Kingdom Leadership Dynamics Part 2 is a continuation of our study on leadership, in the World system, and the Kingdom of God.
3) Joseph Third Leadership Office ( The Land Of Egypt )
When Joseph showed care and empathy to the King of Egypt’s chief cupbearer and chief baker and solved their problems, which made them sad and worried, though one was favourable and the other was not, he utilized that opportunity to showcase the gift of God in Him;
“ The gift of dream interpretation ’’
It is written in Proverbs 18: 16 ;
“ A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” (KJV)
Every man made by God is made with a unique gift, for his generation which when he puts it to use, will put him or her on the world map and announce him or her to their generation.
The term Man here is generic so when I say man, I mean both man and woman.
It is this gift that God gives to you that will enable you to fulfil your vision and purpose.
Beloved, what you were designed to be known for is your God-given gift.
It is your gift that is the key to your success in life.
Because Joseph solved their problem, he was able to put in a word for himself, to the chief cupbearer, to whom Pharaoh would lift up his head and restore back to his former position of authority to the King as interpreted by Joseph.
…But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.
I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in the dungeon. Genesis 40: 14-15
Did he remember Joseph when he was restored back as the chief cupbearer?
No!
“Pharaoh ‘s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.” Genesis 40:23
Forgotten By Those Who You Helped?
One mistake we make as humans when we render help to fellow mortal men like us is that; when we help, we expect them to show us the same kindness which we showed them.
Truth is, it’s not everyone whom you help will remember to show you kindness.
As a matter of fact, many men and women have died at the hands of men and women whom they helped and showed kindness to.
When you render help or kindness, do so because it’s what’s expected of you as a child of God, not because you expect anything in return.
This will help keep your heart clean, and free of bitterness, whether your act of kindness is reciprocated or not.
This is also where many Pastor, Evangelists, Teachers, and Minister in faith has failed and missed it in their work in God’s vineyard today.
Many of them will say ;
“ If God blesses you in my Church and you leave my Church and go to another church, the blessing will go away”.
Hello! You don’t keep people in the Church by threatening them.
That God brought someone your way who is going through one challenge or the other and you prayed for them and the LORD God used you to minister healing or deliverance in areas where they are struggling, doesn’t mean that automatically they are to be your Church members or that God through your prayers opened financial doors to someone you prayed for, doesn’t mean he or she is to remain in Church where you Pastor as a member,
If he or she stays, fine.
If they wish not to leave, bless them and send them on their way.
It is written in the Scripture;
“ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you received; freely give .” Matthew 10:8(NIV).
Many go as far as charging money for prayers and deliverance, selling all sorts of religious spiritual items like;
Miracle water, and the anointing oil, use all sorts of gimmicks to fleece and get money out of people God brought their way to show kindness to.
According to them; when people come to them for prayers, after praying for them and God answers, they go to other places to give tithe and offerings without recognizing the effort they have put in.
Therefore they have to get everything they can from them after all, a labourer is worthy of his pay.
Yes, it’s written that a workman is worthy of his pay.
… The Laborer is worthy of his reward 1Timothy 5:18
But your master who has called you to work knows how best to pay you for your labour in his vineyard.
There is no act of kindness that goes unrewarded by the LORD God. Search the Scriptures.
David showed kindness to Mephibosheth the disabled son of Jonathan, the grandson of Saul as recorded in the Books of Samuel and Chronicles, because of the kindness Jonathan showed him.
Mephibosheth was five years old when both his father and grandfather died at a battle of Mount Gilboa.
King David when he ascended the throne asked ;
“ Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
See 2 Samuel 9:1-12 for the full story
Jonathan did not reap the kindness he showed to David, but his son Mephibosheth did.
Man of God, you have no excuse for fleecing, abusing, and taking advantage of helpless souls sent to you by God whom you see as a milk cow to feed yourself fat while they go thin.
Joseph Remembered Genesis 41
Joseph who was forgotten by the man whom he helped, was not forgotten by God.
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh dreamt.
He had two dreams in one night.
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men in Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
The LORD God who never forgets gave Pharaoh dreams that all the magicians and wise men in the whole land of Egypt could not interpret, except Joseph.
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
- Recognize Their Source: One distinct quality of a good and seasoned leader is the ability to recognize and acknowledge his source always. This Joseph did when his problem-solving skill of “ gift of dream interpretation ’’ brought him before Pharaoh the king of Egypt, the most powerful man in the whole land of Egypt as seen in Proverbs 18: 16
“ A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” (KJV)
Joseph acknowledged the LORD God as his Source and gave Him glory and honour.
He did not try to impress Pharaoh by ascribing his ability to interpret dreams as his own wisdom and strength.
When God gives and brings opportunities your way for the gifts which He has given to you to speak before great men and Kings, it is not time for you to be puffed up, and ascribe His glory to yourself.
It’s an opportunity to speak of Him (the LORD God), recognize and testify of Him as your Source.
The secret of great leaders whose gifts speak for them always and are indispensable is their ability to always recognize their source; the LORD God.
They are humble before Him, and always give Him the glory due to Him always, irrespective of the person in whose presence they stand.
Be it a King, Queen, Prime Ministers, President, Governor, Minister, Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Local Government, or any office of authority.
