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LUCKY NDUPU
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Copyright© 2019 by Lucky Ndupu

All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain
or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or
group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request.

Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010
International Bible Society. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV
are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King
James Version.

For All Correspondence, call/write

#Pen-of-the-ready-writers
+2348063841480
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Published by
Sweek Publishing Company,
Netherlands

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 DEDICATION
To the leader in you that seeks expression and fulfillment of purpose
and to the faithful follower who will someday take the lead; who
yearns to learn from the greatest leader of all time; JESUS CHRIST.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I appreciate the Almighty God for His grace upon me till this
hour. His mercies never fail. He has his watchful eyes on me to
perform His word concerning my days upon the earth.

I would never have taken steps towards producing this book if

not for the foundation laid by my parents; Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Ndupu. I
sincerely thank them for their good upbringing and daily sacrifice for
my growth in wisdom and stature. To my siblings, I also appreciate
you deeply.

A lot of friends and associates I have come across have left an

indelible footprint upon my life. For the cherished memories, I
acknowledge Ajemre Emmanuel, Awokumaka Precious, N. M.
Barinua, Mordi Ugo Emmanuel, O. O. Onoriemu, and Iheozor Gideon.
May God’s goodness rest on you always.

My path to destiny discovery and growth in the Lord has been

aided by a number of people that I cannot forget. They include
Olagoke Owoyomi Oluwafemi, Popoola Mary, Olaleru Jeremiah, Aleji
Gideon, Are Abiodun, Adewole T. Hezekiah, and Benjamin
Mainasara, members of Baptist Student Fellowship, and The Godly
Brains Club of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger
state, Nigeria.

I also wish to acknowledge my mentors, Rev. Gideon Akanbi,

President and International Director of the Godly Brains Ministry for
his role in my leadership growth and purpose discovery. I thank Mr.
Joseph Ameh for his support in my character build-up. Pastor Mrs.
Favour Adeyemi, the pioneer editor of the Echoes of Hosanna sparked
my interest in writing, I deeply esteem the motivation you gave me.
Special thanks to my editors who ensured this message is presented
well.

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 The lives and teachings of Bishop David Oyedepo, late Dr.
Myles Munroe, John Mason, Dr. Mike Murdock, Dr. Paul Enenche,
and Apostle Joshua Selman have been a tremendous blessing to me to
the glory of God. I appreciate you all for your investments through
grace!

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 FOREWORD
Leadership is everything! You may find this statement very hard
to align with. But the truth is everything rises and falls on leadership,
to use the words of John C. Maxwell. Unfortunately, many are yet to
fully grasp what the true meaning of leadership is and this has
accounted for much chaos we have in several organizations, including
the church. I dare to say that leadership is the answer to every problem
in our world. But as good as that may sound, I need to underscore that
having a correct understanding of leadership is equally germane. So,
if you are going to contribute meaningfully and positively to global
development, you must not only discover and develop your leadership
potentials, you also need to engage the right leadership principles as
demonstrated by Jesus. This is the thrust of this book.

I think it is good to state upfront that authentic leadership is not

about occupying a seat, holding a position, wearing a title. Rather,
authentic leadership is the capacity to influence others through
inspiration, generated by a passion, motivated by a conviction,
produced by a vision, birth by a purpose. This is the kind of leadership
Jesus model for us as it is contained in the gospels. Jesus is the
greatest leader the world has ever known. Jesus demonstrated to us
that true leadership is inherent in the human spirit. That is to say,
every human is born with the leadership spirit. Consequent on this
truth, it means true leadership cannot be taught but must be
discovered.

Furthermore, Jesus demonstrated that true leadership is serving

your gift to benefit humanity. The more you serve your gift, the
greater you become. That is why he said He has come not to be served
but to serve and to give his life a ransom to many. He reinforces this
truth further when he said “I am the bread of life.” It simply means
that a true leader is a servant. But this concept is far from what obtains

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in several organizations today. Those who hold leadership positions
would rather lord it on the followers.

Besides, reading through the gospels also reveals other essential

ingredients of leadership Jesus demonstrated. For instance, He
demonstrated that true leadership is self-manifestation. In other words,
leadership is essentially manifesting who God has created you to be in
such a way that you are able to deploy that unique identity to serve
your world. You will discover that Jesus was not in any way confused
about who he was. He revealed this through his several “I Am”
sayings in the gospels: “I am the way, the truth and the life”; “I am the
resurrection and life”; “I am the light of the world”; “I am the good
shepherd.” You will realize that all these sayings are his true identity,
which informed the various leadership functions he performed. Do you
know who you are? The answer to this question is very important if
you want to contribute meaningfully to kingdom expansion and global
development.

Now, all the above descriptions and dimensions of leadership are

what the author of this book has painstakingly discussed, using Jesus
as a model. Lucky, in this book, concludes that Jesus remains the
unbeatable mentor on the subject of leadership. It is not a trivial matter
therefore, when the bible commands us to fix our eyes on Jesus
because He is the pioneer and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). I
have no doubt that this book will launch you into a lifetime adventure
in the school of authentic leadership, thereby reshaping your
understanding and skills on how to make meaningful contributions to
your assigned space of human endeavors.

I need to commend Lucky for taking time to dig out these

timeless biblical principles on leadership for us all. Actually, I am not
surprised that this is coming from the author. He is the campus
coordinator of the Godly Brains Club for Federal University of
Technology, Minna, as at the time of this publication where he leads
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other members to read at least a book monthly that focuses on Purpose
discovery, Leadership development and Character formation. So, he
has proved the biblical assertion that: “A good man brings good things
out of the good stored up in him” (Matt.12:35). Surely, generations to
come will keep acknowledging this noble input of yours and will rise
to call you blessed.

Therefore, I wholeheartedly commend this book to your reading,

praying that you will encounter the true light that will light your path
as you join God at work where He is already working. Let the
adventure begin!

Rev. Gideon Akanbi

President/International Director
The Godly Brains Ministry Inc.
Ibadan, Nigeria.

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 CONTENTS
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi
INTRODUCTION xiv
Principle #1: DISCOVERY 18
Principle #2: PREOCCUPATION 22
Principle #3: MENTORSHIP 26
Principle #4: COMMUNICATION 30
Principle #5: CAPACITY GROWTH 34
Principle #6: READINESS 38
Principle #7: TRUSTWORTHINESS 42
Principle #8: ASSIGNMENT 46
Principle #9: ADVOCACY 50
Principle #10: CLARITY 54
Principle #11: PROVISION 58
Principle #12: PURPOSE 62
Principle #13: REWARD SYSTEMS 66
Principle #14: SERVICE 70
Principle #15: FAITH 74
Principle #16: PRAYER 78
Principle #17: COMMISIONING 82
Final Words 86
End Notes 89

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 INTRODUCTION
Leadership is central! It is the driver of any course of action,
event, and happenings, since time immemorial, in the affairs of human
existence and even in the unseen realm. If you simply want an
occurrence, be it in your personal life, family, career, community,
organization and country, one of the basic requirement is to take the
lead; move ahead to bring it to reality.

Impactful leadership in not dictatorship. This form of leadership

I believe is the process of taking others to the right destination guided
by a vision, empowered by passion, with principles enabling progress.

The earth has witnessed true men and women who have taken
this up, not as a ‘role’ but as a mandate. It became the core of their
lives. It consumed their thought and fueled their actions. They had a
belief that this is the cause for which they came and for this reason
were they born. It was not something they hated, but instead their joy
stemmed from the fact that they were faithful on that for which they
were sent. Lasting joy is always the product of faithfulness to the call
of the God.

The man Jesus Christ who was God made flesh walked the face
of the earth over two thousand years ago with a mission of restoration
for man and destruction of the works of the devil that had limited the
original plan of God in the past. His days upon the very streets of
Bethlehem, Nazareth, Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem and other towns of
Israel were marked with results that we cannot recover from till date.
Ignorance which made many to perish even till now existed with so
much hold on the people but he came with the truths of the Kingdom
of God to emancipate humanity. He preached, He taught, He made free
the captives, and brought man into the realization and acceptance of
the total will of the Father.

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 One of the reasons I believe the principles you uncover about the
life of Jesus as touching leadership will assist you to fulfill your
destiny is because if you follow biblical principles as portrayed by
Him, you will get same results He got. You can apply these principles
to virtually all areas of your life. This is a timeless truth I do hold unto!
The foundation that enables you build these principles into your life is
making Jesus Christ the Lord of your life; accepting Him as Saviour
and Lord, and heeding to His word every day. As you do this, you will
become fruitful in your leadership because as you abide in Him, you
will abound through Him. John 15:5.

Your leadership is first based on what you are created for, the
inherent abilities you possess and then towards the persons that come
along your path or a people you oversee. Impactful leadership like that
of Jesus is not about bearing accolades, offices, and portfolios. You
may have them or may not but that doesn’t stop you from been the
leader God has created you to be. You carry the potential for it. Your
responsibility is to cultivate it and learn by been a disciple of Jesus
through the Word and His Spirit.

It has been said often that if you want to see farther and reach
greater heights, you do not have to reinvent the wheel but stand upon
the shoulders of those who have succeeded in doing so. Take pains to
study the life of Jesus through this book and you will discover how he
responded to temptation, sins, enemies, friends, difficulties, lack,
needs, challenges in ministry, and betrayal by associates even as a
leader. Jesus Christ lived an exemplary life that was devoid of personal
interest and self-gain.

