We are walking in today: Men Of Torah Day--The Spirit of Leadership!!! Part 17 Attitude Of True Leaders Is Persistence!!!
Witness prevail throughout the Bible: H1396 gabar--to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great
Genesis 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed H1396 above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
Torah: Genesis 7:18, 7:19; Exodus 17:11
Prophets: 1 Samuel 2:9; 2 Samuel 11:23; Isaiah 42:13; Jeremiah 9:3; Zechariah 10:6
Writings: 1 Chronicles 5:2; Psalm 12:4
Zechariah 10:12 And I will strengthen H1396 them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.
Persistence is Transformation!
"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." Genesis 15:6 One of the most quoted verses about Abraham is Genesis 15:6: "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." It was Abram's "believing" that gave him righteousness in the Most High's sight. It is important to understand that the key word, emunah, that we translate "believe" has a different emphasis in Hebrew than we tend to hear. In English and Greek, (as pistis), its primary meaning is to assent to a factual statement, to agree with the truth of certain ideas. The word emunah does mean to have faith, but it has a broader meaning that has implications for what the Most High calls us to as people of faith. It contains the idea of steadfastness or persistence. In Exodus 17 Moses raised his hands all day long until the Israelites won a key battle. It says that his hands remained steady (emunah) until sunset. In this sense it means steadfast. The Most High is also described using the word emunah in Deuteronomy 7:9: "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful (emunah) God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. " If we look back at the verse about Abraham's emunah, it should tell us that Abraham believed the Most High's promises and had a persistent commitment to the Most High which showed in his faithful life. He waited 25 years for a son, and offered him back to the Most High when he was asked. This has implications about what it means to be a believer. As James pointed out, Satan himself believes that Yeshua died for the sins of the world and that he is the Most High in the flesh, and just knowing that doesn't redeem him! But while Satan may have the right beliefs, he cannot say that he has emunah - a committed faithfulness to the Lord.
What the Most High asks for goes beyond an academic decision to believe that a certain set of facts are true. He wants faith in his promises that results in a steadfast faithfulness to him. If faith without works is dead, then asking without seeking and knocking is just as lifeless. That’s because asking—without seeking and knocking—flows from the same lazy river as faith without works. Consider Yeshua's’ promise on determined, active faith, and then consider two Bible characters’ strategies for getting what they wanted. Let’s start with Yeshua's’ promise: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matt. 7:7-8). Most Bible translators didn’t do us any favors with this rendition because it suggests a single request will get the job done. Sure, sometimes a single request suffices. You ask Him. You thank Him for it. And you keep praising Him until you see the prayer answered. But sometimes it takes persistent faith to receive the Most High’s promises.
Sometimes you have to go after it with godly determination that won't quit.
Three Steps to Reviving Your Faith-- I like how the Amplified translates Matt. 7:7-8: “Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps
on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.” This is a promise from the Most High. So long as what you desire is His will—and His Word is His will—you can be assured that if you keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking, you will eventually receive
the promise. Let me expound on these three principles:
1. Ask. Although the Most High knows what we need before we ask Him, He usually won’t provide
our needs until we ask because He wants relationship with us. So ask, and keep asking—and then thank Him until you see the promise manifest.
2. Seek. It’s not always enough just to ask. More often than not, you also have to seek. In other words, add some works to your faith. If you’ve asked Him for a new job, seek a new job. If you’ve asked Him for reconciliation in a relationship, seek reconciliation. If you’ve asked Him for healing, seek healing. Don’t sit back and wait for an angel to do all the work. Faith without works is dead (see James 2:26). (Be led by the Spirit, of course. You can't bulldoze your way through the doorway to
the Most High's promises.)
3. Knock. If you seek, you will find. Once you see the Most High's promise in clear view, knock and keep on knocking until the promised door is open. Let’s say you’ve asked Him for a new job. You’re seeking a new job and you know in your Spirit (or even hope in your heart) that it’s a perfect match.
