Exodus chapter 16
Today we are walking in: Wilderness Hunger and Heavenly Manna Part 1
Exodus 3:18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, H4057 that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Today we look to the word-WILDERNESS- H4057 midbar --wilderness, pasture, uninhabited land
The Torah testifies.......................................
Genesis 16:7
And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, H4057 by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Exodus 4:27
And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness H4057 to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
Numbers 14:33
And your children shall wander in the wilderness H4057 forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. H4057
Deuteronomy 1:31
And in the wilderness, H4057 where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 42:11
Let the wilderness H4057 and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, H4057 and rivers in the desert.
Jeremiah 9:12
Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, H4057 that none passeth through?
Ezekiel 20:13
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: H4057 they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, H4057 to consume them.
The Writings bear witness.............
Joshua 1:4
From the wilderness H4057 and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
2Chronicles 1:3
So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness. H4057
Nehemiah 9:19
Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: H4057 the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
Psalm 65:12
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: H4057 and the little hills rejoice on every side.
Psalm 78:15
He clave the rocks in the wilderness, H4057 and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
Wilderness Hunger and Heavenly Manna Part 1
"And you shall remember all the way which the Most High your Yah led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. And he humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Most High, does man live." Deuteronomy 8:2-3
The book of Deuteronomy has been sometimes called the "Old Testament Gospel;" and with some reason, for it contains, perhaps, more gospel doctrines, at least more clearly expressed and more fully developed than any other book of the Pentateuch. It is true that in the latter part of the book of Exodus and throughout Leviticus we have, under type and figure, much blessed gospel preached; but the whole is deeply veiled by ceremonial rites, of which the spiritual meaning could not be fully understood until they were fulfilled by the sacrifice and blood shedding of our gracious Most High.
The book of Deuteronomy was, so to speak, the legacy which Moses left to the people of Israel before he resigned his commission and his breath, and in this respect it somewhat resembles the last speeches which our Most High made to his disciples, and of which they themselves bore this testimony, "At last you are speaking plainly and not in parables." (John 16:29.) It is filled, therefore, with holy instruction; and, while it abounds in promises, is replete with most powerful exhortations, mingled and thoroughly seasoned with earnest warnings, expostulations, reproofs, and directions; the whole forming what I may perhaps call a most blessed spiritual compound, precisely adapted to the state and case of the children of Israel, then upon the edge of the wilderness and upon the eve of entering into the promised land. The warm, tender, affectionate, fatherly, and mellow tone which pervades the whole book carries with it its own evidence that it was the voice of the man of Yah about to yield up his parting breath; and yet the earnestness, vigor, and power shining through the whole show that "his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated." It is indeed a book which demands and would amply repay our earnest and prayerful study; for it is as full of instruction, encouragement, and warning to us, as it was to the children of Israel to whom it was first delivered.
I shall not, however, elaborate any further upon the character of the book of Deuteronomy, but come at once to our text, in which Moses seems to sum up the dealings of Yah with the children of Israel in the wilderness, and the fruits which it was the intention of Yah that they should reap from them. He calls upon them, therefore, to look back and remember all the way which the Most High their Yah had led them forty years in the wilderness; nor would this retrospect be unprofitable if they could understand and bear in mind the reasons why Yah had thus dealt with them for so many years; that he had a certain object to effect thereby, and that this object was to humble them, to test them, and to know what was in their heart, whether they would keep his commandments or not. He tells them further that Yah allowed them to hunger, and fed them with manna, a food which neither they nor their fathers knew before them, and for this express purpose, that they might know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Most High, does man live.
I have thus in a few simple words outlined the subject before us, and now let us see whether, by Yah's help and blessing, we may be able to gather up something this evening for our personal instruction, edification, and encouragement; something which may communicate that spiritual, solid, and abiding profit without which all preaching falls to the ground like water spilt. I shall, therefore, view the subject as having a particular and personal bearing upon our own Hebrew experience; and, to facilitate clearness in treating it both for my own sake and yours, shall divide it mainly into two leading branches.
First, the injunction which our text contains, of remembering all the way which the Most High our Yah has led us in the wilderness.
Secondly, the benefits and blessings which spring out of the Most High's thus dealing with us, and which it is his revealed will and intention by means of them to communicate to us.
I. The INJUNCTION which our text contains, of remembering all the way which the Most High our Yah has led us in the wilderness. "Better is the end of a thing," says the wise man, "than the beginning thereof." (Eccl. 7:8.) This is often true in natural things, but invariably so in divine. Rarely at first can we foresee what will be the outcome of any matter which we take in hand. We may begin it with much hope, and find in the end, those hopes sadly disappointed. We may begin it with much fear, and find from the outcome, those fears utterly groundless. Whatever we take in hand it is very rare that our expectations are fully carried out, for we have again and again to learn that "man's heart devises his way but the Most High directs his steps;" and that there are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless the counsel of the Most High, that and that only, shall stand.
But so far as we are among the family of Yah, and as such are under especial guidance and divine teaching and leading, whether our first expectations are accomplished or not, the end stamps wisdom and goodness upon all the dealings of Yah with us both in providence and in grace. However chequered his path has been; however his purposes have been broken off, even the thoughts of his heart; however when he looked for good, then evil came unto him, and when he waited for light there came darkness; whatever bitter things Yah seemed to write against him when he made him to realize the sins of his youth, yet sooner or later every child of Yah will be able to say, "O how great is your goodness which you have laid up for those who fear you;" and this will embolden him to add, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, as they have already followed me, all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Most High forever."
Thus it is good sometimes at the end, it may be, of a long profession; and there are those here who have made a long profession—I myself have professed, and I hope possessed, the fear of Yah for nearly forty years; it is good, I say, for such sometimes to look back through the long vista of many years, and see how the Most High has dealt with us, both in providence and in grace; yes, it is good to take a solemn review of what marks we can find of his favor, what testimonies of his teaching, what Ebenezers we may set up at various points in this path, as blessed memorials of his gracious and merciful help. We are, therefore, bidden in our text to remember all the way.
A. Now if this be so, the first point to fix our eyes upon is the BEGINNING of the way—the starting point. I have long contended for a good beginning; for I know well that where there is a good beginning there will be a good ending; and there will often be a satisfactory middle. But what do I mean by "a good beginning?" I mean for Yah to begin with us, and not for us to begin with Yah. By a good beginning, then, I mean a marked epoch in our life—what I have called in one of my early sermons "a beginning felt"—looking back upon which we can more or less distinctly trace the hand of Yah to have been made manifest in a communication of grace to our souls. We may be tried as to the reality of the work; and I am sometimes tried to this day whether I have a single grain of grace in my heart. But I have never doubted the time when, nor the circumstances under which it began, nor what my feelings were under the first teachings of the blessed Spirit in my heart; and I have come to this decision in my own mind, if that is wrong then all is wrong; if that be right then all is right. If I began with Yah then Yah may leave me to end with myself; but if Yah began with me independent of any will, inclination, power, or action of my own, in a way of sovereign grace, by the implantation of his fear in my heart and the communication of divine life to my soul—if Yah himself thus began a good work in me, I have his certain promise that he will perform and complete it until the day of Yahusha Hamachiach. (Phil. 1:6.) Upon this we sometimes hang amid doubt, fear, and perplexity; we hang, I say, upon Yah's work upon our heart as begun by himself.
We have then to remember this, and this is not very difficult, for the first work upon our conscience is sometimes as fresh in our minds as if it occurred yesterday. People tell me sometimes that I have a strong memory, but whether our memory be strong or weak, it is astonishing what an impression divine realities make upon our mind in their first communication. Often, too, Yah's dealings with us in providence were as marked as his dealings with us in grace. Do you think that Paul ever forgot his journey to Damascus, Matthew his sitting at the receipt of custom, Nathanael his kneeling under the fig tree, Zacchaeus his climbing up into a sycamore tree, or Peter and Andrew casting their net into the sea? Similarly with us. The providential circumstances under which the work of grace was commenced; the leadings of Yah to place us in a certain position, bring us into a certain state, and open up a certain path in which he fixed our feet, that he might prepare us for the communication of his grace, are usually so marked that they are fixed indelibly in our mind and memory.
And besides such general leadings, I have often observed—it was my own case, and I have seen it in others—some very marked intervention of Yah in providence, such as a change of abode, a bringing a peculiar affliction on body or mind, an opening up of some unexpected circumstance, which, if not grace, prepared for grace; and though had it been nothing but temporal and natural, would have died in the very birth, yet it so worked in the providence of Yah with his grace that, like links in a chain, the two were bound together. Thus the first link was a link in providence, say, for instance, some very deep and painful trial which seemed to cut the very heart-strings of life. Many perhaps have had deeper trials than we; but they only had with it the sorrow of the world which works death; but we had, we hope, with it the grace of life working with the trial, over-ruling it, and turning it into a gracious channel. Grace softened the heart; and though this very softening made the trial more deeply felt, yet it humbled and meekened the soul under it.