In the coming parts of this book, I will give you a brief

commentary on sections of the gospel according to Matthew in this
first volume and from it share with you underlying principles Jesus
held unto in his leadership which is not an exhausted list. The
Leadership Principles I present to you are the basics. You will in this
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book discover His perspective, attitude, convictions, knowledge, and
actions which made Him highly successful in his purpose for coming
to the world with more light thrown to it. Jesus died a fulfilled man
with the words “It is finished” (John 19:30) because he was living by
clear-cut principles. As a leader, what would you define as your
principles for living? Are you leading the course of your life and
others according the specifics of your God-intended assignment?
Reflect on these with all sincerity and clarity. After learning the
Principles in this book, it is important you seek the grace of God
through prayer to imbibe them and make conscious efforts to act as
situations unfold in your daily life.
Regardless of whatever field you find yourself, these principles
will work if you apply them. Don’t just read them, find ways to follow
them. And when you follow them, you are leading yourself, for it is
only those who can lead themselves that can lead others effectively. In
all of this, lay aside improper motives and ambitions and act as Jesus
did - who prayed “Nevertheless not my will, but yours be done!” Luke
22:42b. God’s will is that you arise and lead like Jesus. Why? Because
we are in desperate times and what the whole world needs is nothing
but godly, competent and selfless leaders who would change the
course of history for the better. I therefore charge you to position
yourself with a heart willing to know and an attitude ready to act as we
journey in exploring the life of Jesus Christ for His Leadership
Principles.

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 PRINCIPLE #1: DISCOVERY

FROM THE BAPTISM OF JESUS AT THE JORDAN RIVER

It was carried out by John the Baptist, son of Zechariah the Priest. He
initially refused to baptize Jesus, seeking rather that he be baptized by
Jesus. After being baptized of John, the Holy Spirit in the form of a
dove came and rested on him as he came out the river and received the
father’s commendation. (Matthew 3:13-17)

Jesus honoured the Principle of Discovery, and that

was why he sought to fulfill all righteousness. It was a
principle he esteemed greatly. With a good knowledge of
His call, He gave himself to several commitments doing
what needed to be done; one of which was the event at the
Jordan River where he was baptized. This was an
important process that he could not ignore though he was
without sin. Baptism by immersion helps a believer
identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It
is important for every believer. Have you discovered what
process is required for what you seek to do or achieve? Are
you meeting its demands?

Never underestimate the Principle of Discovery,

because it holds the key for the initiation of any course of
leadership, and what you don’t know is capable of being
your own limitation. Discovery creates energy; providing
momentum for new possibilities. Discovery unravels paths
to you; letting you know which you should take and the
ones to avoid. It bids farewell to the ruthless force of
ignorance that makes people to perish (Hosea 4:6). Unless
you come to the point of discovery when the lights go up
in your mind and spirit, you will lack adequate insights on

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how to go about things. And when you are without
insights, you will be without direction, and when you are
without direction, the hopes of the future becomes bleak
and purpose becomes a mirage.

What Then Are You to Discover?

If discovery is essential for leadership, it then becomes
crucial to know the key things that should be discovered by
you for a more focused life. These things are more like
questions that remain vital for your discovery as a leader or
a would-be leader. These questions are seven (7) in number
that you have to find answers to, not in words alone but in
substance and form. They are as follows:
• Who is your Origin? – This speaks of your SOURCE
• What are you to do? – This speaks of MISSION
• What is your potential for it? - This speaks of your
ABILITY
• How are you to do it? – This speaks of a STRATEGY
to direct
• When are you to do it? - This speaks of TIMELINESS
to be mindful of
• For whom are you to do it? – This speaks of the FIELD
to work on
• Why should you do it? – This speaks of the REASON
for the task.

Every other thing as touching leadership that you

will ever come to discover and become will use answers to
these seven (7) questions as a foundation. These
foundational items from your discovery must be authentic
and accurate enough if the building of leadership laid on it
will be enduring.
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 Giving your leadership a beginning will require
engagement of the Principle of Discovery. You can engage
this principle and it will work irrespective of your social
status, ethnicity, and gender. Basically, all forms of
discovery are picked up through two major gateways; from
our natural senses and that of the spirit man. These
discoveries are then deposited into the mind. Practically
doing this can be through several means. Let me share with
you what I consider to be the “agencies that sponsor
discoveries.”

For the believer, the knowledge that comes through

the inner witness of the Holy Spirit is foremost. The written
Word of God is a major tool that can help you to discover
answers to a whole lot of things if you are willing to study
it for instruction and insight, meditating over it deeply until
a light breaks forth on your inside.

When you are experienced, taught by conditions, or

schooled in a particular direction or cause, you can come
across mind-blowing discoveries that will enable your
leadership. Always take note of the circumstances you find
yourself in for they come with lessons that can be missed if
you are not conscious. Ask questions. “What can I learn
from this event of failure?” “What is responsible for this
success?” Through this, you will come to discover things
unknown to you before. This gives you the needed edge.

If you also want to make a discovery about a

particular thing, one essential strategy to employ is to read
and learn about it. This reading activity should have a solid
purpose, and be done with utmost concentration and a
willingness to utilize what you have gotten through that

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activity. For almost every subject and problem you can
think of, and every knowledge you lack today, there are
books, resource materials and programs already for it; build
your personal library around these things and never
underestimate them. And do note that people who consider
reading and focused learning activity as outdated and
irrelevant are actually the ones who eventually become
outdated and irrelevant. You cannot give what you don’t
have!

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 PRINCIPLE #2: PREOCCUPATION

FROM THE TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS

Jesus was led of the Spirit to be tempted of the devil in the desert where
He fasted for forty days and forty nights. His temptation began at the
end of the fast. The devil wanted Jesus to violate God’s law even to the
point of using parts of the book of Psalm to prove his point. However,
with the knowledge and right handling of the word of God, He
triumphed and the devil left Him. Jesus was then been attended to by
angelic beings. (Matthew 4:1-11)

A leader that will be effective must have a place of

retreat away from the hustle and bustle of his immediate
environment. Jesus did this on several occasions apart from
the time in the wilderness where he fasted. Leaders who
want to make impact should not take lightly the place of
retreat. That is a major time to catch fresh fire and greater
insight. If you want to go for a retreat, be it personal or
cooperate, it is important that activities are targeted towards
growth in areas in need of attention, especially your spirit
man.
The temptation of Jesus after fasting and prayers
shows that as long as you are in the flesh, temptations will
come, but do not make it easy for temptation to cause you
to fall away as a leader by exposing yourself to the wrong
environment. You must flee all appearance of evil (I
Thessalonians 5:22). With intentionality, you have to
mortify the passions of the flesh by sowing more into the
spirit man and denying ungodly passions. A major tool
Jesus used was the Principle of Preoccupation which I will
be sharing with you.

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 Jesus was so much preoccupied with His vision and
work that he had little or no space in mind for seeds of
temptation and distractive forces to be established even
when they came. No wonder He tells us to occupy till He
comes (Luke 19:13c). The temptation Jesus encountered
came in the form of thoughts in His mind, but with the
word of God, He prevailed. It is what you know and utilize
that determines whether you will win or lose. As a leader, if
you don’t have the word of God in you, or you lack
acquaintance with the voice of God, you are bound to make
many wrong decisions which would in turn reduce your
effectiveness towards what you have been mandated to do
regardless of your field: be it faith wise, family,
government, business, sports, etc.

I urge you to rest the full weight of your confidence

on what God says, not what the enemy says or tries to
prove. Get the Word of God into your spirit today, not just
when the battle comes. Preoccupation with preparation for
the mandate of your leadership is the only thing that puts
you ahead even with oncoming challenges. It has been well
said that “Triumphant is a man preoccupied with the
mandate of his life and nothing short of it”.

A Reality Check
In today’s world, it is very easy to receive a number
of ‘good’ visions that are far from the original plan of your
leadership mandate. It could be for a supposed benefit of
others, but in true sense, it keeps you away from the group
of people you have been originally assigned to. And when
you give your time and attention to these ‘good’ courses,
what you would have experienced in the long run is a

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deviation. You can get so strained that you become so thin
to have any noteworthy achievement.

To prevent such from happening, define your

priorities once again. It is crucial that you cut off the ‘nice-
looking’ distractions and be fully preoccupied with your
mandate. With wisdom, keep necessary distance from
individuals who sell to you an agenda that will make you
major in the minors and get you off course since they surely
can if allowed. Build reminder systems and anchors in form
of words, pictures, music, objects, to strengthen your focus
and, ultimately, your preoccupation. This is something a
large number of individuals who have succeeded in
contributing positively to the earth do on a regular basis. To
validate more on the importance of preoccupation, Jesus
himself affirmed that “My meat is to do the will of Him that
sent me, and to finish the work.” Jn. 4:34

Making Your Eyes Single

“If your eyes be single, your whole body would be full
of light.” Imagine working in the night without a source
light? Your efforts will yield no good returns in that case.
But how about when you have a light source? You will
discover that motivation and direction seems to come on
you. Singleness of eyes ensures light, and more light
produces more speed. You should strive to be that person
known for singleness of eyes. Singleness of eyes speaks of
your ability to focus on “one thing.” Have you not come to
realize that it is your focus that eventually becomes your
preoccupation?

You will always be preoccupied with what calls your

attention and what you give attention to. You must strive to

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see that “one thing” is your mandate on the earth and
should get the best part of your time, resources, energy, and
life if you ever want to make a positive global impact. Let it
be something that both in the sight of God and noble men
would be a description of what they would call at the close
of things, “a fulfilled life.”

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 PRINCIPLE #3: MENTORSHIP

FROM THE START OF JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY

For the fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus left Nazareth of Galilee to dwell
in Capernaum. He preached that repentance for the Kingdom of heaven
was near. He called Simon Peter and Andrew his brother to make them
his disciples. He went on further, He called to himself James the son of
Zebedee and John his brother. Throughout Galilee, Jesus taught,
preached the Kingdom. He also healed those with diseases and all sorts
of infirmity of the people. This attracted large crowds who followed
Him. (Matthew 4:12-25)

The Principle of Mentorship is crucial for an

enduring positive change. It is essential for continuity of
any legacy. And Jesus obeyed this principle. He sought
individuals to be mentored and called them to Himself.
Concerning Jesus’ mentorship ‘program’, the World
English Bible (WEB) puts it this way: “He went up into the
mountain, and called to Himself those whom He wanted,
and they went to Him. He appointed twelve, that they might
be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach.”
Mark 3:13-14

Looking at the acts of Jesus, a leader of remarkable

achievements, every great leader has an important
obligation to discover and mentor the next generation of
leaders from the standpoint of purpose in order to sustain
the landmarks of positive impact being built. When a leader
fails to mentor, he fails to empower. And a leader who does
not empower others will definitely be without a
contribution to the immortal souls and spirits of those
coming after.

