Leadership is all about influence. It involves the ability to encourage and inspire others to follow your lead. Spiritual leadership, in particular, involves leading people toward a God-ordained destination through God-ordained behavior.
Exodus 3 provides an excellent example of this. In this chapter, God appears to Moses in a burning bush that miraculously remains unscathed. God reveals Himself as the God of Moses' forefathers -- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- and informs Moses that He is aware of the oppression, cries, and sorrow of His people in Egypt. God then calls upon Moses to deliver the people of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh and out of Egypt. When Moses asks for a sign, God shows him what his leadership will look like.
Exodus 3:12 So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
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There are five things we can learn about spiritual leadership from this passage:
1: God's Presence is Crucial for Spiritual Leadership
To be a spiritual leader, you must have God's presence with you. You need His power, His favor, and His guidance to lead effectively.
2: A Spiritual Leader is Sent by God to Do His Work
The spiritual leader has a sense that God is calling them to do great work, and they submit to His will and serve Him obediently.
3: A Spiritual Leader Travels with Those Whom They Lead
A spiritual leader is not a manager or dictator; they travel with those whom they lead.
4: A Spiritual Leader Guides People from One Spiritual Place to Another
A spiritual leader guides people from one place to another. In Moses's case, he led the Israelites from Egypt to "this mountain." Jesus Christ, the ultimate spiritual leader, takes people from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, from the wrath of God to eternal life.
5: A Spiritual Leader Leads Others to Change Their Behavior
A spiritual leader also leads others to change their behavior. When the ultimate spiritual leader guides us, He leads our behavior in sanctification, from impure thoughts to pure thoughts, from unrighteous behavior to righteous behavior, and from unholy conduct to holy conduct.
Three Key Takeaways
To be an effective spiritual leader, one must prioritize having a strong connection with God and seek His guidance and favor.
A spiritual leader should have a clear sense of God's calling and submit obediently to His will, serving Him in all that they do.
A spiritual leader should aim to travel alongside those they lead, guiding and supporting them through the process of change and growth.