Kingdom Principle:    The Kingdom Leaders are set apart with credibility.

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Psalm 1 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19

A mirror is a tool which reveals only what it is given. Much like yeast in the Bible, a mirror has both negative and positive connotations. (yeast pos. Matt 13:33, neg. Matt 16:6) Another post reveals the positive qualities of the mirror, this one is the other… The mirror confirms what you “is” but cannot tell you what is possible, when what we see does not meet our expectations we don’t get mad at the mirror (at least not those with sanity). For this reason, the mirror rarely moves us forward, rather it maintains previous expectations or worse sends us backwards on our “but”. James 1 tells us we are fools if we look in the mirror, then forget what we look like as we walk away, yet that is the practice of many leaders in the world. Leaders who are fools view every matter that comes their way as problem to fix, people are obstacles to overcome, and success is merely a ladder to climb. They use the mirror to tell them what they already know.

Kingdom Leaders have no need for a mirror in this world. They see their reflection only in Jesus. They are not looking for the approval of the world to justify their worth nor are they looking for advancement to justify their work. True leaders are those people to whom others look to for guidance, security, power and wisdom. Kingdom Leaders are those who looking to the King for their guidance, security, power and wisdom. There are leaders in every domain of life – (there are 8 domains – government, business, education, medicine/technology, church/religion, service & communication, family and arts & leisure) While each of these domains has leaders – not all of these leaders are Kingdom Leaders. Even those who are leaders in the domain of the church are not by default Kingdom Leaders. Kingdom Leaders are those who are fulfilling their Co-mmission.. To be on Mission is the very call that Christ Jesus had from the Father and he gave to his disciple.

Kingdom leaders are set apart from other leaders based on their credibility. Credibility increases by living in intimacy, fecundity & ecstasy with the King (see the previous post) in a way that doesn’t lead to idolatry. This is because their work and their worth are established apart from the world. Their identity has been anchored in them by the Father. When our credibility is based solely on our efforts, failure becomes our downfall. When our credibility is established in partnership with Jesus, any shortcoming is now covered in forgiveness and grace. The result is we no longer cover our failure, rather we embrace and learn for it producing in us a great level of credibility. Jesus prays for this reality in John 17.  Our credibility grows as these prayers are answered in our lives.

1. (vs. 11) Protection that they may be one as Jesus and the Father are one.
2. (vs. 15) Protection as they remain in the world from the evil one.
3. (vs. 17) Sanctity them by the truth.

The opposite of this prayer is the mission of Satan – his mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Overall we see that credibility is diminished when discord and anxiety (in general chaos) abounds in our lives. Since Jesus’ prayer is not to remove us from the world, we must find a way to live in such a way that we become overcomes of the World (1 John 5:3-5) This ability is given to us by the testimony of Jesus – this testimony is called Favor – we come alongside this favor to develop our credibility as expressed through our character, as humility & hospitality– taking us back to our very Commission. Let me not lead you to believe that leadership is easy, nor is it simply a gift, but it is taken on by both grace and effort. Psalm 1:2-3 emphasizes how the blessed Kingdom Leader puts forth effort to increase their credibility –

1. mediation on the Word of God, (v.2)
2. filling of the Spirit, (v. 3 being rooted in living water)
3. being prepared to serve in all ways at all times… (yielding fruit and prosperity)

The first thing to ponder based on this post is  Do you consider yourself a leader?

In short – All leaders have influence. Do you acknowledge your influence? (this can be both positive and negative – just like mirrors) All Christians are called to be the salt and light of the world (Matt 5:13-16) – this to have influence and impact in the world. My forgone conclusion is that as a believer you are called to be a leader. This call to leadership is actualized by others in our credibility. As you embrace credibility, establish by Jesus’s grace and confirm by your effort – you fill find leadership opportunities abounding before you.

Consider again the Kingdom domains, in which domain might you increase your influence? Simply to acknowledge this possibility is to increase your influence and to test (strengthen) your credibility.

In conclusion – Don’t look to the mirror to answer the question, am I a leader! Rather let the world be your mirror in such a way that you might verify the prayers of Jesus for you, to be in the world.

Want more info…. This info below is taken from others posts which are linked above:

Leaders learn to find balance in their being and their doing.  This is identified by:

Consistency (being) + Credibility (doing) = Change (becoming).

To lead and to be comfortable with change, a leader must have their own personal compass that does not change. This compass is their calling. Calling happens in a moment, and is refined and clarified throughout the commission of the leader’s life.

Calling happens in a moment’s time, and is unique to each person. For some it seems as if they must receive multiple calls from God before they every truly pick up on the other side of the call. Both Paul and Peter hear the call of Jesus to “Follow Me”. Peter hears these words directly (Matt. 4:18-20), while Paul is blinded and told where to go and what to do (Acts 9:6, 22:10). Our Calling is revealed in our Blindness – what we once did not see we now are able to see. For Peter, His calling matured over a longer period of time – but he two had his eyes opened (Matthew 16:15-17). Paul we read the story this week – it was a matter of three days and Ananias prayed for his eyes to be opened…

Choosing happens throughout a life time.  This is the process of our brokenness and wilderness experiences where we come to know and trust the Lord.  Here is where we see Peter as a sprinter and Paul as a marathon runner. Peter often and quickly chooses to sprint off to accomplish a task for the Lord, only to discover it was on his strength and his will that things were pursued. Paul’s choosing is a long obedience in the same direction. In choosing we encounter Brokenness. Paul is told by Jesus how much he will have to suffer, but also what his Commissioning will be. (Acts 9:15-16) Without being totally broken we will not chose the Lord, he has Called and Chosen us – but now we must choose him and “Get Set”… Matthew 22:14 states that “many are called but few are chosen”

Commissioning begins in a moment and culminates in a life time.  To be faithful follower of Jesus Christ, we are to be both called (our eyes open) and chosen (our heart set for Christ). (1 Peter2:9, Rev. 17:14) Calling is an act of God of alone, Choosing falls on both, God and us, while Commissioning returns to be an act of God in response to our choosing His will over ours. Since Choosing is a process that never ends, in making the choices that surrender our will to his, our commissioning is clarified which brings God’s Blessing and Favor in our lives.  Again to be commissioned is an act of God that takes but a moment, but culminates in a life time.  Commissioning is identified in favor, which is grasped only by faith. Faith again is the root of our identity.