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 Who Should Mentor the Individual?
Not every leader is capable of mentoring others. The
reason is not farfetched. Mentoring requires a level of
maturity and track records from the leader-mentor. Track
records are proven results and qualities that are of necessity
in mentoring. If you don’t have them in you, you should
learn and practice them till they stick with you. When you
do this, it will help you transform today’s followers into
tomorrow’s leaders. Qualities such as being kingdom-
minded, relational, loving, and passionate improves
mentoring.

A good mentor should be affirming, open and

transparent, available, and capable of facilitating learning.
A good mentor should be competent in what he or she does.
Another good tool to engage in mentoring is prayer. Prayer
provides you with the divine ability to not only lead but to
also mentor. Imbibing these attributes shown by so many
great leaders like Jesus will make you realize results that
are capable of standing the test of time.

A Matter to Heed to
Don’t fail along this path; the path of mentorship.
Leaders who fail to mentor are not leaders in a true sense.
This failure creates scarcity for others coming up to carry
on from where they stopped. To ensure continuity, call your
protégés to yourself and mentor them. The act of calling
individuals must be guided by wisdom; you are not sent to
everybody, but don’t miss those you have been sent to.
Heaven’s design is that if you are faithful in your mandate,
people will be brought your way. When you identify these
people, you have to seek them out so you do not lose them
over to mediocrity and ignorance. Share experiences with
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them, get their opinions, educate, train and feed them with
instructions that are accurate and effective, correct their
flaws and soon enough, you would have reproduced
yourself in them and made them fit for the batons of
leadership that soon would be transferred to them.

You Need It As Well

The place of mentorship and the need for counsel for
your own self should never be pushed aside if you seek to
remain relevant, and grow in the place of leadership even if
you currently do mentor others. Just as earlier stated, it is
what you have that you can give. The first person you ever
need as a mentor is the Holy Spirit who dwells in you when
you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. He is so good
at mentoring that Jesus spoke of Him saying, “… He will
teach you all things.” Chiefly, through the written Word of
God, you can get His mentorship free of charge. He only
demands your willingness and obedience.

A leader who stops learning from an experienced

mentor of his or from somewhere will soon drop in the
level of his effectiveness. This is why you have to meet
with your mentor. You need to read the books that follow
your stream, attend workshops and fact-filled training
sessions, get involved with the professionals and welcome
the counsel of competent advisers. Then, put to practice
what you have learnt right away or as the situation
demands.

Urgent and of Great Necessity

Mentoring the coming generation requires urgency
now more than ever before. The leadership failure
witnessed in many areas of human civilization is largely

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due to lack of proper mentorship for those who have
assumed ‘leadership’. And this can only be curbed if we
begin to intentionally groom others adequately, starting
right from the home early enough, and then to other societal
institutions and bodies. I would like to conclude with the
words of Jim George, author of “A Man after God’s Own
Heart” who once said, “We must take hold of that baton
and make sure we pass it on to others.”

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 PRINCIPLE #4: COMMUNICATION

FROM THE TEACHINGS BY JESUS

The teachings of Jesus was an extensive one; from the Beatitudes,
being a salt and light of the earth, fulfillment of the law, Murder,
Adultery, Divorce, Oaths, Justice, and love for enemies Giving,
Prayer, Heavenly treasures, Worry, Judging others and so much
more were focal points of his message to those who listened .
Attitudinal change was one of the basic aim for the truths
expounded by him to the people. (Matthew 5, 6, and 7)

Before the creation of the human entity, the art of

communication has always existed. The earth you see is a
product of the communication of God, “and God said, let
there be… and there was…. .” To communicate is to
express a thought, idea or to inform. The values we bear
and decisions we make are influenced and borne from the
communications we have had. A leader has an immense
responsibility of instructing and directing the people. This
can only be done when such a leader communicates.

The Power of Communication

Every change begins with communication. If you
don’t communicate, you cannot lead. The more Jesus
communicated, the more changes he effected in the spirit
and souls of His listeners. The more precise He
communicated, the more definite were His results. With
every word from Him, He was a step closer to the
fulfilment His mandate of leadership. He was a great
communicator. He spoke words full of light that impacted
positively, the lives of those who paid attention. A leader
who is not communicating cannot shape minds. You can
control circumstances through your communication.
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 In one of his works, John Mallison described the
effectiveness of Jesus’ communication whenever He taught
the people; “What Jesus said indeed proved to be words of
life (John 6:68). He spoke plainly so all understood, always
enabling the practical application (e.g. Matthew chapters
5, 6 and 7). They noted, along with the crowd, that when
He spoke He had an influence, a power to engender
obedience, an authority unlike any other teacher (Matt
7:28, 29).” This then implies that a leader ought to be a
teacher of some sort whenever communication comes into
play.

A Teaching Communicator
We become what we believe through what we have
been taught. What we’ve been taught comes from a teacher.
Like Jesus, we should strive to teach and not just “talk”
when we communicate. To teach is to inform, educate, and
create awareness. If you would become one, you must seek
to have experience, and a deep knowledge and
understanding of what is being communicated. This will
require an observant and consistent study life (II Tim.
2:15). You should be clear, fluent, full of integrity and
distinct. As much as possible, take out time to apply for
courses and practice lessons to learn how to communicate
better and teach at the same time. Use every speaking
opportunity with the awareness of perfect timing to be a
teacher; imparting knowledge and disbursing information
vital for transformation. This is what great leaders do.

An Uncommon Communication
Jesus’ communication produced life and Spirit. When
He spoke, there was an evident impact. An uncommon

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communication happens with God-breathed messages;
insightful truths from God’s word. Such messages can also
be gotten from a clear understanding of your divine
mandate. Communicating such messages provokes changes
and alters situations when mixed with faith. It is therefore a
necessity that you go for knowledge regarding the changes
you want to effect especially from the Word. Your
communication can be packaged into books, audios, videos,
songs, paintings etc. that would have a wider coverage and
positive influence in many locations beyond your physical
reach.

Communicate Your Heritage

In ancient times, there were certain devices and
techniques put in place by the Israelites to communicate the
right values and knowledge into their offspring so that they
would remember them (Deuteronomy 11:18-21). It is
disheartening to see a coming generation lose the heritage
that immensely helped the lives of those who have gone
before. This is why communicating them via all means
available remains essential. Doing this brings about
success, proper conduct and living.

But remember that you can only communicate a

heritage that you have. It is what you have that you can
give. So when communicating a heritage, ensure that it’s
authentic. Begin with what is fundamental. With every
occasion to do this as a leader, you must depend on the
Power of the Spirit to get through the hearts of men for
authentic conversation. This is what transfers and preserves
the heritage you have once contacted.

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`33
 PRINCIPLE #5: CAPACITY GROWTH

FROM THE HEALING ACTS OF JESUS

The demonstration of the presence of God with undeniable proofs in
the life of Jesus Christ had indeed drawn the attention of many who
were convinced that they would get help from Him. From the healing
of the man with leprosy who sought the willingness of Jesus to heal
him, to the faith of the Centurion that astonished Jesus Himself,
enabling the restoration of health of his servant, and healing of
Peter’s mother-in-law alongside several other cases of infirmities
been taken away from people who were brought to Him, we come to
the realization of the power of God in the life of his vessel and man’s
dependency on God and need for help.
(Matthew 8:1-17)

Leadership requires the capacity to deliver. From

the request of the man with leprosy, to the Centurion whose
servant needed healing, and to many others who were
brought to Jesus for healing and deliverance presents a fact
that should not be ignored by you if you are going to
succeed in your leadership call. That fact is: leadership is
demanding. It will make demands on you. Therefore you
must grow your capacities to get the work done.

Fields for Increase

You have a responsibility for gaining stature in all
areas of your life. Growing the fields of your life is
something you have to become intentional about if you will
ever see notable results. There are four (4) major fields of
your life according to Luke 2:52. They include your
spiritual, mental, physical and social fields. All these fields
require attention. None of them is ever unimportant. It is
interesting to note that the increase of your capacity to

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deliver and fulfill your leadership mandate is directly
proportional to the growth of your fields.
Although God, through people, provides you with
opportunities, and grants His grace, mercy, hope, strength
when you ask of Him, you have a role to utilize these
appropriately in growing your fields and in turn increase
your capacities. When you have increased your capacity to
deliver, you automatically accelerate your personal
progress in leadership. You will also experience more ease
at things that you previously considered as “mission
impossible!”

When you are Without One

The incident in Acts 19:13-16 shows an example of
what can occur to you if you try to meet a demand that you
are not trained, authorized, and built up for. The seven sons
of Sceva, after their failure to cast out a demon from an
individual who was possessed were overpowered, and
beaten to the extent they bled. They ran for their dear lives
with their clothes all torn. This shows that venturing to
meet a need without having the capacity it demands will
always lead to undesirous ends. There is therefore a
necessity to grow your capacity. Sooner or later and
without your consent, you will come face to face with
situations that will demand an answera positive answer.
Become a leader who has built more capacity than
what will be required of you. Doing this is engaging the
principle referred to as the Principle of Capacity growth. It
is a principle that should be honoured every day, because
you may never know all that would be demanded of you
and your leadership.

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 And Just How Do I Grow Them?
Growth in anything in life comes when the
appropriate seeds are sown in the right soil and nurtured
within a proper environment. The seeds stand for “relevant
knowledge”, while the nurturing refers to “action”. The soil
is your “humanity”, that is your spirit, soul, and body,
depending on what field you are growing. The environment
refers to the influence that comes from an outside force.

For example, when I decided that I wanted to grow

my spiritual field, I started off by getting seeds I needed
(relevant knowledge) from the truths of God’s word. When
I nurtured (acted) that seed on my soil (spirit man) under a
proper environment (the grace of God), I realized growth in
that area of life. With that growth (which has to be kept
consistent) came increased capacity to fulfill the mandate I
received from God, which is to help individuals gain
understanding, become skillful and impactful, with a
kingdom mindset. And I can say without mincing words, it
works! If it’s not working, it infers you’re missing
something or you lack consistency. You can apply this
same strategy for every other field you want growth, and
have your capacities increased to fulfill mandate.

