by Glenice Mills
As I have been seeking the Lord about this year He has been speaking to me about leadership. This is not only about church leadership but leadership of nations.
We saw last year a new arising of the voice of what could be called the ‘average person’. There was a stirring of one’s who were usually quiet and content to go along with what was happening to them. Previously they had willingly accepted the way the leaders of their nation had conducted themselves. However, there is now a deep rumbling discontent coming to the fore changing the way leadership is outworked. People are no longer lying down quietly accepting all that is being told to them by government leaders. Instead there is a questioning, confronting openness being demanded. In fact it is open, honest government, with a greater accountability expected from the leaders towards the people. It is truly democracy at work. This is good as greater requirements are put on those who are positioned to lead. People are becoming more concerned about the character of their leaders. The days of charismatic, endearing leaders with the ‘gift of the gab’ taking the lead is over. The people are not that easily beguiled anymore. It is in fact healthy and is a paradigm shift back to Godly character.
I have been asking the Lord about the areas of leadership and He showed me it is about WHAT leadership looks like, and HOW leadership is done.
A leader represents the country/organization and how they present themselves is a reflection of the people they represent. A leader is also one who is supposed to model appropriate behaviour that the people want to aspire to. For example if a leader is ungodly in their conduct toward the other sex then it shows a picture of the nation as a whole also behaving this way. We have seen the downfall of leaders of nations because of sexual infidelity. This has and is resulting in a higher standard of behaviour expected of those in positions of authority. If this does not happen then respect is lost and mocking and ridicule of the leader and nation results. Italy is a good example of this.
Perhaps one of the saddest indictments upon leadership is the apparent loss and lack of loyalty. There was a time when government leaders were loyal to the Prime Minister/President and to the party/organization they represented. Without loyalty there is no respect. Loyalty and respect go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Loyalty is being steadfast and faithful in allegiance. We certainly do not see that politically here in Australia.
This year is a year where leadership is going to change on many fronts and in different ways. As the people rise and make their opinions known there will be new leadership with greater accountability demanded by the people. We will also see the increasing rise of ungodly leaders out to shut the opinions of their people, particularly in the Middle East. There will be a great unsettling in European nations as the people increasingly speak out against their leaders. This will be so particularly in Italy, Greece, Spain, France and Portugal.
It will bring increasing volatility in the financial markets that has the potential to trigger world recession. America will arise as a stable voice bringing a settling of the European markets as long as America holds onto its Godly principles. There is an increasing contending between those standing for leadership in America as the people desire to come back to their Christian roots. The standard of behaviour of those in leadership positions throughout key nations will be expected to improve as the people stand with and alongside those who openly speak what is right, and speak of their Christian faith. It is opportunity for the voice of the Christians to be heard, only if they will speak up and speak out against injustice, prejudice and inequality. Common sense will prevail. There are some surprises coming to the Presidential election in America as the Lord does some shaking and exposing of double standards that have the potential to be critical to the outcome of the election. It has the potential to either put America back into position as a leading nation or send them down a road where their power will be belittled and they will actually be the laughing stock of many key nations. It is time for America to humble themselves before Mighty God, acknowledging their need of Him like never before. It is particularly crucial that all pride is repented of, where there has been a thinking of ‘self made’ by one’s own hands, without acknowledgment of God. America is on the cusp of balance tipping one way or the other depending on the heart of its people. America prides itself on being a Christian nation, and now is the time for Truth to be spoken and for its Government leadership to actually take the lead and lead from the Christian faith base.
As they do this nations leaders will be drawn to them and will stand with and support their stand for righteousness. It is the beginning of the separation of the sheep and goat nations and the difference between the two will be more obvious.
The Lord keeps showing me the ADDRESSING OF IMBALANCE so the foundation of truth can come. Society has tried many ‘doctrines’ and gone down lots of roads thinking they have hit the truth - the right way of doing things. However disillusion is waking the people up to question and to search out for ways of making life better.
The disillusion and discontent is actually the fuel for the stirring of the people to speak up, and to call in change. Many have tried to make things happen but the revelation that it is all ‘blowing in the wind’ and comes to nothing is the catalyst for change. This change will bring about greater requirements upon those in leadership positions.
So WHAT will leadership look like?
This year will see many changes in leaders of nations. There is a divine shift back to leaders prepared to stand for what they believe in and to go against the flow of popular opinion if necessary to bring about stability to their nation. The recent release of the movie ‘The Iron Lady’ about Margaret Thatcher is inspiring as we see a woman prepared to make a stand, to lead and to go against the flow of popular opinion in order to bring good. She did not bow to people’s demands, but rather led even if it meant increasing personal unpopularity. She stood for her convictions. That is courage under fire! She is well deserving of a movie about her life and it is great to see her portrayal at this time to remind us of what it is to have true leadership.
The voice of the everyday person will be listened to with a new respect of all who have much to contribute to the good of nations.
There is a contending for democracy in some nations and as the voice of the people arise there will be change and their voices will be heard.
The imbalance of power of key nations will be redressed so that stability will come and the schemes of man’s desire for power in the wrong way will be exposed.
So HOW will leadership be done?
There will be greater accountability with the behaviour of those holding leadership positions. Ungodly behaviour by leaders will not be tolerated and the people will speak out bringing unrest and destabilising power.
It will be less about the ‘celebrity’ of the leader and more about the content of policies. There will be less emotion and more practical resolutions to problems. The media will have to be more balanced in their reporting so any bias will be shut down so a fair and equal measure of debate and reporting will prevail. Superficiality will not suffice. It will be about depth of calibre of the person and what they have to offer to bring resolution to problems. The people will be looking for the honesty and integrity of leaders, ones they can learn to trust.
Leaders are to inspire people. For too long leaders have got by in falsity from a foundation of ‘what’s in it for me’. There will be a shift of thinking to ‘how can I help everyone to come into bigger and better things’.
Leaders must have a vision and be able to take the people along with them so everyone embraces the changes. It will no longer be about factions and power to an elite group saying this is how it is and how it will be but rather about what is best for the nation to take it forward into the new things.
It will require vision, passion, and patriotism and the laying aside of one’s ambition for the good of the people and the nation. Man’s selfish agendas will no longer work, but the big picture vision of planning ahead for not only the short term but long term gain for the good of all.
We are instructed to pray for our leaders, those in authority, and this is a critical time to be doing this. There are many corrupt leaders who have wielded power in very ungodly ways and some will be exposed in coming days. Often much goes on behind the scenes, hidden - however the Lord sees. We cannot fool Him! Many nations are on the cusp of huge change of power and in this time of vulnerability. It is paramount that we pray for Godly leadership.
The Lord alerted me that this year is all about leadership, therefore we must be praying for our leaders. It is on His heart, and we have a responsibility to do all we can to stand for Truth and to pray His will be done in our nation and the nations.
I will write about church leadership in a forthcoming article because unless and until church leadership is in Godly order we cannot expect our own governments to be in order. The two interrelate.
1 John 5:14,15
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
