6 Essentials All Leaders Need to Succeed
My prayer for you today is to excel in God’s leadership role for you. Here are 6 essentials all leaders need to succeed:
To have a heart that continually seeks God – like King David
Be Full of Love – like the Apostle John
Be Full of Faith – like the Apostle Paul
Be Full of wisdom – like Solomon
Be Full of knowledge - like Joseph
Stay focused on your assignment – like Nehemiah
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God… “Col.1:9-10).
#1 of the 6 essentials all leaders need to succeed:
To have a heart that continually seeks God – like King David.
David constantly praised God and asked for help from the time he was a young boy to the end of his life.
He asked God to show him strategies for how, when, and where to fight every battle.
God gave David the plans for how to build the city and tabernacle in Jerusalem.
He never gave up on seeking God and during his most difficult times, he called out to God even more.
We need to be like King David continually seeking the heart of God the will of God, the strategies of God, and the favor of God - so we can be all that he has called us to be as leaders.
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My prayer for you today is that you will excel in your love for God and one another.
#2 of the 6 essentials all leaders need to succeed is:
To be Full of Love – like the Apostle John.
As a disciple, John experienced the love of God directly from the Son of God! Jesus chose John and prepared him to be a transformational leader.
First, he needed a Revelation of the transformational power of the love of Jesus/God. God’s love transforms people - who can then transform others.
John heard Jesus say, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them” (John 14:21).
A Revelation of the love of God is essential for leaders to be able to endure the storms, trials, and testing each one will face. John also heard Jesus say, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other“ (John 13:34).
Sometimes the hardest thing a leader can do is to love as Jesus loved. That’s when we can turn to John 3:16, for strength.” For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” - That’s the power of God’s transforming love - and he has given us the power to transform others.
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#3 of the 6 essentials all leaders need to succeed is:
To have apostolic faith like the Apostle Paul!
Paul was a great man of faith not because of what God could do FOR him — but what he could do WITH God.
Because of his faith, Paul laid hands on the sick and infirmed and they were healed!
By faith he spoke in front of angry mobs and prejudiced Jewish leaders. By faith he stood before Caesar Nero knowing that what he was saying would condemn him to die.
Paul’s faith was so incredibly strong that he had no fear of dying because he was convinced he would receive life everlasting in heaven with Jesus.
Paul believed that faith is what enables you to have power, love, and a sound mind. And that our faith grows as we keep trusting God and working with him.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).
#4 of the 6 essentials all leaders need to succeed:
To be Full of wisdom – like Solomon
King Solomon frequently repeats the need to get wisdom throughout the book of Proverbs. He said, “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom.” (Proverbs 4:7)
The Scripture tells us that anything we’re going to establish or build must be done by wisdom. It tells us our relationships must be based on God’s wisdom - especially relationships as leaders. Too often I have seen leaders not make the right choices because of the lack of wisdom.
Also, loving people without wisdom can be one of the greatest problems in your life. You should always put godly wisdom in front of your love - so you don’t wind up loving the wrong person!
The Apostle James tells us that wisdom is something we should pray daily for – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
One thing that’s constant in my personal prayer life is asking God for wisdom and I encourage you to do the same. Now like King Solomon, the Apostles Paul and James - “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in ALL WISDOM and spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9).
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding” (Proverbs 3:13)
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#5 of the 6 essentials for leaders is: Be Full of knowledge - like Joseph
My prayer for you today is to acquire the knowledge God has designed for you - so that you can effectively fulfill your mission.
Joseph was not born with the knowledge or wisdom that he needed to save the world from starvation. It was a process that he learned from seeking God, listening to his father, tending sheep, managing a huge estate, and overseeing a prison.
Despite severe rejection by his family, he chose to turn bad situations into good. As a slave, he chose to acquire knowledge, understanding, and skill - he made himself a trusted asset. With his knowledge, wisdom, righteous ways, and gift to interpret dreams, God put him in a position to be appointed second-in-command over an entire nation.
Joseph’s mission was fulfilled when he chose knowledge and applied wisdom to each situation.
“A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength”(Pro.24:5).
To fulfill our God-given missions, we must be like Joseph, Daniel, and so many other great leaders in Scripture, we must be willing as Peter said, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:3-8).
“Wise people store up knowledge” (Pro. 20:14)
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#6 of the 6 Essentials all Leaders need to Succeed:
Stay focused on your assignment – like Nehemiah
Paul said to the Philippians, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (Phil.3:13 NLT).
Nehemiah had a revelation that he was commissioned by God to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He set about focusing on all the preparations and planning for his travel. When he arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah faced a multitude of problems that would’ve prevented the average person from completing the task.
Day and night he faced:
Opposition and ridicule from Sandballat, Tobiah, and many others.
Skeptical Jewish leaders who refuse to help.
The challenge to keep fearful and inexperienced builders working on the project.
Corruption and evil intentions on all sides.
All leaders will face major obstacles from time to time. Some will be obvious, but others might be more hidden such as fear and insecurity. The challenge is: will we be overcomers or give to the distractions?
Nehemiah is one of our greatest examples of a person who was single-minded and stayed focused on the task. Staying focused reaps the reward of accomplishment. Nehemiah and the Jews finished the job in record time —and the enemy was shocked!
“And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God” (Neh. 6:16).
Keep praying, don’t get distracted, stay on course, focus on the goal and you will achieve your assignment!
Follow these six principles above and I believe you will succeed in ways you never dreamed of!
Building together with him and you,
John P Kelly