A Wisdom to Cleave to
I want to urge you to refrain from the obsession with
pride for what you have done and acclaiming success to
your ability alone. Celebrate your success but always give
the credit to the Almighty. It is Him who is at work in you
both to will and to do for His good pleasure. You are only a
vessel. Also understand that it is to help meet the needs of
others that your capacities are being increased, hence do not
relent “…for there are always more lands to
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conquer!”(Paraphrased). Move on. Don’t dwell on the
glory of the past. Be faithful to your mandate by
strategically directing your capacities to get the job done in
due time. You will be glad you did.

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 PRINCIPLE #6: READINESS

FROM THE CALMING OF THE STORM

23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without
warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept
over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping 25The disciples went and woke
him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got

up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the

winds and the waves obey him!"(Matthew 8: 23-27)

“Without warning…” many things could happen. But

a leader who displays readiness is rarely caught off-guard.
Jesus who was asleep apparently due to being bodily tired
was ready for the event and knew what to do to resolve the
matter. He dominated over the whole affair the whole time
that He calmed the raging storm in a moment by the word
of His command after He was woken up by His disciples. It
pays off to be ready before a crisis occur or before
opportunity presents itself. Those who are not prepared live
to count their losses and express regrets.

Just as Paul admonished Timothy, you need to be

“instant in season and out of season…” to be triumphant (II
Timothy 4:2). If you delay in being ready as a leader, you
are headed for several challenges that might drown your
ship. But if you are ready, you will astound your world to
the glory of God wherever you find yourself. Are you a
ready-leader even while at rest physically? Do you put in
all the necessary preparation?

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 The Power of Preparation
Jesus’ demonstration of dominion over the elements
and forces of nature was a function of His preparation. He
was a leader of constant and broad-based preparation. The
kind of manifestation you produce is a function of the kind
of preparation you infuse. If you will walk in dominion and
achieve extraordinary results, it will never be a spontaneous
reaction. You have to prepare for it!

It takes preparation to get the desired readiness and

greatness. Nothing just happens! The Bible declares about
Jotham that he “…became mighty, because he prepared his
ways…” (2 Chron. 27:6). Those who prepare their ways,
become mighty in their days. It will cost you much to
prepare, but it will bring better returns to you. It will
prevent you from having a wrong stance as a leader. It is
what gets you prepared that keeps you prepared.

A Wrong Stance, a Spoilt Chance

Avoid being ill-prepared. When you are not
prepared, it will be glaring no matter how hard you try to
cover it. To sit idly and not prepare when you need to is a
recipe for misfortune and the results of fear. And fear has
its root-cause asides doubt in poor preparation. A major
wrong stance to ever take as a leader is not being prepared.
A wise man once noted that one of the reasons why people
are not prepared is because they are unaware of what is
ahead and the stakes or simply because of a distraction they
gave into on the way. Not being prepared makes you
undermine your ability and keeps you fearful. It makes you
survive and not thrive. Not being prepared will make your
understanding bankrupt of relevant insight. From this
standpoint, a supposed leader occasionally becomes the
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victim instead of the victor. This means you are losing
instead of winning.
If perhaps you have encountered a spoilt chance that
made you the victim, there is still yet an opportunity to
have a comeback. You can awaken the giant in you and
become better positioned to overcome crisis, maximize
opportunities and fulfill your mandate of leadership like
Jesus did.

Awaken the Giant in You

On the verge of sinking, the disciples woke Jesus up
to save them. They did this through words. They spoke, He
heard, and being awakened, He acted. I want you to draw
wisdom from this scenario that played out. Jesus had
always been there within the very boat that was troubled.
Perhaps Peter, James, and John with years of experience in
fishing and in voyaging rough seas could have thought they
had everything under control. With no headway, they woke
Him up.

In your pursuit to fulfill mandate, you must awaken

the giant in you; the indwelling Spirit of God. The
indwelling Spirit of God is not asleep, but He is however
incapacitated most of the times when you do not awaken
Him. When you awaken Him, you become ready; equipped
and set to conquer like Jesus. You become more competent
and confident to surmount challenges as a leader.

To do this, you should as a matter of necessity

expose your spirit man and mind to an atmosphere of the
Word of God on a consistent basis paying rapt attention.
This gives the indwelling Spirit in you the material to work
with. An atmosphere of the Word of God awakens the giant
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in you. It will set you on your feet like the Prophet Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 2:2) and lead you to do things that will make you
ready and more effective as a leader.

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 PRINCIPLE #7: TRUSTWORTHINESS

FROM THE HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC AND THE

CALL OF MATTHEW
Healing, a ministry that Jesus functioned in was again
demonstrated in the life of the paralytic for the faith of those who
brought him to Jesus. However, the words of Jesus was withstood by
teachers of the law because of the pronouncement of the sins of the
paralytic being forgiven, a thing they considered as blasphemy. By the
virtue of the authority of God which Jesus possessed, He healed the
paralytic and the people praised God being full of awe at the sight of
this miracle. This event was followed by the call of Matthew by Jesus to
follow Him. Later on, Jesus with His disciples had dinner held at
Matthew’s house with many tax collectors and sinners in a bid to most
likely know him. (Matthew 9:1-12)

Can the faith of another individual prompt your

willingness to do something for those under your care as a
leader? The healing by Jesus of the paralytic was inspired
first by the faith of those who brought him on a mat to be
healed. Have you come to note that most times, the reason
why you do something as a leader is not totally because of
the obligations you have for those under your leadership
but the positive beliefs other people have about you to
fulfill your obligations. This is very important in drawing
strength to act especially when discouragement or setbacks
looms around you.

If you take a deep thought, there are certainly those

who trust you. These people see the possibility in your rise
to becoming an uncommon leader even when your
backgrounds are poor; one who would leave a mark on the
sands of time and represent God faithfully on the earth, and

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this is what I regard to as the Principle of Trustworthiness
about you and your mandate.

If They Do Trust You

And yes they do! The Almighty also does trust you.
He is the first person who trusted in you. And because He
trusts you, He sent you. God has a strong belief in you and
your abilities; He is the one who made you and put those
gifts and talents in you. When I discovered this truth, it
forever changed my life. Because of this sacred trust that
God has for me, I made a commitment never to live less
than His expectation for me. I will do all He wants, and be
all He desires. This is my personal resolve. And I will
always by His grace keep to it.

Can you successfully recognize the beliefs that

people have about you in what you currently do as a leader,
most especially those of whom you serve? One of the ways
I have found useful is to look at the counsel,
commendation, and support given to you by them and
likewise their criticisms and rebuke. Do take note of them,
not only with your physical senses, but with an inner
witness to it. It is not necessarily that it would be said with
direct words, but their attitude towards the vision you have
received will speak volumes.

But do guard against the chances of being addicted to

the approval of all. It is however important to believe that
those who believe in you exist even though you may not
know them. In their hearts, they look up to you for
solutions they feel you can provide. They do this because
they have seen your credibility.

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 The Necessity for Credibility
What prompted Matthew to follow Jesus when He
called him was trust. This trust was a result of what I call
“Perceived credibility.” The credibility of Jesus made Him
trustworthy. Matthew perceived Jesus’ credibility and
considered Him worthy of his followership. To be credible
is to be a person of your words and having the ability to be
relied upon. It is to live a life which demonstrates absolute
commitment to the course earmarked by God in the field
He placed you. The more credible you become, the better
followership you attract. People tend to follow the leader
whom they perceive and consider credible enough.

The process of becoming credible is a long and

continuous process. You have to grow into it. You don’t
rush into it. But everything little thing you do along the way
does count and determines how close you are to reaching it.
Your job is not to worry about whether you have arrived
there or not. All you need to do is to keep to the path that
takes you there. That path to the attainment of credibility is
not with an undisclosed address. That address is summed
up in two inseparable words: Faithfulness and
Commitment.

The Inseparable F. and C. words

Faithfulness is the key, and Commitment is the
force that unlocks the door of credibility. It was faithfulness
on the part of Jesus to heal the paralytic, which was part of
his job description on the earth to the glory of His Father.
He was committed to not only call followers to himself like
Matthew but to know them. When Jesus called Matthew to
follow Him, Matthew responded, but Jesus ended up in
Matthew’s house for a familiarity tour and had dinner there.
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I call this commitment. You cannot say you are faithful to a
thing and you are not committed. They are inseparable. If
you are a leader, and you do not take out time to personally
know those under your immediate care or within your team,
it becomes a burden to truly connect with them. Don’t be
too official and rigid. Know your flock. Be interested in
their aspirations and be aware of their state (Proverbs
27:23). I have come to find out that the undoing of several
leaders has been their inability to connect and relate well.
You should not allow this become your case. Be led by love
and let wisdom be your guide.

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 PRINCIPLE #8: ASSIGNMENT

FROM THE SENDING OF THE TWELVE BY JESUS

The twelve disciples of Jesus were sent by Him on a short term mission
to a specific set of people; to the lost sheep of Israel, with the message
of repentance. The task upon the disciples was the first of its kind
recorded in the gospel according to Matthew. It was full of instructions
from Jesus to His disciples on what they should do in the circumstances
that would arise in their venture to share the message of the kingdom.
The words of Jesus were at some points prophetic. (Matthew 10)

According to Bill Hybels, Jesus followed three

processes in raising leaders out of His disciples. The first
step was that He identified them. Secondly, He invested in
them through teachings. The third was that He entrusted
responsibilities to them; He gave them assignments. I
believe it is central for leaders to consciously raise
emerging leaders who will carry on the work from them
when they leave the scene. Giving assignments plays a
huge role in furnishing emerging leaders within your sphere
of influence after you have identified and invested in them.

Without assignments, you limit the chances of

reproducing leaders with ability. You hinder continuity. But
in order to prevent this, you need to identify, invest and
more importantly assign them responsibilities. Late Dr.
Myles Munroe once stated what would happen when a
leader fails to do this. He said “If this is not done,
everything ever gained, every knowledge ever gathered,
and every success ever achieved will die with the leader.”

