Scripture Text: 1 Timothy 3: 1-7

Leadership is the act of influencing and serving others. Godly leaders serve others out of Christ’s interest in their lives, so they accomplish God’s purposes for and through them. Also, to be a godly you must be born again and become a disciple of Christ. This is a prerequisite as anything outside this means you are no different from the worldly leaders.
There are certain characteristics and competencies that distinguish godly leaders, which give them influence over a community of people to achieve a God-honoring calling by means of the Power of Christ.
Characteristics of Godly Leaders
1. Godly leaders dare to be different from others. Even if the whole world is wrong, nothing can stop them from doing the right thing. Even if they are isolated for doing the right thing, they have the ruggedness and steadfastness in Christ till the end. Biblical examples of this type of leaders are:
- Noah (Genesis 6:5-
- Moses (Exodus 32)
2. Leaders that are godly obey God rather than pleasing people. E.g. Moses vs Aaron.
3. A godly leader intercedes for his followers for God’s mercy when they err. Just as Moses interceded so that God would not wipe out the Israelites after the incident of the “Golden Calf”, godly leaders stand-in for their people.
4. They embrace the unknown and take worthwhile risks. Biblical examples are:
- Abraham (Gen 12:1-19): He had to leave his comfort zone to march onward into uncertainty towards the Promised Land, as instructed by God
- Jesus’ Disciples: They gave up fishing, which was their sole source of income to become fishers of men, as disciples of Christ. They took this risk and we never heard them going hungry or stranded for Christ supplied all their needs.
- David (1 Samuel 17): He took a great risk by confronting Goliath, although he believed that God would win the battle for him and he defeated the giant.
- Elijah: He embraced risks and uncertainty when he confronted and defeated the prophets of Baal and restored Israel’s heart to God through the God that answered by fire.
5. No matter the circumstances, godly leaders endure. Biblical examples are:
- Joseph (Genesis 37): He endured in Potiphar’s house and in the prison.
- Jesus Christ: He suffered and endured shame and the Cross to save the whole world from sin, satan and death.
- Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 1:: He suffered great tribulations and persecutions.
6. They are willing to stick to Self-Sacrifice (Hebrew 11:23-29). Biblical examples are:
- God (John 3:16): He sacrificed His only Son because of His unparallel love for mankind.
- Jesus: He agreed to sacrifice himself for all mankind.
- Moses: He bore the burden of a stiff-necked people (Israelites) who annoyed God several times because of their unbelief.
- Nehemiah, Gideon, Joshua, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Deborah and Barak all self-sacrificed by confronting and conquered formidable oppositions and earned victory and glory for God.
7. Godly leaders rule by examples rather than command. Biblical examples are:
- Joshua (Joshua 24:14-25)
- Jesus Christ – our Role Model
- Apostle Paul
Exemplary leaders lead in the Church, families, organisations and nations.
8. They are not afraid of giants. Example in the Bible are:
- David vs Goliath (1 Samuel 17: 32-37)
- Moses vs Pharaoh
- Joshua vs giants of the Promised Land
- Jesus defeated satan and destroyed demons.
9. Leaders that are godly take initiatives first. They are the first to raise their hands, first to stand, first to speak, first to make decision. Biblical examples are:
- David: He took the initiative to confront Goliath and became Israel’s great king.
- Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-: He took the initiative to become a Messianic Prophet.
10. Great and godly leaders make quality decisions and maintain their resolve without regard for consequences. Examples are:
- Daniel and the lion’s den (Daniel 6)
- Prophet Micaiah (2 Chronicles 18)
- Meshack, Shedrack and Abednego (Daniel 3: 16-28)
11. They are usually bold enough to call things what they truly are i.e., “they call a spade a spade”. Biblical examples are:
- Jesus Christ vs Pharisees and Sadducees (Luke 3:1-18)
- John the Baptist (Mathew 3)
- Prophet Jeremiah
You can do this in your place of work too.
12. Godly leaders are godly servants. They are defined by their obedience in God’s principles of servant- leadership, and how many lives or souls they can win or change for God, while conforming to the image of Christ in humility and love (John 13-1-17). Godly form of leadership is different from the leadership style of the world which encompasses pride, gathering of wealth and riches, competitors, private jets leaders, fleet of cars leaders and all other form of materialistic leadership, there-by bossing over people.
13. When adversity comes and everyone think that they will give up and go down into extinction, godly leaders have a way of bouncing back. Biblical examples are:
- Peter (Acts 2 14-47): Although he had once denied Christ but also gave the first sermon after Christ’s ascension to Heaven, and thousands of people gave their lives to Christ and were baptized.
- Saul vs Apostles Paul: Saul was one a persecutor of Christ’s disciples and believers but later became the greatest apostle of Christ.
14. Godly leaders are passionate for what they believe in and die for their ideals and principles.
- Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:12-2): He was not afraid of the gospel of Christ, for it is the Power of God unto Salvation. He also declared “Woe unto me if I don’t preach the gospel”.
Do you wish to be a godly leader? The first step is to be born again. Thereafter, you must be a disciple of Christ and let the Kingdom of God be your primary focus in all that you do.
If you would like to give your life to Christ, say this short prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I come before You today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour, come into my life and take absolute control. Thank You Jesus, in Your name I pray, amen.
God bless you.
Peace!

Message culled from Mountain Top Devotional (2021)

Beautifully written....
Somewhere throughout this world, God still has "7,000" reserved, who have not bowed to baal...
Cowardice is not synonymous with men in authority--truly called by God--whose first love is the Lord Jesus.
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Few they are, but mighty they are through Christ Jesus.

There is absolutely nothing in this entire world that can compare to a man who is sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ..nothing.