Everything
of value carries a cost. In fact value is a function of cost. How much you are
willing to pay for something will determine how much you can get out of it. We have
various categories of believers. And, how much you are willing to leave
(forsake) will determine the category you belong to finally. Leadership is not
an exception. Vehicles, houses are in categories, determined by how much you
are ready to pay to get one. How much you are willing to pay will determine
what category of leadership you belong to.
Every child of God is a potential
leader, by redemption. You have been redeemed out of every tongue kindred,
people and nation to reign (Rev. 5:9). However, leadership is not occupying a
seat, it is accomplishing a task, it is not in the titles we wear, and it is in
the values we add. To be called great does not guarantee greatness. It is one
thing to play a game and quite another to be a star in it. But every player is
a potential star.
But how much you are willing to invest in training, dedication,
discipline and sacrifice will determine whether you become a star or not.
Leadership is not talking the lead, it is taking the lead. Talk is cheap. Take
the lead in your assignment or field, not just talk it. Now, if we are all potential leaders, it is
important to determine the price, we must pay to be effective leaders. Luke
14:28-30 it is vital to count
the cost first. You have a towerly destiny in Christ, but there is a cost to it
and that’s where many fail.
Many do not know the cost. Some know the cost but
are not ready to pay the price. Greatness is not born, or thrust on you. It is consciously worked out, just like you
do not stumble into success. You can’t just wake up one morning and become an
expert doctor. You train into it. Greatness is either achieved or it never
comes to be Jeremiah 1:5 before God
formed Jeremiah in the womb he had called and ordained him prophet. But does it
stop there? Jer. 15:16 Jeremiah had to find the word and eat it in order to
become what God called him to be. What about David? You say leadership was
thrusted on him? No! The brothers came to town, but David was left behind
caring for animals. His responsible lifestyle took him to the top. God’s eyes
watched David defend animals from being destroyed. He knew David would take
care of Israel, with such a heart. Matt.
20:20-23 Mary mother of Zebedee’s sons wished leadership for her sons.
Jesus said he must drink of his cup and be baptized of his baptism. Greatness is
not prayed for, it is paid for. There is a cup into it and a baptism into
leadership.
The covenant of
leadership.
What
must you do for the leadership seed in you to grow, blossom and flourish? We
call the covenant of leadership. Eccl 109:5-, There is an evil which
I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceeddeth from the rules folly
is set on great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants
upon horses and princes walking as servants upon the earth. He that diggeth a
pit shall fall into it; and who so breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him
the covenant of leadership. Read (Eccl. 10:10).
a)
Vision
This is a
fundamental requirement of leadership knowing where you are going is
called the wisdom of direction. Until
you identify your field, you have no future in leadership. Prov.29:18 Where
there is no vision the people perish. Vision is the foundation upon which
leadership is built. You discover your purpose and stay on with it. God has a
plan for every one of us. Your journey of leadership begins with discovery of
God’s plan for you. Once you do this and abide by it, you have secured your
future. To miss vision is to lose value, and to be stripped of honor and
dignity. Your future is in God’s plan not in your plan. Until your task on
earth is defined, your leadership, your leadership will not find expression. Whatever
comes to your mind, check it in line with God, so you don’t misinvest your
energy. There are three ways to discover God’s plan for your life;
(i)
It
may come to you as a heavenly vision, like Moses and the burning bush, Paul on his
way to Damascus Acts 26: 19 or 1st
May, 1981 (my encounter God)
(ii)
It can come to you by a burning passion like
Nehemiah, check on your inside, you may have God’s plan inside.
(iii)
By
discovery of the divine gifting God has given you. They may be pointers to your
God-given plan. The gift can help define where you belong. So locate your field
for the leadership potential in you to come alive.
(b) Wisdom
Eccl. 10: 15x The labor of the foolish weareth every
one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. He knows the city to
go to, but he doesn’t know how to get there. Prov. 8:15 By me (wisdom) kings
reign and princess decree justice. Even though you are destined to reign,
wisdom is a requirement or ascending to the throne. Unfortunately many have
mistaken common sense for wisdom. Wisdom is an intelligible application of
acquired knowledge. Commonsense will beget common results, Matt 7:24-28 wisdom
is acquired and applied sense, not common sense. Many are grounded today
because they mistake commonsense for wisdom. The principal raw material for
wisdom is knowledge. Covenant University is emerging as the leading university
In Africa in 7 years! But before she was founded, I engaged in an exhaustive study
of nine world class universities like Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Yales etc.
How they started, their growth pace, how they developed their programs.
Universities that were hundreds of years old. I needed an understanding of how
these great universities had acquired their greatness, so as to lay out our
administrative structure. That’s how wisdom is cultivated. Many people in
Africa are weary because they have no value for wisdom. They mistake native
intelligence for wisdom. God called me to ministry in an 18-hour long vision.
But before I started off, I studied 39 selected biographies of great
ministries. So when speaking as a full time minister, I was speaking with 39
borrowers senses which goes on to enhance the quality of our decision making.
Am therefore not surprised where we area today. There are people in business who
have not read even one book on the business they are doing in their life.