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 The Task Is Yours
Sending forth your protégés to do things will serve
as a building ground and also an eye opener to realities that
are unknown to them. Looking intently at the build up to
this time as captured by Matthew, Jesus had been at the fore
front of public ministration with His disciples watching
closely and learning. They had been with Him and went
through the lessons necessary for their growth in stature. It
was now time for them to act out what they had learnt; a
season for them to know firsthand the opportunities and
difficulties involved in ministry. This is challenging not just
to the ‘assigned’ but to the ‘assigner.’ This is because it
must be just the ‘right assignment’ and more importantly
the ‘right timing’. You must face that challenge for the task
is yours to do.

Going About this Matter

To go about this matter of entrusting
responsibilities, you must first have a goal in mind; a
guiding vision to why you are giving assignments. This is
important. It will determine what you will achieve in the
end. After this, you could begin by daring the identified
emerging leaders towards doing the things that made you
who you are today in line with timeless truths and precepts.
This could be in terms of protocols followed, skills learnt,
knowledge gathered, and routines kept with an
understanding of the underlying purpose, while you stick
around to correct or commend where necessary. An
important key point is to design a system that periodically
sustains this activity. You don’t want to be known as one
who stopped but “initially used to do this.”

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 The Real Deal
Great leaders delegate where necessary. In order to
grow followers, the opportunity to carry out some
leadership responsibilities must be given to them. Jesus was
good at this. He didn’t seek to minimize the challenge He
gave His followers. Remember His words in Matthew
10:16: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.”
What was Jesus saying: “This is the real deal? The stakes
are high. The possibility of failure is real. And I’m not
going to protect you from all the risks. You’ve got to step
out. You’ve got to lead.” And they did!

There is one more thing you should not forget as a

leader in regards to assignments, and that’s being thorough.
You need to be thorough in ensuring that the rudiments and
requirements of assignments are clear enough. This is a
common phenomenon we see with Jesus. His sending of the
twelve disciples was full of insight of the encounters they
would come across in order to ensure that their minds are
set for what was ahead. He also assigned with instructions
which contributed immensely to their success.

Assigned with Instructions

To lead like Jesus, never attempt to send your
followers or subjects without vital instructions. Give them
instructions to guide their decisions in any undertaken
venture and avoid assumptions as much as possible.
Dwelling on the assumption that they know what to do
when you overlooked the need to instruct could be a costly
thing to do.

Every moment with those of whom you are leading

and would eventually send forth to accomplish a vision or

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goal is a time to share instructions. And you do that with
words. Be generous with basic instructions, because the
better they are, the better the results if the followers abide
by them. These are the ancient landmarks that would
remain even when you are no longer on the scene. Your life
as a leader should honour these instructions. When you are
known for giving instructions and tasks that are honoured
by your own life, you create an atmosphere of trust which
becomes a potential motivator for those you are leading; for
your life is already an evidence to what you are saying by
way of your directives.

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 PRINCIPLE #9: ADVOCACY

FROM JESUS’ RESPONSE TO SABBATH ISSUES

1At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His
disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat
them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look! Your
disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." 3 He answered,
"Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were
hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate
the consecrated bread — which was not lawful for them to do, but only
for the priests. 5 Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the
priests in the temple desecrated the day and yet are innocent? 6I tell
you that one greater than the temple is here. (Matthew 12:1-13)

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for
the Sabbath….” This is a statement I hold to be true. The
purpose of the Sabbath is for man’s benefit. This benefit
relates to the wellness of the spirit, soul and body. Wellness
is promoted by periodic rest after a period of work. The
Sabbath day is also day set aside for fellowship and
teachings at the Synagogue according to Jewish traditions.
From the account of creation, God rested on the seventh
day after he was through with the work (Genesis 2:2).
Resting a day a in a week asides night rest is crucial to
being renewed and refreshed to work better as a leader.

However, the reaction from the Pharisees towards the

disciples of Jesus who were hungry (emphasis added) and
began to pick some heads of grain to eat was a reflection of
the religious nature to which they held the Sabbath. It was
considered unlawful to do any work on this day. As good as
it sounds, the Pharisees had gone to the extreme on this
holy creed set by God. It is a fact that when certain truths
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are too stretched, error does find its way into it. The
leadership of Jesus was made visible as he made a clear
defense for the actions of his disciples. He was leader-
advocate in that crucial state.

The Power of Advocacy

Every leader that seeks to cause a positive change
must be an advocate. Jesus was an advocate. “He is Lord of
the Sabbath, that is, He controls what can be done in it, and
He did not condemn the disciples (the innocent) for their
action. The Pharisees were splitting hairs with their
technicalities about reaping, threshing, and winnowing.
They failed to understand compassion for people's basic
needs (in this case, the disciples' hunger; cf. Deut. 23:24-
25), but were intense in their concern for the sacrifices.
Jesus reminded them of the words in Hosea 6:6, I desire
mercy, not sacrifice, which is, inner spiritual vitality, and
not mere external formality.”1

This scenario plays out even till this day. There are
always instances within our environment that negates the
truth. Injustice and wrong interpretation of the law is found
in most parts of human civilization. We come to witness
entities that do all they can to prevent positive change and
promote unnecessary hardship. But everything changes
when a leader who advocates arises.

The late Dr. Martin Luther Jnr. fought tirelessly for a

better country, free from oppression caused by racial
prejudice. Advocacy does not result in immediate success.
This was the reason why he was at it for years till he pulled
through. He put his life on the line.

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 Freed in 1990, Nelson Mandela had spent 27 years in
prison for a cause he believed in and advocated for. If you
don’t have a cause you are willing to live and die for, you
cannot impact positively your world and fulfill your
leadership mandate. Great leaders stand up for the right
cause. And they advocate it wherever they are; be it in the
family, corporate organizations, government, etc. If you sit
idly, never expect results. Be proactive. Act skillfully. Hold
forth and persist always. It is persistence that breaks
resistance.

Your Legal Knowledge and Jurisdiction

Knowledge gives you the edge. Jesus drew insight
from occurrences in the past and the justice system of God
to advocate for His disciples. Like Jesus, your legal
knowledge has to be updated and kept sharp. Just as a sharp
blade enables a chef to work with precision and speed, the
leader-advocate needs sharp legal knowledge and up-to-
date resources to effectively handle legal problems and
carve out the relevant facts and issues to be addressed.

Progress often times meets with confrontation.

Confrontations must be addressed from its source. You
need to go right to the source and function from a
jurisdiction capable of addressing such confrontations; to
correct errors, injustice, and misinterpretations.

Basically the seen and unseen are planes of

jurisdiction. In law, it is vital to determine before a lawsuit
is filed which court has the jurisdiction for such case. This
truth holds for many aspect of life and leadership
endeavours. You have heard it being said that you need to
go to the root of the problem to solve that particular

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problem. For example, a family problem has to be solved
within the family. If the actual source is from both the
physical and spiritual realm, as a leader within the family, it
is required that you address such issues from the physical
and spiritual jurisdictions using the appropriate legal
knowledge and skill and the sheer forces of communication
that solves that problem.

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 PRINCIPLE #10: CLARITY

FROM JESUS’ USE OF PARABLES WHEN HE TAUGHT

Jesus taught a number of parables to the people. The Sower, the weeds,
the Mustard seed, Mustard seed and the Yeast, the Hidden Treasure,
and the Parable of the Net. This parables were descriptions of how the
Kingdom of Heaven operated. (Matthew 13: 1-52)

Parables were the storytelling method of choice for

our Lord. A parable can be defined as a brief story that can
stand alone–like a self-contained module that appeals to the
thinking and attitude of its hearers. There is something
great that happens when a good story is told you know.
According to John Hopkins, in his statement of the reasons
why Jesus taught in parables, “a good parable will make
you visualize the meaning of the hidden subject to
understand it better because of the connection to the things
you already know about and understand”. The use of
metaphors and similes have a common place in parables.

Apart from its role in creating better understanding of

concepts and ideas, parables create lasting impression on
the mind of listeners. It will give insight and clearer
instructions. Dondi Scumaci once noted that “…parables
were used to make powerful points, move the heart, and
ignite the spirit.”2 I can say that these points where like
seeds, and in order for a successful yield to be realized,
clarity remains indispensable.

Clarity for the Seed

At a time in the leadership journey of Jesus when he
taught as stated in Mark 4:34, we discover that… “He did
not say anything to them without using a parable. But when
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he was alone with his own disciples, he explained
everything.” The parables captured in this portion of
scripture in respect to the Principle of Clarity are quite
much. The reason for this is the change he desired to effect.
Changes are mostly the result of knowledge. Mike
Murdock is known for echoing a truth that should not be
disregarded. He says, “Knowledge is the seed for change.”
But you need to communicate such knowledge with clarity.

Great leaders communicate knowledge without

ambiguity so that even the very least can comprehend. For
repentance to occur, the knowledge of the truth has to be
communicated with all clarity and forthrightness. This is
why every choice of parable was with a purpose. With this
choice, He was able to teach, save, instruct, guide, and
reveal the mysteries of the kingdom. This is the clarity for
the seed.

A Stronger Leadership
Clarity is key to a stronger leadership. Positive
change is only possible through a strong leadership. Jesus’
leadership was a strong leadership. You could plainly see
He had clarity in all He did. And He did not limit clarity to
just impartation of the seed of knowledge. He was also
clear about the vision, His motives, His strengths and
actions. He was clear about those He was sent to “…For the
Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

If you ever seek to cause a positive change and make

impacts that outlives you, you must build a stronger
leadership by practicing clarity. Nothing less than clarity
gets the job done. When the job is done, the mark is made.
To exit a place as a leader without leaving your mark would

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be a regrettable thing to do. Therefore practice clarity in
everything you do.

Clarity’s fallouts
I give credit to what Jamie Smart once said about
the results of clarity. He said: “It turns out that many of
the most desirable qualities leaders struggle to “develop”
(such as …resilience, creativity, motivation, confidence and
even leadership) are actually expressions of an innate
capacity; they’re emergent properties of an uncluttered
mind. These qualities drive the results people desire.
Clarity is the source of authentic leadership and high
performance. It allows us to be present in the moment, and
have an enjoyable experience of life. A sense of purpose,
direction and entrepreneurial spirit are natural for people
with a clear head. So are happiness, freedom, security,
love, confidence and peace of mind.”3a
The word of God is not silent on the necessity for
clarity and how to go about its practice. It gives us a major
tool for that purpose. In the second chapter of Habakkuk,
verses two and three, God said “…2Write the vision and
make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. 3 For
the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will
speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it;
because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” When you
write things down, you simplify. And when you simplify,
you clarify.