Start knocking. The Most High opens doors that no one can shut (see Rev. 3:8), but often, you have to knock. So, How Do You Knock? In the context of Matthew 7, knocking means “importunity in dealing with the Most High,” according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary. That suggests urgent and persistent requests. In other words, once you’re sure you’ve found what you have been asking for—once you see the breakthrough within reach—turn again to asking but with greater urgency. David sought the Lord in this manner:
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Ps. 27:4, NKJV). David didn’t just have a desire, he sought after the object of his godly desire. He had persistent
faith. If you read the Psalms, pursuing the Most Highwas a constant theme in his writing. Looking at our three-step process, David desired (ask) and sought (seek). Based on David's relationship with the Lord, which we read about in the Word, I believe he found what he asked for, then inquired (knocked). the Most High opened the door to intimacy. Much the same, consider the parable of the persistent widow. Yeshua used the parable to teach us that we should always pray and not lose heart. Yeshua also showed us that the widow did more than ask: she kept on asking, kept on seeking and kept on knocking. Read the parable and see this with your own eyes: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear the Most High nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall the Most High not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:2-8)
Pray Once or Keep Praying? Can you see it? There is a time to pray once, hand it over to the Most High, and trust Him to answer. But there is also a principle of persistent faith where you ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking until you receive the promise. How do you know the difference? The easy answer is to be led by the Spirit. A deeper answer is to consider the opposition. When you face opposition to walking through the doorway of promise, ask the Most High to show you what to do to position yourself for the manifestation, then take any the Most High-inspired action (seek) to find the doorway He leads you to. Once you find the door, start knocking and keep knocking. The Most High will surely open it at the appointed time. Amen.
Proverbs 4:20-22, My son, attend to My Words; incline thine ear unto My sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. God’s Word is Life to Those Who Find It. I find that if I study
a word from its original language, I understand more of what the author is saying. I did this with several words from the above scripture. The Hebrew word for life is chay (khah’ – ee), meaning: Living, alive, life, or maintenance. Chay is derived from the Hebrew word chayah (khaw – yaw’): meaning: To restore to life or health, or, to revive from sickness or death. So this is what I get from the scripture were looking at. If I follow the instructions given then God’s word will perform maintenance on my body. We in the natural do maintenance on our homes, autos, clothing and even our teeth but most of us forget to do maintenance on our bodies! This scripture says that God’s word
will maintain and revive your body from death, sickness and disease. Now I know why Yeshua said that man would live by the word of God.
Psalms 107:20, He (God) sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Psalms 119:116, Uphold me according unto Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of
my hope.
Proverbs 4:4-9, He taught me also, and said unto me, let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding.. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee…
Proverbs 7:2-3, Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind
them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Psalms 105:37, He (God) brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was
not one feeble person among their tribes.
Ezekiel 37:1-10, And He (God) said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered,
O Lord God, Thou knowest. Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live…So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
What is it about that person that is persistent? Have they overcome adversity to achieve something? Did that person have to work extra hard to attain a goal? How about a time in which you had to be persistent? What was it that you accomplished? Was it worth it? What sacrifices did you have to make along the way? How did your persistence affect others? Persistence is defined as “continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.” Persistence is also
a common theme in the Bible. At least 27 times, persistence is mentioned or depicted as a positive virtue in scripture; from Proverbs and Hosea in the Old Testament, to a handful of examples in the gospels, and numerous times in the epistles to early communities. In the gospel according to Luke, just after Yeshua taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, he admonishes them to show perseverance in prayer. In what ways are you a model of prayer? Are you persistent in your prayer life, day in and
day out? Or, is it an after-thought, another item on your lengthy to-do list? I could even set alarms on my phone for nine, twelve and three to remind me to pray. In Jeremiah 2:2 the word chesed is rendered 'kindness,' the reference being to 'the kindness of thy youth,' and this phrase is paralleled by 'the love of thine espousals.' The meaning is not that Israel was more tender in her attitude towards God or in her affections, but that in the first days after the rescue from Egypt she was faithful to the
