Module 1: The Character of Jesus Christ

Module 1: The Character of Jesus Christ
Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

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Apostolic Foundations:
Eternal Principles for God-Ordained Christian Leadership
Module 1:
The Character of
Jesus Christ
Written by
Samuel Medina
and presented by
The Naioth School for Emerging Leaders
A Ministry of the Restoration Group
© 2007 Samuel Medina. All Rights Reserved.

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Publisherʼs Notes:
Apostolic Foundations: Eternal Principles for God-ordained Christian Leadership, a 30

week course for the training of ministry leaders. Module 1: The Character of Jesus
Christ. Written by Samuel Medina and presented by the Naioth School for Emerging
Leaders, a ministry of The Restoration Group.
Author: Samuel Medina

Design by: TRG Media
Copyright 2007 Samuel Medina. All Rights Reserved.
This publication cannot be reproduced, in whole or in part, by electronic or other

means, without the express written permission of the author and The Restoration
Group.
All scripture references are taken from the King James Version of the Bible, unless
otherwise noted.
ISBN Pending.

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Table of Contents
Week One
1. Introduction and Overview 5

2. The Love of Christ. 7
3. Compassion 13
Week Two
4. Wisdom 17
5. Humility and the Fear of the Lord 23
6. Authority 29
Week Three
7. Discipline 33
8. The Faith of the Son of God 37
9. Integrity 43
Week Four
10. Discernment 47
11. Consecration 51
Week Five
12. Obedience 57
13. The Presence of God 63

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All Scripture References taken from The King James Version of the
Bible, unless otherwise noted.
Special thanks to MacSword and The Sword Project for the use of their
Bible search tools, including their software version of Strongʼs
Concordance.

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Week One
Lesson One:
Introduction and Overview
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example,
that ye should follow his steps:
--1 Peter 2:21
In this module, we will be discussing the key elements of the character of Jesus Christ,
since it is He who serves as the pattern according to which we are to cut the fabric of
our destiny. In this first scripture reference, we should note that the original Greek word
for “example” is hupogrammos, for which the definition is listed below, from Strongʼs
Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
hupogrammos -- pronounced: hoop-og-ram-mosʼ. From a compound of 5259 and 1125;
an underwriting, i.e. copy for imitation (figuratively): KJV-- example. See Greek No. 5259
<G5259> See Greek No. 1125 <G1125> (Strongʼs Greek Dictionary of the Bible)
Further investigation reveals that a hupogrammos was also, in fact, a model alphabet
given to school children on their very first day of school. They used this model to learn
how to read and to write, and so we must also understand that Christ and His example
are indeed to form not only the very alphabet with which we write our lives, but which
we also use as the basis of our understanding of the world around us. Indeed, in any
form of human communication our understanding is both defined and limited to a great
degree by language, and thus for the Christian, and especially for the Christian leader,
Christ is to be our language, that our words, thoughts, decisions, actions, and attitudes
can be defined by and expressed through His nature.
We have found in our studies that there are twelve fundamental elements to the
character of Jesus Christ, and so we will approach our study of Christ through these
characteristics to illustrate their importance to the development of Christian leadership
that will fully execute its purpose in God. These characteristics are as follows:
Love: The central motivation for Christʼs mission was the love of the Father for a world
lost in sin and trespasses, and it is this love that forms basis for every other
characteristic.
Compassion: Christʼs compassion not only moved him to perform miracles and
wonders, but it also caused others to become receptive to His teachings, and inspires
compassion in countless people even to this day.
Wisdom: Christ was known not only for miracles and healings, but also for a wisdom
that no man could gainsay or resist, and that caused even those who were sent to
arrest him to wonder at Him. (John 7:45-46)
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Humility: Christ, having set aside His eternal glory to die a criminalʼs death at the hands
of sinners, humbled Himself far more than we ever could. It is, therefore vital to every
believer, to walk in humility so that Godʼs purpose can likewise be fulfilled in us.
Authority: The very wind and sea obeyed the voice of Christ, and even the very laws of
physics were subject to Him. Therefore, it is imperative that we know precisely how to
obtain and exercise authority through Christ.
Discipline: Mentioned last among the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, this is absolutely
essential to successful leadership because, without discipline, one cannot have order,
and God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33)
Faith: Christʼs faith was of absolute confidence that the Father would always do what is
best, and, as the Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews
11:6), we know that the Christian leader must walk by faith.
Integrity: There was nothing that could deter Christ from righteousness, nothing that
could sway Him from God’s plan, and nothing that could cause Him to even consider any
action outside of God’s will.
Discernment: Despite the craftiness and cunning of men and of the enemy, Jesus
always saw right through them, and it is the will of God for us as leaders to be able not
only to see clearly, but also to have understanding that is conducive to the execution of
His will.
Consecration: Jesusʼ life was characterized by separation unto the purpose of God and
a complete dedication to unbroken fellowship with the Father.
Obedience: Jesus mentioned again and again that He did not come to do His own will,
but that of the Father who had sent Him. In being obedient even unto death, He
accomplished the redemption of untold numbers of people who could never have
redeemed themselves.
Godʼs Presence: The Father identified Jesus as His Son, in whom He was very
pleased (e.g., Matthew 3:17), and Godʼs presence was in Him and upon Him in such a
way that even death itself had to obey His command.
Over the next 12 lessons we will examine each of these characteristics, and we shall
endeavor to learn how me may exercise them in our own lives, so that we can truly be
all that God has purposed us to be. Some may say that Godʼs purpose cannot be
abrogated, and this is indeed true. However, we must choose between completely
fullfiling our role in his grander scheme of things, and falling short like Saul or Reuben.
Saul and Reuben fell short of their call, and so David and Joseph respectively fullfiled
Godʼs plan. David succeeded Saul and accomplished the conquest of the Promised
Land, as well as the establishment of the royal bloodline that would produce the King of
kings, while the sons of Joseph took on the birthright of Reuben (1 Chronicles 5:1) It is
our prayer that through the following twelve lessons Godʼs word will be made clear, his
will declared openly, and his wisdom revealed, so that your pursuit of His purpose can
be every bit as fruitful as God intended.

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Lesson Two:
The Love of Christ
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long;
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am
persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
--Romans 8:35-39
If then none of the things listed above can separate us from the love of Christ, how
then is it that there are so many things which we allow to separate the people around us
from the love of Christ which is to be found in us? Love is not merely an emotion, it is a
decision. How do we know this?
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This
is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Matt. 22:35-40)
We have been commanded to love, and since one can decide to obey or disobey a
commandment, love is therefore a decision. If we have allowed circumstances,
situations, etc., to cause us not to love others, then we must examine ourselves, and
whether we are walking in the love of Christ. This isnʼt always easy, as there will be
times when those around us, and even those under our authority may very well make
themselves rather un-lovable in a wide variety of ways.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
This passage never gives us a reason as to why God loved the world so much that He
gave His only begotten Son for their redemption. Very often we love people for reasons;
sometimes good and valid reasons, and sometimes very wrong reasons. Nevertheless,
we must understand that reasons will always become conditions. Once the conditions
are no longer met, our very reasonable hearts find it very easy to decide not to love

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anymore. My wife is a wonderful woman, but I donʼt love her because sheʼs wonderful
(though I thank God that she is!). I love her because sheʼs my wife. If we decide to love
unconditionally, then it will be easier to overcome the “reasons” our hearts may try to
give us for not loving people.
Forgiveness is not an emotion.
Forgiveness, like love, is also not an emotion; itʼs a decision. God decided to forgive
those who would believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their ways. Many of us as
leaders carry old hurts, wounds, and resentments because of the events of the past, the
difficulties of the present, and the uncertainties of the future. Forgiveness doesnʼt mean
the hurt will stop right away. After all, Jesus had a few more hours to go on the cross
when he forgave those who had tortured and crucified Him (Luke 23:34). Letʼs also
remember that Christ died for us while we were sinners (Romans 5:8). The importance
of this detail cannot easily be overstated, because very often it is our ability to love
those around us that will often determine the extent to which we will be able to minister
to them.
Love fosters unity, but it should never be unity at the cost of the truth. Disparities,
disagreements, and inconsistencies should be resolved rather than set aside. It is
knowing the truth that makes people free (John 8:32); precisely how to cause them to
know the truth is something which cannot be determined by our own personal
preferences, prejudices and opinions. Agape rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6),
and so the impartation of genuine love is vital to causing disciples to accept truth and
embrace it so that they may become truly free. This doesnʼt mean that there will never
be confrontations or corrections, but rather that we must, even in confrontation, be
certain that we remain founded upon the Word, rooted in Christ and His love, and
absolutely committed to relying upon and obeying the Holy Spiritʼs guidance, which will
always be consistent with the Word.
Love does not walk in self-interest
Now, there are many who will claim to have great love for God, His people, and the lost,
yet an examination of their habits and private conduct will show that their actions are
ruled by self-interest. One of the growing trends in ministry is the promotion of self-
interest as being healthy and righteous. Letʼs examine this in the light of the Word:
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me. (Gal. 2:20)
If then, Christ lives in us, and we live by His faith, then even our attention to our basic
needs, career goals, ministerial activities, etc., must be consistent with the character of
Christ. The first law of our old nature is self-interest; the first law of our new nature in
Christ is self-denial and surrender of all to Him. Therefore, those things which previously
would have seemed to be justified by self-interest are now governed by the interests of
Godʼs Kingdom. I eat, rest and exercise to care for His temple, I pursue certain business
goals for the purpose of financing the proper Godly care of my family and the vision God
gave me. Placing Godʼs interest at the heart of everything will not only ensure that
nothing goes neglected, but it will also protect you from the most dangerous foe you

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may ever face: self will. Remember, Luciferʼs fall began with two words: I will.
Remember, love is not motivated by self-interest (1 Corinthians 13:5).
This is particularly important because so many of us as leaders have preached a gospel
that is characterized by self-interest and the selfish, self-serving ideologies that come
with it. I have encountered churches in which every time prophetic ministry has
occurred, a special offering is raised, and the people are told that they need to “seal that
word” with a “seed.” If we understand that true prophetic utterance is based on God
having spoken, and that the Bible says that Godʼs word is forever settled (Psalm
119:89), then we will know that you and I donʼt have to “seal” a thing if God has truly
spoken. Now, there may be times when God places a condition on something, but if we
study the Bible, it was very rare for Biblical prophets who were right with God to ask
people for money. Is this pattern an idle detail? Thereʼs nothing wrong with raising an
offering, but there is everything wrong with using ministerial gifts to entice people into
giving (e.g., Micah 3:1-12).
If we are to walk in genuine love, we must also take care in how we delegate tasks so
as not to overburden anyone. I have seen more than a few leaders make unreasonable
demands of their people, and assign them to tasks that they would never lift a finger to
do (Luke 11:46). I knew of one leader who left their congregation waiting over 40
minutes in the cold because she had decided, just before leaving for the service that
night, to change her hairstyle... and only she had keys to the church. Do we walk in love
when we subject Godʼs people to our whims? Still another leader became angry with
one of his members when informed that the member would no longer be able to do
graphic design for the ministry because he no longer had access to the computer lab he
had been using to do it. This young man had been taking a train 50 miles for that
purpose, having neither a car nor a computer of his own. This leader often boasted of
having nearly 60 pairs of alligator shoes, but it had somehow never occurred to him that
the ministry could have owned an inexpensive laptop with good design software for the
price of one pair of those lovely shoes. Is this the love of Christ? Always remember that,
as a leader, a vital part of your mission is to equip the saints and empower them for
Godʼs purpose, and that a “leave ʻem twisting in the wind” attitude may very well only
serve to hinder the accomplishment of your vision.
We must also be sure that our own ambition does not cause us to deliberately keep
those under our care from stepping into their own destiny. As leaders, if we truly love
God and His people, we must take great care to come to a good understanding of Godʼs
purpose for those under our care, and then begin to take decisive action that will not
only be conducive to the development of His people, but that will also create opportunity
for their advancement in His kingdom. Always bear in mind that there may very well be
facets of your vision which God will not permit you to personally carry out, even as God
did not permit David to build the temple he had envisioned. God instead assigned the
task to his son Solomon. (1 Chronicles 17:1-14). Knowing this, consider the possibility
that Godʼs love expressed through you to a seemingly insignificant person in your midst
could very well be the one thing the future of your vision rests upon. How many
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers sit in our pews week after week,
unaware of their call or afraid to pursue it because their leadership has convinced them
that they must “know their place?”
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A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another. (John 13: 34-35)
We must, if we truly love the Lord and His people, make every godly effort to prepare
His people for the pursuit of their destiny, even if it means sending them out to launch
their own works. We presently live in a culture in which self-interest and selfishness are
admired, and we must take care not to allow that in our leadership. The present reality
is that for most of us, when we launched our ministries, we did so without the help of the
leadership we were previously under, and in many cases, we started out with
opposition, resentment, and even curses spoken against us by the leaders we had
faithfully served. Jesus instructed us to do unto others as we would have them do unto
us (Matt. 7:12). According to Jesus, all men would know us as His disciples, if we love
one another. Yet, evangelical leaders have a fairly solid reputation for fleecing people
out of their money, and are often referred to as “pimps” by many. Some may say these
things out of ungodly motives, but all too often it is simply the truth.
We must also remember that love isnʼt always warm and fuzzy or feel-good, but it can
include correction. Some of us as leaders take up this part of things quite readily, yet we
have not corrected in love. Correction isnʼt just telling someone off, or otherwise
punishing them; thatʼs chastisement, which is valid when done according to the Word.
Love does indeed rejoice in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6), and there may very well be
times that you must share some harsh truths with people, despite the fact that some
may not be willing to receive it. Yet, we must always remember that correction includes
guiding people into what is good and right. Punishment serves little purpose if what is
right and just is never clearly defined. Jesus did, in fact, tell the early apostles to teach
all nations (Matthew 28:19). Remember that after Peter denied Christ, Jesus restored
him (John 21).
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou
me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He
saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He
saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou
me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)
A good question to ask ourselves when making the various decisions we must make in
ministry is “Am I feeding His sheep by doing this?” Some of us have been persuaded by
culture and tradition that to feed Godʼs sheep involves little more than preaching some
good sermons and doing some good teaching, but there is more to feeding them than
that. After all the natural shepherd must provide clean water, safety from the elements,
protection from predators and parasites. All of these things require a commitment of our
time. When I was as a manager for a large company supervising 200 people at over 30
locations, my boss repeatedly told me, “Always have time for people.” Once, duringa
problematic time, though his day was already busy, he committed a good deal of time to