I challenge you to join the train of great leaders like

Jesus who embraced clarity. Clarify your vision, motives,
actions, strengths and any other thing necessary. Then write
them down and continually read them to remind yourself.

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And when you read them, you will be empowered to run at
a pace that will command results.

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 PRINCIPLE #11: PROVISION

FROM THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE

The miracle of feeding a population of five thousand besides women
and children was a spectacular event in the ministry of Jesus. We see
the attitude of Jesus towards the immediate and crucial need of the
people. According to the record of the event as stated by Matthew, you
come to realize the ability of sufficiency that Jesus had in naturally
difficult situations. He demonstrated the non-impossibility nature of
God to solve problems. God through his Son is never limited to what
you have. He only requires you to offer it; make it available and
believe. Jesus used what was available to provide what was needed to
feed the people to a large extent that the disciples had to pick up twelve
basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (Matthew 14:13-21)

A provision is when something is given; when a

measure or other means for meeting a need is presented.
Jesus demonstrated this as an important principle; He made
provisions available, He provided a solution.
Leaders who make positive impacts have been found
to not take lightly the importance of making available the
needed provision wherever they find themselves. Unlike in
the Bible passage referenced, provisions are not limited to
just food. Do you recognize that as important as the oil
miracle from the leader and Prophet Elisha was, he gave
her the necessity for empty jars to enable the vision of
seeing the widow salvaged from impoverishment? He told
her “…Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty
jars. Don’t ask for just a few.” She needed to make
provisions for it. It was a protocol to follow. Acting
likewise produces a dynamic power in assisting the vision
of your life and leadership.

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 Protocol and Power of a Provision
Where there is no vision the people perish, but where
there is no provision the vision also perishes. When
provisions are non-existent, it is impossible to do certain
things and cause the desired outcomes.

Provisions attract. There came a time when the people

kept coming to Jesus because of the food provision and not
for the words He preached. His provision had real value,
and whatsoever holds value has the power to attract. Indeed
it was a fabric for the effectiveness of what Jesus did apart
from the ministry of the word. Thus, He gave this reply to
his disciples, "…They do not need to go away. You give
them something to eat." It was for Him a priority that could
not be pushed aside. But since it was practically impossible
for His disciples, He made the provision available through
the force of the supernatural.

Provisions ensure the realization of mandates and

callings. The building of the temple by King Solomon was
facilitated by the provisions his father, King David, which
were made available even while Solomon was young for he
considered it a great need to attend to before he dies (I
Chronicles 22:5). And for that act alone, the timely
completion of the temple was a possibility. It’s quite a
challenge I would say, but it is a fact that certain things
about our leadership mandate will never reach completion
if you do not make necessary and adequate provisions
available.

The C.I.A. Provision Model

There are two major things that enable you to meet
any challenge in life and leadership. These are your

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Capacity growth and Readiness (which has been discussed
extensively as Principle number five (5) and six (6) in this
book respectively. Do take out time to reflect on them).

However harnessing this ability to make provisions

available is made possible using a tool I call “The C.I.A.
Provision Model.” This represents a leader’s Creativity, his
Innovative attitude and Adoptive skill. Provisions come into
existence when we employ Creative, Innovative, and
Adoptive skills. For example, where a provision exists in a
location different from yours, you are left to either innovate
upon it or simply adopt the measures as it is. Where it does
not, you have to create them just as Jesus the leader by
invention made provisions for the five thousand when it
was needed most on the platform of His spiritual capacity
and ever ready stance. Have you ever done likewise or
employed other tools in your life when you come face to
face with challenges?

Make it Timely and Adequate

I would like to ask you to reflect on the following
questions: Within the sphere of influence where you lead,
do you take out time to know what is needed by those
whom you oversee? Are you aware of their pressing wants
and making all efforts to meet them? Are you diligent and
pragmatic enough to provide lasting solutions rather than
giving fixed ideas and theories to the current challenges
you were meant to address? If you are, you must always
endeavour that it is timely and adequate, because there is
nothing as frustrating than when a needed provision comes
late and is insufficient. Timely and adequate provisions is
one major means of causing positive change and
generational impact where you lead. Go for it!
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 PRINCIPLE #12: PURPOSE

FROM THE EVENT OF THE TRANSFIGURATION

1Aftersix days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother
of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There He
was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his
clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before
them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus." (Matthew 17:1-3)

Jesus was a man of choice while on earth. He chose

the twelve who were to be with Him and that He may later
send forth with authority. Within the twelve, He had what
many would refer to as his “inner circle” who had not a
preferential treatment but a relational focus with Christ.
Jesus, being a man of movement was always doing
something or going somewhere for the fulfillment of His
mandate. This time he took with Him Peter, James and John
the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain. And
right there, Jesus was transfigured. His face shone like the
sun and his clothes became white as light.

The revelation of Moses and Elijah meeting with

Jesus and the voice of God from the cloud is not the
emphasis of the principle I seek to point out. What I want
you to question is, “why these three men?” “Why Peter,
James, and John?” “Why was Nathanael or Matthew not
called to come along?” “Was it favouritism?” You will be
surprised at the answer I have come to discover: it was
“…for a purpose.”

For This Very Purpose…

Purpose is the intent behind anything manufactured,
created or done. It is what guides the actions we take and
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the decisions we make even when we are unaware of it.
Everything Jesus did was to fulfill purpose. Whether that
purpose is clear to you or not is not the issue, the fact still
remains that it exists. Peter, James, and John were the elites
of Jesus. They had purposes ordained by God that Jesus
Himself knew. 2 Corinthians 5:5a confirms this: “Now it is
God who has made us for this very purpose…” These men
were to later become the pillars of the church that He was
raising on earth. They had the potentials but needed special
investment of Jesus’ time, resources, and experiences to
guarantee that the future leaders of His Church were
properly raised and adequately equipped.

Jesus aimed that these men would by reason of His

investments on their lives function by their true design,
come across discoveries, receive the needed direction,
embrace dependency on the Father, cling to a life of
devotion, display His kind of diligence, and maintain the
discipline that would enable them reach the intentions of
what He had in mind for them.

A Select Few
Do not get me wrong, every member of your team or
followers deserve something substantial from you; they
deserve your leadership. But there would be a select few
who should take the baton from you when you are no
longer around. These ones would need to have some extra
vital knowledge shared with them.

As a result of their credibility and faithfulness, certain

kept secrets and insights that aided your mandate should of
necessity be available to them. Disbursing these secrets and
insights will give them the firm footings as they travel the

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path of becoming leaders that run with the vision handed
down. All of these happen because you are working with a
purpose at heart; you know the why behind your acts as a
leader and you share it as well.

Power of Knowing the Why

Knowing the why is what has remained responsible
for creating the force of commitment towards a thing.
When the why is known, you move from idleness to action.
That is something that works on everyone, whether as the
leader or in the lives of those you oversee and direct.
Consider how certain persons, after presenting a thing to
you that requires your involvement, would most definitely
tell you the “why” behind the “what”; the reasons for such
a thing. If it entreats your aspirations and God-given
mandate, you will find yourself taking action. You
definitely would oust the habit of procrastination and
receive a fire that moves you to do what needs to be done.

A true story exists of an old famous evangelist who

kept a portrait of a bruised man in agony. There came a
time when he was asked why he kept such. He asserted that
the portrait served as constant reminder. It showed him the
spiritual state of unsaved men and what trouble awaits them
in the afterlife. This was his “why”. It created a sense of
urgency and the passion to continue the work of soul
winning. Is your “why” capable of doing such to you? I
urge you to make that “why” visible to your eyes and
remind yourself of it constantly. For whatsoever you do,
you must take out time to know your “why”; a reason that
stands true and strong. That is one major thing that gets you
going.

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 Principle #13: REWARD SYSTEMS

FROM JESUS’ INTERACTION WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN

The Rich Young Man wanted to know what he needed to do to gain
eternal life. Jesus had answers. The first set of answers were things the
rich young man said he kept as personal practices since childhood.
However, the second answer which had an obligation on the need to go
and sell off his possessions and give to the poor, then return, and follow
Him. This was a tough one for the one who asked the question. He
could not meet that demand made on him and become perfect. He had a
difficulty in parting away with riches which were great. (Matthew
19:16-29)

Jesus was gifted in asking people questions! There

were times He even answered questions with questions. His
model of asking questions you will come to realize was to
challenge wrong views and convictions in the heart of men.
As a teacher, many at times, certain individuals would
approach Jesus to as well ask questions about matters that
were unclear to them.
In one of His replies, Jesus pointed out to things that
were asides demands in the kingdom. He did highlight the
rewards that follow. He spoke of eternal life and treasures
in heaven that would trail the fulfillment of those demands
that He had mentioned for the Rich Young Man. And here
comes another question from His very own disciple: "We
have left everything to follow you! What then will there be
for us?” Peter wanted to know the benefits that accrue for
the total abandonment of what they had in order to follow
Him. It is without doubt that every worker not only
deserves but expects some level of reward after delivering a
function or task. They expect a system that rewards to be
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operated by the leader. Although faithful followers are
more conscious of their commitment than some form of
reward, they ought to be rewarded. This is why you need to
have system in place to carry out such.

Have a Reward System

As a leader, it is important to have a Reward system,
and keep to it as at when due. This is a key ingredient in
keeping and improving the efforts possessed by your team
and your followers. King Solomon made it clear in the
book of proverbs that “…there is profit in every labour.”
When there is no profit in a labour, it is somewhat
wearisome especially if such event repeats itself with all
options attempted. Leaders have the responsibility for
putting in place reward systems for full realization of its
potential in aiding the work.

