Your Desire is a Symptom of Your Call to Leadership. Are you a leader?

Can you become a leader? The answer is yes! In this piece, we will notice certain symptoms that reveal the leader within. Paul wrote to Timothy and told him to look for people with leadership qualities.

A Desire
It is interesting to note that Paul wanted people who had the desire for the office. Timothy was instructed to look for certain qualities in people who had the desire for the office.

 …If a man desire the office…
-1 Timothy 3:1
A desire to lead is a symptom of a leader within. A desire to help other people is a great symptom that God has given you the gift of leadership. A desire to serve others with the good things you have is a great sign of leadership.

Paul had a desire to help the Jews. He was constantly burdened by this desire.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

-Romans 10:1
All true leadership stems from the burden to help people whom you love. The greatest sign of leadership is the burden and desire, which compels the leader into action. That overwhelming burden/desire is the common feature in every great leader.

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

-Romans 9:1-3
Some people go through difficulties in life. After they have recovered from their pain, they have a strong desire to help others avoid the pain and suffering they went through. A true father wants his children to have what he couldn't have. A true leader wants his followers to be better than himself. Jesus said,

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do…

-John 14: 12
Jesus wanted his followers to do greater things than he had done. If you do not have a desire to help people to become great, perhaps you are not a leader. If you just have a desire to help yourself, that is not leadership! Leadership is a desire to help other people achieve great things for themselves. A man who has a desire to win the lost at any cost is a leader for the cause of the gospel.

In the earlier days of my ministry, I did not even know what the office of a pastor, evangelist or apostle was. I thought these were far-fetched positions, which I could never occupy. All I wanted to do was to help people to meet Jesus. All I wanted to do was to help people to grow in Christ. I felt that once people grew up in the Lord, many of their problems would go away. A desire to help people is a symptom of the call of God.

Be Careful – Do Not Misuse Leadership!
There are some people who have a desire for money, power and fame. Without knowing it, they intend to use the position of leadership to gain these things. That is not leadership! That is what I call the art of vampirism. A vampire is a bloodsucking bat or in human terms, someone who preys ruthlessly on others.

Many nations of the world have been well endowed with vampire-like leaders who have sucked the wealth of their nations. A vampire is not a leader and a leader is not a vampire! Peter warned against this in his letter to the church.

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

-1 Peter 5:1-3
Obviously, leaders with wrong motives were not uncommon in Peter's time. They are certainly not uncommon in our time. God is looking out for men and women who will agree to take up the mantle of leadership and pay the price thereof. That desire within you to help others is the sign of a call of God upon your life. It is time to help. God wants to raise you up to do just that. As you read this, may the anointing to lead be upon you in the name of Jesus!

The Art of Leadership
By Dag Heward-Mills
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