The Hidden Life of a Leader
NEHEMIAH WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL
Is your hidden relationship with Christ strong enough to sustain your visible, outward ministry?
Are you willing to embrace the “crushing process” that is required to form Christlike character?
Do you desire to be a purified vessel, set apart for the Lord’s anointing?
| Psalm 17:15 (AMP) As for me, I shall see Your face in righteousness; I will be [fully] satisfied when I awake [to find myself] seeing Your likeness. |
The Hidden Life of a Leader
What an extraordinary verse of Scripture this is.
David declared, “I will see” – not “I will seek”, but “I will see” – the face of God in righteousness.
There is great challenge and also great encouragement in this verse. No matter where we are in our walk with God, and no matter how long or short a time we have walked with Him, there will always be a place of deeper encounter that He has prepared for us.
One of the deep desires of the Father’s heart is to raise up end-time leaders and disciples of His Son Jesus, who are passionate to know Him and to live according to every beat of His heart.
His end-time leaders must be passionate to access the Throne Room of Heaven, and to take the treasures received there into the darkest corners of the world – demonstrating His love through the resulting spiritual breakthroughs and abundance of supernatural and eternal fruit.
The end-time leaders will eagerly develop their “upward and inward call” – the relational part of our calling that is not visible or obvious to anyone except the LORD – through an understanding of, and a desire to, develop a lifestyle where the disciplines that are involved to form Christlike character are the central focus.
This is vital for the success of our “outward call” – the part of our call that is visible to others – which will fail without consistent, upwards devotion, and inward surrender. When those areas of our walk are strong and consistent, then the outward call will reflect the supernatural nature of the Almighty.
| One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. – Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) |
Having received their Divine calling, every leader will then undergo a refining process before being chosen by God.
It is noteworthy that Jesus said that not all who were called would end up being chosen.
| “… many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen”. – Matthew 22:14 (AMPC) |
This “choosing process” typically lasts for many years, and through it, a person’s true, inner character is revealed. Many drop out during these carefully designed “choosing processes” (which could also be called “the crushing processes”) of the LORD, often blaming the devil for what was in fact the Divine processing of God working to form Godly character in them, so that they could withstand the often crucible-like pressures that accompany Christian leadership.
It is interesting and helpful to compare the way that olive oil was traditionally extracted from the olive tree, as there are many similarities between this process and the way that god “processes” those whom He has chosen to lead.
- After a long period of growth and maturity for the olive tree, the olives were harvested by shaking the branches and beating them.
- Once harvested, the olives were crushed either by foot or ground by stone.
- Once the oil was extracted, it would sit, allowing the impurities to settle into the bottom of the container so that the resulting oil would be pure.
- The “sitting process” would often last for years. The oil would be stored in earthen vessels that were placed in a dark room, out of sight and out of mind.
It is vitally important that those who are called by God have truly allowed themselves to be crushed, emptied, tested, refined, purified, set apart (i.e. submit to seasons of seemingly not being used by God) and finally – commissioned by the LORD Himself – as God will always give preference to empty, purified and thoroughly tested vessels to fill with His anointing.
Will you choose to commit to the costly “choosing process” of the LORD? Here are some points to ponder.
- Leaders pursue deeper encounters, desiring to behold God’s face.
- Hidden devotion forms character, empowering outward ministry with supernatural fruit.
- Upward intimacy and inward surrender sustain authentic, effective Kingdom leadership.
Let’s pray. Lord, I desire to see Your face and live according to every beat of Your heart. Help me submit to Your refining process—to be crushed, emptied, and purified—so that I may become a tested vessel, suitable to be used to great effect for Your glory. May my inner devotion empower a fruitful outward call. Amen.
This devotional is written by Pastor Steve Harris, the founder of Global Influencers, an organization that trains and equips leaders and emerging leaders to establish anointed communities that transform nations by restoring Kingdom culture from grassroots to government in the villages, cities, regions, and nations of the world. He is also the Content Development Assistant in the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community.
Reading this devotional and the “choosing” process Romans 8:30 “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” comes to mind and will share.
We all are predestinated when we come to Christ, then we are called of which a few will be chosen(may His grace and mercies find us worthy). These category of the chosen through their lifestyles(in the open or secret) are then justified/approved, and finally then glorified(on earth and in heaven).
The life of a leader is all about denial/discipline at every touch point, to be glorified of God therefore means we have to be consistent through it all!