As then we lay hold of this first link we find it knitted on to a second. Call the first link, if you like, a link of iron, but call the next a link of gold, for if the first were providence, the second was grace. Then as we lay hold of the golden link its thrilling touch, as with an electric power, makes us remember how eternal realities first fell upon our mind, how the conviction of sin first entered our conscience, the guilt of sin, the burden of it, and the exercises connected with it; how the Spirit of grace and of supplications was communicated; the cries, sighs, tears, groans, wrestlings, in which we sought mercy at the Most High's hands; the separation from friends and associates which it entailed; the breaking off of sin and all connections contrary to Yah's mind and will, with the coming out of the world and everything worldly and the giving up of ourselves freely unto Yah, to be his in life, death, time, and eternity.
However the Most High may have wrought with different degrees of power in our hearts, yet we may lay it down as a clear and positive truth that the effect of his dealings with our consciences was to separate us from the world and bring us unto himself. Is not this Yah's testimony concerning his people Israel? "You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." (Exod. 19:4.)
B. But we have to remember as another bright waymark and blessed us on the road by which we have come, how the Most High was pleased to manifest a sense of his mercy, of his goodness, and of his salvation to our heart. There are two points which it is very desirable, if not absolutely needful, for a child of Yah to be very clear in—one is the beginning of the work of Yah upon his soul—to make clear work there; and the second is, to be able to trace out any application of the blood of Hamachiach to his conscience, any manifestation of mercy to his soul, any revelation of the Son of Yah to his heart, any knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins.
Now, though there may be in many cases doubts, fears, and questionings as to the reality of both these points, and especially the beginning of the work, yet I do believe wherever the Most High has begun a gracious work, there will be times and seasons when a sacred light will shine upon that beginning to make it plain and clear; and similarly, if the Most High the Spirit has ever revealed Hamachiach to our soul, and made him precious to our affections, a blessed light will at times shine upon that also, to make that plain and clear—for "in Yah's light we see light;" and we thus get a testimony in a good conscience, that we have been made partakers of eternal life by a spiritual, experimental knowledge of the only true Yah and of Yahusha Hamachiach whom he has sent.
There are times indeed when we can believe nothing, and there are times when, so to speak, we can believe everything. There are times when we have to say, "We see not our signs;" and there are times when we can see every waymark and every Ebenezer. But our feelings do not alter facts; and as seeing our signs does not make them, so our not seeing them does not unmake them.
C. But we have to remember ALL the way which he has led us in the wilderness. It is not only then the bright spots which we have to call to mind—there are the dark spots also on which we have to look and remember. The children of Israel were bidden to remember "all the way," and therefore all the temptations of the way, trials of the way, sufferings of the way, and I may add, all their own base, rebellious conduct in the way. If, then, in looking back to the way we see here and there an Ebenezer, a token for good, a bright spot, we see spots here and there on which darkness seems to rest, and from which we would gladly turn our eyes. Now this darkness may arise from two causes—first, lack of clear light; secondly, a painful recollection of our own sinfulness. Thus, as sometimes in nature there is a mixture of light and darkness, producing a dim and hazy twilight, and thus obscuring spots which might be otherwise bright, so it is in grace.
Let me explain my meaning a little more clearly. Upon some points of our experience we cannot be altogether clear, and for this reason, there was so much of sin and self mixed with them. Thus we can look back on various spots and places when certain sacrifices were to be made, certain things to be given up which we held very close, and to part with which seemed to cut very deeply into our flesh. It might have been an attachment, or a situation, or a prospect of getting on in life. We could not therefore through the weakness of the flesh make the sacrifice. Now this clinging to sin and self has thrown a degree of darkness upon those spots. And yet all is not dark; for a second look would enable us to view other spots and places where the Most High gave faith to make the sacrifice, come out of the world, give up everything that nature loved and cleaved to, and cast one's lot among the family of Yah. These would be spots in one's experience which one could look back upon with some degree of satisfaction as the Most High's work. Yet in all our movements there is so much sin, so much of the flesh, and so much of self mixed up, that though what we did was performed under a divine power and contrary to the flesh, yet in looking back upon it we cannot call it to mind with perfect satisfaction. Thus it is partly light and partly dark. But even where this is not the case, unbelief, infidelity, carnal fear, and a spirit of bondage will often so work together that the whole may first and last seem buried in confusion.
I cannot myself understand those people who are always ready to talk about their experience at any hour and at every hour of the day; so that if you were to wake them up at twelve o'clock at night, they would only have just to rub their eyes and they could tell you all their experience from first to last, between asleep and awake. I know myself that sometimes I have not a word to say about myself or my experience—good or bad—and am silent before Yah and man; but these men seem to have it all at their fingers' ends, and can wind it off from them as easily a skein of cotton, and pretty much, as harsh and dry. It is, I believe, by ourselves in silence, for the most part, that we can best look back upon all the way by which Yah has led us in the wilderness; and if he does not shine upon the way and bring it to remembrance, "we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness." And yet when the Most High is pleased to shine, how good it is to look back upon all the way.
D. Sometimes, for instance, we see what a Yah he has been to us in PROVIDENCE. We trace his outstretched hand again and again, with more or less clearness and distinctness, and as our faith sees this hand, we bless and praise his holy name for having led us so conspicuously by it. I have seen much of it myself, perhaps, as much as most men, and especially during these two last years of my life, and I desire to bless Yah for it; yet at times it is very hard to trace the hand of Yah distinctly, for as he works by instruments, we sometimes fix our eyes upon the instrument and not upon the hand which holds it; which is the sin condemned by the prophet, "as if the axe should boast itself against him that hews therewith, or the saw magnify itself against him that shakes it."
But another thing which confuses us is what I may call the zigzag of Yah's providence. Was not this the case also with the children of Israel? When the pillar of the cloud moved, they moved; by night or by day the camp moved, according to the movement of the cloud, as we read, "And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed—whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed." (Num. 9:21.) But in thus following the cloud, what a zigzag, in and out, backward and forward path they trod. If you were to see it traced out on a map you would wonder at the intricacy of the path and how they were directed from this station to that station, in a way which they could not comprehend, yet every step arranged by infinite wisdom. Thus we are to remember all the way whereby Yah has led us these many years in the wilderness by his wise and unerring providence.
E. But we have also to remember all his GRACIOUS dealings with us as contrasted with our own perverseness, rebelliousness, unbelief, and base requitals of all his goodness and mercy. And thus all our trials, afflictions, sufferings, exercises, snares, temptations, wanderings, backslidings, slips, and falls—we have to remember them all, think upon them, ponder over them, examine them, lament, bewail, and confess our sinfulness in them on our part; and we have to remember also all the patience, forbearance, long-suffering, tender mercy, and rich, superabounding grace on the part of Yah. We have to look at these things until they enter deeply into our heart, and sink and penetrate into our inmost conscience, that our soul may be like a newly ploughed field, open to sun and rain, and broken down into mellowness and softness, that we may indeed be "Yah's planting," and that the word of eternal life may be in our heart as the good seed which springs up and grows and brings forth fruit to his praise.
The Divine destiny connection, the chain that links us together.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
TWELVE PRINCIPLES OF AUTHORITY IN RELATION TO YOUR CALLING
Genesis chapter 1
Today we are walking in: Twelve Principles of Authority in Relation to Your Calling
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
*****
The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
Twelve Principles of Authority in Relation to Your Calling
Understanding the Scope of Your Authority and Domain
The honor of your presence is requested....”
When you receive correspondence in the mail that begins with those words, you know you are being invited to a special event—a wedding, a milestone anniversary or birthday party, or another significant occasion. If such an invitation were to come from a head of state, it would be regarded as a particular honor. To enter into your authority is to accept the honor of a gracious invitation from the Sovereign of the universe to join with Him in fulfilling a significant purpose in the world.
In conveying the meaning of personal authority in preceding teachings, I have sometimes referred to it using additional terms, such as assignment, life mission or vision, vocation, work, occupation, and calling. The Greek word kletos, which is translated as “calling” in various places in the Scriptures, has the meaning of “invited.” The word calling is defined in Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary as “a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.”
These concepts provide a good description of personal authority. We were created with an inherent “impulse,” or motivation, to pursue a particular purpose in life in service to others, and we have been invited to fulfill that purpose by Yah Himself.