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helping us resolve the problem. Although he was unsaved, he taught me a good deal
about mentoring and leadership. While it is good and fine to delegate, we must take
care to make time for Godʼs flock. Genuine love never disregards the needs or suffering
of others (1 John 3:16-17).
There was once a man who worked in a factory and needed to make some extra money
for his children to get braces for their teeth. He began to sell life insurance part-time in
order to do so. After some time, he began to train others to work under him, and within
months he became the very first person to earn over one million dollars a year selling
term life insurance. Eventually, he became the first to earn over one million dollars a
month selling term life insurance. How was this possible? He invested most of his time
in training and mentoring his people, equipping them for success. Would this insurance
salesman have been able to sell all that insurance himself? NEVER! The more
successful his people became, the more successful he became. This occurred because
he trained them, and trained them very well. Is this a worldly principle? Not by any
means. Jesus Himself commanded us to pray for more laborers to be sent into the
harvest (Luke 10:2), and He spent years training the first group of church leaders
We must understand that fathers gain most of their honor through their sons, and this is
clearly shown in the Bible. Where would Davidʼs vision for a grand temple be without
Solomon? Abraham was given the Promise, but Jacob became Israel, and that Promise
was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Let us not forget that every tongue shall confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord for the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11). If you are to
truly fulfill Godʼs purpose, you will have to raise some sons and fully equip them to carry
that purpose beyond the reach of your own life and effort.
Points for Discussion:

1. Some of us may feel as though we have been “elevated” above “merely” meeting the
needs of people, but how did Christ respond to the needs around Him? (John 2:1-11,
4:46-54, Matthew 8, for example)
2. What are some examples of ways in which you have not exercised the love of Christ
in the past, and what can you do to correct your shortcomings in this area?
3. What are some ways in which you can specifically empower people for their purpose
to the benefit of your ministry and theirs?
4. Name 6 ways in which Godʼs love can be effectively demonstrated and incorporated
into your leadership.

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5. In regard to ministry finances, what are some ways in which your ministry could
acquire the capital it needs while at the same time providing an immediate benefit to
all parties concerned?
6. What are some ways in which you could raise “sons” who can enhance, expand, and
even surpass the vision God gave you? This will be discussed in detail in Module 5.

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Lesson Three:
Compassion
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the
son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
--Isaiah 49:15
Compassion isn’t just feeling sorry for someone, but being able to identify with their
difficulty, their hurt, their loss. For example, Strong’s Greek Dictionary gives us some further
perspective:
splangchnizomai -- pronounced: splangkh-nidʼ-zom-ahee. Middle voice from 4698; to
have the bowels yearn, i.e. (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity: KJV -- have (be moved
with) compassion. (Strongʼs, 4697)
Compassion creates open doors-- and eyes.

The root of this word, splangchon is the word used for bowels, intestines, and was
used in the Greek language figuratively to denote pity or sympathy. In this form, to have
compassion is not merely to feel the hurt of others, but to be moved to action. Every
time the Bible speaks of Jesus having compassion on someone, He took decisive action
to address the need of that person. In fact, the compassion of Christ led to miracles and
the emergence of new believers in the Gospel. True, there were regions into which He
went where even the great miracles did not move the people of those cities to
repentance (e.g., Matthew 11:21-23), but the fact remains that His com passion led to
miracles which granted Him a greater audience for His message.
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up
into a mountain, and sat down there And great multitudes came unto him, having with
them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down
at Jesusʼ feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they
saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see:
and they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I
have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and
have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And
his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as
to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And
they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on
the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake
them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat,
and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. And
they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. (Matt. 15:29-38)
Jesus, despite having healed many who were sick, blind, mute, maimed and demon-
infested, felt compassion for the people because they had not eaten, and so performs a
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creative miracle of immense proportions, feeding enough people to fill a stadium. There
are gifts and operations of power that God will only work through us when we have
compassion. Are we content to give the people a good sermon, or shall we have
compassion and ensure that they are equipped to go where God will send them? One of
the traps many leaders fall into is that of believing that everything God has for the flock
will be contained in our sermon, and so often we proclaim this with (supposedly)
absolute faith. Have we truly believed this, or have we said this to absolve ourselves of
further involvement and responsibility. If Christ Himself did not claim his sermons to be
everything the people needed, and we are not better than our master (Luke 6:40), how
then can we do so? Some of us go as far to create various outreaches, programs, and
schools, and that is great, but we must thoroughly yield our hearts to Godʼs
compassion, for when we do so, the inevitable result is the manifestation of Godʼs
supernatural power not only on behalf of the people to whom you minister, but also on
your behalf.
Yes, there will be times when we have compassion on people, and they may very well
be ungrateful, unappreciative, and unrepentant, but there are many places in which
some will certainly be more receptive to what we have to say as leaders because of the
compassion we have shown. Too often as leaders we get caught up in our mission, or
so focused on goals we have set that we can lack compassion for those around us.
When we lack compassion, we will often not be able to truly understand the needs
around us, and therefore our decisions as leaders may not be the right ones.
Remember, it is understanding that directs us to appropriate action (1 Chronicles
12:32), and very often part of the fulfillment of our vision lies in people who may
presently be in need of our compassion. Indeed, without compassion, we are unfit to
lead at all. Leaders without compassion are noted throughout history, and their lack of
compassion for those under their rule often led to their downfall.
David murdered a man for his wife, whom he had impregnated through adultery. Even
this manʼs absolute loyalty could not sway David from having him sent to his death (2
Sam. 11:1-25). This complete disregard for one of his subjects eventually led to David
losing his kingdom for a time (1 Sam. 13-18). If we understand this account in its details,
we shall find that a lack of compassion will lead to other disobedience. After the incident
with Uriah, David refused to carry out the Law with regard to Amnon, and thus created
opportunity for Absalom to seem to be justified in overthrowing him. After all, Absalom
had killed a rapist, which the Law demanded. If you want a guarantee that an Absalom
will rise in your midst, all you have to do is lack compassion toward those around you,
especially toward those who are loyal but seemingly insignificant.
Rehoboam decided to listen to some young men who had grown up with them, and
proclaimed to Israel that his rule would be more severe than that of Solomon, and the
result was that most of his kingdom was lost to him (1 Kings 12:6-20). His lack of
compassion (and humility) cost him dearly. Louis XVI of France met his fate at the
guillotine when his people could no longer tolerate the despotic rule of the French
monarchy.

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Compassion is also expressed as mercy, and the Bible has many references to Godʼs
compassion on people. Godʼs compassion makes itself known even in his wrath and
judgement:
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have
compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every
man to his land. (Jeremiah 12:15)
Even when God had determined to execute his wrath upon a wayward nation, He still
planned to show mercy in not destroying them completely, and restoring them to the
land He had promised to their fathers. Sometimes, when we decry the wicked works of
the world and this present age, we neglect to have compassion upon those whom the
enemy has snared into wickedness. Remember, as foul as the deeds of some may be,
Christ died for them, and so we must always pray that the Lord grant us the wisdom
with which to speak and to act. This never means that we should compromise the truth,
but rather that as we speak the truth we continue to love and have mercy upon those
whom are yet to be saved, and those whom are saved but not quite yielded to the Lord
in their will, words, and deeds.
We must also understand that God may even take us through some difficult
circumstances and situations for the purpose of developing compassion that extends
beyond the momentary sympathy or pity we may feel for others who are hurting. If we
keep the right perspective, these experiences will give us understanding and a better
perception of these difficulties and of those who experience them. Indeed, in a manner
of speaking, compassion could be said to be faith with works, and is therefore a vital
part of developing into maturity in Christ. After all, an infant knows very little more than
his own needs, and there are few immature people who trouble themselves to look after
others. Never forget that there may indeed be individuals or groups who will have
proven to be invaluable to our vision whom we might never have been able to rally to
the cause of Christ had we not exercised compassion.
Points for Discussion:
1. Take a moment to consider and list some issues about which you preach most
aggressively and/or passionately. As a leader, have you set aside time in prayer and
fasting concerning these things?
2. With regard to the previous question, would you consider joining with your people in
prayer, fasting, and decisive action concerning those matters?

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3. Consider making compassion a team effort, not merely in outreach and preaching-
style street evangelism, but also in directing mature saints to make a conscious effort
to reach out personally in genuine compassion toward those around them.
4. Why is compassion important to your specific call? Name at least 5 ways.
5. List a few incidents in which compassion created opportunities for the Gospel to be
shared, and instances in which compassion affected someoneʼs deliverance.

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Lesson Four:
Wisdom
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get
understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when
thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory
shall she deliver to thee.
--Proverbs 4:7-9
The Bible clearly identifies wisdom as being of paramount importance, and for good
reason. There is a significant difference between knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom.
Knowledge is the accumulation of information, some of which may even be irrelevant or
useless. For example, knowing the final score of Game 6 of the NBA Eastern
Conference Finals in 1993 probably wonʼt help you choose good investments.
Intelligence is understanding the things that you know, and being able to apply that
information to practical use. Godly wisdom, however, is the use of relevant knowledge
and understanding in a way that is just and right before God.
Something we must immediately understand is that if we lack wisdom in an area, we
can very easily become susceptible to foolishness. In the life of Abraham, we know that
when Abraham believed God, it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).
Abraham, having believed God, did what was wise, and left Ur behind to pursue the
destiny laid out before him. However, one chapter later, Abraham decides to listen to
Sarai and begets a son from Hagar. Sarai in Hebrew means “dominative.” Indeed,
Abraham allowed himself to be dominated by a very bad idea, and as a result made a
foolish mistake. What was the result of this? To this day, Hagarʼs children cause
problems for Israel.
Wisdom is essential to your purpose

If we understand that without counsel purposes are disappointed (Proverbs 15:22), then
weʼd better be careful where we get counsel. There will always be people who can
present you with what seems to be a good idea in light of your own limitations. However,
the word tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10),
and so ideas that are not formed in the fear and reverence of God will always lead to
folly. A godly leader must always evaluate potential decisions in light of Godʼs will and
purpose, and this is where most of us get stuck.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matt. 6:10)
Many among us do not know the difference between Godʼs will and Godʼs promise, and
this was Abrahamʼs issue with Hagar. Godʼs promise is made to be received, and His
will is intended to be done. Hebrews 10:36 tells us that we will receive the promise after
we have done the will of God. Many, upon learning that God has made us a promise,
immediately pursue it as if it is the next step. In a sense, we try to make it happen, we
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try to do the promise. Wisdom is found in seeking and doing Godʼs will so the promise
can be received at the appointed time.
Peter stressed the importance of the saints being established in the present truth (2
Peter 1:12). Very often we fail to choose wisely in our decisions because weʼre either
stuck in the past, frustrated in the present, or worried about the future, and so we donʼt
perceive what God is telling us that we should do right now. If through right relationship
with God we properly perceive that present truth, then we can pursue His will, and the
Promise will chase us down (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:16-18)
How many times have so many of us tried to argue someone into salvation? How many
bridges will we burn until we get a clue as to how to carry the ministry of reconciliation? This
doesn’t mean that we have to sugar-coat everything, but rather that we should make sure
we’ve been sent before we go, and be certain that we are prepared before we open our
mouths.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
If Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, and our walk is one of faith, then we
should understand that God is only obligated to finish what He started. How many times
have we found ourselves in a bind because we decided to do what we thought was a
good idea, without the counsel of God, or even in contradiction of the Word. I have
found over the years that there are times when leaders may very well espouse certain
views, ideas, or courses of action which are, in fact contrary to what the Bible teaches,
and call it wisdom. Sometimes we have failed to take action in some regards, and often
the culprit is complacency being disguised as patience and wisdom, usually
accompanied by the phrase “God is sovereign.” While indeed He is sovereign, His
sovereignty is never an excuse for inaction. Wisdom does the right thing at the right
time, without hesitation.
How then do we obtain wisdom? The fear of God is the starting point, and while many of us
will claim to have the fear of the Lord, the cavalier attitude that so many of us have had
toward those under our authority is a sure sign that we must be diligent to examine
ourselves in this regard on a regular basis. After all, the Word declares:
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. (Proverbs
27:23)
One who walks in the fear of God will be diligent to be aware of what is occurring in his
flocks, whether those flocks are comprised of people or other responsibilities. We must
further under stand that to look well to oneʼs herds is to take good care of them.
Shepherds often have very systematic ways of reviewing their herds, accounting for the