The existence, awareness, and delivery of this exact

principle is very important. Yes, many agree that one
should not do a thing because of the rewards but because of
passion. There is no contradiction to that. But a passion and
a commitment of time, energy and resources to something
that is not rewarding in the long run is simply a burden and
unnecessary.

Author and nationally acclaimed Motivational

Speaker, Olamide Adeoye was the one who noted that “…A
good leader rewards, he knows when to say thank you to
his followers. He doesn’t “use and dump” them.” Since a
good leader rewards, it becomes expedient to know what
forms rewards could take. Knowing the forms will help you
in giving the rewards that suit in appreciating the efforts
contributed by your followers and team.

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 Reward Forms That Suit and Inspire
A reward system should suit the moment. To reward a
child with something beyond his ability to manage would
be an unwise thing to do. To recompense great efforts with
ingratitude is a behavior that destroys fervour and personal
commitment of those you lead. For this cause, you should
ensure that your rewards suit the timing and level of
contribution as much as possible. I believe a proper reward
propels one to do more. When a follower personally derives
satisfaction and joy from a reward, he tends to meet more
demands placed on him and even goes beyond your
immediate expectations.

But rewards do not end there. If you are a leader that

rewards, I strongly suggest your focus should be on the
kind of reward that supports the follower or team member.
Whether they are gifts or promotions, let it go beyond being
suitable to being memorable as well. It was a great price the
disciples paid to abandon their personal ambitions, trades
and friends to follow Jesus, and they received a great and
fitting reward from Him because it was within the confines
of His ability.

Rewarding Within Your Confines

It is remains true that great leaders like Jesus who
cause positive change practice this principle of having
reward systems. It is however essential to note that they
don’t go off limits; they stay within their confines. Only
reward systems within your confines can be sustained.
Jesus’ reward system was always within His ability. He
made the Rich Young Man and the disciples aware of what
would be their lot for their total abandonment.

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 At this point, honesty, wisdom and discretion should
become the principal tools you engage. And as you reward,
make your followers and team members aware that you are
grateful. Give them a sincere “Thank you so much!” when
the need arise. You can’t totally fathom the power in
genuine words of appreciation when they’re given.

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 PRINCIPLE #14: SERVICE

FROM THE JESUS’ INTERACTION WITH A MOTHER AND

HER SONS
The focus of scripture introduces the mother of Zebedee’s sons coming
to Jesus to ask of a favour. Her quest was to see it be granted that her
sons sit both at the left and right hand side of Jesus in His kingdom. In
His reply, He questioned to know if the sons of Zebedee were able to
drink of the cup set before Him. In other words, He wanted to know if
they could pay the sacrifice and meet the demands to have their plea
granted. However, Jesus made it clear that they would surely drink of
this cup, but granting the request of who sits by His side is determined
only by the Father. He ended with a profound truth that “…whoever
wants to become great among you must be your servant.” And He
reiterated that the reason He came to the world was to serve.
(Matthew 20:20-28)

Greatness as a leader is always linked to service. And

Jesus pointed out the need for it in his earthly ministry.
From the view of God, men and women of true service are
acknowledged as great in life. Jesus speaking in Matt 23:11
said, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” It was
plain; those who ever desire to get to greatness must follow
through the path of service—selfless service.

Those who serve their generation never add to the

wealth of the cemetery because in engaging this principle,
they die empty, used up and fulfilled. The only way your
potential gets served to the world is through your service.
Although the word ‘service’ sounds demeaning to some
majority, but the truth be told, that is where greatness
resides.

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 It Will Cost You!
What is the cost of this principle? The Principle of
Service comes with a price too high for so many. Rev.
Gideon Akanbi, author and charismatic teacher of God’s
word once said, “If it doesn’t cost you or stretch you, it
won’t impact lives.” Launching into a life of service will
make demands on you, for no good service really occurs
until something precious and tangible leaves your life and
hands to the life of another.

Service will push you out of your comfort zone. Like

Jesus, you will spend time, resources, and all you that you
are if you really want to serve and give help to those in
need. You must consciously build into yourself the attitude
of service through deliberate practice. It doesn’t always
‘fall’ on you. You have to desire it. You have to become
intentional, and heed to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I
challenge you to look for opportunities to serve. You will
be astounded by the benefits therein.

Benefits for Service

With the passage of time, I have come across several
immense paybacks that accrue to an individual or
organization simply due to an attitude of service. It is
essential you take note of them as I share them. These facts
are not only universally true, they are also timeless.
Through selfless service, you can have an impact on lives
and leave a mark that cannot be erased even with the
passage of time. Service is something that builds and
prepares anyone for greatness in life. Service gives you the
ability to penetrate lives and cause positive change. It is
service that dictates levels of achievement and promotion.
Service is the seed for greater opportunities and rewards.
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 But never serve your generation with the motive of
expectancy to be repaid by man, because it is God who
truly rewards. So many persons become discouraged too
soon due to the fact that those whom they have served or
helped ‘forget’ about them later on, so they resort to not
being of help to others anymore. This is always to their
undoing. Most times, it is not those who you serve that will
ultimately reward you, but another person entirely. This is
why gaining insights into the sacrifice of great examples of
people who served is vital.

Those Who Have Gone Before Us

If you study the results of acts of service from people
who have practiced this principle, you will see a whole lot
of need to adopt and dedicate your life to it. Apostle Paul in
what he had resorted to do in one of his epistles to the
saints agreed that he was willing to spend and be spent for
the sake of the gospel (2 Cor. 12:15). When you serve,
you’re spending and being spent. It is like a drink offering
poured out. It has the ability to birth an irreplaceable
standpoint of relevance, and enable the fulfillment of the
intent of your creation and make an impact upon
generations.

Take another cue from Nancy Alcorn, Founder and

President of Mercy Ministries. She grew up in the United
States, and since 1983 till date, her service towards helping
young women in finding freedom from life-controlling
issues have brought positive change and impact to lives. In
her book, “Mission of Mercy”, you will find soul lifting
testimonies of what service could achieve. All of these
stemmed up from her decision to use the pains of abuse she
encountered in her early growth stages to assist young
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women with similar and even more challenging cases. The
pain of your past can become the balm that heals many
tomorrow if properly directed.

I urge you to find somewhere meaningful or the

people you’ve been assigned to in order to serve your gifts,
contribute your knowledge, and invest your time in making
a difference. You will surely find fulfillment and joy!

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 PRINCIPLE #15: FAITH

FROM THE EVENT OF THE WITHERED FIG TREE

18Early in the morning, as He was on his way back to the city, He was
hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found
nothing on it except leaves. Then He said to it, "May you never bear
fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw
this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they
asked. 21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do
not doubt…” (Matthew 21:18-22)

Faith is cardinal in leadership. The nature of your

assignment and the demands of God’s mandate in
leadership from the human perspective when revealed is
usually deemed unprecedented, unbelievable, unrealistic
and practically impossible. Hence, faith as a principle is not
an option but a necessity for impactful leadership. From
the acts of Jesus and the event of the withered fig tree, we
gain incredible insights into the power of faith needed in
today’s world.

The Power of Faith

God cherishes faith and is pleased by it even in
leadership (Hebrews 11:6). For this reason, it would be
imperative to know what faith is first. It has several
dimensions. It is important to know them and understand
which aspect to use per time where you lead.

Faith is the expression of confidence in God (Heb.

10:35-36). It is an act motivated by the Word (James 2:18).
Faith is laying hold of the aspirations of hope, bringing
them into the realm of reality. Faith has substance
(Hebrews 1:1).

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 Faith is very crucial for the leader; for no exploit and
feat is achieved without it. It has the ability to influence and
birth outcomes that are impossible with a doubtful leader. It
is a shield that ensures formidability against attacks when
wielded properly (Ephesians 6:16). When faith is around,
fear is displaced and constant progress is realized.

I had just finished reading the book “Fulfilling Your

Days” by David Oyedepo where I gained more
understanding on how to live and not die. Just then, I came
face to face with a life threatening illness. Through the
truths of God’s Word that were embedded in the book, my
faith had been built. I knew how to lay hold of the realities
of divine health and make it mine. And I did!

The faith I had gave substance to the things I saw in

the Word of God. I was not hoping to be healed in the
future. I believed and declared His word in spite of no
positive physical variation. But I knew it had been effected
in the realm of God. It was only a matter of time, then, total
healing materialized. My faith has been a product of my
concept of God and His integrity and that is same for
everyone.

How to Make Evident the Unseen

Look at Jesus’ reply for a moment "…I tell you the
truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you
do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to
this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will
be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask
for in prayer." It’s that straightforward. Where there was
faith, there immediately, God operated.

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 Making evident things unseen by faith requires the
seed of the Word of God. In Romans 10:17 we come across
a truth inspired by the Holy Spirit: “So then faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” The kind of
hearing the scripture implies is not of the physical, but of
the spirit. When the Word is sown, received and
understood, faith rises. Hearing God speak directly to you
is a catalyst of faith. God’s Word is faith-producing. The
more you give yourself to the Word especially through
study and meditation, the more seeds of faith are sown in
your spirit man. I cannot overemphasize the powerful
evidence the Word of God makes through your faith. But
inasmuch as the Word of God is crucial, it doesn’t stand
alone; it works with our participation in doing what is
needed of us as leaders.

Going further and guarding it

In going further with this principle, I have discovered
three main keys that every leader requires in participation
with the Word of God. They are: Confession, Obedience,
and Awareness of the nature of God’s integrity.

You must be clear that nothing tangible arrives the

physical until they are called forth by the leading of the
Spirit through confession. No principle from God works for
you on the earth unless you take action and obey them. And
no one forgets what he reminds himself of. If you confess
the word with understanding continually, obey the
instructions of God without deferment amidst odds and
remind yourself of the infallible nature of God’s Word and
His integrity (Remember He honours His word above His
name), you will make evident your faith.

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 Certain circumstances in life such as debts, loss,
failure etc. could attempt to steal your faith and confidence.
I bet there are situations that have occurred with you that
made you doubt yourself; you pronounced yourself as being
unworthy to be called a leader or perhaps times where you
had been careless with your thoughts, words and deeds.
These are common experiences at the growth stage of
leadership. Always remember that faith has its own
sensitive spot. For this reason, you must always bear the
personal responsibility for not only building it but also
guarding it. I found the instruction in Psalms 1 most helpful
for this. Build and protect your faith with all diligence for it
remains the determinant for everything you are capable of
doing and achieving in your bid to lead like Jesus.