I have summarized the authority of our calling in twelve principles, and as we move to part three of this book, I want to highlight them so that you may be sure about the scope of your personal authority and domain. These principles summarize the nature of your own personal authority so that you can identify, understand, and take action to fulfill your calling with the conviction that it has been given to you by Yah to serve your generation.
Principle #1: Authority Is General
Human beings were given dominion, or a general authority over the earth, at creation (see Genesis 1:26), though they abandoned this authority. When you reconnect to your Creator through the Authorized Dealer, Yahusha Hamachiach, you are restored to this authority, and you are also given another general authority. It is to act on the Creator’s behalf in communicating to the world the opportunity for all people to be restored and reconnected to Him and to receive the benefits of coming under His eternal warranty and discovering their own personal authority. (See, for example, Matthew 28:18–20.)
Your connectedness to the Creator unites you with all others who are restored to Him. It is essential to understand that you have common purposes together with them, as those reconciled to the Creator, even as you exercise your personal authority. Paul wrote,
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Most High, one faith, one baptism; one Yah and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.(Ephesians 4:3–6)
Principle #2: Authority Is Specific
In Ephesians 4, we saw that there is one body, Spirit, Most High, faith, baptism, and Yah and Father of us all, who is the Ultimate Authority and who unites us. The next part, however, begins with “But”: “But to each one of us grace has been given as Hamachiach apportioned it” (verse 7). There is individual grace (divine influence, or divine invitation) within the context of our oneness with others that enables us to carry out our specific callings. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Yah’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).
Paul wrote about his own authority in a way that we can all take to heart:
I press on to take hold of that for which Hamachiach Yahusha took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which Yah has called me heavenward in Hamachiach Yahusha.(Philippians 3:12–14)
Principle #3: Authority Is Community Based
Authority is characteristically community based and interdependent. We all have something to bring to a community that will contribute to its life, no matter in what realm that community exists. We are meant to use our authorized power within such communities as we fulfill our unique callings.
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Hamachiach we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to
all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:4–6)
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the ecclesia.(1 Corinthians 14:26)
Principle #4: Authority Is Central
True authority is central to your nature as Yah created you; it is an integral part of your personality and gifts. It is not something you have to put on as an addendum to who you really are, and it will not seem forced or uncomfortable to exercise but instead natural. Because of this, personal authority is liberating to the one who enters into it.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.(Psalm 139:13–16)
Principle #5: Authority Is Equipped
When Moses was called by Yah to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he said, “O Most High, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Moses didn’t realize that power came with the authority he had just been given.
The Most High said to [Moses], “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Most High? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”(Exodus 4:11– 12)
Yah had told Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), so Moses wasn’t going to Pharaoh on his own merits but under the authority of Yah.
Like Moses, most of us don’t recognize the natural power of our personal domains, and we also don’t realize that our Creator stands by us to enable us to fulfill the authority He has given us. The book of Hebrews encourages us, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
When you operate in the authority of your calling, you are automatically equipped for it because Yah is faithful to supply what you need. You are “self-sufficient” in the sense that you were born with a purpose, and you have built-in abilities that Yah assigned to you to fulfill it. Moreover, when you function under Yah’s authority, all His resources are on your side, as well, just as they were for Moses.
Principle #6: Authority Is Self-fulfilling
The gifts that the Creator has planted within you will grow and be fruitful as you trust in the power of what He has given you and commit its use to Him. Yah says,
I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.(Jeremiah 1:12)
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.(Isaiah 55:9–11)
Principle #7: Authority Can Lie Undiscovered or Dormant
Even though personal authority is self-fulfilling, it can remain undiscovered or hidden inside us—sometimes for a lifetime—unless we awaken to its reality in our lives and put it into the context of a restored relationship with our Creator. This is one of the reasons that Paul wrote to the first-century Ephesians,
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.(Ephesians 1:18–19)
Authority will also lie dormant within us if we ignore, neglect, or reject it. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of Yah, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6), and Yahusha told this parable about the gifts and calling that are entrusted to us by Yah:
[The kingdom of heaven] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.(Matthew 25:14–18, emphasis added)
The parable continues with the master returning and the servants who had been entrusted the five talents and the two talents presenting their doubled talents to him. He replies to each, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (verses 21, 23). Then, the servant with the one talent—who we are told buried it out of fear (see verses 24–25) —came and gave it back to the master, having obtained no increase in the property.
His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”(Matthew 25:26–29)
We do not need to fear having nothing to show for ourselves to our Creator if we invest in and exercise our natural gifts and talents and then wait expectantly in faith for the results.
In addition, when we use what we have been given for the sake of others, it is multiplied back to us: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
Principle #8: Authority Is Refined with Use
Just as we need to put our gifts to work in the first place, we need to refine them by continual use, training, and development so that they can be optimally effective.
We constantly pray for you, that our Yah may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.(2 Thessalonians 1:11)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22–25)
Principle #9: Authority Is Permanent
Personal authority is a permanent part of our natures; it doesn’t go away, “for Yah’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Our authority may be recalled for misuse, but our essential makeup and gifts remain. If we realign our lives with Yah, He will restore us and renew our calls. “We know that in all things Yah works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
This principle is the reason why the same ideas and dreams keep coming back to us throughout our lives. We must realize that our personal authority is connected to our identities and reflects our true purposes so that we will seek to pursue what we are called to do in life.
Principle #10: Authority Is Yah’s Perfect Will
Human beings were both created and restored with the purpose of authority, which tells us that authority is Yah’s perfect will for us. I didn’t understand authority for many years, yet as I studied its principles, I began to appreciate that authority was the best thing Yah ever gave us, for many reasons. I have presented a number of those reasons in this book—authority gives us purpose, protection, fulfillment, motivation, a place in life, order, peace, and much more.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and Yahliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)
The more we learn about our inherent authority and exercise it in our lives, the more we come to understand how important it is in relation to Yah’s will for us.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Yah’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.(Romans 12:2)
Principle #11: Authority Requires Personal Submission to Yah
Each of us must submit to Yah and allow Him to unfold His purposes for our lives as we exercise personal authority. Focusing on what is happening in another person’s life rather than on what He has given us and how He is leading us will always pull us off track. Yahusha’ disciple Peter started to do this, but Yahusha’ response to him was, “You must follow me”:
[Yahusha] said to [Peter], “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Yahusha loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Yahusha at the supper and had said, “Most High, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Most High, what about him?” Yahusha answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”(John 21:19–22)
Principle eleven sheds additional light on principles one and two, which are that authority is general and authority is specific. Even though we all have general calls to authority in relation to creation and restoration, each of us must individually follow the Authorized Dealer as we obey the Word of Yah and follow the leading of the Spirit of Yah in order to fulfill the Manufacturer’s specific purposes for us.
All Scripture is Yah-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of Yah may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
[Yahusha said,] “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”(John 16:12–15)
Principle #12: Authority Has a Time for Mature Administration
King Solomon wrote, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is a time for everything, and there will be a time for the mature administration of your personal authority.
The Scriptures say that when Yahusha came to earth to fulfill His calling to restore human beings to their Creator, it was at just the right time:
But when the time had fully come [“the fullness of the time had come” nkjv], Yah sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.(Galatians 4:4–5)
The timing of authority is a significant principle for us to keep in mind. We need to be sensitive to the ways in which Yah is working in our lives. We don’t fully know the amount and type of preparation we may need for the mature administration of our authority, but we do know that the Scriptures teach the importance of our training, testing, and incremental growth, which lead to maturity and usefulness for Yah. We therefore have to be continually preparing to exercise our authority by developing our character, gifts, and skills so that we will be ready when Yah opens doors of opportunity for us.
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.(2 Timothy 2:20–21)
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? (Luke 16:10–12)
When those doors of opportunity open, you may find that you continually operate in your authority, or you may have periods when you pull back and regroup or rest before mobilizing again. But as you prepare yourself and your gifts, and as you stay connected to your Creator, you will know when it is time to get active and administer your authority. It will be for you “the fullness of time.”
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
Today we are walking in: Twelve Principles of Authority in Relation to Your Calling
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
*****
The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
Twelve Principles of Authority in Relation to Your Calling
Understanding the Scope of Your Authority and Domain
The honor of your presence is requested....”
When you receive correspondence in the mail that begins with those words, you know you are being invited to a special event—a wedding, a milestone anniversary or birthday party, or another significant occasion. If such an invitation were to come from a head of state, it would be regarded as a particular honor. To enter into your authority is to accept the honor of a gracious invitation from the Sovereign of the universe to join with Him in fulfilling a significant purpose in the world.