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animals, feeding them, watering them, checking for parasites, and so on. Many of us
would do well to become more thoroughly organized in our responsibilities, ministerial
and otherwise. As we mentioned in the previous lesson, there may be parts of your
vision which are to be fullfiled by people under your authority, and so it is in the best
interests of all parties concerned for a leader to exercise great care toward his flocks.
Careful study of the Bible is certainly necessary in obtaining wisdom, but we are
advised by Proverbs 4 that we are to not merely get wisdom, but to embrace it. Why?
Because it is a common feature of human nature to acquire wisdom and then later
disregard it in favor of other things that look or sound good at the time. One thing that
will cause us to be unable to embrace or retain the wisdom we have acquired is poor
time management. The Bible instructs us to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16), and so
disregarding this will only lead to folly, because a fool despises his fatherʼs instruction
(Proverbs 15:5). It is then apparent that when we do not manage our time (or disobey
other instruction from the Father) we become susceptible to foolishness, and bad
decisions -with bad outcomes- will be the result.
Let us also remember that the Bible tells us that our thoughts determine who we are
(Proverbs 23:7), and so it is tremendously important for anyone seeking to have wisdom
to exercise discipline in his thoughts. Thoughts will always lead to emotions and
inclinations, emotions and inclinations will always lead to decisions. Decisions lead to
actions, and actions always yield results. Hence we must do whatever we can to be
godly in our thoughts.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be
alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every
man. (Colossians 4:5-6)
We must also observe holiness in our conversation (1 Peter 1:15), for Jesus did tell us
that what comes out of our mouths can defile us (Matthew 15:18), and that we will be
justified or condemned by our words (Matthew 12:37). If our conversation is holy, we
cannot be condemned or defiled by our words, but rather our words will be conducive to
wisdom. Of equal importance is what we do not say, and what we neglect to say.
Remember that Godʼs judgement came upon the house of Eli because he failed to
restrain his sons in the evil doings (1 Samuel 3:13). Sometimes our silence can
condemn an entire bloodline. If we desire Godʼs wisdom, then we must take care to
speak what is right in His sight (Job 42:8).
Now there are times when silence is the best option. The Bible does tell us that a fool
tells you everything heʼs thinking, but a wise man will wait to share his thoughts
(Proverbs 29:11). Furthermore, the Word tells us that by the multitude of words a foolʼs
voice is known (Ecclesiastes 5:3). Some of us need to repent of foolishness and take
greater care with what we say and donʼt say.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
(Proverbs 10:19).
One of the easiest ways to sin is to simply keep on talking. In the martial arts, it is
sometimes advisable to get your enemy to start talking, because while heʼs thinking of
what heʼs going to say next, you can go ahead and hit him. In a similar manner, when

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we talk too much, we can get our guard down and offend God through our words and
attitude, as the more we talk, the easier it becomes to adopt an attitude that is not
conduciveness to holy conduct.
If we examine the words of Christ, we will find that He was silent when He needed to be
(e.g., John 19:9), and when He spoke, He did so with authority and wisdom (Matthew
7:29, John 7:45-46). When tempted by the enemy, He relied upon the Word of God and
emerged victorious. When tempted by man, He outwitted them because He understood
the scriptures, and they did not (e.g., Matthew 22:29).
The kingʼs favor is toward a wise servant; but his wrath is against him that causeth
shame. (Proverbs 14:35)
Wisdom brings honor, promotion (Proverbs 4:8), and favor. Sometimes we wonder why
we do not seem to have much favor, and at times the answer lies in our unwise words
and conduct, which cause shame to the cause of Christ. Remember, Nathan informed
David that his actions toward Uriah the Hittite had given great opportunity to the
enemies of God for blasphemy (2 Samuel 12:14).
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5).
This is not a suggestion; it is a command! We must ask for Godʼs wisdom, and then use
it when He grants it. Sometimes Godʼs wisdom will suggest courses of action which may
appear to be overly simple, and we decide to do otherwise. I remember years ago,
when the Lord showed me the secret to 100% prophetic accuracy: just shut up until God
has something for you to say right now. Itʼs not rocket science, but it is a piece of
wisdom that keep a prophet from presumptuous sins (Deuteronomy 18:20, Psalm
19:13).
Wisdom is also obtained through submission to authority. When someone rebels
against authority, they rebel against God, and the Bible does in fact tell us that rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). Furthermore, Godʼs righteousness as
expressed in the Law declared that a witch was not to be allowed to live (Exodus
22:18). If Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24), and Godʼs wisdom declares
death to the witch, how can we walk in wisdom in rebellion? To rebel is to reject the fear
of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).
Remember also that a fool despises his fatherʼs instruction (Proverbs 15:5). Wisdom,
therefore, can be learned, through instruction and experience. Doubtless there are
many experiences through which we have acquired wisdom, but many of those harsh
experiences would have been unnecessary had we listened to instruction. Wisdom can
also be found through the counsel of those who have it (Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 24:6).
The Bible actually tells of a man named Ahithophel whose counsel was so wise it was
as if one had inquired at the oracles of God (2 Samuel 16:23). Wisdom can be acquired
through the observation of Godʼs order in the natural world, and by being diligent, as
Godʼs word clearly indicates that those who are lazy are not wise. (Proverbs 6:6-11).
Finally, as leaders, if we want to be good stewards over the ministerial resources God
has given us, we must appreciate, celebrate, and motivate. How so? Recognize the
gifts that are in the people around you and especially those under your authority,
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celebrate their value to God and to your ministry, and motivate them to fully pursue
Godʼs purpose through sound instruction, good counsel, and being a godly example that
will inspire them to take hold of their destiny.
Points for discussion:

1. What are some ways you might apply wisdom to the recruitment, development, and
release of a young minister who is more gifted than you are?
2. Think of a few situations in which silence helped or harmed the cause of the Gospel
in your own experience, and evaluate why it helped or harmed.
3. Give three examples for the application of wisdom in different walks of life.
4. What are a few ways in which you can better use your time through the application of
wisdom.
5. Name three ways in which animals exercise wisdom, and then consider its application
to spiritual matters.

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Lesson Five:
Humility, and the Fear of the Lord
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and
life.
--Proverbs 22:4
Genuine humility is never optional

Genuine humility is absolutely essential to good leadership in any field, especially so
in Christian leadership. Examples of arrogant, proud leaders abound, and many achieve
great things despite their arrogance and lack of humility. However, if we are to truly
achieve honor in the sight of God, we must walk in humility and the fear of God. Jesus
said that He did not receive honor from men (John 5:41), and so should we not seek the
honor of men, but the honor of God.
Now, the above scripture from Proverbs tells us that riches, honor, and life come by
way of humility, and this is not merely limited to physical riches. Riches can include
money and items of monetary value but it can also include other resources. I have
known leaders over the years who continually alienated people through their arrogance
and pride, and, not surprisingly, they often ended up stuck in one area or another
because they had, through their poor attitude and behavior, driven away someone who
God had sent to be a blessing to them.
Pride always leads to disaster
There was once a man in whose jacket was found a note, saying, “Under my coat is a
weary heart, but a kind one-- one that would do nobody any harm.” This man was none
other than Two-Gun Crowley, a murderer and cop-killer who gunned down a police
officer for asking to see his driverʼs license. When he was executed, his last words
were, “This is what I get for defending myself.” If this man could not see himself as a
bad person, how does the average person think of themselves? The truth is that most
people have difficulty in admitting to being wrong, and this is often especially true for
those among us who are in leadership. As leaders, we must humble ourselves
continually so that we do not become blinded to our own errors. In Crowleyʼs case, his
inability to even consider that he could be wrong led him to the electric chair. A lack of
humility will always lead to serious mistakes, on way or another:
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
If we walk in pride, destruction follows close behind! Also, let us understand that the
Bible tells us that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). So
many among us who are called to leadership find ourselves in situations and
circumstances in which we face what seems to be insurmountable resistance, and
sometimes it is indeed insurmountable, because itʼs God Himself resisting us because
of our pride!

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Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to
another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to
the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)
Indeed, we are even to be subject to one another in Christ. Does this mean that as
leaders we must lay aside the authority that God placed on us? No, but it does mean
that we have to guard our hearts from the attitude that because we are the leaders, we
must always know what is best. Indeed, God may very well choose to speak to us
through someone under our authority, or even through what seems to be an insignificant
person, and it is in the best interests of all parties concerned that we remain humble an
able to hear God no matter whom he chooses to speak through.
In 2 Samuel 12, God sent Nathan to bring a word of correction and judgement to
David. Some of us may be inclined to believe that Nathan was able to correct David
because he was a prophet and therefore had more authority, but if we examine the
Bible closely, we will now that David was also a prophet, as well as being the Old
Testament equivalent of an apostle. How do we know this? When blind Bartimaeus
cried out for Jesus to have mercy on him and heal his blindness, how did he address
Jesus? He called Jesus ʻ“thou Son of David,.” He was not only recognizing Jesus as the
true King of Israel, but also declaring that he believed the King could open blind eyes! It
is then therefore evident that it was the anointing of the King which opened the blind
eyes, and Jesus is known in the scripture as the apostle and high priest of our
profession (Hebrews 3:1). Furthermore, if Christʼs role as savior comes by way of being
the rightful king, and if we understand that the highest authority in Israel after God was
the King, then David was higher in authority than Nathan. Also, letʼs remember that
Nathan was an Israelite and therefore a subject of the King. Yet, God sent him to
correct his lord.
Therefore, we should understand that while we are given authority by God to oversee
His people, we must also recognize Godʼs authority in them as well. Ephesians 4 tells
us that God placed the five-fold ministry in the church for the perfecting of the saints ,
for the work of the ministry, and to build the body of Christ (Ephesians 4;12). Thus the
function of each office ministers to all the saints. The teacher, for example, is called to
perfect and edify the apostle, even though the apostle is higher in authority.
Weʼve said all this to make it clear that when a leader says “Itʼs not your place to say
that to me,” itʼs just pure PRIDE. Always remember that youʼre a leader, not a master,
and despite the fact that God put you in charge, He did so that you would serve Him
and the flock, not lord it over them (1 Peter 5:3). How many blessings have some of us
forfeited because we failed to heed the counsel of God when it was given to us through
someone whom we thought to be beneath us?
Over the past several years, the Lord has given me the opportunity to mentor a
number of leaders, and a consistent tendency among them was that they abandoned
humility as they accumulated accomplishments. In fact, I have found that some of them
would begin to become proud after receiving a prophetic word that revealed any details
of their call that sounded lofty. Some people canʼt even handle a mere compliment,
never mind a prophetic word that sounds good! Jesus Christ, who accomplished the

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redemption of man and the defeat of the devil, death, and hell, said that it was the
Father in Him that did the works (John 14:10).
Humility isnʼt having a low opinion of yourself, but rather having a right perception of
yourself and of who God is. God may call you to greatness, but always remember that
the greatness you might achieve is really His.
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even
of thine only. (Psalm 71:16)
Have we gone in Godʼs strength, or our own? Numerous studies have shown that about
4% of new converts to Christianity remain in the faith for even one year. Is this indicative
of having relied on Godʼs power, or on our own plans and ideas?
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is
clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than
honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of
them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from
secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have
dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great
transgression. (Psalm 19:7-13)
How many of us, in our earthly wisdom, have decided to preach a gospel that is
inoffensive, and have convinced ourselves that we will win people to Christ by skirting
around the Law of God? One of the most presumptuous sins we have committed as
leaders is abandonment of Godʼs Law in favor of “progressive” methods of evangelism.
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus about eternal life, what did Jesus tell him?
To keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).
Was Jesus being “legalistic?” Not at all; rather, we must understand that to declare
Godʼs Law, to make known his standards is the only way some will ever know that they
fall short of His glory. After all, most people, despite whatever faults they have, consider
themselves to be good people, even when their deeds are quite wicked. When we fail
to remember the Law of God, we will inevitably begin to use other standards by which to
judge ourselves, very often one such as comparing ourselves to others whose sins are
more apparent (1 Timothy 5:24).
Another standard which many among us have adopted by way of the pride of manʼs
doctrine is the perverse teaching which practically reduces Biblical grace to
licentiousness. In our mortal presumption, many of us who have chose to disregard
Godʼs Law have taught that “itʼs all by grace,” or “we all need some grace,” and we have
come to use similar catch-phrases as excuses for sin, or as a way to lure unbelievers to
a more “fun” Christianity.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or
profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know
how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he

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found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Hebrews
12:14-17)
If we are to look diligently to ensure that we follow peace with all men and holiness, then
a lifestyle characterized by excuses which allow us to shirk taking responsibility for our
actions, thoughts, and words would clearly be an example of failing of the grace of God.
What then is the grace of God? It is more than just mercy; in fact, in this context, it is
defined thus:
charis -- pronounced: kharʼ-ece from 5463. graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or
act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence
upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) (Strongʼs, 5485).
The grace of God, then is His divine, holy influence on our hearts AND its reflection in
our lives. How then does one fail of Godʼs grace? When we do not humble ourselves
and recognize that His word is to be obeyed, and we do not pursue His peace and
holiness, then His influence will begin to cease to be reflected in our daily walk. Without
humility, walking in grace is impossible:
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in
hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear
of the LORD men depart from evil. (Proverbs 16:5-6)
tow`ebah -- pronounced: to-ay-bawʼ or to`ebah to-ay-bawʼ feminine active participle of
8581; properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially
idolatry or (concretely) an idol: KJV -- abominable (custom, thing), abomination.
God is disgusted by pride! Furthermore, the word towʼebah here is used elsewhere to
describe idolatry, bestiality and homosexuality. Therefore, those who walk in pride are
as foul in Godʼs sight as idol worshippers, homosexuals, and those who have sex with
beasts. If then, God finds someone disgusting, are they walking in grace? Obviously
not. Can he have mercy upon them? Yes, but let us not confuse the two. We ought now
to understand that humility enables us to receive grace, which leads to faith (Ephesians
2:8-9) and therefore also enables us to receive sound doctrine. One of the key signs of
an apostate people is their inability to endure sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:1-4) After all,
there are only two kinds of doctrine mentioned in the Bible: sound doctrine, and
doctrines of devils. (Timothy 4:1). The Bible also tells us clearly:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (2 Timothy 4:3)
Those who cannot bear to hear the whole truth of Godʼs word will inevitably look for
(and find) an abundance of teachers who will tell them what they want to hear, and this
is a clear indicator of a lack of humility. Why? Because their pursuit of another “truth”
that will be more to their liking is based on their self-will, the origin of which is always
pride. The Bible tells us that Lucifer was perfect in all his ways, until his heart became
lifted up with pride (Ezekiel 28:17). What did this pride lead to?
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to
the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of

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the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the
sides of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Pride is always the root of self-will, and so if we walk by self-will we make of ourselves
an abomination (Proverbs 16:5), and deny the grace of God. Does it stop there? No!
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said
any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all
things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them
that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought
the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostlesʼ feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. (Acts 4:32-25)
When there is humility before God, there is unity, and not only is lack defeated, but our
witness of Christ is accompanied by the power of God. In the very next chapter, two
people who lied about their giving were killed by the Holy Spirit. They had tried to give
the impression that they had given the entire proceeds from the sale of the property,
when in fact they had kept some of it. This makes it clear that their motive was to
appear to be more generous than they had actually been, and thus we know that there
was some pride involved. Even as pride brings a guarantee that Godʼs punishment will
come (Proverbs 16:5), humility is a key to divine intervention, turning aside the wrath of
God:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin,and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Humility is required first, because without it, prayer will go unheard (John 9:31), one will be
unable to seek God’s face, and wickedness will remain, because pride itself is wicked.

