PREPERATION FOR LEADERSHIP

God’s Preparation for
Leadership : 1
2nd Edition – May 2009
Page
Lesson 1 Introduction to God’s Preparation 1
Lesson 2 Working of Clay 6
Lesson 3 The Arrow 9
Lesson 4 The Way of the Eagle 11
Lesson 5 The Desert Experience 14
Lesson 6 Disciplined Disciples 18
Lesson 7 Being Mentored 22
Lesson 8 How to Mentor 25
Author:
Brian Beukes
Copyright © 1998 All Africa Bible College
This material is protected by international copyright laws. Permission is granted
to reproduce this book in whole or in part by any mechanical or electronic means.
However, the contents may not be changed in any way; neither may the book nor
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Africa Bible College is acknowledged as the original source of the material.
SBCI, P.O. Box 324, Hillcrest 3650, South Africa
E-mail: sbci@absamail.co.za Tel. 031-7660284 Fax. 031-7660449
www.sbci.co.za
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Introduction to God’s Preparation
Lesson 1
A. Introduction
The story is told of a sculptor who took a large piece of stone from which he chiselled a
statue. It was a magnificent piece of work and when people commented on it his reply
was simple, yet profound …
“The statue has always been there, all I did was to chisel away the rough edges!”
So it is with every person that God has created. We may look and feel like a worthless
piece of granite but when we allow the Master to come and chisel away the rough edges,
we will find something that is of value, something that is important, and something that
is beautiful and that can be used by Him.
EVERYTHING THAT GOD CREATED IS GOOD
AND THAT INCLUDES YOU
There comes a time in every Christian’s life, when they need to submit themselves to the
will of God and allow Him to chisel away the things that are ungodly in their lives. These
are the things that hide the inner beauty of many of God’s people.
The process can be painful – but worth it all.
B. The Call
Read Ephesians 1:1-6
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful
in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the
heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his
sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with
his pleasure and will
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance
with the riches of God’s grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which
he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment—to bring all
things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who
works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his
glory.
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According to Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus:
1. verse 4 We were chosen before creation. Remember He is the Alpha and
Omega.
2. verse 4 He chose us to be holy and blameless.
3. verse 5 We have been adopted into the Family of God.
4. verse 9 He has a plan for each one of us.
5. verse 11 He has a work for each one of us.
There are many Christians today who are saved, going to heaven, but are defective. They
refuse to allow God to work in their lives and so they are ineffective in the Kingdom of
God.
GOD SAVED YOU FOR SOMETHING FAR GREATER
THAN WHAT HE SAVED YOU FROM
Each leader must also realize that God has to do some preparation in their lives.
To be mentored by someone is a very good thing but we also need to humble ourselves
under God’s authority and allow Him to work in us.
C. The Purpose
1. This book is to help each leader to understand what God may be doing in their lives
and also to realize that the Master does discipline, correct and direct us as we are
brought into His Fullness. Ephesians 3:19, 4:13.
Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a
good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
If at present you are going through difficult times – God may be preparing you for
something that He wants you to do.
If you are already a leader in your local assembly and things do not seem to be
going too well then God may be preparing you for something greater.
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose”.
Ephesians 5: 25-27, The Bride of Christ will be without wrinkle, spot or blemish.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it;
26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the word,
27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should
be holy and without blemish
It is a Bride that He Himself is preparing and she is making herself ready to be
betrothed to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
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Revelation 19:7-8, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself
ready.
8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine
linen, clean and white.
SEE YOURSELF AS GOD SEES YOU
NOT AS THE WORLD SEES YOU
NOT AS YOU SEE YOURSELF
2. This teaching is for those who have either been in, are presently in, or in the future
will be in a place of isolation, separation and extreme loneliness in the ministry.
You are, as it would seem, in a dark tunnel and you do not understand what God is
doing in your ministry or even in your life. All the great men of God, many of
whom we will be discussing during these lectures, went into a place of total
separation from family, friends and even working partners as God took them away
and worked in their lives.
ADVERSITY IS LIKE A STRONG WIND
IT TEARS FROM US ALL BUT THE THINGS THAT
CANNOT BE TORN
SO THAT WE SEE OURSELVES AS WE REALLY ARE
We are saved by the Blood of Jesus and our sins are washed away. The problem is
that many times Christians do not want to get rid of things in their lives that
prevent them from coming into His fullness or into what He has prepared for them.
a) Habitual sin.
b) Bad Habits
c) Addictions.
d) Ungodly thoughts.
Another problem arises when they WILL NOT ALLOW GOD TO WORK in their
lives.
God not only wants to remove these things but He also desires to mould us into the
image of Christ and that does not mean our outer appearance but rather the inner
man.
Look at Romans 8:28-30
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called,
them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
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Note:
1. God is working in all of us who are called. (We are all called)
2. ALL things work together for our good – Situations, Conditions and Positions.
3. We are called according to HIS purpose and not our own.
4. Before creation, He knew us, predestined us and purposed us all to do something in the
Kingdom of God.
