The Glory of Leadership
I was privileged to speak at a conference put up by my covenant brother Pastor Abas Matthew Osikhena and I spoke on what I titled “Leadership 101” under which I discussed the topic in view (Glory of Leadership).
As I waited on The LORD for what to say in this program at home, The Spirit of The LORD said to me: “The glory of leadership is the scars.”
At first I paused. I didn’t know what more to expect. Then He opened my eyes to this deep truth…
I felt so totally broken as I feasted on His Word….
Many people are in leadership for several reasons. Some are in it for fame and popularity, money, affluence, influence, respect, women (for the men) and men (for the ladies).
Others just want to build up their social image, show up on the best dresses etc.. To them, these are the glories of leadership…..
The Apostles saw it from a different perspective and this perhaps was the dividing line between they and us today.
Let’s see The First Century Apostolic Leadership view on this.
“They called the apostles back in and giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ Name…. The apostles went out to the high council, overjoyed because they had been giving the honour of being dishonored on account of the Name..” Acts 5:40-42.
They gloried, overjoyed, because of the honour of being whipped for Jesus!
The Apostle Paul had this to say in this regard,
“I have been beaten up more times than I can count, and at deaths door time after time. I have been flogged 5 times with the Jews 39 lashes (195), beaten by Roman rods 3 times, pummeled with rocks once…” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.
No one should expect the bodies of these men to be ever smooth — being designed by those horrifying looking Roman and Jewish whips!
It is no wonder Paul wrote:
“… I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus,” Galatians 6:17.
While our generation glories on fame, affluence, money, women etc., as glories they have in being in ministry, the Apostles gloried in the scars and damages inflicted on their bodies for Jesus!
To add it up, they so rejoiced in dying for their dear LORD….
It was written of Peter when he was going to the cross:
“Peter saw Jesus coming to meet him, “LORD — where are you going?” Peter asked.”
“I AM come to be crucified,” was the answer.
Peter was said to have responded to this, when he was shown the cross on which he would hang:
“I am not worthy to be crucified the same way my LORD was..”
Paul was beheaded for The Gospel which he preached.
The Bishop Ignatius was condemned to death by being thrown to wild lions. He said,
“I am the wheat of Christ. I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure breed!”
Of the Bishop Polycarp, it was written that he should deny Christ — but his response was:
“Eighty six years I have served and he never once wronged me! How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”
He was threatened with wild beast and fire. When these didn’t seemed to work, a soldier plunged his heart with a sword, that so much blood gushed out extinguishing the fire….
What to you do you consider as your glory of being in leadership?
This generation needs a mental reset for true ministry else walking with same power as of old to bear witness to The Gospel of Jesus will be a mirage!
~ by Mark Cyril
Author, teacher, motivational and conference speaker, Pastor Mark Cyril is the international President of CYRIL MARK WORLD EVANGELISM – an independent ministry taking the message of the cross across the Nations turning many in their numbers to salvation through Jesus Christ. He is also the Senior Pastor of Revelation Apostolic Community; an apostolic and Prophetic Word based ministry in Abuja the capital city of Nigeria – West Africa.
Absolutely beautiful. Thank you. God bless.