1. Briefly define humility, citing at least 3 Biblical examples.
2. Since our walk as believers and as leaders is based on a surrendered life (Philippians
2:8), what are some key indicators of being surrendered to God?
3. Think of 5 people you know personally who walk in humility. What is it about them
that brings you to such a conclusion? Evaluate this in light of what we have studied
here.

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Lesson Six:
Authority
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of
God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
--Romans 13:1-2
You will have as much authority as you submit to.

Let us begin by recognizing that the degree to which we submit to authority
determines how much authority we will have. God does everything by His authority. In
fact, everything in the universe is upheld by the word of His power (Colossians 1:16-17,
Hebrews 1:3). It is then therefore apparent that we cannot fully obey God unless we are
indeed subject to authority. Jesus Christ, even prior to His death and resurrection,
wielded tremendous authority, to the extent that not only the wind and sea obeyed Him,
but even death was subject to His commands (Mark 4:39, John 11:43).
What then was the secret to His authority?
The secret of Christʼs authority was total submission to authority, not just to Godʼs direct
authority, but also to that of those set in authority on earth. Let us examine this in some
detail.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
(John 6:38)
Herein lies the foundation of all apostolic authority. Jesus, as the apostle and high priest
of our profession (Hebrews 3:1), derived his authority from submission to Godʼs will,
and, specifically, from having been sent by God. Every leader or would-be leader is
always either called, sent, or self-appointed, and if we are indeed to walk in the authority
of Christ, we had better know the difference. There is indeed a process to being placed
in authority, and it rarely proceeds quickly or smoothly, at least by our reckoning.
If God has purposed for you to be in leadership, first He will choose you. Then, having
chosen you, He will separate you for His purpose (e.g., Acts 13:2), and this can occur in
a variety of ways. Once God has separated you, He will anoint you, and after having
been anointed, you will be sent, but not always immediately to the fullness of your call,
and rarely in the way we might suppose He would send us. This can be observed
clearly in the life of David.
When God rejected Saul as King of Israel, Samuel was heartbroken, because he had
watched this timid young man become (at least for a short while) a King who fought and
ruled righteously. However, God had already set aside a replacement for the
disobedient king.

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And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have
rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to
Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. (1 Samuel 16:1)
Twelve verses later, after watching God reject the rest of Jesseʼs sons, Samuel is
instructed to anoint David, the youngest. It is important to note in this account, that God
outright rejected even the son whom Samuel thought must surely be the one (1 Samuel
16:6-7). Authority is given by Godʼs choice, not manʼs, and God places in authority
whomever He wills. However, this is never to say that everything that is done by
someone in authority is approved by God, even though He may very well have
purposed to place a wicked person in power as a vessel unto dishonor (Romans 9:21).
After all, God put Pharaoh in power in order to make His own power known to the world
(Exodus 9:16).
After the Lord anointed David, He sent him... back to the sheep! It was yet a little while
before David would be sent to kill Goliath, and even though Davidʼs career seemed to
be taking off, having been promised the kingʼs daughter, and becoming prominent in
Israel, he didnʼt become king until more than a decade later. Likewise, Christ did not
execute His authority as Davidʼs heir in the way that some of those around Him might
have expected. Some of us may be looking to reign on a throne, when God may be
calling us to the cave or the cross first.
When called before the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate, Jesus submitted to
authority, even in the midst of unjust accusation, because He had been sent to die on
the cross (John 18:28-38).
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against
Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet
found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am
able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose,
and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee?
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee
by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus
saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the
Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
(Matthew 26:59-64)
If we read further, we will find that Jesus submitted to earthly authority, even when it
meant being subjected to the sentence of a gruesome death, and at no time did He ever
rebel against that authority, because it had all been set in motion by God (Matthew
26:56). Furthermore, if we understand that the life of Jesus was governed not only by
the direct orders of the Father, but also by what had been written by the prophets about
Him, we can also understand that Christ was also submitted to the authority of the Law
and the prophets. This is further evidenced by the incident in which He was
transfigured, and Moses and Elijah were present to bear witness that He was indeed the
fulfillment of the Law and the prophets, the promised Son in whom the Father was well-
pleased (Matthew 17:1-7, Mark 9:2-7)

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You cannot have authority without being under authority.

Thus we understand that to have authority we must be submitted to authority, both
Divine and earthly. This is where many of us struggle, because it is sometimes easier
for some of us to recognize Godʼs authority directly than to recognize His authority in
earthly figures. The centurion whose servant was sick received a miracle because he
understood that Jesus was under authority.
For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one,
Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this,
and he doeth it. (Luke 7:8)
The centurion understood that the only reason he could command his men to do
anything was because he himself was under authority, and so to disobey him was to
disobey the higher officers who had appointed him, and in Roman military law such
disobedience was considered disobedience to the Emperor himself. In the American
military, it functions much the same way. When I was in the U.S. Marine Corps, even my
commanding officer could not give me an order that was contrary to the policies set
forth by the Department of Defense (and ultimately by the President and the Joint
Chiefs of Staff). American Military law demands only obedience to every lawful order,
and they didnʼt invent this idea. The Bible makes it clear that we are to obey God before
man (Acts 5:29).
If we truly honor those in authority, and obey all lawful commands, then we will have
authority. If we choose to rebel, then we are operating under the principle of witchcraft
(1 Samuel 15:23), and the Bible is very clear on how God feels about witches: they do
not inherit the kingdom of heaven (Galatians 5:19-21) and they are not to be allowed to
live (Exodus 22:18). You should have no tolerance for witchcraft around you, and you
must be certain to submit to authority so that witchcraft is not worked through you.
Always remember, that despite the fact that Saul repeatedly tried to kill him and
hunted him down like an animal, David never turned against Saul, and in fact he
remained loyal and submitted to him. What was the end result of Davidʼs continued
submission? Saul ended up declaring David to be the next king, and when David
reigned, he not only had the same anointing (the anointing to be king), but he walked in
that anointing to an extent that Saul never did, because he had a heart that would
submit to Godʼs will (1 Samuel 13:14). Thus, if you submit to authority, even when you
are being wronged by authority, you may inherit the anointing that they should have
had, even if they NEVER walk in it themselves! Does this mean you should remain in a
church where the leader is teaching heresy, or living in sin, or is abusive? No, but you
better make sure that you go where God has sent you, because unless you go where
you are sent, you will not have authority. Remember, Jesus has authority because God
the Father had sent Him (John 6:38).
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he
that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (John 13:20)
Another key to moving in authority as Christ did is to recognize all those whom God has
sent as appointed by Him, regardless of their station. Sometimes we wonʼt mouth off at
the apostle, the bishop, the prophet, and the pastor, but we might say (and do) whatever
we want to the brother who cleans the church. Remember, Christ healed the sick,
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performed miracles, and even rose from the dead because He was set UNDER
authority. The person cleaning the church is also under authority, though he may very
well never move in any outward authority himself, at least not at apparently to your or
me. Then again, he could end up being a future apostle, prophet, or other leader. Even
if he isnʼt, he is under the authority which assigned him to clean the church, and
therefore he is under the authority of God Himself. Looking at it this way, how can we
dare to disrespect, disregard, or do any form of wrong to our brethren, or to anyone
else, for that matter, since every person on this planet is under Godʼs authority, one way
or another?

1. Specifically what authority was Christ set under, and how can we confirm this?
2. Think of some moments in which you unknowingly (or knowingly) violated the
principle of authority, and determine the root causes of these times of rebellion.
3. What are some ways in which authority can be rightly used through your everyday life
to benefit the kingdom.
4. How many times have you driven over the speed limit in the past month? How many
red lights and stop signs have you run through? Does it please God for us to do so,
and if not, what steps can you take to ensure that you submit to authority in these
regards?
5. Why is it that casting out certain demons seems to be more difficult than others?

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Lesson Seven:
Discipline
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh
with the affections and lusts.
--Galatians 5:22-24
A Spirit-led life always produces fruit.

The fruit, the demonstrated evidence of the influence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the
believer includes temperance, known also as discipline. If we find that our life is often
characterized by a lack of discipline, then we must understand that we are likely not
yielding to the Holy Spirit in some regard. If we are to have discipline, then we must
understand what discipline is.
Temperance, in the original Greek, is engkrateia, which is self-control, or discipline
(Strongʼs, 1466). What then can we say of discipline and temperance? The English
word “discipline” is derived from the Latin disciplina, which is instruction given to a pupil,
especially to produce a desired behavior or habit. Temperance is often defined as
discipline or moderation, and it is interesting to note that it is derived from the Latin word
temperare, which means to mix correctly. Steel is tempered through a very precise
temperature and time sensitive process, without which it would be brittle. Likewise the
Christian, and especially the Christian leader must indeed be tempered by God in order
to walk in godly discipline.
It may therefore occur, that God may very well put you through some difficult
experiences in which you will have to exercise discipline, and in some of these
experiences, not having discipline will prove to be disastrous. There are times when
your faith is tried, but there are also times when it isnʼt your faith that God is molding, itʼs
your character and discipline. It is not difficult to evaluate where we presently stand in
this area, and we need look no further than our habits for an accurate assessment.
Remember, Jesus said that a manʼs words defile can defile him (Matthew 15:18). Our
words reflect the thoughts of our hearts, and the Bible further tells us that we are what
we think (Proverbs 23:7). What we continually think and meditate upon will determine
who we are, and who we are will determine what we do, one way or another.
Furthermore, what we speak will either justify or condemn us (Matthew 12:37). It is then
therefore clear that our habits in these areas will determine our future, and so to be
disciplined in our habits is crucial to the fullfillment of our purpose.

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Our health habits are also important to the pursuit of Godʼs purpose. While Jesus did
say that itʼs what comes out of oneʼs mouth that defiles him, we should also understand
that discipline must also find its way into our eating habits. While we are not under the
exacting dietary restrictions of Mosaic Law, the Bible does contain very sound advice for
nutrition, and we would do well to heed it. After all, if God has called you to establish a
network of churches in New England during your fifties, how will you accomplish it if
youʼve died of a heart attack in your forties? Iʼm not saying thatʼs you have to look like
Mr. Universe for God to use you, but rather that you should take proper care of the body
He gave you, so that you and God can get the best use out of it.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If
any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
The Bible very clearly tells us that if we defile His temple, we will be destroyed-- by God.
Is it then any wonder that so many Christians find themselves afflicted by conditions that
are directly related to poor and undisciplined eating habits? There is a multitude of
health conditions that are avoided or even cured through good nutrition, proper rest and
exercise.
In the 1950s, there was a revival preacher named A.A. Allen who was noted for
miracles, signs, and wonders, and he had an interesting take on divine healing. He
believed that divine healing was never intended to take the place of proper nutrition,
exercise, and adequate rest, and this makes perfect sense when we understand that
the Bible calls us to be good stewards in every area, including that of our health. If you
have a particularly difficult struggle in this area, get prayer, get help, or even talk to a
doctor who has expertise in this area. I believe that God can and does use doctors at
times, and letʼs not forget that the Bible says that there is safety in the multitude of
counselors (Proverbs 11:14).
Sometimes as leaders we get so busy with the work of the Lord that we forget the Lord
of the work, and it is in our best interest (as well as that of our ministries and families)
that we exercise discipline in the area of setting aside enough time for rest and
relaxation. Some may contend that it is very hard to set aside much time, and it can be,
but make every effort to reserve at least some time. Why is this so important? For many
of us, the inability to “find time” in which to rest, relax, or spend time with family has
more to do with a lack of discipline and the resulting poor planning that comes with it.
I know a man of God who never drives over the speed limit, a quality that almost
anyone riding with him finds annoying! However, the speedier members of his church
are constantly late for just about anything, while this man is rarely, if ever, later for
anything, because he prepares properly and leaves early. Remember, we are to have
our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15). Our daily
walk, our actions and words, should be characterized by preparation consistent with
godly character. Sometimes this preparation is supplied supernaturally by God, and
sometimes God will require us to prepare ourselves.

