TOPIC: Leadership Lessons From Bible Characters (XII)
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:12-21
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
MEMORY VERSE: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
Passion and commitment are inversely proportional to each other.
PRAISE WORSHIP: Take a worship song as led by the Holy Spirit
PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY:
I PROPHESY THAT GOD WILL SET YOU APART AND USE YOU FOR SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS IN THESE LAST DAYS, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
MFM Daily Devotional 12 August 2021 Thursday MESSAGE:
When I read the “Foxes’ Book of Martyrs”, I came to the conclusion that great people especially exceptional leaders, die for ideas and principles they believe in and are passionate about. From Stephen to all the apostles (except John the Beloved) and many others like that, in life and in death, Paul and these martyrs proved the truth that leaders are passionate for what they believe in.
Paul, through out his life recorded in Acts, was a very zealous individual. As a Pharisee, he violently opposed the spread of Christianity, going out of his way to see Christians killed and imprisoned. When Jesus appeared to him in Acts 9 and changed his mind, he became equally adamant about the truth of Christianity. Paul travelled across all of the known world, spreading the message about Jesus and establishing churches everywhere he went. Leaders are driven by a sense of purpose. Leaders have a fire lit under them and feel compelled to accomplish their objectives. There is no place for apathy in the life of a leader. Leaders always care… and care deeply.
One renown writer described Paul as a man of grit. Though he was the last to encounter Jesus among the apostles, his passion for Christ and his divine assignment as well as the fire and zeal that accompanied him was second to none. That was what made him to say, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.” He was simply unstoppable. Persecution, intimidation, hunger, threat of death could not stop him. He also said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. He added that he became everything to everyone that he might win souls for Christ. His passion was legendary and remains a shining example for us to follow today. That must be the reason that he successfully finished his course. He fulfilled his divine assignment and announced that a crown of righteousness was awaiting him.
Beloved, are you as passionate about your faith as this distinguished apostle? Can you bear all that Paul bore for the sake of the gospel and of Christ? Will you serve God with zeal and passion as Paul did? If you answer these questions in the affirmative, you will also receive a crown of righteousness and glory.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
- Father, give me the grace to be passionate about You and my faith in You, in the name of Jesus.
- The grace to be willing to do anything for You and go anywhere for You, O Lord, give it to me, in the name of Jesus.
- As You converted Saul of Tarsus to Apostle Paul, Father, convert me to a vessel unto honour, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
- Father, give me the grace to serve You with genuine zeal and passion, in the name of Jesus.
- I bind and cast the spirit of apathy out of my life, in the name of Jesus.
- I receive the grace to be totally committed to living God’s word, in the name of Jesus.
- I shall not be demoted, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 32-34
MFM Daily Devotional 12 August 2021. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) is a Pentecostal denomination founded in Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria in 1989, now with churches in several countries. It was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya
