Preeminence of Christ
(9) “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not
cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with
the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;
(10) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him,
being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God;
(11) strengthened with all might, according to His glorious
power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy;
(12) Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
(13) He has delivered us from the power of darkness and
conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
(14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins.
(15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.
(16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and
that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or principalities or powers. All things were
created through Him and for Him.
(17) And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
(18) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things
He may have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1 : 9–18 NKJV
These words of Scripture are some of the most powerful within the Bible. These words strike right at the heart of the matter of being a true believer and also of the truth about the creative power of God and His position in the overall order of all things in the heavens and the earth. In short, God pre-existed before creation, He created everything in the heavens and the earth, He is supreme in all authority, He governs and controls all of the affairs of all men, dominions, principalities, and/or powers here on earth. That’s it, period!
All really good leaders of men and women fully understand the truth that they are to always be in a mentally and spiritually growing state of being. Personal growth is the life blood of a long term leader.
One of the main characteristics of all good leaders is that they are and they remain Teachable. By remaining teachable at all times and in all good things, all of the great leaders of people are to be Lifelong Learners….Are you one such person?
Possessing knowledge and then applying what you know are two completely different things. Good and effective leadership of people is not just an intellectual thing. Lots of so-called leaders know a great deal about what they are attempting to accomplish. However, many of such folks have no clue as to how to apply their learned knowledge. Hence they are ineffective leaders.
Always remember the great truth of life…You cannot give way that which you do not have to give. It is for this very reason that all great leaders possess good and great people skills. They simply know how to get along well with their followers and influence them into greater levels of performance and accomplishment. These type leaders are edifiers and encouragers. They are always available to those people they are leading. They don’t sit back and wait for their followers to come to them,…or for their followers to invite themselves to different events, functions, or times of gathering with their leader. Long-term leaders are quite the opposite…they go to their followers. They invite their sub-leaders to get together with them. They make themselves available. They initiate time together with their followers. This is precisely why “introverts” never make good or great leaders. Now please use some common sense. If you are an introvert, please do not use that last statement as an excuse to stop working and growing or totally give up on your creative efforts or business building operations. Just remember, God has given everyone the ability to change. Introverts can first change and then become great leaders of people.
Allow me to share with you the difference between (1) knowing what to do and then (2) doing what needs to be done.
Teachability begins with knowledge, then it moves to understanding, and lastly it results in application. That is the way that God designed and intended things to work
YOU ARE TEACHABLE IF YOU ARE CHANGING.
It has been my experience that all of the really great leaders from throughout history all possess several like kind characteristics. They are highly knowledgeable men or women, they are internally driven people, they are extremely confident people, they are highly motivated people and do not have to be urged on to perform required duties. The great leaders are extroverts and move with a purpose in all that they do. There is one thing however, that sets the really great leaders apart from all of the other leaders…All great leaders have a highly developed and lengthening (growing) Spiritual Root to their lives. That is to say that they read and feed on the Word of God on a daily basis. They are a member of a local church and regularly attend worship services (not just when it is convenient and they feel good about going), they are actively involved in many different types and kinds of community activities, in which they are always being very generous. These folks love and serve their fellow man, regardless of his position or station in life. Most importantly they continue to remain teachable and listen carefully to the guidance and counsel they receive from their personal mentors, who they themselves are great leaders in the same field of endeavor…not just their hired assistants or socially engaged personal friends. These great leaders of people are always very humble and do not usually draw much attention to themselves.
As you continue to grow your own leadership abilities and press on to higher levels of life, realize that all of the great leaders within our societies never started out at the top. They did just as you are now doing…they worked their way to the top.
Once they arrive at their chosen destination, they continue to stay humble and mentally and spiritually grow their minds so as to be used by God Almighty in a greater manner and way for the benefit of all mankind.
Always remember, Jesus Christ is Superior to Everyone,…because He is the Creator of the Universe,…that’s why!
The Apostle Paul clearly was a strong leader. It is very interesting to note that Paul was constantly declaring his total submission to the leadership of Christ. All great leaders were first good and dedicated followers. They never forgot who they were and what they did as such.
Paul was always going around verbally and by his own example painting a very clear picture of Jesus’ supremacy over every authority on earth. Paul always taught that our Lord, Jesus Christ, redeems and transforms all those who choose to follow Him and be obedient to His guidance. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, who created everything, including other leaders and authorities.
Christ takes priority among every created thing as the “first-born from the dead.”
If you truly desire to become a great leader of people, then you now have a good idea of what it is going to take for you to do to become one. It is for these very reasons discussed above that leadership is a developed skill and occurs over a long period of time. Stick power and increasing personal growth are the keys to accomplishing your mission.
Leaders Gotta Lead……………….