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What habits have you formed in your thinking and speaking?
We should also evaluate our speaking and thinking habits. Remember, our very
salvation hinges not just upon believing that Jesus is Lord and that He rose from the
dead, but it is also contingent upon verbally confessing it (Romans 10:9-10).
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit
thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)
Your habitual thoughts will sooner or later become words (Luke 6:45), so we must learn
to submit our thought life to the influence of the Holy Spirit. A good way to determine
whether our thoughts are right is to compare them to the fruit of the spirit listed in
Galatians 5:22-23.
Sometimes we will have to commit time to fasting, and while this is usually a difficult
area for some leaders, the benefits more than outweigh the apparent initial discomfort. I
have found over the years that fasting becomes easier over time, as you learn to allow
the Holy Spirit to sustain you in your consecration. My first ten day fast was very
difficult at first, and in the end because of my high metabolism I had lost about 25
pounds, looked like I was starving, and I felt very weak.
As I began to fast more often, this changed. Later, there was a season in which the Lord
led me to eat only on the weekends, sometimes only on Sunday, and even then it was
only dinner. At the time, I worked in a warehouse, and worked very hard, but in time
fasting became easier, and eventually it took a long time for my body to grow weak
during a fast. During those seasons of fasting, not only did the Word of God become
more open and clear to me, but I saw the Lord do things through me that I hadnʼt
thought would be possible before. Demons became easy to cast out, and many
thunderstorms and even a blizzard cleared away when I prayed and commanded them
to depart. People who were bound by sin, drugs, disease, and insanity were set free.
Was it because of fasting? No, though fasting plays a very important role in bringing us
to a more yielded state in which God can more fully make use of us. Fasting, when
done properly, subdues the flesh and its various impulses, and makes our spirit more
sensitive.
It is useful to become systematic in your consecration, especially if discipline is an
area of struggle for you. This is not to develop a pseudo-religious practice, but rather to
condition yourself to become accustomed to prayer, fasting, and other forms of
discipline. You may even want to put yourself on a schedule until you become better
able to hear the Lordʼs direction, and, frankly, if discipline is lacking in your life, you are
probably not hearing from God as often or as clearly as you should.
Jesus fasted, and often went into the mountains to pray (Luke 4:2, Mark 6:46, Luke
6:12, 9:28). If we understand that the disciple is not above his master (Luke 6:40), then
we know that must also be given to prayer and fasting. There are, in fact, demons who
only come out by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Job said that Godʼs word was to
him more important than his necessary food (Job 23:12), and Jesus said that His meat
was to do the will of the Father (John 4:31-34). If we have this perspective, we can more
easily arrange our priorities so that we can give God quantity time, and not just “quality
time.”

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1.Name 3 ways in which discipline can be systematically applied to your life to make better
use of your time.
2.Give an example of discipline shown by three different people in the Bible, and compare
them.
3.For the next week, keep a detailed record of your activities and how much time you’ve
committed to each one, no matter how brief or unimportant, then evaluate your time
management in light of what we have discussed.
4.Write a brief, but detailed plan for developing discipline in the people under your
authority, and then implement in first in your life for a week to observe its results.

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Lesson Eight
The Faith of the Son of God
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
--Galatians 2:20
What faith have YOU received?

Jesus Christ walked in absolute faith, and, if we are to lead as He desires, we must
likewise exercise faith. One of the deadliest traps we may encounter in our faith is that
of being convinced that our faith is too small, or that we simply donʼt have enough faith
for this or that. Peterʼs 2nd Epistle is addressed to the saints who have obtained “like
precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1), to those who had received faith equal to his. Who was he
writing to? Peter wrote to a group comprised almost entirely of people newly saved, and
yet he clearly addresses them as having the same faith which caused him to be so full
of Godʼs presence that people brought the sick to try to put them under his shadow.
Furthermore, if we read Acts 5 closely, we will find that Peterʼs shadow passed over
some of them, but all were healed (Acts 5:15-16). Thus we must understand that we
have enough faith; we just have to start using it.
What then is faith? Hebrews 1:1 describes it as the substance of things hoped for, and
sometimes we confuse this with our modern notions of hope. In modern English, when
we are hoping for something, we are not sure it will happen. This is not so in the original
Greek.
elpizo -- pronounced: el-pidʼ-zo. from 1680; to expect or confide: KJV -- (have, thing)
hope(-d) (for), trust. (Strongʼs, 1679)
It is clear that ʻthings hoped forʼ in this context means things for which we are waiting
with confidence. When we exercise faith, it isnʼt enough to be sure that God can, we
have to believe that He will. Faith causes you to expect God to move! If faith is the
ʻsubstanceʼ of things hoped for, we must then understand what the word substance
means in this context.
hupostasis -- pronounced: hoop-osʼ-tas-is. From a compound of 5259 and 2476; a
setting under (support), i.e. (figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance
(objectively or subjectively): KJV -- confidence, confident, person, substance. See Greek
No. 5259
So we can see that itʼs not some mystical compound or aether, but is instead a
complete assurance that supports our expectancy and makes it an absolute certainty.
The woman with the issue of blood wasnʼt thinking that if she touched the hem of Jesusʼ
clothes, maybe sheʼd be healed (Mark 5:29). She knew she would be healed (Mark
5:24-29). Even though we are not saved by works (Ephesians 2:8-9), faith without works
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Week Three
is dead (James 2:26). Yes, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for
righteousness (Genesis 15:6), but since he believed what God had told him, he obeyed
God and left the land of the Chaldeans behind to pursue the destiny God had set before
him. Could Abraham really have been said to have believed God if he had never even
packed his bags? Real faith results in action! The works are the inevitable result of faith
being present.
Some of us may hesitate to move in faith because we are unsure of what Godʼs plan
is, and I agree. Our walk was never intended to be one of guesswork or gambling, but of
movement based on the absolute certainty that God is not only with us, but for us.
Sometimes we have not been given all the details of His plan up front, but we have been
given some of the details, or else we wouldnʼt know that God had called us. Some time
ago, I had a conversation with a young prophetess who was very discouraged in her call
because people had let her down and nothing seemed to be opening up for her ministry,
and so she wasn’t sure what to do next, since it seemed like her ministry was going
nowhere. I told her to continue to prepare, because if we know that God has called us to a
particular ministry and do not prepare for it, can we really say that we believed Him? Even
when God told David that He would not allow him to build the temple because he had shed
so much blood, David was still fully confident that God would keep His promise that
Solomon would build the temple.
And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be
builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all
countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly
before his death. (1 Chronicles 22:5)
David prepared abundantly, and so must we. Are you called to preach? Prepare as
many sermons as you believe God will have you to deliver. Are you called to teach and
instruct? Prepare lessons, develop curriculum, do extensive and diligent research,
polish your teaching methods. Are you a psalmist? Write songs, compose music, take
professional lessons to develop the gift God gave you. If God called you to greatness,
then get ready for it, not just in your gifts, but also in your character. I donʼt care If youʼre
broke, fed up and see no options -- if God called you to be a great business leader, then
start acting like it. Are you called to lead? Then, excel at following until God instructs
you to lead, and then lead! Prepare, prepare, prepare! Is it any wonder that Godʼs word
tells us that we must have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
(Ephesians 6:15) and that we must walk worthy of the call (Ephesians 4:1)?
As we move in faith, we must also endure in faith, because there will come times in
which our faith is not merely tested but challenged by circumstance, situations,
opposition, the enemy, and even by God.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of
the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2)
Jesus, moving in absolute faith, was able to endure the cross and its shame because of
His complete confidence that, having done the will of God, He would receive Godʼs

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promise (Hebrews 11:35-36). If we are to accomplish the purpose of God, we are going
to endure some adversity. Sometimes, perhaps, we may even encounter situations in
which we’ve taken action or prayed about something, having complete confidence in God,
and then events play out in a way that would make it appear that God has let us down.
In the Jewish culture of Jesusʼ time, it was widely known that to die by crucifixion, or any
other means of hanging on a tree was to be cursed by God, and therefore damned
(Deuteronomy 21:22-23). To all appearances, it would have seemed that the man who
many thought to be the Messiah had been utterly defeated, and even rejected by God
Himself. Yet, we as believers know it was quite the opposite. Faith isnʼt just the ability to
believe that God will do this, that, or the other thing, but it is indeed the ability to believe
that God is going to do what is right, and what is best. Itʼs one thing to believe at the
outset, itʼs another thing to continue to believe when circumstances are no longer ideal,
or even contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when
the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and
they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer;
it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come
unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the
ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he
was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately
Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith,
wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14: 25- 31)
Why did Peter begin to sink? Because he looked at the conditions around him and he
became afraid, it was only then that he sank. When I looked up this passage to review
the original Greek, I found that the phrase “thou of little faith” consisted of only one word
in Greek.
oligopistos -- pronounced: ol-ig-opʼ-is-tos . From 3641 and 4102; incredulous, i.e. lacking
confidence (in Christ): KJV -- of little faith. (Strongʼs, 3640)
Now, in this context the prefix oligo means puny in duration or extent, and the word
pistis, which throughout the New Testament is translated as faith, does indeed mean
faith, and it is very interesting to note that it is further defined as being fully persuaded,
or having an absolute confidence. Thus, someone who is oligopistos is someone whose
faith is of short duration, or who does not stay persuaded very long. To fully pursue the
call on your life, you will have to remain persuaded. Peter sank, because, though he
was persuaded that if Jesus called him over, he, too, would be able to walk on water.
However, circumstances scared him out of this confidence. However, I will say to
Peterʼs credit that at least he got out of the boat!
We must then be fully persuaded that Godʼs purpose is good, His plan uncompromising,
and His promise an absolute certainty. It is absolutely essential to the fulfillment of your
call to continue to be persuaded, and to move accordingly, even if, for a season, your
movement consists only of continuing to prepare. Always remember that your faith
cannot rise above your confession. If you donʼt think this is true, consider Numbers
chapters 13 and 14, and the doom that fell upon an entire generation of Israelites
because of what they had spoken. When the twelve spies had returned, ten came back
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Week Three
with bad news, while two came back with complete confidence that Israel could conquer
the Promised Land. All twelve men had seen the same things, so how is it that two had
something different to say? Joshua and Caleb had seen the same fierce giants, but they
did not allow circumstance to persuade them against their confidence in Godʼs power
and His good will. This is very important, because sometimes we as leaders, or the
people we lead, may not have trouble believing that God has sufficient power to enable
victory. Sometimes we allow what we see around us to convince us that perhaps Godʼs
will toward us is not as good as it was at first. However we know that Godʼs word tells
us:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)
We have to remain fully convinced that God has a definite future for us, and that it is
good. Furthermore, Jeremiah goes on to write:
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto
you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
(Jeremiah 29:12-13)
Walking in faith isnʼt just about believing God, but it also involves being faithful to Him,
being fully committed to His ways, and pursuing a relationship with Him with our whole
heart. Every year, thousands of pastors and other Christian leaders leave the ministry,
discouraged, disillusioned, and even disgusted. You faithful commitment to God will
ensure that you do not become part of that statistic. Confess that which is good and
right and just before God, and stay committed no matter what.
In the financial industry, stockbrokers, financial advisors, and investment professionals
of all kinds, all over the world utilize confession as a means of affirming their goals.
Some of them even keep a list of affirmations which they read aloud every day,
sometimes several times a day, and they use this and other methods to keep
themselves persuaded that they can and will succeed. This is, of course, a Biblical
principle, which we can see clearly illustrated in Numbers:
Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will
I do to you: Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of
you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have
murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I
sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son
of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they
shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcasses, they shall
fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and
bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. (Numbers
14:28:33)
The words that come out of our mouth can not only defeat our own blessing, but it can
also have a damaging effect on future generations. What have you spoken in Godʼs
ears? You can indeed prophesy your destiny, but never take this to mean that God is
obligated to do whatever we say. Since we know that Christ is both the author and the
finisher of our faith (Ephesians 12:2), we should also know that God is therefore only
obligated to finish what He started. God had started bringing Israel from Egypt to the

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Promised Land, and Her certainly finished it, though because of Israelʼs murmuring and
complaining, it took much longer than was necessary. We must have the good sense to
speak the good and right things that God has called us to, and the wisdom to turn aside
from things that appear to be a good idea but are not part of His purpose.

1. In light of what has been discussed in this lesson, what is faith?
2. Think of a time when your faith was challenged, and you overcame the situation.
What specifically helped your persistence? These details are important, as they will
become useful in later battles.
3. Think of a time when you wavered in your faith, and the outcome was bad. What
were some of the things which contributed to your wavering, and what specifically
caused the outcome to be bad? These will be things to pray about, because if the
enemy used it successfully before, heʼll try it again.
4. Write a list of the things that God has called you to do, as well as promises He has
made to you personally, and read them aloud to yourself from time to time. Bring
these to class, as well, as special prayer and individual ministry will be done in regard
to these.
5. Review the things that God has called you to do and to be, and take some time to
determine what must be done to prepare for them. Once you have at least some idea,
begin to prepare at once.

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Lesson Nine:
Integrity
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need.
--Hebrews 4:15-16
Tempted, yet triumphant.

Jesus was tempted, yet He remained triumphant, and we are therefore encouraged to come
boldly to receive mercy, and very often this is where most of us tend to stop. Sometimes
we tend to confuse mercy and grace, and we ought to know that while mercy is
available, grace is also present to help in the time of need. What then is grace? Earlier
in this Module, in Lesson 5, we found that grace, in the Greek, is shown to be:
charis -- pronounced: kharʼ-ece from 5463. graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act
(abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon
the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) (Strongʼs, 5485).
We are to come to the throne of grace not just to receive mercy, but also for Godʼs
influence which will come to be reflected in our lives. Grace is, then, divine
empowerment, and so we know that we can walk in the complete integrity of Jesus
Christ, because His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). Sometimes it may be grace
to preach effectively, or grace to do business, or grace to withstand persecution, but His
grace is always enough.
If we are instructed to come to the throne of grace for mercy and to receive grace to
help us, then it is clear that we must choose to do so, and that therefore integrity is
indeed a choice.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and
death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that
thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou
mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, to give them. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Every challenge, every temptation, every potential trap of the enemy or battle to be fought is
comprised of choices to be made, and if approach each situation from the standpoint of
making choices, not only is it easier to know Godʼs will, but it is also easier to make the
right choices. How many times have we blundered and made some of the worst
mistakes of our lives when we have taken action thinking that we had no choice?