In conveying the meaning of personal authority in preceding teachings, I have sometimes referred to it using additional terms, such as assignment, life mission or vision, vocation, work, occupation, and calling. The Greek word kletos, which is translated as “calling” in various places in the Scriptures, has the meaning of “invited.” The word calling is defined in Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary as “a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.”
These concepts provide a good description of personal authority. We were created with an inherent “impulse,” or motivation, to pursue a particular purpose in life in service to others, and we have been invited to fulfill that purpose by Yah Himself.
I have summarized the authority of our calling in twelve principles, and as we move to part three of this book, I want to highlight them so that you may be sure about the scope of your personal authority and domain. These principles summarize the nature of your own personal authority so that you can identify, understand, and take action to fulfill your calling with the conviction that it has been given to you by Yah to serve your generation.
Principle #1: Authority Is General
Human beings were given dominion, or a general authority over the earth, at creation (see Genesis 1:26), though they abandoned this authority. When you reconnect to your Creator through the Authorized Dealer, Yahusha Hamachiach, you are restored to this authority, and you are also given another general authority. It is to act on the Creator’s behalf in communicating to the world the opportunity for all people to be restored and reconnected to Him and to receive the benefits of coming under His eternal warranty and discovering their own personal authority. (See, for example, Matthew 28:18–20.)
Your connectedness to the Creator unites you with all others who are restored to Him. It is essential to understand that you have common purposes together with them, as those reconciled to the Creator, even as you exercise your personal authority. Paul wrote,
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Most High, one faith, one baptism; one Yah and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.(Ephesians 4:3–6)
Principle #2: Authority Is Specific
In Ephesians 4, we saw that there is one body, Spirit, Most High, faith, baptism, and Yah and Father of us all, who is the Ultimate Authority and who unites us. The next part, however, begins with “But”: “But to each one of us grace has been given as Hamachiach apportioned it” (verse 7). There is individual grace (divine influence, or divine invitation) within the context of our oneness with others that enables us to carry out our specific callings. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Yah’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).
Paul wrote about his own authority in a way that we can all take to heart:
I press on to take hold of that for which Hamachiach Yahusha took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which Yah has called me heavenward in Hamachiach Yahusha.(Philippians 3:12–14)
Principle #3: Authority Is Community Based
Authority is characteristically community based and interdependent. We all have something to bring to a community that will contribute to its life, no matter in what realm that community exists. We are meant to use our authorized power within such communities as we fulfill our unique callings.
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Hamachiach we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to
all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:4–6)
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the ecclesia.(1 Corinthians 14:26)
Principle #4: Authority Is Central
True authority is central to your nature as Yah created you; it is an integral part of your personality and gifts. It is not something you have to put on as an addendum to who you really are, and it will not seem forced or uncomfortable to exercise but instead natural. Because of this, personal authority is liberating to the one who enters into it.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.(Psalm 139:13–16)
Principle #5: Authority Is Equipped
When Moses was called by Yah to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he said, “O Most High, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Moses didn’t realize that power came with the authority he had just been given.
The Most High said to [Moses], “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Most High? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”(Exodus 4:11– 12)
Yah had told Moses, “I am sending you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), so Moses wasn’t going to Pharaoh on his own merits but under the authority of Yah.
Like Moses, most of us don’t recognize the natural power of our personal domains, and we also don’t realize that our Creator stands by us to enable us to fulfill the authority He has given us. The book of Hebrews encourages us, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
When you operate in the authority of your calling, you are automatically equipped for it because Yah is faithful to supply what you need. You are “self-sufficient” in the sense that you were born with a purpose, and you have built-in abilities that Yah assigned to you to fulfill it. Moreover, when you function under Yah’s authority, all His resources are on your side, as well, just as they were for Moses.
Principle #6: Authority Is Self-fulfilling
The gifts that the Creator has planted within you will grow and be fruitful as you trust in the power of what He has given you and commit its use to Him. Yah says,
I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.(Jeremiah 1:12)
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.(Isaiah 55:9–11)
Principle #7: Authority Can Lie Undiscovered or Dormant
Even though personal authority is self-fulfilling, it can remain undiscovered or hidden inside us—sometimes for a lifetime—unless we awaken to its reality in our lives and put it into the context of a restored relationship with our Creator. This is one of the reasons that Paul wrote to the first-century Ephesians,
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.(Ephesians 1:18–19)
Authority will also lie dormant within us if we ignore, neglect, or reject it. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of Yah, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6), and Yahusha told this parable about the gifts and calling that are entrusted to us by Yah:
[The kingdom of heaven] will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.(Matthew 25:14–18, emphasis added)
The parable continues with the master returning and the servants who had been entrusted the five talents and the two talents presenting their doubled talents to him. He replies to each, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (verses 21, 23). Then, the servant with the one talent—who we are told buried it out of fear (see verses 24–25) —came and gave it back to the master, having obtained no increase in the property.
His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”(Matthew 25:26–29)
We do not need to fear having nothing to show for ourselves to our Creator if we invest in and exercise our natural gifts and talents and then wait expectantly in faith for the results.
In addition, when we use what we have been given for the sake of others, it is multiplied back to us: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
Principle #8: Authority Is Refined with Use
Just as we need to put our gifts to work in the first place, we need to refine them by continual use, training, and development so that they can be optimally effective.
We constantly pray for you, that our Yah may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.(2 Thessalonians 1:11)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22–25)
Principle #9: Authority Is Permanent
Personal authority is a permanent part of our natures; it doesn’t go away, “for Yah’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). Our authority may be recalled for misuse, but our essential makeup and gifts remain. If we realign our lives with Yah, He will restore us and renew our calls. “We know that in all things Yah works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
This principle is the reason why the same ideas and dreams keep coming back to us throughout our lives. We must realize that our personal authority is connected to our identities and reflects our true purposes so that we will seek to pursue what we are called to do in life.
Principle #10: Authority Is Yah’s Perfect Will
Human beings were both created and restored with the purpose of authority, which tells us that authority is Yah’s perfect will for us. I didn’t understand authority for many years, yet as I studied its principles, I began to appreciate that authority was the best thing Yah ever gave us, for many reasons. I have presented a number of those reasons in this book—authority gives us purpose, protection, fulfillment, motivation, a place in life, order, peace, and much more.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and Yahliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)
The more we learn about our inherent authority and exercise it in our lives, the more we come to understand how important it is in relation to Yah’s will for us.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Yah’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.(Romans 12:2)
Principle #11: Authority Requires Personal Submission to Yah
Each of us must submit to Yah and allow Him to unfold His purposes for our lives as we exercise personal authority. Focusing on what is happening in another person’s life rather than on what He has given us and how He is leading us will always pull us off track. Yahusha’ disciple Peter started to do this, but Yahusha’ response to him was, “You must follow me”:
[Yahusha] said to [Peter], “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Yahusha loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Yahusha at the supper and had said, “Most High, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Most High, what about him?” Yahusha answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”(John 21:19–22)
Principle eleven sheds additional light on principles one and two, which are that authority is general and authority is specific. Even though we all have general calls to authority in relation to creation and restoration, each of us must individually follow the Authorized Dealer as we obey the Word of Yah and follow the leading of the Spirit of Yah in order to fulfill the Manufacturer’s specific purposes for us.
All Scripture is Yah-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of Yah may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
[Yahusha said,] “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”(John 16:12–15)
Principle #12: Authority Has a Time for Mature Administration
King Solomon wrote, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is a time for everything, and there will be a time for the mature administration of your personal authority.
The Scriptures say that when Yahusha came to earth to fulfill His calling to restore human beings to their Creator, it was at just the right time:
But when the time had fully come [“the fullness of the time had come” nkjv], Yah sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.(Galatians 4:4–5)
The timing of authority is a significant principle for us to keep in mind. We need to be sensitive to the ways in which Yah is working in our lives. We don’t fully know the amount and type of preparation we may need for the mature administration of our authority, but we do know that the Scriptures teach the importance of our training, testing, and incremental growth, which lead to maturity and usefulness for Yah. We therefore have to be continually preparing to exercise our authority by developing our character, gifts, and skills so that we will be ready when Yah opens doors of opportunity for us.
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.(2 Timothy 2:20–21)
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? (Luke 16:10–12)
When those doors of opportunity open, you may find that you continually operate in your authority, or you may have periods when you pull back and regroup or rest before mobilizing again. But as you prepare yourself and your gifts, and as you stay connected to your Creator, you will know when it is time to get active and administer your authority. It will be for you “the fullness of time.”