Common-sense! Poor leadership in African politics is a result of having too
many empty headed politicians, who don’t belong to any school of thought. There
is no president in America who doesn’t belong to a particular school of thought
in politics. There are ministers of the gospel who may not have read any book
of ministry, or some even can’t define ministry. Careful acquisition of facts
is what guarantees you a step into practical leadership. Don’t stop learning
.Keep your mind young. Wisdom is a growing virtue. Luke 2:52 Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, favor with God and
man. Prov 1:5 A wise man will hear, and
increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. Wisdom
shall attain unto wise counsels. Wisdom has unlimited capacity for growth.
Never forget that wisdom demands
acquisition of knowledge and applying intelligibly. There is a common saying in
the West; that if you want to hide anything from a black man, write it in a
book. He may never find it! Anything you engage in without acquiring adequate
knowledge and applying that knowledge you get ordinary results at best.
(c) Discipline
Eccl. 10:16-17Woe to thee o land, when thy king is a
child and thy princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thou, o land, when thy
king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength and
not for drunkenness! This
statement defines self-discipline. Every truly distinguished person must be
highly-disciplined. 1 Cor 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things
are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought
under the power of any. 1 Cor. 9:24-27
Race runners are many, but the winner is only one. We keep our bodies under
subjection. Discipline is operating as commanded. Not as convenient. Whatever
demand your envisioned future places on
you, you subscribe to it.
(d) Diligence
Prov 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule;
but the slothful shall be under tribute. You can get out of life more than
what you are willing to put into it. Seed time and harvest not just about
money, but also about investment consciousness. You need to invest time, energy
and resources. Bill Gates labored to be where he is today. Prov. 22:29seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand
before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Billy Graham is sold out to
kingdom business only. He’s a world ruler in the gospel realm. The whole world
gathered to bury his wife. A diligent man in his business. Therefore, it is
impossible to reign without vision,
wisdom, discipline and diligence. Those
are four fundamental costs of leadership.
(e) Sacrifice
That’s the
capital price to pay, going all the way, Luke
12:49-50 I am come to send fire on the earth, and that will I, if it be already
kindled? But if I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straightened
till it be accomplished! Global impact places global demand. Stretch
yourself! It is a baptism of sacrifice that births great leaders. This means
putting your life on the line. David was not going for Goliath to get title but
to stop the harassment of Israel by this giant, at the risk of being killed.
Where you say, “I rather die than watch this shame”, is what sacrifice means.
Moses didn’t fear going back to Egypt Israel free. Daniel didn’t fear being
thrown into a den of lions. They fulfilled their leadership destinies by
sacrifice. The altar of sacrifice is broken down in Africa, it must be
repaired. You never have a star without a scar. The scar of every star is
sacrifice. Matt 20:20-23 it takes the
cup of wisdom and the baptism of sacrifice for great leaders to emerge. Your
leadership potential will find expression on this platform. If it means crawling, get at it. I have brought enough funds to
cater for everything including whatever needs to be paid here. Those that in
the world to get don’t amount to much at the end, but those that are in the
world to add don’t loose value. Great leaders both in the Bible and
contemporary history are products of sacrifice. Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David,
Daniel, Nehemiah are examples. Think of Esther, Ruth, Martin Luther King Jnr., and
Nelson Mandela. The sacrifice of such
men gave birth to free nations today. The quality of your sacrifice determines
the quality of your leadership rating. How much are you willing to give up in
driving the plan of God for your life? Always on your assignment, doing beyond
normal. We are all redeemed to reign, but not without a cost. Doing more than
what others do, you will be a leader in your area of endeavor. There is nothing
extraordinary without extra-ordinary investment. Africa has an army of men who
don’t know where they are going don’t care to learn how to get there, and those
who care to learn how to get there are not disciplined enough to apply
themselves to their finding. Find out what will make a difference. I went on a
search of three days into financial prosperity in 1982 and found the secret. I follow
it. You cannot blame God for blessing me. I’ve never had any stress helping to
see others smile; you can’t blame God for sending me favors. It is one thing to
find the truth and quite another to line up with it. It takes self-discipline
to do it. God told me spiritual impact is the best way to enter into
supernatural supplies. The people you preach to must have heart to show for it
or else you won’t have access to supernatural supplies. Labor in the word and
doctrines, it takes plenty of discipline, fresh preparation for every meeting,
fresh noted. You can’t wish leadership. You build yourself into it. The grace
to commit yourself to the fundamental cost of leadership is released upon you
today. Go and work hard, anointing is no substitute for hard work. You are either
a worker today or a beggar tomorrow. Prov.
13:4 Too many non-working people abound in Africa today, some at 30, they
are still in their parent’s homes! God blesses what you do. Doing nothing
multiplied by one million equals nothing. You don’t have a future without a
working hand. You drive 80 kilometers perimeter to cover Canaan land today. Why?
A mind to work. If ministry is not work for you, you can’t have results. Many
say I resigned work to go for full time ministry. That’s a misconception. You
make a living by working 8 hours a day, but you can only make impact by working
beyond 8 hours. Receive grace to actualize the leadership potentials embedded
in you by applying yourself to the price involved. Peace!!!