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Self denial must overcome self-interest
As leaders, there are choices youʼre going to have to make, and not all of them will be
easy. Some of them will appear to be easy, especially when the temptation to make
decisions based on our own comfort or desires arises, and it will arise. We must never
forget that Christ himself clearly outlined the character of true integrity for all believers,
including leaders, when he said these words:
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow
me. (Mark 8:34)
Our old carnal nature is ruled by self-interest, but the new life in Christ is one of self-
denial. To walk in integrity will require a good deal of self-denial, because there will be
many times in which we must choose between our self-interest and the good of the
Kingdom, even though there can be times when the good of the Kingdom is conducive
to our own immediate comfort. The ʻcrossʼ here is the word stauros (Strongʼs, 4716),
which is a pole or cross, specifically as used for capital punishment. Crosses are heavy,
and so we must understand that our integrity may very well require us to bear some
things, if only for a while. This is a point where many of us stumble, because, in the
midst of our burden, we forget that God will send a Simon to help out (Matthew
27:31-32).
In the United States Marine Corps, we were taught that integrity was more valuable
than our own lives, and it was often used with the term “moral courage,” because, as
leaders of Marines, we had to be prepared to make decisions that wouldnʼt be popular,
or that could prove fatal to ourselves or to the men at our command, even when
otherwise successful from a strategic standpoint. Every believer must likewise be ready,
willing, and able to lay his life down for the cause of Christ, though in many cases it will
be our self-interest, comfort, and convenience will be laying aside. When your entire life
is committed to the cause, it is no longer that difficult to be faithful, even unto death if
necessary. Shall we not then consider the cause of Christ before all else?
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)
The word “warfare” used here is the Greek strateia, which literally means military
service (Strongʼs, 4752). As a believer, and especially as a leader, you have entered
into a military career in which your integrity may cost you everything. Can you rise to
this challenge? Can you be a part of a generation of leaders whose integrity will make
hell itself tremble?
Integrity isnʼt just doing whatʼs right, itʼs also about cohesiveness, keeping it together, so
to speak. Sometimes the challenges of life can make a person come apart in so many
ways, but we who are called to lead must cling to Christ and remain calm even in the
heaviest of storms. After all, if we walk by faith, and our conscience is clean, then we
have confidence toward God (1 John 3:21), and we can rest in God, and His peace will
keep our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
The enemy will always try to cause us to be reactionary, by attempting to manipulate
circumstances, situations, and people around us so that we become so busy reacting to

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everything that our actions and decisions cease to be based on guidance from the Word
and the Holy Spirit. This is a common pitfall among leaders, because we face so much
attack from the enemy. Iʼm not saying that we should do nothing when the devil is acting
up, but rather that we shouldnʼt let his wicked schemes get us so wound up that we stop
listening to God. Remember, God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done
foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
King Asa had relied upon God before, and now he chose to rely upon man, and God
was not pleased; placing our reliance upon God alone is one of the most important
aspects of our integrity, and it is easily compromised. Always remember, what you
compromise to get, you will have to compromise to keep! I heard someone say once
that integrity is doing whatʼs right, even when no one is looking. One of the greatest
tragedies in leadership is that of having so many opportunities for God to show Himself
strong on our behalf, but missing out because our heart has not been right toward Him.
The word “perfect” in this passage means full, friendly, or whole, as well as perfect, and
the root from which derives means safe (Strongʼs, 8003). Indeed, if our heart is
completely committed and prepared to seek Him, we shall indeed be safe in Him. Years
ago, I heard a bishop say that the safest place in the world is in the will of God, and I
believe this to be true.
Being mortal men and women as we are, we can sometimes forget that not only is
God always watching, but sometimes people are watching, too-- we just donʼt always
notice them, and they donʼt always make themselves known right away.
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his
brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one
of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was
no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the
second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did
the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and
a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses
feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he
sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of
Midian: and he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:11-15)
Moses thought no one was watching, but was he wrong! In fact, within one day he was
already on the run, because word had already gotten to Pharaoh. Also, we must take
care, lest the enemy use our own very good motives to cause us to do wrong. After all,
Moses was called to deliver his people, and so his motive was just, but pursuing that
goal outside of Godʼs direction made him a murderer and a fugitive.
It is indeed possible to act in integrity and yet displease God, because our integrity
must be coupled with understanding. In Genesis 20, Abimelechʼs boodline is nearly
wiped out because he had taken Sarai Abrahamʼs wife.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a
dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a manʼs wife. But Abimelech
had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he

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not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the
integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him
in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld
thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore
restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt
live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that
are thine. (Genesis 20:3-7)
Abimelech had acted in innocence and integrity, yet his actions nearly brought the wrath
of God upon his house, because Abraham had lied to him. Now, Abraham wasnʼt some
schmuck traveling around the countryside, looking shifty and suspicious. Rather,
Abraham was a very successful businessman, he was good for business (or they
wouldnʼt have tolerated him in their land in the first place), and he had been lying about
Sarai for about a decade, so he had apparently become quite the smooth liar. Another
deadly trap into which a leader may easily fall is that of doing wrong with clean motives
because, on some level or other, weʼve been deceived, and we had better learn not to
evaluate the credibility of people simply by natural means, because the enemy will
indeed send people your way who will look good, sound good, and even say some
things that are good and right, which is why the next lesson is about discernment.
Remember, God did not destroy Abimelech and his house, and even withheld the king
from sinning against Him because Abimelech had integrity; there are indeed many
dangers from which integrity can indeed protect us.

1. Think of a recent attempt by the enemy to compromise your integrity, and specifically
what tactics were used, and how you overcame it.
2. The Bible identifies Job as being a man of complete integrity. Conduct a study of his
life and evaluate his habits to determine how he preserved his integrity.
3. How must integrity be applied to the preaching of the Word?

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Lesson Ten:
Discernment
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that
one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong
meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
--Hebrews 5:12-14
Accurate discernment is a feature of spiritual maturity

One of the surest indicators of spiritual maturity is discernment, not just in the sense of
being able to identify and distinguish between spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10), but also
having good understanding in other matters as well. If we properly understand the
above passage of scripture, we will know that those who are unable to distinguish
between good and evil are simply not of full age. It is one thing to see, and it is yet
another thing altogether to understand what is seen. Solomon, when he became king of
Israel, said to the Lord:
And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father:
and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the
midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered
nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so
great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. (1
Kings 3:7-10)
Godʼs desire for us to have godly discernment is not only for our benefit, but as leaders,
we must all ask God for an understanding heart, not so that we can see all the various
demons people have or know their personal problems, but so that we can judge Godʼs
people. In this passage “understanding” is the Hebrew shama, which is to listen
intelligently, with the implication of attention and obedience (Strongʼs, 8085). It
frequently occurs that the enemy is able to work evil in the lives of the saints because
we werenʼt paying attention. Especially as leaders, we must be more attentive to
matters and events around us, or we can miss details that may be important. Some will
claim to walk in faith so great and to have a relationship with God so intimate that they
need not be mindful of what is going on around them, and I have never met such a
person whose life was not characterized by all kinds of problems whose source was
carelessness and neglect.

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Right discernment leads to right stewardship

God has called us to be spiritual, but He has also ordained us as stewards in the natural
world that He created (Genesis 1:26).
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath
denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8)
We must be good stewards over all that God has set under our hand, spiritual or
natural! Furthermore, we must understand that this truth extends to us as spiritual
leaders. A leader who does not provide for the spiritual growth and development of
those under his authority has likewise denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
As leaders, we must not only have and exercise good discernment, but we must also
train those whom God has committed to our authority so that they also can discern
matters properly.
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause
them to discern between the unclean and the clean. (Ezekiel 44:23)
We live in a time in which the world has seen the rise of a generation that does not
easily discern between the unclean and the clean, and we must realize that this is not
mere coincidence. There has been concerted effort on the part of the enemy and his
agents for centuries, and particularly in the last two generations to produce widespread
moral ideologies that have transcended culture, creed, and even religion. This is an age
in which even much of the church has been persuaded not to declare the righteousness
of God, not to speak out against wickedness, and not to mention His judgments, all in
the interest of “not judging.” Television, radio, and internet programs, commercial
advertising, movies everywhere, especially in the last five years echo the phrase “donʼt
judge me,” and many of us as Christian leaders have not realized that this trend has its
origins in Hell itself.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)
The cry of “donʼt judge me” is not indicative of a repentant heart, but rather one that
does not want Godʼs light to shine upon their ways, because they are evil, and they
refuse to turn from them. Some will point out that Jesus warned people not to judge
others (Matthew 7:1), and yet Jesus consistently spoke against wickedness, rebuked
people, and even pronounced Godʼs coming wrath on several cities:
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done,
because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if
the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would
have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum,
which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works,
which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until
this day. But I say unto you, That itshall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the
day of judgment, than for thee. (Matthew11:20-24)
How is this possible? First, Jesusʼ admonishment to avoid judging others was
specifically directed at those who would condemn sin in others, while committing greater
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sin themselves (Matthew 7:1-5), as well as a warning to all that we will be measured by
the same judgement by which we have measured others, since truly by our words we
will either be justified or condemned (Matthew 12:37).
One of the easiest ways to discern whether something is clean or unclean, holy or
profane, is to compare it to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. The message of the
Bible is consistent and clear, and it points to manʼs need for redemption from his sin,
and to Christ, and Him crucified, as the only solution. Remember, it was the Holy Spirit
who inspired numerous prophets throughout history to cry aloud and spare not, showing
the people their transgression (Isaiah 58:1), even when it often cost them their lives to
do so (Luke 13:34).
How then do we develop our discernment, in addition to what we have discussed?
Study of, and obedience to Godʼs Word is immensely important to this. How can we
partake of the Wordʼs nature if we do not heed it?
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same
example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and 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. (Hebrews
4:10-12)
Can we discern properly if we are burdened with personal agendas and ambitions? If
we read the above passage closely, we shall see that not only must we cease from our
own works, but if we persist in them, we shall fall into the same example of unbelief as
the children of Israel who refused to believe that God would make good on His promise
that they were condemned to die in the wilderness.
Fasting and prayer are also of tremendous importance to discernment, not only
because of self-denial and discipline, but also because, when done properly, they
enhance our surrender to the Holy Spirit and make us more sensitive to God. I firmly
believe that God is speaking or otherwise communicating with us often; we are just
sometimes unable to listen very well because we have not sufficiently yielded ourselves.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
(Romans 6:16)
Have we yielded to the Holy Spirit, and to the pursuit of a deeper intimacy with the Lord,
or have we yielded to third helping of gumbo, and that second slice of chocolate cake?
Have we yielded to the Lord, or to our ambition, our “needs,” many of which we could
live without? Iʼm not saying we should not enjoy life, but rather that God is calling us as
a generation of leaders that will regularly turn off that TV, turn down that plate, turn
down the pursuit of mere ambition in the interest of a complete surrender to His will and
His desire for leaders who will obey Him, no matter what.
Another means by which we grow in discernment is through our servitude. One of the
most frequent concerns that are expressed to me by young and emerging leaders is
that they cannot find a church where they can be “fed.” I promptly point them to the
Word that declares that the Lord is our shepherd, and therefore we cannot lack in being

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fed simply because of the shortcomings of people (Psalm 23:1). I then inform them that
perhaps they should be more concerned with finding a place where they can serve, and
here is why:
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto His servants the
prophets. (Amos 3:7)
Now, it doesnʼt say that God will reveal his secret to the prophets, but to His servants
the prophets, and this is no mere idle detail. Some of the periods of my life in which I
received the most revelation in the Word, and during which I watched my discernment
grow from vague perceptions to specific knowledge were periods in which I served. For
about six years I served in a church, and looked for opportunities to serve. The Lord led
me to help the deacons in their errands and assignments, and over years I became a
worship leader, teacher, elder, car detailer, and church janitor, among other things. In
time, God changed the manner of my servitude, but Iʼm still good at running errands and
cleaning things. When you are committed to serving, God will tell you some secrets!
Once we have abandoned selfish ambition, personal agendas, and the works of our
own self-will, we become able to enter into Godʼs rest, and as we study and obey His
word, we shall partake of its nature. Indeed, the surrender of the self-life results in a
transformation of character, far greater revelation of the Word, and discernment. In fact,
when we undertake such a surrender, we shall first begin to be able to more thoroughly
discern the thoughts and intents of our own heart, and as we continue our surrender,
the thoughts and intents of other people, of the enemy, and of the Lord become clearer.
1. Name at least three things which can hinder oneʼs discernment, and what you can do
to eliminate these threats to the clarity of your discernment.
2. Think of a specific instance in which you correctly discerned what was going on, and
evaluate it to determine precisely how you discerned it.
3. Think of two instances in which you thought you had correctly discerned and found
yourself to be wrong. What factors contributed to the mistake(s) you made?
4. Name 5 reasons why proper discernment is vital to your specific call.

