Leaders Are Unpredictable

Being unpredictable creates a sense of mystery around a person. When you are unpredictable, no one can tell what you are going to do next. Many pastors have the anointing on their lives cancelled by familiarity. This is because everyone knows what they are going to do next. When you are unpredictable, it is difficult for people to neutralize the anointing on your life through familiarity.

A pastor must be able to defend himself against familiarity by being unpredictable. Defend yourself against the bored yawns of your associates who have heard you preaching the same thing over and over again. Do the unexpected and you will create an amazing reputation. No one will know what your next move is going to be. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus are unpredictable in many of their operations. The Bible says in John 3:8 that:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT.

John 3:8

1. The verse above states clearly that the Holy Spirit is unpredictable. He is said to be so unpredictable that He is likened to the wind. Close your eyes and think about the wind. Usually you feel its presence but cannot tell where it is coming from. The Holy Spirit is the same. You cannot tell where He is going or where He is coming from. You can also not tell what He is doing now and what He is going to do next. You simply cannot predict what the Holy Spirit is going to do. This is what makes Him awesome and fearful. You need that trait to make a success of some of the things you do and need to do.

2. The Holy Spirit is unpredictable because you cannot tell when the Holy Spirit is going to fall on people. The Holy Spirit fell on a hundred and twenty people in the Upper room after they had waited for forty days. But The Holy spirit fell on the disciples at Ephesus without them having to tarry for forty days. There is no specific plan to how He moves or operates. A leader needs this characteristic sometimes. If everything you do is predictable you are unlikely to make a huge success because your plans can be nipped in the bud.

3. The Holy Spirit has the ability to descend on people but you cannot tell by what method the Holy Spirit will descend on people. The Holy Spirit came on the disciples when Jesus breathed on them. But the Holy Spirit came on the disciples in Samaria when Peter laid his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came on Joshua when Moses laid his hands on him. The Holy Spirit came on the people in Cornelius' house whilst Peter was preaching. Do you realise the varied ways of operation of the Holy Spirit? A good leader is like that too. He operates in unpredictable ways. You need to have different procedures, techniques and modes of operation to do well. Every leader is confronted by countless difficulties. His ability to overcome is what makes him a successful leader. May you have wisdom to deal with the many complications you are called upon to overcome!

4. You cannot tell what type of manifestation the Holy Spirit is going to come up with. He has mysterious operations and manifestations. This reminds me of the story of the master who was teaching his student karate. They had to do a mock fight. The student thought he knew every move of his master. The young agile student seemed and thought he has the upper hand. However, as they engaged, his master released a new strategy he was completely unfamiliar with – and won the day.

Afterwards, the student went to his master and said, “I was very sure I knew and had memorised each of your 268 moves. How could I not have predicted the last move you made?” The master smiled and said, “I had a 269th move I did not teach you.” This was the move that won him the victory that day. Such are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit came on the disciples in the Upper Room with tongues of fire. Since then He has been manifesting in other ways too. He does not only manifest through tongues of fire.

May you have this trait of being unpredictable too. You cannot tell whom the Holy Spirit is going to use. You cannot tell whom the Holy Spirit is going to work with. The Holy Spirit gives old men dreams and young men visions. The Holy Spirit gives women prophecies. So whom exactly is He going to use next? Babes and sucklings are also being anointed to bring forth praise. Who is the Holy Spirit going to use next?

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By Dag Heward-Mills