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
Monday, April 10, 2023
HOW TO THRIVE UNDER AUTHORITY (BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE)
Genesis chapter 1
Today we are walking in: How to Thrive under Authority (Both Positive and Negative)
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
*****
The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
How to Thrive under Authority (Both Positive and Negative)
Remaining True to Your Authority while Respecting the Authority of Others
Having talked about the benefits and responsibilities of mentorship, delegation, and submission, we still need to address certain needs and issues that arise within these relationships. It is sometimes difficult to know how to blend or balance authority and submission, especially when we find ourselves in circumstances where those who are in positions of authority don’t understand true authority or don’t practice its principles. While we should never willingly enter into an authority relationship with someone who isn’t submitted to anyone else or who misuses authority, there may be times when we find ourselves in such a relationship in our families, our jobs, or other situations in life.
The following general guidelines will help you to respond positively to, and even thrive under, both genuine authority and false or uninformed authority. Note that your personal situations must be considered individually, with careful thought and prayer to the Ultimate Authority, as the following points cannot address every circumstance you may encounter. The main thing to remember is that you can remain true to your personal authority while respecting the authority and positions of others.
Study the Formal Organizational Structure of the Group
Study the formal organizational structure of the family, community, or business you are a part of. This will help you to understand the relative positions and interrelationships of all the members. It will answer the question of who, officially, is your immediate authority, and whom you can appeal to in relation to a problem or need. It will also clarify those who are the immediate authorities of all others in the group, especially if they differ from your immediate authority.
If you happen to be in the senior position of authority, then remember that your Ultimate Authority is your Creator and that you are responsible to Him for all the members of the group. In addition, you should have one or two people or a small group to whom you make yourself accountable, for your own protection and safety as a leader. You need to be able to discuss your role and responsibilities as a senior authority with those who can help you remain true to the Creator’s principles and ways.
Study the Informal Structures of the Group
Next, study the informal structures of authority within the family, community, or business. Even though certain formal structures and procedures are usually in place, individuals often interact with one another in “unofficial” ways according to their personalities, relationships, and past experiences or histories. If you learn both the official and unofficial structures, you will gain a better understanding of how authority, delegation, mentorship, and submission actually function in your group.
For example, in a family, although the role of the parents is to teach, train, and supervise all the children, the children relate to their parents in different ways according to their ages, temperaments, styles of learning, and so forth. In this way, even though their parents may want to treat them exactly the same, the fact that each child has a singular makeup makes this difficult at times, if not impossible. Different approaches will be needed with different children in terms of teaching, correcting, and nurturing the unique character of each relationship.
In another example, someone working in the warehouse of a company may not have immediate access to the CEO on a job-flow chart, but because he has worked there for thirty years and has been there since the business was established, the CEO may seek him out directly for information or advice rather than making the request through his supervisors.
As you make your study of the organization, be sure to assess your own formal and informal relationships in the group so that you are fully aware of how you interact with others on an official and unofficial basis. Having a knowledge of both of these structures will help you to receive the support you need, make good and efficient decisions, participate in the life of the group, and accomplish your assignments, goals, and objectives in accordance with your personal authority.
Identify Those Who Possess Earned Authority and Influence
Third, identify the individuals who possess “earned” authority and influence within the formal and informal structures of the organization. A person who has earned authority has knowledge, wisdom, experience, and skills that others in the group recognize and respect, so that people go to him for key information and assistance that will help the family, community, or business to solve problems and to run smoothly overall. An individual with earned authority might be the founder of an organization, someone promoted to manager from within the staff of a company, a president emeritus, a grandmother or grandfather, or a long-term employee. Note that these individuals may or may not be in a visible role; they may have a quiet role that functions in the background but wields great influence on the group as a whole.
Refer to Your Immediate Authority First, Especially When in Doubt
If you have a concern or a problem that needs to be addressed, always refer to your immediate authority first, such as a parent, a committee chairman, a teacher, a supervisor, a director, or a CEO. You should follow the same course when you are in doubt about who you should go to regarding a question or situation—the immediate authority is where you begin.
In a case where the issue is your immediate authority, you may be tempted to go above him to address the problem. However, this is usually a poor move because it will undermine personal responsibility and positive interaction in the relationship.
Please note that in special circumstances, such as issues of physical abuse or sexual harassment that involve your immediate authority, you should appeal to someone who will treat the problem with confidentiality and seriousness. Most workplaces have established procedures to protect employees in these cases and to provide a neutral third party for employees to talk with, such as a human resources director. If the abuse or harassment is coming from a family member, you should contact a respected pastor, family counselor, or women’s shelter.
Generally, though, by going to your immediate authority with an issue, you will follow the proper order. You will likely incite a lack of trust in both your direct authority and any authority above him if you immediately go over his head. As uncomfortable as the interaction might be, go to the supervisor, director, chairman, or parent first and explain clearly and respectfully what the issue is.
For example, if you are having difficulty getting your work done at your job because of something the supervisor is doing, or because of some practice in your department, tell him what is hampering you. I suggest that if you do not receive a helpful response, you should go back to the supervisor two more times. You should document these conversations in some form. If you still do not receive a positive response, then you should go to the next level. This would be the one who is your supervisor’s immediate authority. You want the authority above your supervisor to know that you have followed the proper order in addressing the problem before coming to him. The company may deal with the supervisor when you explain the situation, but any such action is under their domain and is not yours to try to accomplish in some other way.
Going to your supervisor or your supervisor’s immediate authority is not something to do lightly. Don’t go to your supervisor over trivial matters or go to the next level of authority because you have a grudge against your supervisor. Instead, make appeals about matters that truly hinder you from being able to perform your job.
Never Bypass, Overstep, or Ignore Your Immediate Authority
Similarly, never bypass, overstep, or ignore your immediate authority when it comes to other interactions in your family, community, or business. Always follow the lines of designated
authority.
For example, Yahusha told His disciples, “The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John 15:16, emphasis added). Yahusha has all authority, and for His disciples to ask in His name maintains the power as well as the order of true authority.
In the case of Joseph, the pharaoh gave him authority over all Egypt by giving him his own signet ring. Yet even though Joseph had great latitude in ruling and was second in command, he still had to answer to the pharaoh. (See Genesis 41:40–42.)
A practical example of this guideline in the workplace would be to channel all communication—ideas, suggestions, and so forth—through your supervisor in an e-mail or memo so that it’s clear to others that this is how you operate. Let it go up the line. The first person in authority has the decision of whether or not to communicate the idea or suggestion. If you document your communication, the supervisor is the one who will answer for it if an idea is not passed along.
It’s possible that he may take credit for something you suggested. In that case, be honest if you are asked about it, but otherwise entrust it to Yah to work out rather than going around complaining about it. Peter’s advice to first-century slaves seems to apply here: “Submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of Yah” (1 Peter 2:18–19). Following designated authority will honor Yah, and He will reward you for your work. (See Colossians 3:23–24.)
Submit to the Position of Authority and Not Necessarily the Person
This guideline addresses how to respond to illegitimate authority. If you need to operate under someone who doesn’t understand or accept true authority, recognize that you are submitting to the position that has been delegated to him from those higher than he. The office is more important than the officer in this case.
However, if you are asked to do something that would violate Yah’s principles, you cannot, of course, participate. You should follow the example of Daniel as he lived as an exile in Babylon, in an environment of idol worship under the kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. For example, when a royal decree was issued that all the people had to worship only King Darius for a period of thirty days, Daniel kept praying only to Yah and, as a result, was thrown in a lions’ den. Yah protected him, and his life was spared. Yet, as a testimony to Daniel’s respect for authority, when Darius came to see if he had survived, Daniel did not say to him out of anger and resentment, “O king, go to blazes!” Instead, he greeted him with an energetic, “O king, live forever!” (Daniel 6:21) and explained how Yah had rescued him and that he was innocent of offending the king. (See Daniel 6.)
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives a list of people who served Yah, even in the midst of dire circumstances. Some were miraculously delivered, while others were mocked, physically abused, imprisoned, or even killed. All of them were noted for their faith. Regardless of whether they were delivered or not, they all received Yah’s commendation and reward for staying true to Him and His ways.
Serve the position, if not the person, whenever possible, and serve Yah at all times.
Make an Unauthorized Authority Accountable to Your Convictions
If an unauthorized authority asks you to do something that you cannot in good conscience do, and if he is not accountable to anyone else, then you must make him accountable to your own convictions.
