Handicaps a Leader Must Overcome

Many leaders are handicapped in one-way or the other. Many leaders are limited in one area or another. Remember that a handicap is a limitation that makes it more difficult to be successful. A leader may be limited by his colour, his continent, his money or his lack of resources. These handicaps or limitations present themselves to every leader. Your duty is to be as wise as a serpent and overcome your handicap.

… be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10: 16
There are different spheres of leaders as well as different handicaps that will have to deal with if they are to be wise as serpents. Here are possible handicaps that a leader may be confronted with.

Some Handicaps a Leader Must Overcome

1. Youthfulness can be a handicap.

All through my ministry, I have been despised because I was younger than most other ministers. I used to resent being so young. I tried to grow a beard so that I would look older. I bought glasses that I would wear to make me look like an older bespectacled man. But one day, I realised that being young was actually an advantage. I began to notice how older people fell asleep helplessly during church services. I found out that there are many jobs that could only be done by young people. I found out that Old Testament priests were supposed to minister from the age of twenty-five to fifty. I became empowered when I found that young people had a great place in the work of God. That is why Paul said, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). Today, I am excited about being young, having young church members and preaching with a youthful style. I consider it an advantage and not a handicap. Are you a young leader? Always keep in mind that youthfulness can be a handicap or a blessing. Let your youthfulness be a blessing to you!

2. Having your headquarters in Africa can be a handicap.

Africa is generally poor, disorganized and despised. Anything that is based in Africa will be affected by the poverty and the disorganisation that is prevalent there. When I began to have crusades, I felt that if my ministry were not based in Africa, I would have greater financial support to conduct crusades. I truly felt limited because I did not know any rich Americans who could give money to have a crusade. However, I began to look for the advantages of what I had. I realised that being based in Africa made me understand the terrain much better than Americans did. Being based in Africa, I was able to conduct a crusade at a fraction of the price that it would cost Americans to conduct the same crusade. A famous American evangelist saw a photograph of one of my massive crusades in Africa and said it would cost him nothing less than half a million dollars to have that crusade. I smiled to myself because it did not cost me that much. Being in Africa could have been a handicap; but it had become an advantage. My advantage was that I was based in Africa and I knew how to get things done much more cheaply. Dear leader, turn your handicap into an advantage!

3. Your past can be a handicap to you.

You must overcome the handicap of the sins of your past and the sins of your youth. Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord.

Psalm 25:6-7 (NASB)
Choose you this day what you prefer! Your past can become a handicap to you, or, you can manoeuvre like a serpent and turn your past life into an advantage. Your past escapades with men has become a handicap when your husband angrily mentions the footballers and boxers who have been with as your boyfriends. But you can turn your handicap into your advantage if you deploy the sexual skills you learnt on the 'field' in your marriage. Your husband could be mesmerized by your agility and acrobatics which you learnt out there. Consider your unfortunate past as a season of training for your current marriage circumstance.

A good leader will not sit and moan about his lack of resources. A good leader will not allow any other handicap he has to stop him from achieving his goals. Indeed, if you are wise as a serpent, you will not allow your problems and limitations to drown your calling or your ministry. You will rise up with the wisdom of a serpent and use the very handicap to your advantage!

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