Please hit "WEBCASTS"
Script: Yvette l Narrator: Josh l Mix: Yujie
Hello friends, we have spent the last five months looking at what makes an outstanding leader. The final episode today discusses the last key. From the leader’s person to his perspective, source of power, purpose, performance and prevention of pitfalls, all these six keys centred around the leader’s posture.
As we live in the end times, we need to have the right posture in life to be an effective witness, so that we can impact others. The fundamental word here is effective. We can be a leader but if we are not effective, we are of little use.
To ensure continued success and endurance in ministry, we must have an attitude of total dependence on God. It is He who gives growth; we are just workers in His harvest. Posture is about the choices we make. The following seven commitments help us to walk in the right choices:
To submit to Jesus as Saviour, we must receive Him as Lord over our lives. We are to obey His commandments and live as His will and favour matter above all. And being committed to Christ is about acknowledging His Lordship in all aspects of our lives. We should be like servants who willingly desire to serve our Master all our lives. To submit to Jesus is to bring our entire lives under the authority of Scriptures.
There are 5 ways we partake of the Word. We read it to understand what it says, remember and meditate on it to lay it upon our hearts, study it to mine its riches and apply it to our lives, and hear what the Spirit of God is constantly drawing our attention to. Matthew 7: 24-25 say, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
Let us submit to Him and choose to be governed by the Holy Spirit. Actively, we listen to Him and let Him guide us, moving from being governed by the Law to being directed by the Spirit always.
2. Be committed to building a godly Character
A commitment to Jesus is inseparable from a commitment to become the people He wants us to be. When He calls us to deny ourselves, we are to deny our old self. Our minds, emotions and wills are to be submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We display a Christ-like character when we have an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness, and display the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5). When we have that posture of character, it will bless, encourage and challenge others.
The test of our character is not just loving God but loving each other. Jesus repeated this in John 13: 34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another’ as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love for one another.”
To form a godly character, it involves hard work especially when we must relate to people with whom we do not naturally get along. It is only through the grace of God we can successfully build and display godly character in our lives.
3. Be committed to Competence in our work
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Proverbs 22: 29).
Scripture commends diligence and good work as pleasing to God. It also shows us that God gave the people He blessed competence in their spheres of influence. So, be hardworking and dedicated to improvement, as the Lord requires, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 1: 5).
We need to keep on working on our core competencies, to get from good to best. This requires wisdom and hard work, and must impact the bottom line.
I have learnt that the only way to continually grow and be more effective is to posture myself intentionally to do so. I constantly learn and re-learn leadership lessons not only through books and magazines, but increasingly through social media platforms as well.
4. Be committed in our Community
Christ calls us to be His examples to the people around us in Matthew 5: 13-16. Our community consists of our families; co-workers; stakeholders; friends and fellow members of the church community; and people brought into our lives through divine appointment. God expects us to represent Him where He has placed us. However, some relationships are more important than others. For example, we must work on our marriages to make them stronger and better over time. We must also intentionally deepen our relationship with our loved ones.
5. Be committed to the Confession of our faith
Jesus is to be declared as the centre of our faith, not denied or hidden. “Therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven,” He assures us. “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10: 32-33).
As we confess His Word, we speak truth to ourselves and allow the spirit of faith to work in us (2 Corinthians 4: 13).
The confession of our faith builds our inner man. Psalm 103: 20 states: “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” Angels act on the Word that is spoken, and as it is established in our hearts, it becomes manifested as greater faith, devotion and courage.
6. Be committed to the Lord’s Calling
We are proclaimed by the Lord to be His priests and kings, set apart to serve Him in holiness. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2: 9)
God does not only change our final destination from hell to heaven. He gives us a special commission as His representatives – an effective priest and king in His name. Ephesians 2: 10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Christ is the guarantor that our good work for Him will not be forgotten.
I use my gifts of preaching, teaching and training leaders for the work of ministry to expand the kingdom of God. Our calling may be different, but it should lead us to use our gifts to show God’s love for others in a tangible way.
7. Be committed to Continuity
We are to mentor other leaders by investing time and resources into their development. The command to teach and develop others is woven throughout the Bible. Jesus says in Matthew 28: 18-20, “… All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The command to disciple others is a clear reminder that leading others in God’s kingdom is not about ourselves, but the continuation of His purposes for the generation. We are called to be leaders that others can follow, developing and empowering them as they move ahead in their callings from the Lord. When we invest in the lives of others and multiply ourselves by mentoring them, we leave a legacy that endures for generations. And as we do so, the Lord will establish the works of our hands to make more disciples for His glory.
CONCLUSION
THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES
In the last half-century, we have seen the hand of God move powerfully across continents and countries, sparking revivals and releasing miracles. Millions are turning to the Lord. Matthew 24 reminds us these are also the worst of times, in which there is increasing trouble and tribulation, severe persecution, wars, disasters, and many will abandon the faith (verse 10). It is truly both the best and the worst of times.
We are called to be bold and courageous leaders. Proverbs 28: 1 says, “The righteous are as bold as lions” and it shows in our response to social issues, conflicts and persecution.
When the Jews returned from Babylon, the walls of Jerusalem had broken down (Nehemiah 1: 3). But Nehemiah did not give in to despair; he prayed, rose up and took action. He planned and assigned different tribes to start the rebuilding process (Nehemiah 2). Although he ran into opposition as Sanballat and Tobiah spread rumours and stirred up trouble against him, Nehemiah rallied the people to finish the work with a sword in one hand and a spade in the other, they continued the work.
As a result, the walls were rebuilt eventually and the remaining captives returned to Jerusalem able to face the future confidently. The people gathered to hear the Book of the Law, celebrate the feast of Tabernacles and renewed their covenant with God.
Nehemiah’s boldness ushered in a new era of history and gave God’s people a second chance to rebuild. The season and times we live in call for similar leadership – churches throughout the land are looking for leaders with substance, whose walk with the Lord is current, vibrant and dynamic. We need leaders who have no veneer of spirituality, but who are truly on fire to serve God’s kingdom agendas.
God is looking for outstanding leaders who are wholehearted and are willing to count the cost and pay the price to finish well. Colossians 3: 23-24 (NIV) reminds us: “ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Our races in life are not sprints, but marathons. Many people start out very well, but do not end well. Jesus reminds us that we must count the cost of discipleship (Luke 14: 28-30). Therefore, we need to maintain a spirit of excellence, and put in the maximum effort to finish the race well – for it is at the end that our heavenly rewards await.
We started this leadership journey with the courageous and outstanding leaders of the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7: 40). It is my prayer that we will be that kind of outstanding leader – as heads of families and communities of faith, choice men and women, and brave warriors who will partner with God wherever He places us to influence and impact lives.
Friends, we hope you are truly blessed with the sharing given by Pastor Daniel Foo in his book Outstanding Leader. We pray that you will be the one whom God is looking for to guide others and impact their lives. Thank you for being with us throughout the whole series. Goodbye.
<< Song title: Awakening (music video) by Amanda Lindsey Cook >>
Excerpted from outstanding Leader by Pastor Daniel Foo; first published by Armour Publishing Singapore and the book can be purchased from