THE FAULT FOUND IN MOSES' LEADERSHIP STYLE OR PATTERN 1
13 AND SO IT WAS, ON THE NEXT DAY, THAT MOSES SAT TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE; AND THE PEOPLE STOOD BEFORE MOSES FROM MORNING UNTIL EVENING.
14 So when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “WHAT IS THIS THING THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THE PEOPLE? WHY DO YOU ALONE SIT, AND ALL THE PEOPLE STAND BEFORE YOU FROM MORNING UNTIL EVENING?”
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, “BECAUSE THE PEOPLE COME TO ME TO INQUIRE OF GOD.
16 WHEN THEY HAVE A DIFFICULTY, THEY COME TO ME, AND I JUDGE BETWEEN ONE AND ANOTHER; AND I MAKE KNOWN THE STATUTES OF GOD AND HIS LAWS.”
17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “THE THING THAT YOU DO IS NOT GOOD.
18 BOTH YOU AND THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE WITH YOU WILL SURELY WEAR YOURSELVES OUT. FOR THIS THING IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU; YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM IT BY YOURSELF."
Exodus 18:13-18 (NKJV)
When Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, visited him and observed how he led the the people, he spotted an error in the style or pattern of leadership he was using. This made Jethro offer Moses a good advice or counsel that would help him in his leadership or ministry assignment (Exodus 18:19).
Moses started with a leadership pattern that could wear him out and the people he was leading. He was solely responsible to attend to all the needs of about 1.3 millions of people. There was no way he could have solely done that without being worn out; burnt-out and collapsed (Exodus 18:17,18).
This same mistake is still being made by any number of ministry leaders today. This leadership pattern, exhibited by Moses, is commonly found with the ministers who build their ministries on their gifts—mostly those with prophetic gift.
You would see a minister, prophet or whoever, sit from morning till evening; counseling, praying, seeing visions, for the people who come to see him or her. Some people would be there for eight hours, waiting to see the minister of God.
The truth is: the new testament prophets are not meant to operate like the old testament prophets. In the old testament days, the people, Israelites, being ministered to were not regenerated, their spirits were not reborn (John 3:3-5). Because their spirits were not reborn, they could not relate with God one on one, worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24). Thus, they needed an intermediary, a go-between, when they needed to see or talk with God. They needed a priest to take their matters to God in prayer, go before Him in the Holy of holies, or the Holiest of all, where His presence was shut in (Hebrews 5:1-3; 9:2-7).
And when the ministry of prophets was introduced, the prophets were to receive a message from God and deliver it to the people, the Israelites. The ministry of prophets actually started coming to light from the time of Samuel, who was the last Judge and juxtaposed as a prophet.
A prophet's main assignment is to be God's mouthpiece, a messenger sent to deliver God's messages given to him or her. The old testament people might need to go and queue up before a prophet in order to know the mind of God on whatever they wanted to do (Exodus 18:13), because they could not relate with God one on one and could not hear or be led by Him, God—their spirit was dead, not reborn and unregenerate. They could not worship God in spirit and truth and could not hear from Him (John 4:23; Romans 8:14).
However, Jesus Christ has come to reconcile us, the mankind, to God through faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:18,19).
What are the peculiarities of the new testament believers:
a. The new testament believers had a reborn or regenerated spirit, they could worship or relate with God with their spirits (John 4:23,24).
b. Believers in Christ Jesus have access to God, they can relate with Him—go before Him without any intermediary or go-between—one on one through the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:18-22). This was not possible in the old testament.
c. The Holy Spirit resides on the inside of the new testament believers, thus they can commune and fellowship with God through Him (John 14:16,17,26; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16).
d. The new testament believers can also be led by the Holy Spirit of God: "FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THESE ARE SONS OF GOD" (Romans 8:14 NKJV).
READ: John 14:16,26; 16:13-15; Romans 8:9
In the light of these, going to queue up before a minister or a prophet to receive guidance or direction is not a pattern to be adopted or encouraged or imbibed in the new testament by any believer or minister.
The main pattern of operation of the new testament prophets should be: to confirm, amplify, and clarify.
Since every believer supposed to have the Holy Spirit on the inside of him or her, such should be able to know how to be simply led by the Holy Spirit on the inside of them, through inward witnesses (Romans 8:9,14).
The main sign that you are a child of God, son or daughter of God, is being able to be led by the Holy Spirit: "FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THESE ARE SONS OF GOD" (Romans 8:14 NKJV).
Now, How do the new testament prophets supposed to operate?
a. Every minister in the fivefold ministry should first of all be a preacher or teacher of the word of God, the Bible—in order to equip the saints, the believers, for the work of ministry and edification of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11,12).
b. If a minister, who is also a prophet, is ministering the word, the Bible, and the Spirit of God decided to move and begin to reveal things to him or her about the people, that is all right. It is the discretion of the Holy Spirit to move into the prophetic at such a moment. But, If there was no move of the Holy Spirit into the prophetic, let the minister stick to the Bible ministration. The Bible, the word of God, is anointed. If you preached or taught it, the people would still be blessed. It is not only through prophecies or being prophetic that the people can be blessed and have their needs met. Peace.
TO BE CONTINUED
Note:
a. I want you to follow us for more edifying content.
b. Endeavour to share this message. God bless you.