FollowtheLeader.indd

FOLLOW THE LEADER

As a result of their passion, leaders are almost always both energetic and
enthusiastic people – even in the face of adversity. As we will see in a later
chapter, leaders have often been naturally endowed with a lot of physical
energy. However, their real energy is more supernatural than natural. Their
energy and vitality come from the “joy of the Lord” and from the power
of the indwelling Holy Spirit – not from their own human energies. The
Apostle Paul reflected this when he compared his works to others: “I
worked harder than all of them,” Paul said, “yet not I, but the grace
of God that was with me” (I Cor. 15:10). In saying this, Paul was not
boasting, just stating facts!

Good leaders are not casual, laid-back, easy-going, passive people. By
nature they tend to be passionate in almost everything they do! For them,
passion is not so much an experience of the moment – but a lifestyle. Many
people have momentary passion, which doesn’t last long. Their passion
is fickle – it is turned on and off...it goes up and down...it runs hot and
cold. By contrast, good leaders have persistent passion.

Someone rightly observed that the world today is being led by tired men!
It could also be said that: “Much of the Church is being led by tired pastors!”
Too many Christian leaders become tired out...worn out...burned out
when they try to lead through the limited resources of the flesh. Every
Christian leader must learn to live by the passion of love and by the power
of the Holy Spirit! To sustain his leadership, a leader must have a passionate
love for his calling – and a divine power to sustain it.

Principle:

“No one can be successful unless he loves his work.”^21

(David Sarnoff, CEO of RCA)

Just as their energy is both natural and supernatural, a leader’s enthusiasm
must be an enlightened enthusiasm. Their enthusiasm has to be enlightened by
God’s Word and illumined by God’s Spirit. That’s what the word “enthusiasm”
teaches us. It comes from the Greek word en-theos which is composed of
the two words: en, or “in,” and theos, which means “god.” It is only “God
within” that produces authentic enthusiasm! As we would expect, Godly
enthusiasm always results in a striving for excellence for God’s glory!