What does this mean? You can sometimes work under an authority figure who is contrary to your ideals and principles and end up influencing that person because you are confident in your own personal authority and because it is stronger than that person’s public authority. In the above example, Daniel did not succumb to idol worship, and those around him—including the king—had to deal with his convictions. The king’s other advisers had manipulated Darius to make the decree because they were jealous of Daniel. His principles, wisdom, and work ethic had given him such favor with the king that he was about to be made second in command, and they thought that hitting him in the area of his own convictions would cause his downfall. (See Daniel 6:3–9.) Instead, the opposite happened. Though Darius couldn’t revoke his decree, he was relieved to find that Daniel had been saved from the lions, and he not only promoted Daniel but honored Daniel’s Yah, as well. Those who opposed Daniel received the punishment they had sought for him. (See Daniel 6:10–28.)
Similarly, Joseph knew Yah as his reference in life and therefore was established in ethics and morals and understood righteous boundaries, but he seemed to be able to work with anyone in an authority role. Even after being sold into slavery, he served those over him honorably—his first Egyptian master, Potiphar; the prison warden who oversaw him after he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife; and the pharaoh.
When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he refused to compromise his principles, and so she told lies that resulted in his imprisonment. Then, even after Pharaoh’s cupbearer, who had been jailed with him, was restored to his role after Joseph interpreted his dream but promptly forgot about his promise to help Joseph, Joseph kept trusting Yah to deliver him from prison. After two years, when the pharaoh had a troubling dream, the cupbearer remembered Joseph, and Joseph not only was freed but was made second in command in Egypt. (See Genesis 39:1–41:44.)
Daniel and Joseph cooperated with unauthorized authority figures as much as possible, but they never compromised their relationships with Yah.
One of the keys to keeping this balance is a principle I highlighted earlier: when you are operating under your personal authority and know that your Ultimate Authority is Yah, you are no longer threatened by anyone, and you don’t need anything from anyone else in order to feel valuable or safe; therefore, no one can manipulate or coerce you into doing something you don’t want to do.
In other scriptural examples, even under the threat of death, Esther, at her uncle Mordecai’s urging, was willing to risk her own life before King Xerxes to save her people from death. (See the book of Esther.) Daniel was not afraid to appeal to King Nebuchadnezzar, who had ordered all the king’s advisers put to death, including Daniel and his friends, or to ask Yah for the interpretation of the king’s troubling dream. (See Daniel 2.) When Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were threatened with death in a fiery furnace if they didn’t worship the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had made, they refused, saying,
O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the Yah we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your Yahs or worship the image of gold you have set up. (Daniel 3:16–18)
Again, the king had to respond to the convictions of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, which they were willing to die for. Yah protected them from the furnace so that they not only survived the fire but also didn’t even have the smell of smoke on their clothes. (See verses 22–30.)
In your interactions in family, community, and business settings, you hopefully will never face anything as dire as Daniel and his friends, Joseph, or Esther did! However, their experiences illustrate that you can remain true to your principles and your personal authority while still serving unauthorized authority as you honor Yah in your life.
Discourage Complaining and the Defamation of Authority
If others in your family, community, or company are grumbling and complaining about authority—either authorized or unauthorized authority— do your best to discourage or dilute this attitude by promoting positive conversation and peace among members of the group. We read in the book of Hebrews,
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Most High. See to it that no one misses the grace of Yah and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.(Hebrews 12:11–15, emphasis added)
Even though circumstances may not be pleasant and may even be unfair, again, encourage respect for the office if not the person. This must be done with tact and patience, but you can often defuse a gripe session or negative situation by offering constructive, practical alternatives to complaining and by steering the conversation toward more positive topics. You can also discuss going through the proper channels to try to correct the problem, as described in numbers four and five.
Encourage Others to Respect Authority by Your Own Example
What are you demonstrating about your own attitude toward authority in the various realms of corporate life you are involved in? It’s important not just to discourage others’ complaints about authority but also to encourage members of the organization to respect authority by your own example. You will always be tempted to talk negatively to others about certain people in the group or about the organization itself in regard to people’s attitudes, policies, and so forth, but resist this temptation. Paul wrote,
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)
Commit your concerns to your Ultimate Authority and let Him lead and guide you:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Yah. And the peace of Yah, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Hamachiach Yahusha. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:6–8)
Remember that Submission to Authority Is an Established Principle
To thrive under authority, we need to remember that both delegating and submitting to established authority are built into creation and life. Primarily, you submit to your authority not for the purpose of protecting your relationship with that authority but rather preserving your higher relationship with the Creator, who established authority and desires that we live in it for the sake of peace and order. Like Yahusha, we need to obey Yah to fulfill “all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), which means “all right standing, or positioning.”
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Most High, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Most High as a reward. It is the Most High Hamachiach you are serving.(Colossians 3:23–24)
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
Today we are walking in: How to Thrive under Authority (Both Positive and Negative)
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
*****
The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
How to Thrive under Authority (Both Positive and Negative)
Remaining True to Your Authority while Respecting the Authority of Others
Having talked about the benefits and responsibilities of mentorship, delegation, and submission, we still need to address certain needs and issues that arise within these relationships. It is sometimes difficult to know how to blend or balance authority and submission, especially when we find ourselves in circumstances where those who are in positions of authority don’t understand true authority or don’t practice its principles. While we should never willingly enter into an authority relationship with someone who isn’t submitted to anyone else or who misuses authority, there may be times when we find ourselves in such a relationship in our families, our jobs, or other situations in life.
The following general guidelines will help you to respond positively to, and even thrive under, both genuine authority and false or uninformed authority. Note that your personal situations must be considered individually, with careful thought and prayer to the Ultimate Authority, as the following points cannot address every circumstance you may encounter. The main thing to remember is that you can remain true to your personal authority while respecting the authority and positions of others.
Study the Formal Organizational Structure of the Group
Study the formal organizational structure of the family, community, or business you are a part of. This will help you to understand the relative positions and interrelationships of all the members. It will answer the question of who, officially, is your immediate authority, and whom you can appeal to in relation to a problem or need. It will also clarify those who are the immediate authorities of all others in the group, especially if they differ from your immediate authority.
If you happen to be in the senior position of authority, then remember that your Ultimate Authority is your Creator and that you are responsible to Him for all the members of the group. In addition, you should have one or two people or a small group to whom you make yourself accountable, for your own protection and safety as a leader. You need to be able to discuss your role and responsibilities as a senior authority with those who can help you remain true to the Creator’s principles and ways.
Study the Informal Structures of the Group
Next, study the informal structures of authority within the family, community, or business. Even though certain formal structures and procedures are usually in place, individuals often interact with one another in “unofficial” ways according to their personalities, relationships, and past experiences or histories. If you learn both the official and unofficial structures, you will gain a better understanding of how authority, delegation, mentorship, and submission actually function in your group.
For example, in a family, although the role of the parents is to teach, train, and supervise all the children, the children relate to their parents in different ways according to their ages, temperaments, styles of learning, and so forth. In this way, even though their parents may want to treat them exactly the same, the fact that each child has a singular makeup makes this difficult at times, if not impossible. Different approaches will be needed with different children in terms of teaching, correcting, and nurturing the unique character of each relationship.
In another example, someone working in the warehouse of a company may not have immediate access to the CEO on a job-flow chart, but because he has worked there for thirty years and has been there since the business was established, the CEO may seek him out directly for information or advice rather than making the request through his supervisors.
As you make your study of the organization, be sure to assess your own formal and informal relationships in the group so that you are fully aware of how you interact with others on an official and unofficial basis. Having a knowledge of both of these structures will help you to receive the support you need, make good and efficient decisions, participate in the life of the group, and accomplish your assignments, goals, and objectives in accordance with your personal authority.
Identify Those Who Possess Earned Authority and Influence
Third, identify the individuals who possess “earned” authority and influence within the formal and informal structures of the organization. A person who has earned authority has knowledge, wisdom, experience, and skills that others in the group recognize and respect, so that people go to him for key information and assistance that will help the family, community, or business to solve problems and to run smoothly overall. An individual with earned authority might be the founder of an organization, someone promoted to manager from within the staff of a company, a president emeritus, a grandmother or grandfather, or a long-term employee. Note that these individuals may or may not be in a visible role; they may have a quiet role that functions in the background but wields great influence on the group as a whole.
Refer to Your Immediate Authority First, Especially When in Doubt
If you have a concern or a problem that needs to be addressed, always refer to your immediate authority first, such as a parent, a committee chairman, a teacher, a supervisor, a director, or a CEO. You should follow the same course when you are in doubt about who you should go to regarding a question or situation—the immediate authority is where you begin.
In a case where the issue is your immediate authority, you may be tempted to go above him to address the problem. However, this is usually a poor move because it will undermine personal responsibility and positive interaction in the relationship.
