People are asking, “How can I be the number one leader?” I want to tell you how.
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17).
On the third day after Saul’s conversion, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. About nine years afterwards he was filled anew. Barnabas, filled with the Holy Spirit, went and took Paul who was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible orders names according to standing. Never was John named before Peter. When the Holy Spirit puts someone first, it is a spiritual position. But spiritual position is not automatically maintained. Such an order, for the elders of your church, may not follow the order of ordination. It is an order according to how they have faithfully followed God, according to spiritual weight. In Acts 13:1 we read,
“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.”
This was a heterogeneous leadership. It was made up of people who came from different places. This is important to God. God is interested in a heterogeneous church. That is why He made the church in Antioch a missionary base. In Yaounde, there are 26 tribes represented in the eldership. It makes it a good missionary centre. It weakens tribal inclinations. The church in Jerusalem was a Jewish church. Because Jerusalem remained mono-lingual and mono-cultural, God could not use it as a missionary base. He moved to Antioch. Barnabas came from Cyprus, Simon came from Africa, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen came from Israel and Saul from Tarsus. While they were fasting and worshipping God, the Holy Spirit spoke. They were a fasting, praying leadership team. Barnabas (Number 1) and Paul (Number 5) were sent off as apostles. In verse nine of Acts 13, Paul goes through a spiritual experience: “Then Saul who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit”. Paul entered a new level of sur- render. He paid a new price in following Jesus. Paul’s encounter with the Holy Spirit in verse nine was so deep, so high, and so wide that it brought a leadership transposition. In verse thirteen, Paul had now become the leader, and Barnabas joined the company of Paul. Paul went so far ahead, that it was now Paul and his companions. After that experience, we find that order maintained.
The Bible says; At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish Synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed (Acts 14:1). As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath”—Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:42). When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. But the Jews incited the God- fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region (Acts 13:48-50).
It is the encounter and in-filling with the Holy Spirit that changes positions. Men may maintain an older order whereas the Holy Spirit might have changed the order, depending on what is happening between the persons and the Holy Spirit. Positions are changed in relationship with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit demands a new level of sacrifice, sanctification, forsaking, and you resist, you are demoted. When the Holy Spirit says this is wrong and you justify yourself, you are demoted. When two sisters quarrel, the two are demoted and it could be in a permanent way. When you harbour something in your heart that God does not want, you are demoted. When you break a covenant, you are demoted. Did you covenant to wake up at 4.00 a.m.? Had the Holy Spirit waited for you but you came at your will, much later? If He has to wait for you, He will not say some of the things He would have told you.
Excerpt From: Practical Dying to Self and the Spirit-Filled Life – Z.T. Fomum