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Lesson Eleven:
Consecration
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
--1 Peter 2:21
As stated in the introduction to this Module, Christ is not only an example, but He is
the example, and we should remember that the word used in the Greek is
hupogrammos.
hupogrammos -- pronounced: hoop-og-ram-mosʼ from a compound of 5259 and 1125;
an underwriting, i.e. copy for imitation (figuratively): KJV -- example. See Greek No.
5259 <G5259> See Greek No. 1125 <G1125> (Strongʼs Greek Dictionary of the Bible)
We also understand that a hupogrammos was also a model alphabet given to a student
on his first day of school, to teach him to read and to write. Thus we must recognize that
Christ, His conduct, and pattern of lifestyle are indeed the alphabet by which we are to
redefine our perception in all things (read), and by which we are to redefine our
expression in all things (write).
This applies as well to consecration. All believers, through faith in Jesus Christ and
consequent baptism, have been inducted into the priesthood after the order of
Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5:6, 10, 6:20). Since Christ is the high priest, and
we are kings and priests (Revelation 1:6), this is undeniable, especially when we
consider that baptism itself is the New Testament substance of the Old Testament
shadow of the priestly ceremonial washing for consecration (e.g., Exodus 29:4).
And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the
children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priestʼs office, even Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaronʼs sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for
Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise
hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaronʼs
garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priestʼs office. (Exodus
28: 1-3)
Moses was commanded by God to consecrate Aaron and his sons, and God gave him
some very detailed instructions as to how to go about it. We should at the very least
understand that if we as believers and as leaders are to be consecrated to the Lord,
then that consecration should proceed in a manner that is consistent with Godʼs Word,
because we must dedicate ourselves to God in His way, not ours. In fact, consecration
that is done in self-will or according to our own desires is NEVER accepted by God, and
actually brings His judgement. Some of Aaronʼs sons learned this the hard way:
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire
therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he

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commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and
they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake,
saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be
glorified. And Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3)
At this point in Israelʼs journey, God had not yet given the priesthood specific instruction
concerning the ministry of the incense, and those instructions are given in Numbers 16.
One of the most frequent obstacles to a good consecration is the human tendency to
jump the gun and do what we think is best rather than wait for proper instructions. A
very important part of consecration is not just obedience, but patience in awaiting Gods
direction. Indeed, because of the self-will and corruption of the Levitical priesthood, God
declared that they had despised Him (Malachi 1:7,12). Malachi goes on to write:
But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For
he is like a refinerʼs fire, and like fullersʼ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah
and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
(Malachi 3:2-4)
Malachi was written primarily to the priests! After all, the people did not perform the
sacrifices-- the priests did. The priesthood had gotten into the habit of setting aside the
best for themselves and then using whatever they didnʼt want for the sacrifices. Are we
truly consecrated to God if our stewardship of Godʼs resources is characterized by
selfishness, greed, and self-interest? Thereʼs nothing wrong with excellence, and
certainly nothing wrong with wealth, but a great many men and women of God have
become entangled in avarice [which is idolatry] (Colossians 3:5) by placing too great an
emphasis on their own immediate gain and compensation. Even the world recognizes
that it is wrong for leaders to excessively partake of an organizationʼs resources, as the
criminal trials connected to Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom surely attest. The Chairman
and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange was fired when it was uncovered that he had
used his friends on the board to give him an excessive compensation package. Is our
standard of integrity higher, or lower than theirs?
The corruption of the Levitical priesthood persisted and grew until, by Jesusʼ time, the
high priest was no longer selected from the descendants of Aaron, but rather appointed
by the Roman government. Because of this, Israelʼs sin could no longer be purged by
the Levitical priesthood, because only a descendant of Aaron could offer an atonement
that God would accept. Indeed, Israel needed a savior. John the Baptist was a
descendant of Aaron (Luke 1:5), and when he baptized Jesus, he not only consecrated
Him, but also transferred the priesthood from the order of Aaron back to the order of
Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:21, e.g.). Christ Himself had to submit to the authority of the
Aaronic priesthood in order to be consecrated to His purpose.
Also, if we study Exodus 28-29 closely, as well as Leviticus, we will find that God is
very detailed in outlining precisely how He wanted to be worshipped, and in how He
wanted His priests to dedicate themselves to Him. One consistent pattern which is
evident even at the outset of the Levitical priesthood is that of submission to authority.
After all, Aaron and his sons did not consecrate themselves, but were instead

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consecrated by Moses. Furthermore, there were numerous people involved in the

preparation of the garments, tools, and place to be used for that priestly service. God
will indeed place people around you who will contribute to the purity and integrity of your
priesthood. Sometimes we are wondering when God will send the best servants, or the
best singers, or better deacons, or even better givers, and the whole time we ourselves
have delayed the arrival of these people because we have not yet submitted to Godʼs
hand in the form of people who have been sent to refine us. God will use people who
are over you, like Moses, and He will use people who may be under you, like Nathan (2
Samuel 12).
Godʼs instruction to the Aaronic order was so detailed, and so specific, yet sometimes
we are careless, lazy, and even indifferent in our consecration habits toward Him. Some
among us will claim that we have a better covenant, and so there is no need for such
detail, that we are to live in the simplicity of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). I speak not of
vain ritualism, and indeed we have a better covenant, but since by now we understand
that grace isnʼt a get out of jail free, do whatever you want card, but rather the divine
influence upon oneʼs heart which becomes evident in oneʼs life, then we must surely
know that grace doesnʼt lower the standard, but rather enables us to achieve the very
highest standard.
We may not have to walk around wearing gold breastplates and mitres, but there is
something to be understood in Godʼs demand for glory and beauty to be shown in the
sons of Aaron (Exodus 28:2). If we are indeed dedicated and separated unto God, then
we had better express this dedication in everything. Itʼs good to fast and to pray, and to
spend time in worship, but shall we not also sanctify all of our activities unto God? Too
often we fall prey to the “my time vs. Godʼs time” mentality which causes us to seek God
in fasting, prayer, worship, and so on, but then causes us to think of that time as
separate from our “normal” life. Inevitably, this turns us into part-time lovers of God
instead of full-time priests. Do you want a level of consecration like that of Christ? Then
pursue a lifestyle of unbroken fellowship.
The Levitical priesthood was raised up completely separated, even to the extent of
having no inheritance among their brethren (Numbers 18:20, 23), and this separation
was designed to be expressed in everything from their worship to their clothing, their
food, and even their living arrangements. My challenge to you is not to just to fast and to
pray, but also to involve God and His presence in every area of your life.
All these things having been said, let us turn our attention to fasting. It is mentioned
frequently in the Bible, and, when done correctly, has been known to result in
supernatural power (Matthew 17:21), to move the heart of God (Jonah 3:5), as well as
having physical and mental health benefits. Fasting has been known to purge the body
of toxins, and indeed, there are many health problems directly caused by our eating
habits. It is estimated that the average American consumes about half a pound of sugar
per day, and there are numerous people whose intake of sugar is so high as to be toxic
to their body, and this is just one example.
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their
transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to
know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their

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God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted
our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure,
and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the
fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on
high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow
down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call
this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed
go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that
thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou
cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break
forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness
shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call,
and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take
away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide
thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt
be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that
shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of
many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of
paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on
my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt
honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking
thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to
ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy
father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 58)
If we are not declaring Godʼs righteousness, and showing Godʼs people their sin, it is
impossible to fast properly, because we are disobeying Him. Always remember that sin
brings forth death (James 1:15), and so to sin against God by not dealing with
transgression and sin, cannot result in the life of God flowing through us. Fasting,
according to this passage, is to occur free from ulterior motives, ambition, and
contention, and it is to be inseparable from love, compassion, and righteousness.
Fasting may occur in times of sorrow and repentance (e.g., Judges 20:26), but it was
never intended to be used as a display of pious solemnity to impress others.
There are numerous ways in which to fast, and we will not attempt to discuss all of
them in detail, but we will review their characteristics in brief. The most commonly
known (and most effective) type is the total fast, in which one consumes only water. It is
usually wise to build your way toward a fast, gradually reducing your intake of food, but
also stopping any intake of caffeine-containing items a few days before beginning a fast,
because some people will experience severe headaches as a result of caffeine
withdrawal. Also, before beginning any kind of fasting or other type of significant dietary
changes, consult with a qualified physician to determine what is best for your body in
particular.
When approaching a fast, I prefer to lighten my meals a few days prior, not just
reducing my intake, but also eating less animal flesh (meat, poultry, fish) and composing
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my meals primarily of vegetables and fruit. I have found that to help my body to
transition into fasting, but there have been times in which God has called me directly
into a fast with no preparation of this kind. There have also been times when I was led
to consume liquids for an extended period of time, and this, too can be an effective fast,
if it is what God has directed you to do. These days there is a lot of talk about fruit fasts,
soup fasts, salad fasts, but we must have the courage to fast completely as well, if it is
medically feasible for us to do so. Jesus fasted (Luke 4:2, John 4:31-34), and we ought
to follow his example if we are to develop His character.
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
(Luke 6:40)
Now, if we are to fast, then we should likewise, as part of our dedication of our entire life
to the Lord, take proper care of the body He has given us. Yes, God can sustain us
supernaturally, but remember that He gave us the earth and its resources with which to
nourish ourselves (Genesis 2:16, 9:3), and we ought to make the best use of them that
we can. Shall we consecrate ourselves to God with a fast, and then defile his temple
with junk food afterward? God forbid. In fact, if we eat nutritious foods, we will find
ourselves less hungry less often. Obesity, for example, is among the leading health
problems in America, and it actually causes or contributes to conditions such as heart
disease, cancer, and diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, consult with your doctor
to determine a medically sound plan to maximize your health. Remember, your body
isnʼt just yours-- it belongs to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Also of great importance is the intake of water; about 75% of our bodyʼs weight is
water, and an average sized person needs to drink about 8 glasses per day. There are
times when we think we are hungry when we are actually dehydrated, and without
enough water, we will also lack energy, as many of the chemical processes in our
bodies that produce energy require water. Proper regular exercise is also very
important, particularly if you fast frequently. Regular exercise strengthens your immune
system, and is good for your overall health. Do you have to be Mr. Universe for God to
use you? Not at all (1 Timothy 4:8), but we must take care of Godʼs temple.
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:17)
Godʼs word clearly tells us that God will destroy those who defile His temple, and so we
must understand that to live a consecrated life will include proper care for the body,
including good eating habits, exercise, and adequate rest. Sometimes we get so busy
with the work of the Lord that not only do we forget the Lord of the work, but we forget
that even He rested (Genesis 2:2).
There are also other ways in which we can enhance our consecration, and I will share
with you some of my own habits. There are times in which I will speak to no one but
God for some time, or for a certain part of the day, and there are times when I will
remain silent for extended periods to listen to Him, or to rest from speaking. Some of us
seek to be highly consecrated, yet we love to run our mouths! Silence can be a very
important part of consecration, not just for quiet times, but also for the purpose of

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developing the discipline to speak rightly, and never out of order or excessively. Remember,
there is no lack of sin in the multitude of words (Proverbs 10:19).
Finally, as we go about our daily activities, we should reconsider the motives and
character of words and actions, and ask ourselves the question as to whether they
reflect our dedication to Godʼs purpose. In the business world, there is a common
saying: “Look the part.” While our walk of faith is not about appearance (1 Samuel 16:7),
we should still carry ourselves in a manner that is consistent with Godʼs call, so that
every word, every action, every thought and attitude are a part of a life of unbroken
intimacy with the Lord.

1. What are some of the benefits of a good consecration?
2. Name some of the elements of proper consecration.
3. What are some of the areas in which you feel your consecration falls short? What are
some things you can do to enhance your present consecration?

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Lesson Twelve:
Obedience
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or
obedience unto righteousness?
--Romans 6:16
This particular element of Christʼs character would seem to be an obvious necessity,

yet, there are a wide variety of subtle (an not so subtle) ways in which we can be very
easily tricked into walking in disobedience, or to be negligent in the obedience that we
carry out. We must understand that whatever we yield to is what we truly obey. We may
have a genuine desire for closeness with God, a genuine call, and a sincere effort to do
the right thing, but in the end if we yield to things that are contrary to Godʼs purpose or
at least not conducive to it, we have obeyed those things and not Him.
There once was a man of God who was sent to deliver a 100% accurate prophetic
word to King Jeroboam, with specific instructions as to how to go about his assignment.
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto
Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar
in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child
shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the
priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and menʼs bones shall be burnt
upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD
hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be
poured out. And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of
God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar,
saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that
he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out
from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the
LORD. And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the
LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man
of God besought the LORD, and the kingʼs hand was restored him again, and became
as it was before. And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and
refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. And the man of God said unto the king, If
thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor
drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat
no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. So he went
another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. (1 Kings 13:1-10)
This man of God is never mentioned by name. He remains, nonetheless, one of only 12
individuals identified as a “man of God” in the Bible, including Moses, Joshua, Samuel,
David, Elijah and others. He was clearly not a minor league prophet by any means, and
the word he delivered came to pass, not only in the short term (v. 5), but also many
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years later (2 Kings 23:16). Now, when the King tried to reward him, the man of God
refused, being committed to obeying what God had instructed him to do. Many of us can
carry out an assignment from God to the letter, but so often it occurs that our obedience
is short-lived, as was the case with this particular man of God.
Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works
that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto
the king, them they told also to their father. And their father said unto them, What way
went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from
Judah. And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and
he rode thereon, And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak:
and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I
am. Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. And he said, I may not
return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in
this place: For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor
drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. He said unto him, I
am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD,
saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink
water. But he lied unto him. (1 Kings 13:11-18)
Then, during dinner, the lying prophet receives a real word from God, that not only
would the disobedient man of God die for his disobedience, but he would not be buried
with his fathers. In the culture of that time, to be unable to be buried with oneʼs
ancestors was a mark of great shame, and it was usually the fate of criminals, the very
poor, and anyone considered unclean, such as a leper. Another thing that is interesting
to note is that when the old prophet found the man of God, he was sitting under a tree.
Instead of getting as far away from the area as possible, he had not even gone far
enough to keep an old man from catching up to him! He had not “technically” disobeyed
yet, but by stopping for a break so close by, he had created the opportunity to be
deceived. It frequently occurs in modern ministry that leaders find themselves in
circumstances and situations that were actually created by our own carelessness and
the human tendency to do as little as is required of us. It is not enough to technically
obey, but we must be sure to be thorough in our obedience, or, like this nameless man
of God, we could very well end up falling prey to deception.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those
things that please him. (John 8:29)
Obedience isnʼt meant for some of the time, or most of the time, but rather all the time.
When I was in the United States Marine Corps, one of the officers who trained me
would constantly say to me during training, “100% effort, 100% of the time!” Shall we do
less for the Lord? This is not about human effort, or doing things in our own strength,
but about being completely committed to complete obedience. How many times have
many among us said “good enough” when we really meant “I donʼt feel like doing
better”? This is a very dangerous attitude to have, because it always leads to
disobedience. Remember these words:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid
wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and

