Kingdom Leadership Series: How to Lead Like God Leads

www.advancingthekingdomonline.org

Part 2: Foundation and Principles of Kingdom Leadership

I. The Foundation of Kingdom Leadership Is Love

A. Love is Gods predominant characteristic.

1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (NIV)
B. Love was the source of a new commandment articulated by the Lord. John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (KJV)

C. Love is the greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:36-39 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. (NIV) D. Love is the one commandment that fulfills all the law. Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (NKJV)

E. Love is the royal law ( = belonging to or befitting a King).

James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; (NKJV)

F. Love is what caused God to call us His sons!

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God . . . (KJV)

G. Love is the first of nine fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV)

H. Teaching love is a very important mission of the church.

As lawmakers we can do a lot of things, but only the church can teach people to love. (Governor Rick Perry of Texas, at the dedication of Lakewood Church in Houston)

If we discovered that we had only five minutes left to say all that we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them. (Christopher Morley)

II. Principles of Kingdom Leadership There are many who preach Christ, but not many who live Christ. My great aim will be to live Christ. (R.C. Chapman) A. Good to all, all the time. Genesis 32:12 . . . I will surely do thee good . . . (KJV) Luke 6:35-36 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. (KJV)

Matthew 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which Despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (KJV)
Romans 2:4-5 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (NKJV)

Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to anyone. That's why it fully satisfies all of God's requirements. It is the only law you need. (TLB) At the center of the universe is a loving heart that continues to beat and that wants the best for every person. Anything we can do to help foster the intellect and spirit and emotional growth of our fellow human beings, that is our job. (Fred Rogers)

B. Lays down his life for others.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (KJV) John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (KJV) 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (NKJV)

Mark 8:31-33 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. (KJV)

The nations highest award in military service is the Congressional Medal of Honor. Of the 851 Medals of Honor awarded since the beginning of World War II, over 60% were awarded to soldiers who laid down their lives for others in the service of their country. A leaders primary responsibility is to think of others first. The great duty of life is the promotion of the happiness and welfare of our fellow men. (Robert E. Lee)

C. Maintains the position of a servant. Mark 10:42-45 . . . You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (NKJV) Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (KJV)

John 13:13-15 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (KJV)

The greatest test of being a servant is how we respond when we are treated like one. (Bill Gothard)

D. Walks in humility. Humility: an attitude of complete dependence on God, not man and not ourselves;

having a modest estimate of our own worth relative to others;

being conscious of our own shortcomings; humility never judges others without first judging self.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)

Meekness: enduring injury with patience and without resentment;

yielding our personal rights and expectations to God; strength under control.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (KJV)

Philippians 2:3 When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. (NCV) Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. (KJV) Matthew 21:5 Tell Jerusalem her King is coming to her, riding humbly on a donkey's colt! (TLB)

He that is down need fear no fall, he that is low, no pride. He that is humble ever shall have God to be his guide. (John Bunyan)

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (KJV)

E. Exercises patience. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (KJV) Patient: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint; manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain; steadfast despite opposition, difficulty or adversity.

Everything comes gradually and at its appointed hour. (Ovid)

Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; (KJV)

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (KJV)

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls. (KJV) Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content. (Helen Keller)

Impatience is an expression of arrogance. Where there is true humility, there will be true patience. (Derek Prince)

F. Demonstrates gentleness. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (KJV) Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. (St. Francis de Sales)

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (KJV)
The way to overcome the angry man is with gentleness . . . (Indian Proverb) 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. (KJV)

Leaders dont inflict pain,

they bear pain. (Max DePree)

Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong. (Leo F. Buscaglia)

G. Walks in Love.
Romans 13:8-9 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal, "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (NKJV)

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (KJV)
1 John 4:18-19 We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us. So you see, our love for him comes as a result of his loving us first. (TLB)

H. Summary of the seven principles of kingdom leadership: 1. Good to all, all the time.

2. Lays down his life for others.

3. Maintains the position of a servant.

4. Walks in humility.
5. Exercises patience.

6. Demonstrates gentleness.
7. Walks in love.

III. Close
A. The foundation of leadership is love. Love is the most powerful force in the world. It issues from the heart and not the head. In order to create there must be a dynamic force, and what force is more potent than love? (Igor Stravinsky) B. Jesus Christ is the personification of love. He is the greatest Leader Who ever lived. We will find no greater examples of leadership than those He personally set forth for us in the Bible.

C. The world is currently operating at a huge love deficit. People can tell when you truly love them and when you do not. Most are starved for genuine words of love, affection and appreciation.
D. Receiving Gods love is the key to your ability to love God, love yourself, and love others. You can only love others to the extent that you have received Gods love in your own life. John 15:9 "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. (NLT)

Very few of my people know I love them. If they did, they would act a whole lot differently. (The Lord to Joyce Meyer)

Psalm 139:17 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can't even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me! (TLB)

E. Read Gods word and hold its image continually before you!!
2 Corinthians 3:18 And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. (AMP) Each of us is constantly being changed into what ever image we are holding before us.

Lets keep the Word of God in front of our eyes, beholding Jesus and His glory, and allow the Holy Spirit to continue to change us into His very own image, from one degree of glory to another!
Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (KJV) Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. (KJV)

Copyright 2006 by Bill Fries. All rights reserved. www.advancingthekingdomonline.org