Supernatural Leadership

THE SUPERNATURAL COMPONENT IN LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE


In reading through the Scriptures it is evident that the primary common denominator of excellent leadership was found in the idea that “the Lord was with” each leader. Certainly, every Biblical leader had a mix of natural attributes and developed skills. However, the primary secret to their excellence was a genuine and manifest sense of the presence and power of God. This factor was an essential issue of the heart and is best understood and sustained in current-day ministry by a humble, enduring and prayerful walk with God.

OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
Abraham (Genesis 21:22), Isaac (Genesis 21:20, 26:3,24& 28), Jacob (Genesis 28:15&20, 31:3 & 42), Joseph (Genesis 39:2,21 & 23, 48:21), Moses (Exodus 3:12, 33:15 & 16; Joshua 1:17), Joshua (Joshua 1:5 & 17, 3:4, 4:4, 6:27, 7:12), Gideon (Judges 6:13 & 16), Samson (Judges 13:24, 14:6 & 19, 15:14, 16:20), Samuel (1 Samuel 2:21, 3:19), Saul (1 Samuel 10:7), David (1 Samuel 16:13, 17:37, 18:12, 14 & 28, 20:13; 2 Samuel 5:10, 7:3; 1 Kings 1:37; 1 Chronicles 11:9, 17:8; 2 Chronicles 1:1), Solomon (I Kings 1:37, 8:57; 1 Chronicles 22:17, 28:20) Asa (2 Chronicles 15:1 & 9), Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:3, 19:11& 17), Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:5), Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:7; 2 Chronicles 31:21, 32:8), Ezra (Ezra 1:3, 8:18 & 22 & 31), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:8,18, 4:20), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:8), John the Baptist (Luke 1:66).

In all of these examples, the secret to high-impact, God-honoring leadership was the supernatural blessing of God. This blessing was always directly linked to the heart attitude of humility, obedience and prayerfulness on the part of the leader. “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

A NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE
In his final words to His disciples, Christ gave one statement of profound empowerment and reassurance after telling them of their coming task to make disciples of all nations. Jesus said, “I will be with you, even to the end of the age.”

This was manifested in the early church through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit often direct connection to the life of prayer maintained by the spiritual leaders (Acts 1:13 14 & 24, 2:42, 3:1, 4:24 31, 6:4, 9:40, 10:9, 12:5 & 12, 13:1 3)

Paul made this factor central in his own leadership and teaching as demonstrated by the following excerpts from his letters:

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

“Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6


“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;” 2 Corinthians 4:7

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.’ ” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places . . . With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” Ephesians 6:12 & 18

These passages speak to the supernatural presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, our modern day attraction to man-made programs and earthly resources works against this focus. The “best” is in danger of being replaced by the “good.”

The Scripture reminds us that if we are theologically sound but have lost our first love (Revelation 2:1-7) we have negated our real impact. If we are rich and overflowing with human resources but lukewarm at heart, we are laboring without His pleasure or blessing. (Revelation 3:14-22)