Jeremiah was called to be a Prophet before being formed in the womb.
Jeremiah 1:4-5,
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Before I formed thee in the belly I
knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations.
The basic problem in many ministries today is that people copy other ministries and fail.
The reason this happens is because they are not doing what God predestined them to do
and so they do not find fulfilment.
God must then remove them out of the situation and begin to work in their lives so that
He can reveal His will and purpose for them.
ONLY WHEN YOU BECOME
WHAT GOD CREATED YOU TO BE
WILL YOU BE FULFILLED AS A PERSON
YOU ARE UNIQUE AND SO IS EVERYONE ELSE
Points To Remember:
1. You were created for a PURPOSE.
2. In God’s eyes, you are NOT a FAILURE but a SUCCESS.
3. Sin, and the way you have been programmed, has covered the beauty within you and, in
order for it to be revealed, God has to work in you.
4. Do not try to be someone else – you are unique and so is everyone else.
5. Everything happens for a purpose.
Questions to ask yourself:
1. What is it that you have always wanted to do in life?
2. What hindered you from reaching those goals?
3. What are you doing about it?
Memory Verse
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.
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Working of Clay
Lesson 2
Isaiah 64:8,
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Many leaders greatly desire to function, but far fewer are willing to pay the price of being
made ready for the task.
A. Definition of Preparation
To make ready for a special purpose; to make suitable; to fit; to adapt; to train; to
equip or to furnish. The Greek idea behind the word “preparation” emphasised the
making ready of something so as to cause it to function properly. Some synonyms of the
infinite “to prepare” are:
a) To provide properly for;
b) To foresee problems;
c) To predispose a certain reaction; rehearse ahead of time;
d) To train for a specific task;
e) To educate with special knowledge;
f) To set the ground work and foundation of;
g) To cultivate for fruitful reproduction;
h) To mellow and mature the character of;
i) To arm or fit out with necessary weapons of warfare.
In order for a certain task to be fulfilled the product being used has to be prepared. God
stamped this principle in Nature, Craftsmanship and Scripture.
Example of Nature.
a) Instinctively animals prepare for the winter months by storing food.
b) Rain, snow and the sun help to prepare the ground to bring forth fruit in its season.
c) Stones are prepared in rivers in order to be used. (David killed Goliath with a stone
that had been prepared.)
Example of Craftsmanship.
a) A motor mechanic needs to serve an apprenticeship in order to become a motor
mechanic.
b) Medical Practitioners need to study for approximately eight years at a university.
Examples in Scripture.
a) A place of habitation for the Lord. (Exodus 15:2; Psalm 107:36)
b) The offerings of the tabernacle of Moses. (Numbers 15:3-12, 23:1-2)
c) The people in order to pass over the Jordan River. (Joshua 1:11)
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d) A man’s heart to seek God. (1 Samuel 7:3, Psalm 10:17, 2 Chronicles 19:3)
e) Materials for Solomon’s Temple. (1 Chronicles 22:3-14, 2 Chronicles 2:9)
f) The ant for summer. (Proverbs 30:25)
g) The way for the Messiah. (Isaiah 40:3, 62:10, Matthew 3:1-3, 11:10)
h) Of the Levites. (2 Chronicles 35:10-20)
i) The horse for battle. (Proverbs 21:31)
j) Of an honourable vessel. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
k) The Messiah’s natural Body. (Hebrews 10:5)
l) Of the Bride of Christ. (Ephesians 5:22-30, Revelation 19:7, 21:2)
B. The preparation of clay
1. Clay must be dug out of the ground – blasted out and separated.
We too have been dug out from this world, cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and
separated for His Purpose and Will (John 15:16). We have been bought with a price
and we no longer belong to ourselves but to Him (1 Corinthians 6:20). We are in
this world but we are not of this world (John 17:11-14). Every Christian needs to
see that these Scriptures apply to them. Many Pastors will take people as far as the
Cross and leave them there. Pastors need to go beyond the Cross and make
disciples.
2. Clay must be washed and soaked in water.
After salvation comes the cleansing period where God seems to tear open the
heart of man and begins a purifying within. The Word enters and it is painful.
Decisions have to be made and many people do not go past this stage of
development because of the pain they have to endure while being prepared for
service. (Ephesians 5:26, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:3.) God has to
remove Egypt before entering the Promised Land. Choose not to die in the desert.
3. Clay must be smitten and worked on thoroughly by the Potter’s hands.
Many times in our Christian walk we feel as if we are being pushed from pillar to
post with nowhere to really go. This is God testing our desire to do what He wants
us to do. Are you like a dog with a bone that will not let go or are you the person
who has no tenacity for the things of God?
4. Clay must be investigated for air bubbles by using a thin wire.
Have you at any time felt that God is going a bit too far, as His Spirit prods into
your life for further weaknesses? You begin to wonder if it will never end.
5. Clay must be perfectly centred on the wheel for further development.
This is where the potter begins to shape the clay into what he would have the clay
become. He is the Potter and we are the clay and clay does not argue with the
potter. God created each and every one of us and so He knows what is best for us.
