The Law of the Inner Circle Part 6

Development Beats Discouragement-1 Kings 19:4-10

Discouragement buries many land mines in our path: It hurts our self-image; it causes us to evade our responsibilities; it prompts us to blame others for our problems; it helps us to blur the facts. We tend to lead according to the way we feel about ourselves.

Elijah became one discouraged leader after his confrontation with Jezebel. Emotionally drained, physically spent, full of self-pity and ready to die, he looked haggard and nearly done in. So, what did God do to help the prophet through his deep discouragement? He told him to select and develop another leader, Elisha. Their relationship suggests several observations about leadership:

1. God desires to continually raise up leaders (1 Kings 19:16).
2. The leader fines and challenges the potential leader (1 Kings 19:19, 20).
3. The potential leader counts the cost, pays the price and follows (1 Kings 19:20, 21).
4. The potential leaders stays close to and shadows the leader (2 Kings 2:2-8).
5. The potential leader covets the power of God that he sees in the leader (2 Kings 2:9, 10).
6. The leader passes his authority to the potential leader (2 Kings 2:11-13).
7. Others recognize the transfer of spiritual authority (2 Kings 2:14, 15).

Join me next time for The Law of the Inner Circle Part 7