Release the unseen! When Sherry and I viewed Michelangelo’s magnificent statue of David in Florence, we were told that the artist first saw the figure inside the stone and then worked fervently to free it. It is one of the greatest masterpieces ever created.
We are God’s work of art (Ephesians 2:10). Kingdom leaders serve as master builders by seeing the potential in the lives of others and then helping them release their potential so they can become God’s work of art. In this study, you will learn how masterpieces in the kingdom of God are created.
Introducing the Art of Kingdom Leadership
Kingdom leadership is a creative force that releases the unseen in the lives of others. God’s kingdom cannot be seen for it is in and around believers (Luke 17:20-21). The unseen realm created everything that can be seen in time and space. “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV). Operate the way God operates by bringing the unseen into the realm of time and space.
When four men carried a paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed, they had to tear a hole in the roof to get him to Jesus (Luke 5:17-27). God’s power was there to heal the cripple from the time he entered the house. All five men had faith and the man’s sins were forgiven but he was still crippled (Luke 5:20). He remained crippled until Jesus released the unseen healing by telling the man to get up, take up his stretcher, and go home (Luke 5:24-25). All the ingredients for healing, including power, faith, and forgiveness of sins, were available in the house, but they had to be activated before he received his healing. The appropriate words had to be spoken and the appropriate actions had to be taken in order for the man to be healed. Jesus spoke the words that would stir the man into action so he would be healed.
5 Tips for Enhancing the Artistic Skills of Kingdom Leaders
The kingdom of God is not visible and not of this world. It can be seen only through spiritual eyes, not natural ones. Special life skills are needed to walk in the invisible and out-of-this-world kingdom. God uses leaders to help others to effectively walk in his kingdom. Below are five tips for leading in the kingdom.
1. Lead Others to God’s Spirit
The kingdom has to be revealed by the Spirit of God. A person must be born of water and the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom (John 3:5). Without the Spirit, no one can walk in the invisible kingdom. As believers enter the spiritual realm, the Spirit will teach them about King Jesus and his kingdom and show them things to come. Those who hear and obey the Spirit will be comforted, find peace in tribulation and begin to grow and get strong. Build a strong relationship with the Spirit, and you will see great things.
2. Lead Others into Believing
Faith comes from believing in the invisible and eternal King and the unseen realm. “It is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). A person accumulates evidence of the unseen realm by studying the word of God, hearing his voice, being led by his Spirit and experiencing miracles and deliverance. Accumulated evidence of the unseen realm becomes the basis for faith. It is only by holding firmly to faith in difficult times that believers are able to enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Great faith comes out of great hardships when a person is holding onto faith. Otherwise, he/she would be overcome by such hardships. As you believe that the invisible realm of God dominates the temporal realm in which you live, your faith can change anything in the temporal realm.
Faith is the substance of the present moment. It takes faith to live in the moment. Planning for the future can be living in the moment. It does not take faith to live in the past or in the future. You cannot use your faith to change something in the past. Faith does not bring the future into existence. Faith brings the supernatural into the natural. Now is the only time and place where faith works.
3. Lead Others into the Now
A person must humble himself/herself as a little child to walk in the kingdom. Children are innocent and trusting. It is easy for a child to believe because past hurts and disappointments are soon forgotten. Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it (Matthew 18:3). Keep yourself pure so you can fully trust the King.
Live in the moment, not in the past nor in the future. Are you free from the past? Many negative emotions bind people to the past and prevent them from operating in the kingdom. Guilt, grief, condemnation, depression, oppression, and unforgiveness focus on the past.
Many negative emotions focus on potentially bad but yet unfulfilled future situations. Fear, anxiety, doubt, and unbelief are in the future. These emotions are not based on reality because they refer to the uncertain future. Some people say, “when the Lord heals me . . .” or “when I am in full-time ministry . . .”. The word when is an evil word that causes people to put things off to the future. It is a tool of the enemy used to keep the things of God out of the reach of his people.
God is in the present moment. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1 NIV). All things that you need are in the present. Being in the presence of the Lord, fills a person with joy (Psalm 16:11). In his presence, you receive his joy and become his joy.