Allow Him to mould you into what is best for the Kingdom and also for yourself.
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6. Clay must be stretched and pulled apart, up and down, in order to be properly
moulded.
Many young leaders see themselves as great evangelists, teachers or in some other
form of ministry. There is nothing wrong with this – hold on to that vision and it
will come to pass. God will always test us in the menial tasks first. Sometimes we
want to be something else to what God would have us be. The best and most
painless way of development is just to submit to God.
7. Clay must be set aside on the shelf for a while to give it time to harden.
Have you ever felt that you are on a shelf? Nobody seems to want to use you. You
think God has forgotten you and you are ever so lonely. He has not forgotten you;
He is only preparing you for the next phase of your ministry. He soon comes and
takes you off the shelf and you think “it is now time for my ministry”.
8. Clay must go through the fire in the furnace to make it long-lasting and
sturdy.
Just when you came off the shelf and you thought that you were entering into bigtime
ministry, God puts you in the furnace. If the dirt and air particles had not been
removed the clay jar would have exploded in the furnace. After the furnace there
can be no flaws as it has gone through a great test, now it is ready for the Master’s
use.
What I have discovered in my life as a leader is that God does not seem to get finished
with you. There always seem to be more shelves and furnaces. This is not for a negative
purpose but, rather, for the better so that God can cause you to increase in your ministry.
FURNACES ARE NOT FOR THE WORSE
BUT RATHER FOR THE BETTER
The Master wants to promote His servants and with every promotion there is more refining.
Read Hebrews 12:1-11
Note:
1. God always wants His servants to go forward – not to stand still or go backwards.
2. When you are faithful in the little things – He wants to give you more responsibility.
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The Arrow
Lesson 3
A Leader’s A Leader’s A Leader’s A Leader’s
Salvation Call Preparation Function
A Ministry Planted A Ministry Birthed A Ministry Tested A Ministry
as a Seed as a Sprout as a Plant Matured as a
Fruit Bearing Tree
This diagram clearly indicates how God prepares us for His service. Where do you stand
as of now?
Isaiah 49:1-3,
“Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my
name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant Israel, in whom I will display my splendour”.
In this particular passage of Scripture, Isaiah speaks about an arrow that will hit its mark. Let
us look at six main points in this passage.
1. The Lord called me from the womb – verse 1.
This reveals destiny to the leader – a sense of fulfilling your purpose in life.
Clay taken from the ground – we were created out of the dust of this earth.
2. He makes my mouth like a sharp sword – verse 2.
The Word of God is likened unto a sharp two-edged sword. The servant’s mouth is
prepared to bring forth life, not death. As the Word prepares his mouth so the Word
washes him. Clay has to be washed, cleansed, stretched and pulled.
3. In the shadow of His Hand hath He hid me – verse 2.
This is a time of veiling for the servant of God. People know that he is called but are
unable to determine as to what he is called to. Moses was hidden in the desert; David
whilst running from Saul; Jesus was hidden for thirty years; Paul for fourteen years after
his Damascus road experience.
This is the time when the clay is in the Master’s Hands and no-one knows what is to
become of this man.
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4. He also made me a polished shaft – verse 2.
The word “polish” means: to clarify, to examine, and to purge so as to brighten. The
arrow will have no effect if it is not straight.
THE SHAFT IS THE THING THAT KEEPS
THE ARROW ON ITS COURSE
We see this as the time “on the shelf” – waiting patiently to serve.
Here the servant is purged as he is dried out and then purged again.
We can also see this as the “furnace experience”.
5. In His quiver hath He hid me – verse 2.
In every servant’s life there is a time of silence. You have been prepared and you have
proved yourself faithful – now God is waiting for the right moment to send you.
6. In whom I will display my splendour – verse 3.
When you are ready God will release you in His power and He will get the glory.
You will get a clearer understanding of all this when we study Book 2, where we will
look into God's preparation of some of the great men of faith in the Bible.
GOD DOES NOT LOOK AT THE CALENDAR
BUT RATHER AT THE HEART
POINTS TO REMEMBER:
1. No matter what situation you may be in, God is at work in you.
2. God wants you to be effective, not defective.
3. You do not have to open doors for your ministry. When God sees that you are ready, He
will open doors.
4. Do not check your calendar but rather your heart.
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The Way of the Eagle
Lesson 4
Isaiah 40:31,
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”.
In this teaching we are going to look at the Eagle and see how it is prepared in life.
Points will be given on its character which you can relate to the Christian walk.
Basic facts about the Eagle:
1. The Bald Eagle can grow a wing span of up to 2.5 metres.
It can weigh as much as 5.5 kilograms.
2. An Eagle has the ability to soar to heights of over 2.5 kilometres above the ground.
3. They get to these heights without any motion of their wings, but by merely extending
their wings and being lifted by warm currents of rising air.
