Leadership

True leaders in Jesus' body are learning to apply this not just as an internal reality that comforts the weak, but a ministry value that bears the fruit of humility:

1 Corinthians 1:26For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

28and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

29that no flesh should glory in His presence.

30But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

31that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

Most people would pick this reality if they had no opportunity to be important and impactful...it sounds good on paper. The only problem is that it FEELS weak and unsuccessful. That's why it's warned of and taught in the Bible. No one naturally picks this.

This value system is easily thrown out to walk through the door of opportunity. It doesn't fit well through the doors of impact and success.

Decide now to set your heart for this IN opportunity. If you don't set your heart now, you will daily slide out of this humble reality. We can always find good Bible verses about impact to short-circuit HOW God wants to impact the world and the Church.

Babylon's value system will not inform the decisions of the Bride of Jesus. What this means is that all the ways the culture tries to sell something to people will be rejected by people actually involved in establishing Jesus' kingdom.

Those truly establishing the kingdom will choose integrity over talent, generosity over compensation, and humility over reputation.

Satan always counterfeits what God is doing. Two movements are emerging from the Church simultaneously...two teaching movements, two prophetic movements, two healing movements, and two prayer and worship movements...one true and one false emerge together. It's the wheat and tares. They will both claim the same works, prophecies, and miracles....one will know Jesus and the other will not.

How can you tell which is which? Fruit. The fruits of the Spirit, if you mixed them in a soul salad, would taste like humility.

The part of the church that appeals to the culture's value system...performance, reputation, numbers, and impact...will join with Babylon.

The part of the church that comes out of the culture to worship God in humility, truth, sincerity, integrity...for free... It will be completely set apart....holy.

You are picking your ministry values right now. If you are a part of the body of Christ, a ministry of some sort is being established right now. The day to day choices you make into that vision...who and what you want to see and recognize you, embrace you, and run with you....these are establishing you right now. You go where you are looking (hoping for). Many are hoping to be polished and impactful by the numbers, like the culture thinks is successful.

Your day to day choices are either more in line with what the culture calls successful or with what the kingdom calls success. You can't serve both. Mammon or God, you have to pick.

Success in Jesus' kingdom is a cross.

Luke 6:20Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

21Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

22Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

24“But woe to you who are rich,

For you have received your consolation.

25Woe to you who are full,

For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now,

For you shall mourn and weep.

26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,

For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

27“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28“bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Every true ministry will have this value infused into it's decisions about how to best agree with God. Impacting the culture is not the mandate...loving God and letting Him impact the culture through the humble is.