the
source of your gifts. - You were born to lead, but you must become a leader.

Excuse five: I know you can find someone else The making of spiritual leadership
(exodus 4:13)
EPHISIANS 2:6
Moses struggled with inferiority. He compared himself
“And raised us up together, and made us sit together in
with other more competent people, and he felt inferior.
the heavenly places in Christ Jesus’
God’s response: OK, I will let Aaron go with you… But
Revelation 1:5-6
I’m still calling you.
“And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the fist born
Conclusion:
from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
QUESTION: “

What excuses do you have for not Leading well? To Him who loves us and washed us from our sins in His
own blood, and made us kings and priest to His God and
What do you believe God’s response might be? Father, to Him the glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen”

Leadership is influence 1 Peter 2:9

J. OSWARD SANDERS said it first. Leadership is “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a
influence.” nothing more “. Nothing less. It is about holy nation, His own special people, that you may
influencing others in worthwhile cause. It is not proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of
dependent on titles or positions. It is dependent on darkness into His marvelous light;”
 1. Understanding spiritual leadership John 1:1-3

Spiritual leadership is the most powerful kind of “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was
leadership. It is not from the world, it originates from with God and the Word was God. He was in the
God, a heavenly calling and eternal. It is above beginning with God. All things were made through
principalities, thrones, and dominions and to all the Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
power of the enemies. made.”

Ephesians 2: 15-23 Hebrew 11:3

“The impact is so powerful that even the of hell “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by
cannot prevail against it. It destroys the kingdom of the word of God, so that the things which are seen were
darkness and bring salvation, liberty, healing, freedom, not made of things which are visible.
deliverance and new life to every human being.
1. Spiritual leadership begins in the word of God;
- Spiritual leadership is the power to change life it originates in the word of God
into life that brings meaning and purpose for
Any leadership or organization that is not rooted and
the glory of God. To conformed into the image
established in the word of God will collapses, it will not
and likeness of Christ.
endure because it’s been built in a corruptible material
- Spiritual leadership is a divine ability to lead the like wood, hay and straw. Any faith that is not rooted in
people in victory, in a deeper relationship with God that the word of God will not last.
will produce righteousness, spiritual hungriness and
Colossians 2: 6-10
passion to serve their purpose to God.
“As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk
Spiritual leadership is the power to lead people to Christ
in Him, rooted and build up in Him and established in
and making them disciples:
the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with
This is our ultimate goal to lead people to Christ, to fulfil thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through
the great commission. In Matthew 28:18-20 the Lord philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition
Jesus said; of men, according to the basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, all
fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in
authority has given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go
Him, who is the head of principality and power. “
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, 3. Spiritual leadership is the mastery of and in the
teaching them to observe all things that I have word of God
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to
The word of God is the source of our values, doctrine
the end of the age.” Amen.
and spiritual orientation. We need to master the word
Remember, helping people to their social needs like of truth. Those who want to become spiritual leader
giving them food, clothes, medicine, and shelter will just needs to dig the word of God every day in their life
only help them temporarily… but it will not change their
2 Timothy 2:15
life, just only their present situation and will go back the
same as it was. It is important to minister to their “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a
spiritual need to change their values, beliefs and worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly
orientation. The importance of Spiritual leadership dividing the word of truth.”
giving them the anointed word of God to change their
life forever eventually will discover their 4. Spiritual leadership is the practice of the word
resourcefulness. of God

2. Spiritual leadership originates from the word Preaching is not enough; we should practice what we
of God preach. The practice of your faith is the demonstration
of the word of God to the world. Obedience in the word
of God will qualify you in spiritual leadership.

James 1:22-25

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,

deceiving yourself. For anyone is a hearer and not a
doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a
mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and
immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he
who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues
in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but doer of the word,
this one will be blessed in what he does.”