Kingdom leaders are those who see what God is doing, hear his voice, and are able to lead people out of the past and into the present time. Because kingdom leaders know what God is doing they know what season it is. Then they are able to lead others into forgiveness and into freedom from depression oppression, guilt, and condemnation. Those are all the things of the past and God is present in the moment. God’s leaders know where God is; they know he is in the present. They lead people into the present time where God is.
4. Lead Others into Bearing Fruit
The fruit of the kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). The kingdom is taken away from anyone who does not produce its fruit and given to those who do (Matthew 21:43). The Spirit leads believers on a righteous path in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Righteous behavior adheres to a high standard of conduct as described in the word of God. Those who practice righteousness are righteous, but those who practice unrighteousness do not belong to God (1 John 3:7-10). Only the righteous will enter the kingdom (Matthew 5:20). God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made the righteousness of God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Your righteousness is only in Christ and not your works. However, the righteousness within will show up on the outside as righteous actions.
5. Lead Others into Obedience/Love
Obedience in the kingdom involves hearing, understanding and following the Spirit. These commands seldom come through an audible voice. Instead, the Spirit may be heard as a still small voice or simply a quickening of the spirit of man. Obedience brings life and abundance. A person can claim to be obedient, but his/her words are nothing without actions to back them. When people disobey they take themselves out from under divine protective care. Why would a person pledge allegiance to a king and not obey his commands? Those who are obedient will enter the kingdom (Matthew 7:21). Furthermore, those who are willing and obedient will receive God’s best (Isaiah 1:19). Obedience will keep you safe. Hear the Spirit’s voice and be quick to obey.
Hearing and obeying the Spirit’s voice will increase faith. Faith comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17). Everything the Spirit speaks comes from the Father and his Son because the Spirit will not speak of himself but what he hears. Obeying the Spirit is an act of love which fulfills the law. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). Love like Christ loves you.
Implications for Gifts of the Spirit
As kingdom leaders, prepare yourself to be used by the Spirit in manifesting the nine spiritual gifts. Let the gifts of the Spirit operate through you for the glory of the Father and for the common good. The discussion below shows how enhancing your leadership skills can be used in operating the gifts of the Spirit.
1. The Gifts are manifested by the Spirit
Let go of thoughts that would bind up the flow of the Holy Spirit through you. Think on those things which the Lord is doing. Good and perfect gifts are coming to you. Prepare your vessel for the Spirit to pour the glory of the Lord through you. Expect to do the greater works through the Spirit. Be strong in the Lord and the Spirit’s power. Stand steadfast for there is strength there.
2. The Gifts operate by Faith
By faith, put a demand on the deposit of spiritual gifts within you. Stir up the gifts. Do not look on the outer man but look on the hearts of people. Those whose priority is building the body of Christ will accept your gifts. Use your gifts to build the body and be a support to others.
3. The Gifts operate in the Present Moment
Now is the time! Prophecy is for encouraging, strengthening and comforting now. It focuses on the present moment rather than foretelling the future which would take people away from faith. Do not listen to those who claim the Lord operated only in the past or will operate only in the future. Free yourself from those who have no commitment and say they wait for a more convenient time than this. Find those who will earnestly praise, worship, and obey the Lord now.
4. The Gifts operate by Love
Pursue love above the gifts. Those who operate the gifts without love are nothing and their gifts are in reality nothing. Offering your gifts in love will impact lives and open doors for you. Love will never fail, but the gifts will pass away.
5. The Gifts operate in Obedience to the Spirit
The individual does not determine which gifts are to be used or when they are to be used. All of the gifts are operated as the Spirit wills. Kingdom leaders are led by the Spirit in manifesting the gifts. As you yield your vessel to be used by the Spirit, he will flow through you with whatever gift is needed at the time for the person to whom you are ministering.
Study Questions
#1 What hinders your creativity?
#2 What can you do to enhance your creativity?
#3 What are the main things that keep you from living in the moment?
#4 Who would receive from you if you were operating in the gifts of the Spirit? Why not step out in faith and help them by operating in the gifts?
#5 What do you want changed in your world? What are you doing to change these things?