In Isiah 42:8, He said;
“ I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to anyone else,
nor share my praise with carved idols.
The day a man of great gift fails to recognize his source, pride creeps in, His source steps aside, and his fall is imminent. The fall might not be immediate but with time, they that have eyes will surely see that something is different because His source has stepped aside, so he is left empty.
It’s also written in Proverbs 16:18 “ Pride comes before destruction and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” Christian Standard Bible (CSB).
God will never ever share his glory with any man.
Joseph knew this which was why he corrected Pharaoh immediately he attributed the ability to interpret dreams to him and pointed him to the source of his gift the LORD God.
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
As stated earlier a good leader is one who identifies a problem and proffers a solution to the identified problem.
Thus as was in the case of his fellow prisoners; the chief baker and the cupbearer, whose problems he identified and solved, Joseph by the Spirit of the LORD God, interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. He did not only interpret the dreams (the problem), he went further to tell Pharaoh the solution to the identified problem his dream revealed; Vs 33-36.
Because Joseph pointed to and recognized the LORD God as his Source in Genesis 41:16, Pharaoh the King of Egypt, had no choice but to identify and recognize Joseph’s Source and His Spirit as the one behind Joseph’s intelligence and wisdom.
“ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or as wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I sitting on my throne will have a rank higher than yours.”
Why?
Joseph passed the final test the LORD God put before him.
What’s this test?
The test of recognizing his Source.
Psalm 105: 19;
Until the time came to fulfil his dreams,
the LORD tested Joseph’s Character.
The LORD God from the day He formed and made Joseph in his mother’s womb, purposed it that a time will come, he will be the second most powerful man in the entire land of Egypt, but he did not just pick him and place him in that position, He tested his character to see if he was fit to handle such great responsibility by:
- Putting him in charge of the household of Potiphar, where he tested him with his master’s wife
- Putting him in charge of his fellow prisoners through the favour of the prison warder.
In these two leadership positions, Joseph proved himself faithful and of good character.
- He did not defile his master’s bed by sleeping with his wife.
- He did not do such a wicked thing and sin against God.
- He showed empathy to fellow prisoners like him.
- He never abused his position by Lording over those he was leading both in Potiphar’s house and in the prison.
- He served and was not served.
Because he passed the first two character tests, he was qualified for the final test which he passed.
This brought about the fulfilment of his dreams in Genesis 37: 5-11
Leadership from what we saw in the life of Joseph, is much more than going to big leadership schools and having big certificates.
Joseph did not attend any big leadership school, but he displayed such leadership skills and qualities that some people if they had been put in the same position as he was, would have failed woefully.
God tested Joseph with real-life events and he did not disappoint.
Beloved reader, the position you are in now, how are you leading?
In that small leadership position, you are occupying now, either in the Church as a; Pastor, Bishop, Evangelist, Deacon, Music leader, Treasurer, Mosque, Palace, Government, Community, Facility Manager, Motor Park, School board, or Bank Manager.
What are you known for?
An emphatic leader? Or
A high-handed leader who cares for no one but himself?
Are you serving or been served?
Are you a leader who proffers solutions to problems? Or
Are you the leader that creates problems for his followers?
Are you pointing people to your source, or are you boasting that it’s your abilities that have brought you into that position?
Are you using your position to serve and put a smile on the face of your followers or are you using your position to oppress and bring them pain?
If Joseph had used his position in the prison when the prison warder put him in charge of the prison and other prisoners to oppress the chief cupbearer of the king of Egypt, would he have recommended him to the King?
If the LORD God is to carry out a Promotional Evaluation Test today, will you pass or be demoted?
Will you be given more responsibilities or will even the small position you are occupying now be taken away from you?
Beloved no man occupies any leadership position anywhere in the world if the LORD God doesn’t will it to be so. And every leadership position anyone occupies is a test of your character to either promote or demote the one being tested.
In our opening text Jesus Christ said;
“ You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be a servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave…
Leadership in the world system is that of the leader being served, where they oppress and lord over their people.
But for us as God’s children, it is not so.
In the kingdom of God, leaders serve and are not served. And anyone in the kingdom who desires to be first among the people of the kingdom must be a slave.
Joseph was a slave who served, and while in service, pointed the world to his source, the LORD God, and the LORD whom he recognized, promoted him in the eyes of the world.
Beloved, you can not say you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and your life, deeds, and action are contrary to his life and way of doing things.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus Christ served and was not served while he was here on earth. He did not only serve, at every opportunity He had, He pointed his followers and listeners back to the Father as His source always.
The leadership position you occupy is to serve and point your followers back to your source the LORD God.
It is “Not” for you to be served, feed yourself and your household, while you enjoy the best luxury that life has to offer, enrich your pocket nor point yourself (your educational prowess or human wisdom or strength) as the source of the gift which has put you in that position today.
Joseph served and pointed the LORD God to Pharaoh as his Source,
Jesus Christ served and pointed to the Father as His Source.
Are you doing the same?
Remember until the time for your dream to be fulfilled, your character is been tested.
What will your result be?
I leave you to decide.
God Bless You
Kingdom Leadership Dynamics Part 1