4. They also possess a remarkable power of vision and are able to see for a great distance.
5. Eagles are known to remain mated for life.
6. They are also known to be patient and attentive parents.
7. Their diet consists mainly of fish and to a lesser extent they feed upon small mammals,
amphibians, reptiles and smaller birds.
8. Their nests are very bulky, built with sticks, weighing up to a ton and placed in high trees
or on high cliff ledges.
9. Eagles never fly through a storm but rather above the storm.
10. Eagles are not like vultures that eat dead or rotting meat. They only eat fresh food that
they have killed.
A. The Eaglet
1. The mother lines the nest with feathers before the birth to ensure that the sticks do
IT IS BETTER TO BE RENEWED BY
WAITING
THAN RUINED BY RUSHING
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not hurt the baby. As we have learnt – they do make excellent parents.
As the eaglet comes to maturity, the parents begin to remove the feathers from the
nest, making it very uncomfortable for the eaglet.
When God wants us to move on, He begins to make things uncomfortable. There
are a lot of “comfortable” Christians in the Body of Christ. It is sad when you think
that there are many Pastors who have never brought their congregations into
maturity. There are also a lot of Pastors that have become comfortable in their
Church. They have their income and are not even concerned about evangelising the
lost and increasing the Kingdom of God.
2. The time has now come for the eagle to fly. The mother pushes the baby eagle out
of the nest and it begins to plummet to the ground, madly flapping its wings. Just
before hitting the ground, the mother swoops underneath and lifts the baby on its
back and returns to the nest.
This is done repeatedly until it has learnt to fly.
Many would say this is cruel, but it is not. Children need to be kicked out of their
comfort zones at times and forced to stand on their own two feet.
God also forces His children out of their nests and causes them to stand on their
own two feet. Like the mother, His eye is always on us and before we fall to our
destruction, He is there to lift us up.
A child who remains at home under the watchful eye of “loving” parents will never
be able to reach maturity and will never be able to parent children effectively or be
an effective leader in the Body of Christ.
B. The Eagle
The fully grown eagle at some time or the other will draw away from its natural habitat
for purification purposes. This can happen on one or more occasion in its life.
1. The Eagle will find a place to prepare itself. It will be a place where there is no
food, only water. This will most likely be in a cave high up on a mountain.
There are times in the ministry when men of God need to withdraw from people,
the Church and even the family in order to hear the Master’s Voice clearly.
2. The process begins by the Eagle plucking all of its feathers out thereby becoming
totally vulnerable. It is now unable to fly or even hunt for food. It has but one
enemy at this time and that is a serpent.
Jesus withdrew into the desert for forty days where He was tempted by the devil.
He too was vulnerable.
3. The Eagle now begins to sharpen its beak by filing it on a stone. This is believed to
be a very painful process. The beak is used for the purpose of hunting and tearing
its prey.
The man of God also needs to have his mouth sharpened. Many times we get into a
rut and start sharing other peoples’ sermons or we repeat the ones we preached so
long ago. The mouth needs to speak new things that the Spirit can and will reveal
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to us.
4. During this time the eagle is drinking only water. Its system is being washed and
cleansed. All the toxic poisons and all impurities are washed out.
The man of God must fast at times during his ministry. Fasting is good not only for
health reasons but also so that our flesh may become quiet and our Spirit alive to
the living God.
5. After its beak has been sharpened the eagle begins to massage its naked flesh with
its beak. New oil begins to ooze from the pores in its skin and the feathers begin to
grow.
During a long fast, the man of God WILL experience a fresh anointing upon his
ministry. God will release a fresh oil of anointing into his life and his ministry.
6. After many days, the eagle now has new feathers, its beak is sharp and its flesh has
been purified. It goes to the entrance of the cave on the edge of the cliff and
stretches its wings and waits. Soon a warm current of air comes up the slope of the
mountain and it drops onto the warm current. The eagle does not flap its wings in
order to get height but merely allows the wind to carry it even higher.
The anointed man of God does not have to try and gain new heights; the Spirit of
God will lift him into new heights when he has been with the Master.
POINTS TO PONDER:
1. Are you comfortable? If you are then have you lost your vision?
2. God will at times push His Leaders out of their comfort zone and make them
uncomfortable.
3. God will at times either change or increase your vision.
4. If you have been faithful in the smaller things of your ministry then the time will come
for promotion.
NEVER DO ANYTHING IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH
WAIT ON HIM WHO HAS CALLED YOU
Memory Verse
Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they
shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they
shall walk, and not faint”.
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THE HIGHER
THE CALLING
THE GREATER
THE TESTING
The Desert Experience
Lesson 5
The Desert speaks of a place of Dryness, Barrenness, Loneliness, Temptations, Isolation,
Death, Perseverance, Trials and Testing.
It is a place where all great leaders are Cleansed, Purified and Prepared for the task that is set
before them.
Examples:
1 Abraham in search of a City for more than 15 years.
2. Sarah in waiting for the promised child.
3. Jacob in having to leave his home and work for his uncle Labon.
4. Joseph in Egypt for 23 years.
5. Moses in the desert for forty years.
6. David being hunted down by King Saul for 8 years.
7. Elijah at the brook.
8. Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days.
