Dt. 8:5-6 π Job 5:17 π Psa. 94:12 π Eccl. 11:9 π Eccl. 11:10 π Isa. 3:4 π Isa. 11:6 π Jn. 15:2 π Jn. 15:7 π 2 Cor. 1:12 π 2 Tim. 2:6 π Heb. 12:11
“The hard-working farmer must be first to partake of the crops.” ( 2 Tim. 2:6; top )
The sifting of a Christian’s character to get him ready for true Christian leadership is a time-consuming process, and just reading Scripture and attending seminars will not produce the necessary fruits. Chastening from the Lord must occur to get us to walk in the obedient ways of the Father. “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” ( Jn. 15:2; top )
“…So the Lord chastens you, therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord to walk in His way…” ( Dt. 8:5-6; top )
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness…” ( Heb. 12:11; top )“Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord…” ( Psa. 94:12; top )
“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects…” ( Job 5:17; top )
True spiritual leadership will produce fruitful spiritual actions and results. Therefore, we are to let the Holy Spirit redirect our natural thinking through constant trials and chastenings, until it comes into line with the mind of the Holy Spirit. The condition for being able to properly discern by spiritual thinking is: “If you abide in Me (totally) and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will…” ( Jn. 15:7; top )
Just because we are anointed by the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean everything we do and say is right. Our natural reasoning must be redirected toward total subordination and rule by the Holy Spirit and, if we stay true to the Holy Spirit, He reestablishes our mind, clears out the fleshly thinking and illuminates our thinking by His Spirit of truth. This Holy Spirit chastening procedure is constantly repeated during our lifetime. It starts out with general Christian principles to begin with, and gradually refines us until we get to a place where the fine line of Christian thinking and obedience to the Holy Spirit is unified, so we have the mind of Christ.
This is why young Christian leadership is almost nonexistent in the Scripture. The young leadership hasn’t had time to get rid of its fleshly wisdom, as it takes lengthy dealings and chastenings of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the necessary refinement of spiritual thinking and wisdom. “…Not with fleshly wisdom.” ( 2 Cor. 1:12; top ) Our older Christian leadership isn’t too desirable either, as the body of Christ remains divided, disloyal, fragmented and ailing.
Evil powers know that if they can make a mixture of truth, faith will eventually be neutralized; and history in the Christian Church proves it.
Concerning young leadership: It’s as if older leadership has desired to relinquish its responsibility at a time when they would be the most fruitful.
“…For childhood and youth are vanity.” ( Eccl. 11:10; top )
“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth…but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.” ( Eccl. 11:9; top )
In Isaiah, the Lord put children to rule over the people as a form of judgment. ( Isa. 3:4; top )
“…A little child shall lead them” ( Isa. 11:6; top ) is referring to the conditions during the Millennium, when children shall lead animals.
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