Week 1: Seven Necessary Ingredients for a Leader in War

Everyone has the potential to lead in some capacity or another. If you become a truly devoted follower of Christ as his disciple, you will be a leader among others who have not yet obtained the knowledge and understanding you’ll acquire during this discipleship journey. You’ll also learn how to lead through the struggles you’ll encounter by being a disciple. It isn’t an easy road to plow. Nothing worth acquiring comes easy. You will be faced again and again with the temptation to quit and go back to the more comfortable life of remaining ignorant to the things of God. This is a road of learning, of warfare, of struggle and, ultimately, life! Our common enemy, Satan, will not sit back and allow this to happen without opposition and resistance. But if we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7).

You and I are a part of God’s great and divine strategy of evangelism through discipleship. It is apostolic and pioneering—infiltrating virgin territory waiting to soak up the rays of God’s light. To accomplish this, you are going into strict training that will equip you with skills and weapons you’ve never before been armed with. These will come in the way of knowledge accompanied by tangible encounters with God that will increase your faith in his sovereign love and power. We are at war! Not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of the air, against spiritual authorities and powers of this dark world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 6:12). Nominal, “spectator” Christians will not be bothered by Satan, because they’re no threat to him; they have no kingdom influence on the world around them. But not the same for a disciple who grows into a leader/influencer of other disciples. A leader who empowers, equips and releases powerful men and women into their own destiny in Christ. Such a leader won’t become a leader overnight. It’s incremental and progressive. There will be battles won and battles lost, but in the end, the entire war will be won through perseverance.

In WWII, the notable British Field-Marshall General, Lord Montgomery, said there were seven necessary ingredients in a leader in war:

• They should be able to sit back and avoid getting immersed in detail. They’re not micro-managers.
• They must not be petty and narrow-minded.
• They must not be pompous or arrogant.
• They must be able to discern and pick the best men and women to lead others.
• They should trust those who are under them and let them get on with their job without interference.
• They must have the power of clear decision.
• They should inspire confidence in others to do what they’re uncertain of doing.

What you are called to do as a disciple is to develop these qualities. For some, they come naturally by gifting. Others will come by them through trial and error. Either way, they will develop and the quickest way they’ll develop is through discipleship. It is the best vehicle for training leaders. It is what Christ did with his disciples—and His church remains to this day.

Download in PDF format