Please note that in special circumstances, such as issues of physical abuse or sexual harassment that involve your immediate authority, you should appeal to someone who will treat the problem with confidentiality and seriousness. Most workplaces have established procedures to protect employees in these cases and to provide a neutral third party for employees to talk with, such as a human resources director. If the abuse or harassment is coming from a family member, you should contact a respected pastor, family counselor, or women’s shelter.
Generally, though, by going to your immediate authority with an issue, you will follow the proper order. You will likely incite a lack of trust in both your direct authority and any authority above him if you immediately go over his head. As uncomfortable as the interaction might be, go to the supervisor, director, chairman, or parent first and explain clearly and respectfully what the issue is.
For example, if you are having difficulty getting your work done at your job because of something the supervisor is doing, or because of some practice in your department, tell him what is hampering you. I suggest that if you do not receive a helpful response, you should go back to the supervisor two more times. You should document these conversations in some form. If you still do not receive a positive response, then you should go to the next level. This would be the one who is your supervisor’s immediate authority. You want the authority above your supervisor to know that you have followed the proper order in addressing the problem before coming to him. The company may deal with the supervisor when you explain the situation, but any such action is under their domain and is not yours to try to accomplish in some other way.
Going to your supervisor or your supervisor’s immediate authority is not something to do lightly. Don’t go to your supervisor over trivial matters or go to the next level of authority because you have a grudge against your supervisor. Instead, make appeals about matters that truly hinder you from being able to perform your job.
Never Bypass, Overstep, or Ignore Your Immediate Authority
Similarly, never bypass, overstep, or ignore your immediate authority when it comes to other interactions in your family, community, or business. Always follow the lines of designated
authority.
For example, Yahusha told His disciples, “The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John 15:16, emphasis added). Yahusha has all authority, and for His disciples to ask in His name maintains the power as well as the order of true authority.
In the case of Joseph, the pharaoh gave him authority over all Egypt by giving him his own signet ring. Yet even though Joseph had great latitude in ruling and was second in command, he still had to answer to the pharaoh. (See Genesis 41:40–42.)
A practical example of this guideline in the workplace would be to channel all communication—ideas, suggestions, and so forth—through your supervisor in an e-mail or memo so that it’s clear to others that this is how you operate. Let it go up the line. The first person in authority has the decision of whether or not to communicate the idea or suggestion. If you document your communication, the supervisor is the one who will answer for it if an idea is not passed along.
It’s possible that he may take credit for something you suggested. In that case, be honest if you are asked about it, but otherwise entrust it to Yah to work out rather than going around complaining about it. Peter’s advice to first-century slaves seems to apply here: “Submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of Yah” (1 Peter 2:18–19). Following designated authority will honor Yah, and He will reward you for your work. (See Colossians 3:23–24.)
Submit to the Position of Authority and Not Necessarily the Person
This guideline addresses how to respond to illegitimate authority. If you need to operate under someone who doesn’t understand or accept true authority, recognize that you are submitting to the position that has been delegated to him from those higher than he. The office is more important than the officer in this case.
However, if you are asked to do something that would violate Yah’s principles, you cannot, of course, participate. You should follow the example of Daniel as he lived as an exile in Babylon, in an environment of idol worship under the kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. For example, when a royal decree was issued that all the people had to worship only King Darius for a period of thirty days, Daniel kept praying only to Yah and, as a result, was thrown in a lions’ den. Yah protected him, and his life was spared. Yet, as a testimony to Daniel’s respect for authority, when Darius came to see if he had survived, Daniel did not say to him out of anger and resentment, “O king, go to blazes!” Instead, he greeted him with an energetic, “O king, live forever!” (Daniel 6:21) and explained how Yah had rescued him and that he was innocent of offending the king. (See Daniel 6.)
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives a list of people who served Yah, even in the midst of dire circumstances. Some were miraculously delivered, while others were mocked, physically abused, imprisoned, or even killed. All of them were noted for their faith. Regardless of whether they were delivered or not, they all received Yah’s commendation and reward for staying true to Him and His ways.
Serve the position, if not the person, whenever possible, and serve Yah at all times.
Make an Unauthorized Authority Accountable to Your Convictions
If an unauthorized authority asks you to do something that you cannot in good conscience do, and if he is not accountable to anyone else, then you must make him accountable to your own convictions.
What does this mean? You can sometimes work under an authority figure who is contrary to your ideals and principles and end up influencing that person because you are confident in your own personal authority and because it is stronger than that person’s public authority. In the above example, Daniel did not succumb to idol worship, and those around him—including the king—had to deal with his convictions. The king’s other advisers had manipulated Darius to make the decree because they were jealous of Daniel. His principles, wisdom, and work ethic had given him such favor with the king that he was about to be made second in command, and they thought that hitting him in the area of his own convictions would cause his downfall. (See Daniel 6:3–9.) Instead, the opposite happened. Though Darius couldn’t revoke his decree, he was relieved to find that Daniel had been saved from the lions, and he not only promoted Daniel but honored Daniel’s Yah, as well. Those who opposed Daniel received the punishment they had sought for him. (See Daniel 6:10–28.)
Similarly, Joseph knew Yah as his reference in life and therefore was established in ethics and morals and understood righteous boundaries, but he seemed to be able to work with anyone in an authority role. Even after being sold into slavery, he served those over him honorably—his first Egyptian master, Potiphar; the prison warden who oversaw him after he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife; and the pharaoh.
When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he refused to compromise his principles, and so she told lies that resulted in his imprisonment. Then, even after Pharaoh’s cupbearer, who had been jailed with him, was restored to his role after Joseph interpreted his dream but promptly forgot about his promise to help Joseph, Joseph kept trusting Yah to deliver him from prison. After two years, when the pharaoh had a troubling dream, the cupbearer remembered Joseph, and Joseph not only was freed but was made second in command in Egypt. (See Genesis 39:1–41:44.)
Daniel and Joseph cooperated with unauthorized authority figures as much as possible, but they never compromised their relationships with Yah.
One of the keys to keeping this balance is a principle I highlighted earlier: when you are operating under your personal authority and know that your Ultimate Authority is Yah, you are no longer threatened by anyone, and you don’t need anything from anyone else in order to feel valuable or safe; therefore, no one can manipulate or coerce you into doing something you don’t want to do.
In other scriptural examples, even under the threat of death, Esther, at her uncle Mordecai’s urging, was willing to risk her own life before King Xerxes to save her people from death. (See the book of Esther.) Daniel was not afraid to appeal to King Nebuchadnezzar, who had ordered all the king’s advisers put to death, including Daniel and his friends, or to ask Yah for the interpretation of the king’s troubling dream. (See Daniel 2.) When Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were threatened with death in a fiery furnace if they didn’t worship the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had made, they refused, saying,
O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the Yah we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your Yahs or worship the image of gold you have set up. (Daniel 3:16–18)
Again, the king had to respond to the convictions of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, which they were willing to die for. Yah protected them from the furnace so that they not only survived the fire but also didn’t even have the smell of smoke on their clothes. (See verses 22–30.)
In your interactions in family, community, and business settings, you hopefully will never face anything as dire as Daniel and his friends, Joseph, or Esther did! However, their experiences illustrate that you can remain true to your principles and your personal authority while still serving unauthorized authority as you honor Yah in your life.
Discourage Complaining and the Defamation of Authority
If others in your family, community, or company are grumbling and complaining about authority—either authorized or unauthorized authority— do your best to discourage or dilute this attitude by promoting positive conversation and peace among members of the group. We read in the book of Hebrews,
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Most High. See to it that no one misses the grace of Yah and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.(Hebrews 12:11–15, emphasis added)
Even though circumstances may not be pleasant and may even be unfair, again, encourage respect for the office if not the person. This must be done with tact and patience, but you can often defuse a gripe session or negative situation by offering constructive, practical alternatives to complaining and by steering the conversation toward more positive topics. You can also discuss going through the proper channels to try to correct the problem, as described in numbers four and five.
Encourage Others to Respect Authority by Your Own Example
What are you demonstrating about your own attitude toward authority in the various realms of corporate life you are involved in? It’s important not just to discourage others’ complaints about authority but also to encourage members of the organization to respect authority by your own example. You will always be tempted to talk negatively to others about certain people in the group or about the organization itself in regard to people’s attitudes, policies, and so forth, but resist this temptation. Paul wrote,
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)
Commit your concerns to your Ultimate Authority and let Him lead and guide you:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Yah. And the peace of Yah, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Hamachiach Yahusha. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:6–8)
Remember that Submission to Authority Is an Established Principle
To thrive under authority, we need to remember that both delegating and submitting to established authority are built into creation and life. Primarily, you submit to your authority not for the purpose of protecting your relationship with that authority but rather preserving your higher relationship with the Creator, who established authority and desires that we live in it for the sake of peace and order. Like Yahusha, we need to obey Yah to fulfill “all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), which means “all right standing, or positioning.”