9. Saul/Paul following behind Barnabas for 14 years.
And there are many more.
A. Why does God put great leaders into the desert?
1. To teach Humility.
God will not share His Glory with His creation. He will remove all pride and will
break us down if we even try to exalt ourselves above Him.
a) Lucifer was removed from heaven. Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28.
b) Moses tried to do it His way by killing an Egyptian.
c) Elijah, known as the lonely prophet, did not want to mentor another person.
(See notes on Elijah in Book 2.)
2. To test Endurance.
To hold onto the promises and purposes of God irrespective of hardships, struggles
or time.
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a) Abraham in seeing the Promised Land.
b) Sarah in waiting for the Promised Son.
c) Jacob wrestled with God through the night and would not let go.
d) Jesus only began His Ministry at the age of thirty.
e) Elisha endured Elijah’s harshness for 14 years. (See notes on Elijah and
Elisha.)
3. For Training.
God will train His Leaders so that they will do the job properly.
a) Joseph was trained in the ways of the Egyptians by Potiphar and his prison
experience in order to become the Prime Minister.
b) Even though David had already been anointed to be King, he still had to
serve under Saul in order to learn.
4. To deal with Loneliness.
God will isolate you from family and friends if He needs to or wants to get your
attention. In this state one has plenty of time to examine self and allow God to
begin a purification process in one’s heart and mind. Remember the Eagle.
a) Elijah was taken to the brook and to the cave to hear the desire of God’s
heart. That desire was for Elijah to raise up someone to continue the work
(Elisha).
b) Moses was taken out of Egypt so that God could show him that He was going
to do the work and that Moses was just to be the vessel.
5. Trials and Testing.
In the desert it is not necessarily only the devil that will come to you to tempt you.
It can also be a place of seeing where your heart lies. If your heart is towards self
then you will not pass the test. If it is for God then you will pass this test.
6. Barrenness.
What do we mean when we speak about barrenness?
It is a place where there is no ministry taking place. It is as if God has forsaken you
and you feel that He will never use you again. Always remember that God HAS
called you and that He wants you to fulfil your purpose here on this earth.
Remember the notes on The Clay. During this time learn to listen for the still quiet
voice.
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7. Death.
The desert is a place of death. Not death to your ministry but rather death to “self”.
Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me”.
We cannot live for ourselves. A successful ministry is founded upon the leader
forsaking everything to serve Christ.
Look at all the Leaders in the Bible – they knew what it was to be persecuted and
rejected by men.
a) Noah was a man that stood in the midst of wickedness and declared God’s
judgement. Read Genesis 6:5.
b) David abased himself as a King before the congregation of Israel. His wife
disapproved and became barren from that moment on. Read 2 Samuel 6:16-
23.
c) Paul considered himself already dead to Christ. Read Galatians 2:20.
d) Abraham forsook everything in order to obey God.
B. Attacks from the enemy
1. Temptation.
Keep focused on the Lord and His Word.
Always remember that sin does have a price.
2. Depression.
Signs of depression are:
a) Thoughts of death.
b) No vision.
c) Wanting to run away from your calling.
d) Sad mood.
e) Helplessness.
f) Negative attitude.
g) No self-esteem.
h) Thinking becomes slow and painful.
i) Feelings of gloom and destruction.
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If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, seek professional help
immediately.
Elijah wanted to die after his greatest victory.
3. Loss of vision.
The Bible says we must write the vision down – Habakkuk 2:2-3. Meditate on your
vision and remember that God gave you that vision.
4. The desire to give up your calling.
You will never feel fulfilled unless you are doing what you were created to do.
5. Jealousy.
You are unique and special and should never try to copy another.
a) Jesus said that there was no one greater than John the Baptist, yet he only
ministered for one year.
b) Joshua was not the same as Moses, as their callings differed.
c) Elisha’s temperament was different to Elijah’s.
Class Suggestion:
At the end of this lesson, break up into pairs. Choose someone who is close to you. Take some
time to share with each other about where you are, how you feel and where you fit into this
lesson at this very moment. It is also very important that you take some time to pray for each
other.
Points To Consider:
1. The more you want from God – the more He is going to refine you.
2. The higher the calling – the greater the preparation.
3. Each one has a purpose – fulfil yours and not someone else’s.
4. After a “low” there will be a high if you hold on to what God created you for.
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Disciplined Disciples
Lesson 6
Bennie Mostert said:
THERE IS NO OIL WITHOUT SQUEEZING THE OLIVES
NO WINE WITHOUT THE WINE PRESS
NO FRAGRANCE WITHOUT CRUSHING THE FLOWERS
Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me”.
Matthew 16:24, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”. Also Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23.
Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon”.
The last words of William Carey the founder of the modern mission movement were:
“When I am gone do not speak of Dr. Carey but rather of Dr. Carey’s Saviour”.