marriage-covenant with God. The charge of the prophets is that Israel's loyalty to her covenant with God (Hosea 6:4, 'goodness' in the English versions) is 'as the morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early away,' a regular feature of this climate when once the spring rains are past. The widening of the meaning of the Hebrew chesed, used as the covenant word and especially of the covenant between God and Israel, is due to the history of God's dealings with his covenant-people. The
continual waywardness of Israel has made it inevitable that, if God is never going to let Israel go, then his relation to his people must in the main be one of loving-kindness, mercy, and goodness, all of it entirely undeserved. For this reason the predominant use of the word comes to include mercy
and forgiveness as a main constituent in God's determined faithfulness to his part of the bargain. It is obvious, time and again, from the context that if God is to maintain the covenant he must exercise mercy to an unexampled degree. The loving-kindness of God towards Israel is therefore wholly undeserved on Israel's part. If Israel received the proper treatment for her stubborn refusal to walk in God's way, there would be no prospect for her of anything but destruction, since God's
demand for right action never wavers one whit. Strict, however, as the demands for righteousness are, the prophets were sure that God's yearnings for the people of his choice are stronger still. Here is
the great dilemma of the prophets, and indeed the dilemma of us all to this day. Which comes first, mercy or justice? Rashi (eleventh-century Jewish commentator) said that God gave 'precedence to the rule of mercy' and joined it 'with the rule of justice.' But this much is clear: when we try to estimate the depth and the persistence of God's loving-kindness and mercy, we must first remember his passion for righteousness. His passion for righteousness is so strong that he could not be more insistent in his demand for it, but God's persistent love for his people is more insistent still. The story of God's people throughout the centuries is that her waywardness has been so persistent that, if even a remnant is to be preserved, God has had to show mercy more than anything else. It is important to realize that though the Hebrew chesed can be translated by loving-kindness and mercy without doing violence to the context, yet we must always beware lest we think that God is content with less than righteousness. There is no reference to any sentimental kindness, and no suggestion of mercy apart from repentance, in any case where the Hebrew original is chesed. His demand for righteousness is insistent, and it is always at the maximum intensity. The loving-kindness of God means that his mercy is greater even than that. The word stands for the wonder of his unfailing love for the people of his choice, and the solving of the problem of the relation between his righteousness and his loving-kindness passes beyond human comprehension. Persistence pays off: Popular sayings on persistence, When the going gets tough the tough get going, no pain no gain, it gets hard to live by such sayings when our strength is gone, we all go through tough times and how we handle them reveals
the nature of our character, nature of our faith, Life is a constant battle: we must continue in the struggle each and every day, powerful attitude is needed to keep moving, God hears His people: God is not like the judge, He is just and righteous, He will hear His people when they call, God
is long suffering with His people, He who was faithful to slaves in Egypt, to a boy against a giant, to the captives in Babylon, God hears the cries of His people and the prayers of the righteous, He knows His people and comes in times of need and distress, God will give justice: God is the truly righteous judge, He will give justice to His people, He has given justification by grace through Yeshua, He who cares will reward the righteous, He is the just judge and righteous ruler!!
Exodus 18:20-25
20 You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do. 21 But you should choose from among all the people competent men who are God-fearing, honest and incorruptible to be their leaders, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Normally, they will settle the people’s disputes. They should bring you the difficult cases; but ordinary matters they should decide themselves. In this way, they will make it easier for you and share the load with you. 23 If you do this — and God is directing you to do it — you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully.” 24 Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law’s counsel and did everything he said. 25 Moshe chose competent men from all Isra’el and made them heads over the people, in charge of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
Attitude #8 Persistence
Change is inevitable; growth is optional.
The spirit of leadership never gives up until it achieves its goal. It is a spirit that never quits. Genius will not—unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not—the world is filled with educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination, however, are powerful forces. Persistence is the product of faith that is generated by a purpose. Leaders persist because they have a firm grasp of their purposes, know where they are going, and are confident that they will arrive there. It is—
• the power to hold on, in spite of everything.
• the power to endure.
• the ability to face defeat again and again and not give up.
• the knack for pushing on in the face of difficulty, knowing that victory is yours.
• taking pains to overcome every obstacle and to do what is necessary to reach your goals.
True leaders believe that the attainment of their purposes is not optional, but that it is an obligation and a necessity, so they would never think of giving up.
Jesus told a wonderful parable that gives us a perfect picture of persistence.
Luke 18:1-8
1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
As you develop the leadership spirit of persistence, remember these truths about the nature of your Creator and his own persistence in carrying out his purposes for you:
(1) God is faithful;
(2) God does not lie;
(3) God has established his Word;
(4) your purpose is already completed in him;
(5) God delights in you and considers you his child.
Here are some encouraging and thought-provoking sayings about the value of persistence:
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. —William Feather
Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. —Napoleon Hill
All great achievements require time. —Anne Frank
Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. —Conrad Hilton
It’s the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles. —Claude M. Bristol
Success is failure turned inside out. —Anonymous
Attitude #9 Discipline
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” —2 Timothy 1:7
The true spirit of leadership cultivates a self-control that regulates one’s focus and orders one’s life.
WHAT IS DISCIPLINE?
DISCIPLINE IS A SERIES OF DECISIONS PRESCRIBED BY A DETERMINED DESTINY.
The spirit of discipline is rooted in self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit. Leaders live with the understanding that—
• he who cannot control his thoughts will never control himself.
• he who cannot rule himself will never control life.
• he who cannot rule himself will never rule a nation.
• he who cannot control himself will be controlled by others.
DISCIPLINE LEADS TO PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION
Leaders know that the most powerful kind of control is self-control because it is the hardest to master but reaps the greatest rewards. Therefore, they are more concerned about controlling themselves than controlling other people. If not there is no self discipline.
According to Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary, the words disciple and discipline come from the same root word meaning “pupil.” A disciple is a student or learner who is dedicated to a concentrated and focused instruction or committed to learning to think like his or her teacher.
A disciple is considered an understudy, one given to or submitted to the mentoring of a master teacher. He is one who voluntarily surrenders his will to the influence of another in order to obtain the knowledge, thoughts, and philosophy of the teacher, for the purpose of personal transformation. All true leaders are students of life and for life.
VISION AND DISCIPLINE
Again, vision is the source of the leader’s discipline. The great king Solomon’s thoughts about vision are found in his book of wisdom, called Proverbs: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Various translations of this verse give us additional insight into its meaning: “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained [throw off restraint].” “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint [throw off self-discipline].”
The man or woman with a clear vision lives a very focused life that requires strong selfdiscipline. This makes life very simple because—
1. vision chooses your future.
2. vision chooses your use of time.
3. vision chooses your priorities.
4. vision chooses your friends.
5. vision chooses your reading material.
6. vision chooses your use of energy.
7.vision chooses your hobbies.
8.vision chooses the movies you watch.
9.vision chooses your diet.
10. vision chooses how you invest your money.
11. vision chooses your to-do list.
12. vision chooses your attitude toward life.
13. vision chooses your life’s plan.
14. vision chooses your life.
Attitude #10 Self-Cultivation
Accept the power in self-empowerment.
True leaders possess the leadership attitude of self cultivation, a passion for personal development. Some marks of a genuine spirit of leadership are a desire and commitment to gain knowledge and insights, to keep improving oneself, and to learn from others.
Leaders are consummate readers and are always looking for opportunities to advance their knowledge. They create their own learning opportunities and facilitate their own educational environments. A leader’s personal collection of books is usually his greatest possession.
To become the leader that you were destined to be, you must convert your home into a university and your automobile into a mobile seminar hall. Leaders know that they must never stop expanding their knowledge base. The attitude of self-cultivation also drives them to extend their knowledge beyond their particular areas of focus in order to be versatile when necessary. Leaders study beyond the realm of their own disciplines—but in ways that will advance their purposes and visions
As you pursue the spirit of leadership, consider the following methods of self-cultivation:
• Written material: books, magazines, newspapers, journals, instructional manuals.
• Visual material: documentaries, movies, television programs, computer programs, the Internet.
• Personal contact: speakers, discussion groups, Bible study groups, professional and social organizations, counseling, friendships.
• Personal experience: the development of skills, talents, hobbies, and other areas of interest.
Shema Selah let us consider these leadership attitudes that we would operate in them as the Most High intended for us from the beginning!! Facebook LIVE video--
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