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 PRINCIPLE #16: PRAYER
FROM THE EVENT AT THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
The time drew near for Jesus to wrap up the purpose of His coming to
the earth. He and His disciples went to a place called Gethsemane and
there, He went on further with Peter and the two sons of Zebedee where
He urged them to watch with Him. He was well aware of the obligation
that He had to fulfill to bring redemption to mankind. But He could not
do it alone. Being overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, He
needed the help and strength of the Father to carry out this sacrificial
task. And He could only get this by pouring out the burden through
earnest prayer. (Matthew 26:36-44)

Jesus’ life on earth was characterized by His sole

dependence on God even though He was the Son of God. If
Jesus needed to pray to lead and fulfill His cause, what
makes you think you can go on without it? His public
success was a direct result of his private prayers. Surely,
there are things you are capable of doing all by yourself,
but there are other things that you would definitely need
God. When God gives you a task, it will demand His
participation if you will be successful in it. We can relate
this to why Jesus earnestly prayed in the Garden of
Gethsemane before He would approach the climax of His
ministry on the earth.

Prayer is a Necessity
J. Oswald Sanders once noted the role of prayer and
how Jesus utilized it; “Prayer is the most ancient, most
universal, and most intensive expression of the religious
instinct. It includes the simplest speech of infant lips, and
the sublime entreaties of older age. All reach the Majesty
on high. Prayer is indeed the Christian’s vital breath and

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native air…The Christian leader who seeks an example to
follow does well to turn to the life of Jesus Himself. Our
belief in the necessity of prayer comes from observing His
life. Surely if anyone could have sustained life without
prayer, it would be the very Son of God Himself. If prayer
is silly or unnecessary, Jesus would not have wasted His
time at it. But wait! Prayer was the dominant feature of His
life and a recurring part of His teaching. Prayer kept His
moral vision sharp and clear. Prayer gave Him courage to
endure the perfect but painful will of His Father.”

Prayer is essential for leadership regardless of the

sphere of influence the leader finds himself. It was E.M.
Bounds who once asserted a truth on this matter. He said
“…Prayer is one of the eminent characteristics of strong
leadership. Men of mighty prayer are men of might who
mold things.” I am a firm believer that a leader without
prayer will be a leader without the power of God.
A robust prayer life gives a leader the stamina he
needs to bear the burden of leadership. Arch Bishop
Nicolas Duncan Williams affirmed prayer as “a necessity
for survival and for the maintenance of daily victory…”
Prayer does not work only on the defensive. Leaders ought
to be more on the offensive in prayers against all opposing
forces; shaping events and lives according to God’s will
before they arrive the scene by banking in ceaseless
prayers.

How full is Your Prayer Bank?

When I assumed a particular leadership position some
time ago, I was personally enlightened on the importance of
praying without ceasing as a result of the outcomes I was
getting from the act like Elijah did (James 5:17-18). With
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that posture and by the grace of God, my progress in
leadership took a quantum leap. I realized I was literally
filling up my prayer banks which does exist in the realm of
the spirit, and could easily make withdrawals of God’s
grace and resources for leadership as the season demands
(Revelation 5:8). I was intentional; I did not always wait for
a special feeling to pray in the Spirit because praying in my
understanding alone has its limits (Eph. 6:18). And truth be
told, when it comes to filling up your prayer bank,
consistency, fervency and expectancy are very
fundamental. Such prayers avail much.

Do you have an account of ceaseless prayers with

God as a leader? Every leader who wants to positively
impact his domain needs one. To do so, start by asking God
for the ability to pray. Like Jesus, dedicate particular
periods of the day to make your divine deposits and follow
through without leaving room for complacency (Matthew
14:23). Keep to a corporate dimension of prayer with
fellow leaders and team members in your journey of
leadership in order to gather strength and address issues as
you pray rightly.

Praying Rightly
You will not receive answers to prayers because you
pray, you only receive answers when you pray rightly as a
leader. To pray rightly, first you need to be acquainted with
God. In prayer, accessing the gates and courts of God is
achievable as you engage the tool of thanksgiving and put
on the garments of genuine praise all unto Him (Psalms
100:4). Pray with a proper understanding of God’s will as
revealed by His Word. It is also important that your
character be right with God towards whom you pray, for
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living in sin and having unconfessed faults limits and
hinders what God can do for you.

Finally, if you want to receive answers in prayers,

approach boldly the throne of grace with definite requests
unto God; He has all you need for the journey. He sent you
on this mission with a mandate in leadership, and you can
be sure that He will answer when you call.

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 PRINCIPLE #17: COMMISIONING
FROM THE EVENT PRECEDING JESUS’ ASCENSION
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of
the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

For everything Jesus did, an intent backed it up. At

the point He was to ascend to heaven He gave a task to the
disciples who would soon witness His bodily departure
after a brief moment with them when He had resurrected.
This task is what is referred to as the “Great Commission.”
By extension, everyone within the fold of God bears the
same mandate to the world of unsaved men. The Great
commission is your commission, and it demands great
commitment from you. It is not a suggestion but a divine
commandment to every leader regardless of your sphere of
influence.

To commission is to choose someone to bear the

responsibility of carrying out a duty. It is a send forth
towards the actualization of a mission. Having meditated, I
greatly realized that the furtherance, advancement, and
realization of Jesus’ leadership mandate to redeem the
world would have been impossible without the
commissioning of followers. This also applies to your own
present form of leadership which is temporal. Have you
taken time to reflect on who would receive your
commissioning before your exit? Who have you built as
your successor?

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 The Burden of Succession
In every normal circumstance, the leader will be
followed by a successor, who will inherit his or her
stewardship. Where there are no successors, the leaders’
success in the past and present will be incomplete and
short-lived. Succession time is usually a crisis time if the
right route of grooming future leaders have been ignored by
the leader. In view of this truth, Albert Mohler also noted
“No one stays forever. Leaders serve for some period of
time, long or short, but the term of leadership always
expires. That is one of the most humbling truths about
leadership, and every leader must understand that whatever
we contribute, build, and dream can be lost more quickly
than we can imagine.”

The question now is ‘who is your replacement?’ Who

have you consciously trained and made ready to succeed
you and get a commissioning? To whom have you invested
time and resources to carry on when you leave the scene
because the work must not stop? Who can you confidently
send forth? I am always pained at heart where there are no
faithful successors to serve as replacements when a good
leader leaves the scene.

The Initial to Succession

Great leaders like Jesus realize that when the time
draws near for them to leave the stage, they anticipate this
by gradually transferring the mantles and the reins of
leadership to their protégés through mentorship. Jesus as a
mentor understood that before succession, developmental
assignments would remain the best way to prepare a
tomorrow’s leader for more responsibility asides sharing
insights verbally.
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 Being aware of your time in leadership, and the
necessity for succession, you ought to always make
adequate preparations for building leaders. Don’t be misled,
there will come a time for an exit. For this reason, mentor
your successors from the fold and transfer the mantles for
commissioning.

The Mantles for Commissioning

I have put together five major mantles that must be
passed on. Mantles in this case are non-material. The
transference of these mantles is impossible if what great
leaders like Jesus used is forsaken; and that is Mentorship.
A leader’s greatest responsibility is not in fulfilling his
cause alone, he is also bent on preparing the ground for
tomorrow’s leaders through the deliberate act of consistent
and productive mentorship. Not just anyone should be
commissioned, but when a leader mentors, he prepares and
transfers the mantles for commissioning. These are the
mantles for commissioning:
• The mantle of Vision
• The mantle of Conviction
• The mantle of Instruction
• The mantle of Authority
• The mantle of Caution

The Vision initiates everything, the Conviction

propels, Instruction gives direction, Authority puts things
in order, and Caution helps to guard against possible failure
and helps sustains legacy. Leaders who lead like Jesus use
every means to perpetuate the vision, conviction,
instruction, authority and caution and thereafter give the
commissioning: “Go ye therefore…”

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 I believe you can commission and lead like Jesus.
Let nothing limit you, and you would most definitely cause
positive changes and make an impact on generations.

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 FINAL WORDS
As we conclude in this great exploration, what is
your resolve? Would you continue to live and lead as you
have done in the past; with no remarkable result at all?
Would you remain held bound by the deception of wrong
perceptions and principles for your leadership? It is time to
step out. It is time to come out of the dark and lead like
Jesus.

It is worthy of note that individuals, families,

governments, institutions and all nations of the world are in
desperate times. With the rapid changes witnessed daily in
virtually all parts of our world, a leadership style with Jesus
as the perfect model must be embraced. I am encouraged
that you have spent time to read His principles that made
him notable as a leader in this very book. But I urge you to
act accordingly. For my joy would be in the reader who
not only reads about these principles as contained herein,
but reflect on them always and arise to do something with
it. Most assuredly, you can put all these principles together
and make them yours for life. These principles are needed
in the body but still goes beyond “church walls.” They are
applicable wherever you find yourself; personally, in the
home, in the society, in government etc.

I must remind you of something very crucial: the

world awaits your leadership; a leadership driven by Jesus’
leadership principles. I want you to join the league of those
who left their mark in the sands of time, influenced
societies, and brought positive change to lives and cultures
they have encountered. You might have gone through
tough times in the past and now doubt the possibility of
ever of accomplishing great feats. Perhaps, you have failed
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in previous leadership endeavours. But that’s in the past;
you could still birth positive change and impact as you
make a solid decision to practice what Jesus did, and lead
like Him. Submit first to His lordship, for that is where it all
begins. Thereafter, imbibe what you’ve learned consistently
and diligently. And re-read them if you have to. I believe
you too can lead like Jesus!

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 END NOTES
1. (Chapter 9) Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old
Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications
Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament
Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries.
All rights reserved.)

2. (Chapter 10) Ready, Set, Grow… by Dondi Scumaci

3a. (Chapter 10). Little book of Clarity by Jamie Smart

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