A. A true Disciple of Christ must experience discipline
1. He must become more important and I less important. John 3:30.
Ephesians 3:8 – Paul refers to himself as the least of God’s people.
1 Timothy 1:15 – he says that he is the worst sinner.
2. Sickness, Suffering and Weakness. Read Romans 8:26-end, James 1:2-4,
Matthew 24, John 15:20.
Some of God’s most powerful instruments through the ages experienced these
things.
Richard Baxter suffered with a kidney ailment.
Amy Carmichael was confined to a bed for the last twenty years of her ministry.
Sometimes God will allow these things in order for us to be disciplined and for
Him to be revealed through us, and another reason may be to keep us humble.
In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul stated that he had a thorn in his flesh. We do not know
exactly what the “thorn” was but we do know it had something to do with his flesh.
Sickness comes from satan and not from God – but God did allow boils to come
upon Job for testing – Read Job 1:8, 2:7.
3. Disappointments and Failures.
The world rates success by popularity or bank balances. Some men of God are
rated by the size of their Church.
True Disciples are rated by their perseverance. Disappointments and Failures will
come but God is teaching us in all these circumstances. Read Romans 8:28.
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4. Loneliness.
During these times God cuts us off from people, from the assistance and support of
the Church, friends and family. He then teaches us that He alone is enough and
sufficient.
It can come through any of the following:
a) Loss of a family member.
b) Misunderstanding or a death.
c) Mistakes you have made, or even sin. People are inclined to reject you if you
fail.
d) Through being a radical follower of Jesus. (Also see Lecture 5.)
GOD ISOLATES US DELIBERATELY SO THAT
HE CAN HAVE COMMUNION WITH US
5. Opposition, Persecution and Rejection.
2 Timothy 3:12, Romans 8:17, John 16:2, John 15:20, 1 Corinthians 4:11-13, 2
Corinthians 4:7-9; 6:7-9; 11:24-25.
Matthew 24:9, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:
and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake”.
It is during these times that God is testing your faith. Do not be like a reed that
waves in the wind but rather stand firm like a tree.
Do not become double minded but remain firm in your faith.
Many times opposition, persecution and rejection come from the Body of Christ.
6. Misunderstanding, Humiliation and Shame.
God has called you – He chose you for a specific purpose and when you step out to
do something that is not normal by others’ standards, you will suffer these things.
This is a process God uses to teach us to die to ourselves.
7. Offerings and Sacrifices.
1 Corinthians 4:11-12, 11:23-29, 2 Corinthians 6:5.
God at some time may ask us to make the ultimate sacrifice. There are times of
hard work, little sleep and often little success. Jesus said that once we have put our
hand to the plough we are not to look back. Luke 9:62.
8. Heartache and Grief.
A child dies; the untimely death of a spouse; a marriage that is irreparable; a child
who has turned his back on his parents or even a strong friendship is broken.
In every tragic circumstance God has, God will and God will still turn it around for
our good. Even though the situation looks absolutely hopeless, He will still work
in that situation.
9. Attacks and Harassment by Satan.
Jesus told Peter that Satan desires to sieve them like wheat. Luke 22:31.
Paul warns that our fights are not against flesh and blood but against Satan.
Ephesians 6.
Many leaders today do not acknowledge that Satan is warring against us.
One thing you need to remember is that the closer you want to get to God or the
more you want Him to use you, the greater the war. Satan does not want you to be
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effective in the Kingdom of God so he will attack you. In the attack God is
watching you to see whether you overcome or give in to Satan. The choice is
yours.
ATTACKS FROM SATAN WILL EITHER DESTROY
OR STRENGTHEN YOU – THE CHOICE IS YOURS
10. Success and Fame.
We read in the Bible of many great leaders who reached a pinnacle of success only
to become cold towards God.
Namely: Solomon, Hezekiah, Asa, Uzziah, Jehosaphat and many more. We have
also seen it in the lives of many of our present day leaders.
B. Why this road?
1 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV, “…. so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.
You know quite well that we were destined for them”.
1. It teaches us that we cannot do the work in our own strength.
Man was created to conquer and so we, in the natural, want to do things our way.
God will do it by the Power of His Spirit.
2. It teaches us to be humble.
Humility says “Not my will but let Your Will be done”. Many times the will of
man gets in the way of what God wants to do.
3. It teaches us how to be meek and humble.
Chastisement brings softness to our hearts. We learn to have sympathy towards
sinners and towards those of our brethren who have fallen into sin. We become less
judgemental towards people.
4. It teaches us to give up our rights.
We are to learn to work with the Holy Spirit and not be obsessed with our own
rights.
“Our” rights consist of the following: To become angry.
To comfort and convenience.
To our own choices.
To our finances.
To being treated humanly.
To feel aggrieved towards others.
5. It breaks down all aspects of self, the flesh, the “I” that cannot bear Spiritual
Fruit.
These things must be crucified – the Spirit of God cannot work with the flesh.
6. It melts our cold, hard, unfeeling, unapproachable hearts.
You will never be a blessing to broken people if you stand above them as high and
mighty judges.