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utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman,
infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. (1 Samuel 15:2-3)
Now, many of us who are in leadership in ministry are very familiar with this story, and
we may have even preached on it, denouncing the evils of rebellion and stubbornness,
but sometimes we overlook the fact that this particular account was of a disobedient
leader. Saul tried to justify sparing the best of the sheep and the king of the Amalekites,
but Samuel wasnʼt fooled by his explanation, and neither was God. As many of us know,
Samuel told him:
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in
obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also
rejected thee from being king. (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
What is it that a witch does? A witch will use potions, demonic forces, or even just
persuasive words and any other means at their disposal to control and manipulate
people and events to conform to their own will. If then our incomplete obedience makes
us equal with witches in Godʼs sight, how are we to expect Him to bless our
disobedience? Exactly how much authority can we expect to have to heal the sick, cast
out demons, and thoroughly promote the Gospel when we reject Godʼs authority
through our self-will?
Also, if you are incomplete in your obedience, not only will you reap what youʼve sown,
but you may very well set events in motion that will affect our future, and possibly that
of others. It was an Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul, and there were still
enough Amalekites around to make war with Israel (2 Samuel 1:1-13). Over 500 years
later, a descendant of Agag, whom Saul wanted to spare, tried to wipe out the nation of
Israel (Esther 3:1-6). Saul had sought to spare only Agag, but apparently while his army
was helping themselves to the spoils they should have destroyed, someone of Agagʼs
house was able to escape and survive to continue the bloodline. We should also
remember that we can only reproduce after our own kind. Lions donʼt beget rabbits, and
rats donʼt give birth to elephants. If we as leaders are incomplete, careless, or
grudging in our obedience, we can be assured that we will raise up believers who may
very well resemble us in those ways.
Now, there are instances in which obedience will involve choosing between what is
good and what is best. Just because itʼs a good idea doesnʼt always mean that itʼs a
God idea. No matter what we do, weʼre always either called, sent, or self-appointed, and
this will come into play in everything that we do. It is just as dangerous (and perhaps
more so) to do what we are called to do at the wrong time or in the wrong context, or
with the wrong motives, as it is to do something God never called us to do in the first
place. For example, a prophet is called to prophesy, to speak in the name of the Lord,
but if he does so presumptuously, he has sinned against God. In fact, under the Law of
Moses, if a prophet spoke a genuine word from God that God had not commanded him
to speak, he was to be put to death (Deuteronomy 18:20). “We are not under the Law of
Moses anymore,” some will say, but we must understand that if we truly walk in the
Spirit, then the righteousness of the Law will be fullfilled in us (Romans 8:4), and since

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we know that God does not change (Malachi 3:6), then He still does not want prophets
to speak presumptuously, but rather that they do so according to His direction.
This principle stands for every call, every office, every situation. If God has called you
to a task, He will, at the appointed time, anoint you to perform that task. However, just
because youʼve been anointed to do it doesnʼt necessarily mean itʼs time to do it now.
David was anointed to be King of Israel when he was a youth (1 Samuel 16:1-13), but
he didnʼt become King until he was thirty years old (2 Samuel 5:4). Now, there are some
things that God will do quickly, and some that He may decide to do over a long period of
time, but the key is to do His will, so that no matter what the case may be, you remain
obedient.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
(John 6:38)
Obedience is a key to Godʼs blessing. After all, Abraham wouldnʼt have received the
promise if he had never obeyed God and left Ur, and Moses wouldnʼt have delivered
Israel if he had stayed in Midian for the rest of his life. Would we be saved if Jesus
hadnʼt gone to the cross? We must also remember, that while obedience is the way to
Godʼs blessing, it may not always result in immediate comfort, pleasure, or worldly
prosperity. There may very well be some things you will have to walk through to get to
your destiny that will be difficult, unpleasant, or even dreadful. If you think this is not
Biblical, remember that the Bible says this of Christ:
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with
strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in
that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:7-9)
The man who walked in absolute perfection had to obey, even to the point of
submitting to unlawful arrest, torture, and a horrific death by crucifixion. If we also
recognize that the Bible tells us that the disciple is not above his master (Luke 6:40),
then we should always keep our hearts prepared to obey God, whether the result is
fabulous tangible blessings in this lifetime, or persecution and suffering. This is a point
which breaks many leaders, because so very often we listen to our human nature which
seeks its own comfort, and so it often occurs that leaders make decisions based on
what will produce the most favorable outcome in terms of physical, material, or
emotional comfort, usually justifying themselves with something along the lines of “I
know God wants me to be blessed.” Yes, He does, but you better be sure that youʼve
heard from God. If your decisions are characterized by seeking the path of least
resistance and self-interest, youʼre definitely not hearing from God. Remember, love is
not motivated by self-interest, and it is not selfish (1 Corinthians 13:5), and God is love
(1 John 4:16).
If we want to walk in the integrity of Christ, if we long to see Godʼs power made
manifest in our lives as it was through Christ in his earthly ministry, then we must obey
God in all things. This is the great secret of the power to heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers and cast out devils: Simply yield to God and obey Him.

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1. What is the difference between submission and obedience?
2. Examine the life of Abraham and his obedience to God, and determine how his
progression from believing the Promise to actually receiving it in the form of Isaac can
be seen in terms of his growth in obedience.
3. Think of a situation in which you suffered, and thoroughly evaluate it to determine

precisely what it was that God was teaching you about obedience, and how it can be
applied to your continuing development as a leader.

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Lesson Thirteen:
The Presence of God
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate
him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away:
as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the
presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice
before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
--Psalm 68:1-3
The Presence of God and holiness are inseparable.

To live a holy life, as well as to be effective as a Christian leader, one must have the
presence of God. We often speak of Godʼs presence, and yet, there is sometimes a
good deal of confusion as to what exactly the presence of God really is. Over the years,
I have heard people speak of the presence of God being in some event, person, or
place, but the people involved, for the most part left unchanged. The genuine presence
of God will not leave you the same.
What then, is the presence of God? We could start by identifying what it is not. Itʼs not
found in the physical trappings of ministry, whether itʼs a stylish robe, a beautiful
sanctuary, a great sound system, large crowds of people, etc. These things can be
good, but they themselves do not comprise the presence of God. The presence of God
is also not about feelings, either. Sometimes we may feel certain things when in the
presence of God, such as goose bumps or other sensations, but we must take care not
to use our physical senses to define the presence of God, because our walk is
supposed to be based on faith. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans
14:23), so then even our perception of Godʼs presence must stem from our faith.
Indeed, there have been many Christians who have been seduced into counterfeit
“movements” because they thought goose bumps, shaking, dancing, etc., were definite
indicators of the presence of God. The Lord promised to be with us always (Matthew
28:20), and so we must be firmly convinced of this. Gods presence is with us as
believers, whether we perceive it in a tangible sense or not, because He said so, and
God does not lie!
Something we must also understand is that there is a difference between anointing
and the presence of God. Many of us use the terms interchangeably, but the Bible never
does. Our tendency to think of “anointing” and Godʼs presence being the same thing
often proves to be a truly dangerous error. When Saulʼs father lost some donkeys, he
sent Saul and a servant to seek them out, and it was during this search that Saul
encountered Samuel (1 Samuel 9:1-13).
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow
about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint
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him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of
the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to
thee of! This same shall reign over my people. (1 Samuel 9: 15-17)
Samuel proceeds to anoint Saul, and tells him that the Spirit of the Lord will come upon
him when he encounters a group of prophets (2 Samuel 10:1-6). At this point Saul has
been anointed, and has a genuine anointing from God to be King over Israel. However,
Godʼs presence does not come upon him until he encounters the prophets, at Bethel,
miles away from Ramah where he had been anointed. Thus we can see that Godʼs
presence came upon Saul hours after he had been anointed, and so anointing and the
presence of God are two distinct things. What then is the relationship between the two?
mashach -- pronounced: maw-shakhʼ A primitive root; to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by
implication, to consecrate; also to paint: KJV -- anoint, paint. (Strongʼs, 4886)
To be anointed is to be marked, and in the case of being anointed for service to God, it
is to be painted, to be marked for consecration, or separation, to that particular service.
The anointing is then, for illustrative purposes, like a seal of authorization which places
someone into a particular office, or position/function.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to
the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to
preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)
Jesus Himself proclaimed that the Spirit of God was upon Him because He had been
anointed, distinguishing the two as cause and effect. God has anointed Jesus, and so
because of what He had anointed His son to do, He caused His Spirit to be upon Jesus.
If we understand this, and further understand that Saul was still anointed even after
Godʼs presence had departed from him (1 Samuel 16:14), then we know that the
anointing and Godʼs presence are distinct from one another.
I have often told leaders that itʼs not enough to be anointed, you have to be appointed,
and this is a major cause of problems in ministry. We know weʼve been anointed for a
purpose, and then we rush headlong trying to accomplish it before Godʼs presence has
been sent before us.
And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and
thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee
by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I
have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may
find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.And he said, My
presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy
presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that
I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So
shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the
earth. (Exodus 33:12-16)
Moses had been set apart to bring Godʼs people out of slavery and to the Promised
Land, but nevertheless he would not go on without Godʼs presence. The early church
was instructed to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had endowed them with
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Week Five
power (Acts 1:4-8). Prior to this, they had preached, healed the sick, and cast out
demons, but now it was time for Godʼs presence to be within them, and this would be
accompanied by tremendous power, as shown in the next few chapters of Acts. For the
next phase of their development as leaders, they had to await the appointed time to be
released into it. Remember, to proceed before the appointed time is to disobey, and
God does not honor disobedience. If you think differently, think of Saul.
Now there are some who will operate in their anointing without Godʼs presence.
Indeed, throughout history and to this day there have been prophets who did not serve
God, but because they were prophets, they could accurately prophesy. In fact, Godʼs
word tells us that from time to time He allows such prophets to rise up in order to test
the heart of His people. (Deuteronomy 13: 1-5).
Always remember that David never asked God not to take the anointing from him.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (Psalm
51:11) Davidʼs desperate cry was for Godʼs presence, because itʼs Godʼs presence that
accomplishes it all. After all, Jesus said that it was the Father who did the works (John
14:10), and the sons of Eli learned the hard way that without Godʼs presence all they
had was an empty Ark (1 Samuel 4:2-11).
What then does the presence of God mean to the believer and the Christian leader? It
is the difference between clever words moving the emotions and genuine conviction of
sin, itʼs the difference between a church full of sin and unable to chase the devil from its
doorstep and a church that can impact the world. How do we carry Godʼs presence
then?
First, we must walk by faith, and never by what circumstance, situations and the
various cares of this life might have to say.
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure
in him. (Hebrews 10:38)
There isnʼt time for hesitation and second-guessing. It is time to remain fully committed
to God and His purpose, and thus to live by faith. After all, does Godʼs presence rest
upon those in whom He is displeased? We must strive for unbroken fellowship with
God, and pursue relationship with Him as our first priority.
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I
will prepare him an habitation; my fatherʼs God, and I will exalt him. (Exodus 15:2)
We must make room for God! Some of us will complain of being so very busy, and
about having trouble finding time in which to cultivate a deeper relationship with the
Lord, when we shouldnʼt be trying to find time, we should be making time for Him. The
Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), and while some
of us certainly do praise God, there is more to this than merely saying nice things about
the Lord. The Lord desires to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). Do we
worship in truth when we do not love our fellow man? Or does our praise truly honor Him
when our lives bear Him poor testimony?
We must then, put God and His interests first in all of our affairs, and consider our
decisions in light of what is best for Godʼs glory. Whether in prayer, or fasting, the study

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Week Five
of the Word, worship, or just the day-to-day business of everyday life, the Lord must be
first. There are many who will speak of balance, and sometimes with the best of
intentions, but often leading to a state in which we have given every day life weight
equal to that of our relationship with God.
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. (Proverbs
11:1)
The appropriate balance is one in which everything is given its proper weight and
measure, and relationship with God and obedience to Him must outweigh all else.
Obedience is the highest form of worship, and if we understand this and obey Him, then
our very lives become praise to Him, our every day a symphony to the ears of God.

1. What is the distinction between the anointing and the presence of God?
2. Name 4 ways in which the presence of God has impacted your ministry.
3. Evaluate the life of King Saul and determine how he lost Godʼs presence from his life.
4. Name at least three ways in which Peter was changed when he received the Holy Spirit.
This concludes Module 1 of Apostolic Foundations.

God bless you, and God keep you.

66

Module 1: The Character of Jesus Christ

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Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

© 2007 Samuel Medina. All Rights Reserved.

Apostolic Foundations: Eternal Principles for God-ordained Christian Leadership, a 30

Author: Samuel Medina

Copyright 2007 Samuel Medina. All Rights Reserved.

This publication cannot be reproduced, in whole or in part, by electronic or other

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

1. Introduction and Overview 5

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for Discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Compassion creates open doors-- and eyes.

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for Discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

4. Why is compassion important to your specific call? Name at least 5 ways.

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Wisdom is essential to your purpose

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Genuine humility is never optional

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

You will have as much authority as you submit to.

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

You cannot have authority without being under authority.

Points for discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

A Spirit-led life always produces fruit.

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

What faith have YOU received?

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for discussion:

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Tempted, yet triumphant.

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Foundations: The Character of Jesus Christ

Points for discussion:

3. How must integrity be applied to the preaching of the Word?