LEADERSHIP – part 2 – Mailing #33

The LEADERSHIP – Part 2 (Continuation from Part 1) (Open Letter pages 82-86).

Your Word is Truth – but Your Word is also “…sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb.4:12). In the hands of the proud, diplomatic, hypocritical, unbelieving, fearful, self-righteous and arrogant Christians, Your Word, even Your Word becomes a deadly and dangerous weapon! The very letters of Your Scripture can kill!! (2Cor.3:6).

In the hands of the spiritual, those graced by the graces of Your Spirit, Your Word becomes a scalpel of a skillful surgeon. And so, a simple question is to be asked: “What kind of spirit is really in us???” It is not without importance to ask: what do we speak?, what do we write?, what do we preach?, what do we teach?, what do we do?, or how do we live? But the most important question and the simplest question to be asked is: “What kind of SPIRIT is really in us”???

We better ask ourselves this all important question lest we burn one another with fire from heaven! (Lk.9:54,55).

Righteous and loving Lord, I repeat to my brethren: “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. I shall not judge brethren but things in them. And this judgement is based and shall be based solely on the Lord’s Grace and revelations to me.”

“Should I judge-condemn any brother, sister, and point my finger, I should be condemned myself! Equally, should I at this very hour hold my peace and not speak on the Lord’s behalf, I should be condemned, as well! Therefore, hear my words and consider them diligently in your hearts and minds for the sake of Christ, the Head, and the Church, His Body.”

 During my past several years, I learnt many things and many lessons. Two things I also learnt were pertaining to leadership, and they were the following.

(1) It is not easy to lead others! It is easy to be led or to do nothing, to stay nobody or to have no responsibility. But to be a true teacher, true pastor, true prophet, true evangelist, true apostle … is very difficult, indeed. So difficult, that unless we are truly called by You and equipped by You, it is an absolute impossibility! But even when we are called by You, it is still difficult.

Every TRUE leader is a special target of the powers of darkness to destroy him by any available means. Or at least to neutralize him, discredit him, attack his soul and body, isolate him, heap stumbling blocks on his way, mock him, spread rumours about him, wear him out … anything.

Should Christians be willing to receive from You this light and spiritual reality, they would be enabled to stop their mutual criticisms, their back-biting, lashing of tongues, spewing idle words, most unrighteous judgements and condemnations. Instead, they would be enabled to fall to their knees and intercede for all TRUE leaders, for they would also be able to discern and recognize the true ones from the false ones. (I do not say, Lord, they would intercede for the false ones.)

So, this is the first thing concerning leadership I learnt in due time. But I truly do not blame any Christian for being ignorant in this area, because I was ignorant myself.

(2) It is not easy to become a leader who is successful and fruitful in Your eyes! One may be a true leader called by You, sanctified by You, yet, unsuccessful and unfruitful for the rest of his life! This was a very painful fact and truth, a painful reality which I was learning on my own skin for a long time; and I have not stopped learning it.

I just know, Lord, that every wise servant of Yours, whether obscure or known by millions, at times wonders, at least in his own heart, whether the harvest, if any, corresponds to the sowing that was done. It may go so far that the man may turn at the end of his career and wonder whether he had accomplished anything valuable for You, whether what he preached or taught was really Your truth, whether what he had done was really of Your Spirit. Whether the fruits of his labors have truly been sweet to Your taste or whether You would spew them out of Your mouth.

This is the second thing concerning leadership I learnt and I keep learning. But I truly do not blame any true leader who may be unsuccessful and unfruitful, because I was unsuccessful and unfruitful myself.

Merciful Lord, I praise You for Your Mercy and Patience with us all. I do praise You for Your Grace and Patience toward all those that You called and still call to build up Your Body and stand for It. I equally praise You for Your preserving Grace and Patience toward all those that You called and still call to be built into Your Body and stand in It.

But now, Lord, I speak to them that were called by You to build Your Body, to build Your House, or to spread the Gospel.

It is written: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it”! (Ps.127:1). How do we know when You build and when our labors are in vain? By the fruits! The fruits ALONE shall prove all things and shall prove all people, including us – Christians! You never said to us “Ye shall know them by their busyness, by their preaching, by their zeal, by their knowledge, by their doctrines, by their wisdom, by their eloquent arguments, by their noble desires, by the growth of their religious enterprises, by their grand plans for the future, by their smiles and always positive attitudes…” I can go on and on. But You never said that! You said very clearly: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (Mt.7:16). And Your statement is not directed at the false prophets only (Mt.7:15), but at ANY leader or laborer who calls You Lord, Lord! (Mt.7:21,22). The false prophets in verse 15 are not pagans, they are the prophets of either Israel or of the church which speak THEIR OWN minds and a vision of THEIR OWN hearts while Your lips are quiet! (Jer.23:16-36). “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests (pastors) bear rule by their (own) means, and My people LOVE TO HAVE IT SO, and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer.5:31).

So, Your Word touches also the priests and pastors who rule according to THEIR OWN rules, their own minds, their own powers … and You equate them with the false prophets! And You also warn them saying: “Woe be unto you pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith the Lord. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Israel (and of the Church) against the pastors that feed My people: Ye have scattered My flock (into a host of denominations and sects and churches), and driven them away (from churches) and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.” (Jer.23:1,2).

(To be continued next week in part 3)

brother Hanola 

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