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7. It teaches us to relate to those that are hurting or suffering.
You can never help someone walk through the furnace of discipline if you have
never walked through it yourself.
You can never tell another to trust God if you have never had to.
8. It makes us servants instead of masters.
Jesus the Almighty God took on the form of a servant and so should we also.
Titles may impress people but only a servant’s heart can impress God.
9. It makes our lives Holy.
Hebrews 12:14 says that we will NOT see God if we do not live Holy lives.
Chastisement removes sin from our lives.
C. A True Disciple will desire to attain the following characteristics
1. Disciples desire the presence of God in their lives.
Judges 16:20, Exodus 33:12-14.
2. Disciples are people who move with Jesus.
Acts 4:13.
3. Disciples are filled with the fullness of God and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2:9-11, Acts 1:8, Ephesians 5:18.
4. Disciples are people who have emptied themselves, taken on the character of
slaves and are servants of Christ.
Philippians 2:5-9.
5. Disciples are characterised by brokenness, humility and willing spirits.
Isaiah 57:15, 48:10, Psalms 51:12, 17.
6. The words of disciples are pure like silver that has been purified seven times.
Psalms 12:7.
7. Disciples watch and pray, do the Will of the Father and live in obedience to
the Father.
Matthew 26:41, Romans 16:19, 2 Corinthians 9:13.
8. Disciples bear injustice, do not defend themselves, suffer innocently and are
often persecuted.
1 Peter 2:19-25.
9. Disciples are full of grace and truth and live Holy lives.
John 1:14, 17:1, 1 Peter 2:19-25.
Questions to ask yourself.
1. What did you learn through each one of your mistakes?
2. In what areas of your life does God still have to work?
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3. Are you totally reliant upon God or do you still depend on self?
Notes:
Titles impress people but only a servant’s heart will impress God.
You will never be able to encourage others to walk a road that you have never walked.
The road of discipline is God’s road to Spiritual Growth.
Memory Verse
Romans 8:37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who loved us”.
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Being Mentored
Lesson 7
Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the
countenance of his friend”.
Another word that can be used in place of “Mentor” is “Discipler”.
MENTOR. Meaning: an experienced and trusted advisor.
Definition: the ability to hand down skills and wisdom from one generation to
the next.
Each leader needs to consider this question ….. One hundred years after your death, will your
ministry still be impacting lives or would people have forgotten you?
What is important?
IT IS NOT ONLY WHAT YOU ACCOMPLISH IN THIS LIFE
TIME IT IS ALSO WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS
A. Examples of Mentoring in the Bible
Old Testament
Jethro and Moses. Jethro taught his son-in-law the invaluable lesson of
Exodus 18 delegation.
Moses and Joshua. Moses prepared Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan.
Deuteronomy 31:1-8, 34:9
Moses and Caleb. It appears that Moses groomed Caleb for leadership,
Numbers 13; 14:6-9 and inspired in him an unswerving faith in the Lord’s
34:16-19 Joshua 14:6-15. promises.
Samuel and Saul. Samuel not only anointed Saul to become Israel’s king, but
1 Samuel 9-15. tried to shape his character as well.
Even when Saul rebelled against the Lord, Samuel kept on
challenging him to repent and return to God.
Samuel and David. Samuel anointed David as king and gave him refuge from
1 Samuel 16; 19:18-24. Saul’s murderous plots.
Jonathan and David. An outstanding example of peer mentoring.
1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7 David and Jonathan remained loyal to each other during the
20:1-42. troubled days of Saul’s declining reign.
Elijah and Elisha. The prophet Elijah recruited his successor Elisha and
1 Kings 19:16-21 apparently tutored him in the ways of the Lord while Elisha
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2 Kings 2:1-16, 3:11 ministered to Elijah’s needs.
Jehoida and Joash. The priest Jehoida helped Joash – who came to the throne of
2 Chronicles 24:1-25. Judah when he was only seven years old – to learn to rule
according to godly principles. Unfortunately, Joash turned
away from the Lord after his mentor died.
New Testament
Jesus and His 12 Disciples. Jesus recognised each one’s abilities and strengths. He
John 14:12 allowed each one of them to develop at their own pace and
never condemned the weakest of the twelve. When He
ascended, He commanded them (and us) to make Disciples
of the Nations. He also told them that they would do greater
works than Him.
Barnabas and Saul/Paul. Barnabas opened the way for Saul to associate with the
Acts 4:36-37, 9:26-30, Church after his dramatic Damascus road conversion.
11:22-30.
Barnabas and John Mark. Barnabas was willing to part company in order to work
Acts 15:36-39, with John Mark. Later Paul came around to Barnabas’s
2 Timothy 4:11. point of view describing John Mark as “useful to me for
ministry”.
Priscilla and Aquilla. Tentmakers Priscilla and Aquilla served as spiritual tutors
Acts 18: 1-3, 24-28. to Apollos at Ephesus. As a result, Apollos became one of
the early church’s most powerful spokesmen for the gospel.
Paul and Timothy. Paul invited Timothy to join him on one of his missionary
Acts 18:1-3, b24-28. journeys. Timothy eventually became pastor of the dynamic
church at Ephesus.
Paul and Titus. Paul, along with Barnabas, apparently won this Greek-
2 Corinthians 7:6, 13-15, speaking Gentile to the faith and recruited him as travelling
Titus 1:4-5 companion and co-worker.
Titus became a Pastor and, according to tradition, also
became the first bishop of the Island of Crete
B. The need for people to mentor
1. The Church of Jesus Christ is in desperate need for people to Mentor others today.
2. Men establish great works in the Kingdom of God and in many cases when they die
there is no one to hand the work over to.
3. There is a new generation growing up which seeks direction but only a few have
someone to mentor them in their ministry.
C. Ten marks of a Mentor or what to look for in a Mentor
1. Seems to have what you personally need.
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There is something that you admire in him and want. It can be in the following
areas: Knowledge – Attitudes – Habits – Behaviour – Skills.
2. Cultivates Relationships.
He is able to give himself up for another. He knows how to develop and maintain
relationships.
3. Is willing to take a chance on you.
Irrespective of your past or your present condition he is prepared to raise you up.
He is prepared to invest of himself into your life.
4. Is respected by others.
People look up to him and admire him. Read 2 Timothy 2:2.
5. Has a network of resources.
A mentor will help you reach your goals because of WHO they know and WHAT
they know.
6. Is consulted by others.
Other people seek him and desire to learn from him.
7. Both talks and listens.
He not only can advise but he is able to listen to someone and also understand that
person, thus being more effective in giving direction.
Domineering people have never been any source of inspiration to others.
8. Is consistent in his lifestyle.
He does not waver in a storm or a crisis. His lifestyle is the same as it was years
ago.
9. Is able to diagnose your needs.
He listens with his heart and is able to understand you more than any other person
does.
10. Is concerned with your interests.
He knows where you are at and is concerned about where you are heading. He
reveals pitfalls and mistakes which you can make.
Note:
1. Take note of your mentor’s successes and failures.
2. Do not criticize them, but rather learn from them.
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How to Mentor
Lesson 8
Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.
An area in which most of the Church has failed is that, although people have been saved; only
a small percentage of disciples have been made.
Finding someone to Mentor. Jesus as an example:
He never looked at the condition of any of the disciples – He understood them.
He never considered their qualifications – He saw their potential.
He never considered their upbringing – He knew what was in their heart.
GOD DOES NOT CALL THE QUALIFIED
HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED
A. Questions to ask about your Prospect
1. In what way is this person like me?
Do you have anything in common? The more you have in common with someone,
the easier it is to relate to him or her.
2. What are this person’s needs as I see them?
Ask yourself what you see could be the things that are preventing the person from
moving ahead and can you assist in those areas?
3. Do I respond to this person’s need or situation?
Does he/she move my heart? Are you motivated to help? You have to be honest
with yourself.
4. Does the person seem to want my help?
If a person desires nothing from you then you will be of very little help to him/her.
5. Is this the right time to help this person?
The person may be in a position where he/she is not ready to be mentored.
6. Can I relate to this person’s past life?
Each person has a story about their past. Each one of us have been programmed to
live a certain way. Our minds have been conformed to a worldly system. Is it
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possible for you to relate to this person’s past and help him/her to conform to godly
principles?
NEVER LOOK AT CONDITIONS – STATUS
QUALIFICATIONS OR PAST
JESUS NEVER DID
CONSIDER ONLY POTENTIAL
JESUS DID – WITH YOU AND I
B. How can a Mentor serve a follower?
1. He is a source of information.
He is one who has learnt many things in life and is able to impart this to another.
He imparts his life experiences, his failures and successes.
2. He provides wisdom.
In the Bible, wisdom means “the skill of living”.
3. He promotes specific skills and effective behaviour.
One learns how to do things better.
4. He provides feedback.
The mentor is more than a mirror; he is a commentator. He has an informed point
of view. He not only sees but he sees what matters.
5. He coaches.
The job of a coach is to prepare the athlete to win a contest. The job of a mentor is
to prepare someone to win in life.
6. He is a sounding board.
The mentor allows the person being mentored to test ideas and intuitions before
they become agendas and attitudes.
7. He is someone to turn to.
In times of personal problems and crisis we need people whom we trust and
respect. A mentor engenders that kind of confidence.
8. He helps devise plans.
No matter what steps one is taking, a mentor is there to help charter the course.
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9. He nurtures curiosity.
Mentors open doors and do not close them. They show the possibilities,
opportunities and the unexplored.
10. His desire is to see someone as being greater than himself.
The purpose of the mentor is to see someone raised up to be more successful than
himself and who will do the work more effectively.
Example: Elisha was given twice as much anointing as Elijah.
PLEASE GOD BY RAISING UP A PERSON
WHO IS BETTER THAN YOU ARE