Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulSýnishorn

Two Ways of Leading

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Yesterday we saw that leadership is a joint venture between us and the Holy Spirit. Today I want to drill down on that idea by discussing two ways of leading. We can either lead in the flesh or we can lead in the Spirit. This is a fundamental choice that we have to make on a daily, even moment-by-moment basis.

As leaders, we have been hard-wired with a bias for action and a need to get things done. This tendency makes us proactive initiators of change. But that strength can actually become a liability. If we aren’t careful, we can have a knee-jerk reaction, jump to conclusions, and take actions that aren’t fully informed.

To overcome this tendency, we must yield to the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. This requires a conscious effort on our part to allow the Spirit to give us the wisdom and discernment we need for every situation. We need his guidance to help us see between the lines and understand the underlying dynamics that are at work in every relationship or problem-solving opportunity. This should be a routine and on-going process not just reserved for big strategic decisions. It should be part of our “walk” as followers of Christ.

Paul frequently uses “walk” as an analogy for our life in Christ.  We usually think of walking as traveling by foot, but in the original language, walk has a broader meaning than just traveling by foot. A person’s “walk” reflects a habitual way of life. This fuller sense of the word is what Paul has in mind when he instructs us to “walk by the Spirit” or “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).

Let’s apply that in the context of our role as leaders. As leaders we should make leading by the spirit our habitual way of leading. If we are leading in the flesh, the result will be the various deeds of the flesh that are listed in Galatians 5:19-21: antagonism, unhealthy competition, angry outbursts, and dysfunctional rivalry. Yet, if we are being led by and leading in the Spirit, there will be peace, kindness, and gentleness.

Leading in the Spirit is a joint venture between the Spirit and the believer. As leaders who are believers, we are instructed to let the Spirit work within us to accomplish His purposes.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:15–16)

If we are led by the Spirit, let us also lead by the Spirit.

Reflect and Act on these questions:

• Where are you most tempted to lead in the flesh? At work? In your family?
• Invite the Spirit to conduct an audit of your leadership.
• What “deeds of the flesh” do you see in your leadership?
• Where do you see the “fruit of the spirit” as a result of your leadership?
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you yield to his promptings and guidance as you walk through the day. Ask him to prep you for the crucial conversations and key decisions you know you need to make.