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Most High, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Most High as a reward. It is the Most High Hamachiach you are serving.(Colossians 3:23–24)
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
Sunday, April 9, 2023
THE BENEFITS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MENTORSHIP, DELEGATION AND SUBMISSION
Genesis chapter 1
Today we are walking in: The Benefits and Responsibilities of Mentorship, Delegation, and Submission
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
*****
The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
The Interdependent Nature of Authority
The Benefits and Responsibilities of Mentorship, Delegation, and Submission
Authority is a team effort rather than a solo activity. Although each individual has a personal authority, the nature of authority is such that people’s purposes are interrelated and function interdependently in corporate life. It is a foundational principle that we need each other’s authority to fulfill our own authority.
Every Person on Earth Yields to Authority
In teaching 5, we saw that nothing the Creator made can exist without submission to some authority because, by its nature, authority involves both dependence and interdependence. First, everything depends on the Creator to exist because everything in life flows from Him and is maintained by Him. Second, the lives of living things are naturally interwoven for their existence and growth. Third, we all need to submit to the personal authority of others in order to function in life, and we all naturally yield to others’ authority. I used the everyday example of submission in which we trust the dentist’s authority to safely and effectively work on our teeth. There are hundreds of other examples, such as needing to stop at red lights or yield to other cars when we are driving. Much of common courtesy is actually a form of submission to others for their benefit.
Although interdependence is a natural state of life, the give-and-take of genuine authority has often been lacking. Misuse and abuse of authority have given rise to misconceptions about leaders and followers and the characteristics of submission, causing people to steer clear of situations in which they feel they are “taking orders” from others. Compounding this mind-set is the fact that many people have felt overwhelmed by circumstances in their lives that have made them feel powerless.
Again, because many of our parents, teachers, employers, and other authority figures did not understand authority and misused it in relation to us, we are afraid to submit to others and therefore find it difficult to release our own true authority. Consequently, many of us have dreams, goals, and gifts trapped inside us.
Despite their past experiences, those who resist genuine submission and the concept of delegation rob themselves of the benefits and opportunities connected with interdependent relationships. They unfortunately restrict themselves from experiencing Yah’s purpose and will for their lives by their attitudes about what they perceive as “authority.”
A Time to Delegate, a Time to Submit
At various times in your life, you will be called upon to delegate to others based on your authority. At other times, you will be called to submit to others based on their authority. This is just a part of life. It is not something you need to be uncomfortable about, whether you are on the giving or receiving side.
Some people are as uncomfortable about directing others as they are about taking orders because they don’t want to feel as if they are “bossing others around.” Not wanting to exercise false authority is a commendable attitude, and their concern would be valid if delegating were the same thing as acting like a tyrant or having the “boss spirit.” It is not. Instead, delegation is a natural aspect of legitimate authority. We need to recognize this truth, because the role of directing and mentoring others may be an integral part of fulfilling our own personal authority. Therefore, understanding true delegation and true submission will free all of us to experience the Creator’s purposes and plans for our lives.
As we survey the topics of delegation, mentorship, and submission in this chapter, let us keep in mind the following foundational points:
1. Our Ultimate Authority is Yah; we are to submit to Him and His purposes for us.
2. We “submit” to or live according to our inherent domains—the authority, dreams, and gifts Yah has given us—instead of trying to be someone we aren’t or to succeed with improper motivations.
3. We submit to others’ Yah-given authority in relationship and community.
4. To function properly either in the role of delegator or delegatee, it is vital that we clearly know our own self-worth. We must know that we are of great value to Yah and that He has given us special gifts and abilities to contribute to corporate life, or we may be overly influenced by other people’s opinions or demands and be unable to fulfill our authority.
Let us now look at what it means to delegate authority and submit to authority, as well as the responsibilities and benefits connected with each role.
Principles for Delegators and Delegatees
We were all created in the image of Yah, and He Himself is a delegator. He has delegated authority to each of us for our individual purposes and pleasure in life. Yah “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). Similarly, part of Yah’s delegation of authority is to give people the ability to release the authority of others through mentorship and the pursuit of common goals.
Human delegation is therefore the transfer of authority. It is taking the permission you have from the Creator to use power and sharing it with someone else. Delegation gives the other person the right to function in that authority.
The following are essential principles for delegated authority.
Authority Is Legitimate Only If It Has Been Delegated
Unless authority has been given to you, you don’t have it. It cannot be seized and still be legitimate. Authority is given for specific reasons and purposes, and these can’t be carried out if someone is unauthorized. This is why all authority must come from Yah as the Ultimate Authority, and why any authority we administer as human beings must be Yah-given, as well.
Authority Is Given so that It Can Be Shared
Authority is not given to be kept but to be distributed. The authority you have received from Yah was bestowed on you to share with others to achieve positive results. While this principle is true for anyone in his personal authority—all gifts and abilities have been given to benefit not only ourselves but also others—it is especially applicable to those who have areas of oversight or power to delegate to others. Delegation of authority is the transfer of legitimate power to enable others to exercise or operate in their authority. Perhaps the highest form of delegation is that which empowers people to empower still others for the benefit of all. Anyone who hoards his authority and refuses to delegate it is violating a natural principle of authority. Like the manna that was hoarded by the Israelites, authority that is not used for its intent becomes corrupt. (See Exodus 16:13–20.)
Yahusha Hamachiach perfectly exemplified the principle of shared authority. He always delegated His authority for the purpose of benefiting others. As Yah’s Son, the Word made flesh, He seems to have progressively received authority from the Father. But whatever authority He received, He always used and delegated in service to others. Here are some examples:
Yahusha’ obedience up to the time of and including His baptism by John brought His Father’s affirmation: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). He was one in purpose with the Father.
After Yahusha overcame the temptations of HaSatan, He “returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). He was given both authority and power for His ministry.
Yahusha manifested that authority and power: “Yahusha went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).
After Yahusha had demonstrated that He had the power and authority of the Father, He delegated it to His disciples: “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matthew 10:1).
Yahusha delegated authority to still more of His followers: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1).
Through His obedient life and sacrificial death, Yahusha qualified for “all authority.” After His resurrection, He said to His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20). Note that in response to all authority being given to Him, He told His disciples, “Therefore go.” He immediately delegated His authority. He didn’t control, hoard, or sell it. He didn’t say, “All authority has been given to Me; therefore, I will use it all Myself.” He distributed it.
Yahusha promised additional authority to His followers: “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).
Yahusha was constantly transferring authority to fulfill His purpose, to release the purposes of others, and to benefit the community and the world at large. We who have been given authority are to do the same.
Authority, whether it is personal or corporate, is always to be used to serve, benefit, or improve others. Paul wrote of “the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down” (2 Corinthians 10:8). If someone is a legitimate authority, it shows by how much his authority benefits people’s lives. If someone in a position of authority doesn’t help others, he is not exercising genuine authority but merely power.
Authority Should Not Be Delegated Based on Favoritism
Delegation of authority should not be motivated by partiality or favoritism. This is in keeping with the nature of our Creator. “Yah does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34–35). Paul wrote to his mentee, Timothy, “Do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21). And we read in the book of James,
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Yahusha Hamachiach, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?...But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as
lawbreakers.(James 2:1–4, 9)
You don’t give authority just because you like someone but because his unique gifts, talents, and personality correspond with the tasks or supervision that needs to be delegated for a certain project. In this way, you are being responsible for the authority that was delegated to you.
Authority Should Not Be Given to the Untested
Authority and its accompanying power should never be delegated to someone who is immature or someone who is a novice in the area of oversight. Instead, delegated power must be invested in increments and installed as a result of trust that the delegatee has earned over time. Before delegating authority, therefore, you should first evaluate a person’s maturity by learning how that person has functioned under authority in the past. Does the person work well with others, or is he always fighting direction and openly or subtly contentious? A person cannot receive from an authority he doesn’t submit to.
The one receiving the authority must also allow the delegator to lead and support him. Paul wrote, “If [a person’s gift] is leadership, let him govern diligently” (Romans 12:8). In other words, let the person whom Yah called to be the visionary or overseer be the visionary or overseer. The delegatee shouldn’t give him a hard time. If the delegator is forced to become something he’s not because of the resistance of those whom he’s trying to delegate to, it is going to cause problems for the whole organization. Let him remain in his authority.
Those who are untested in regard to submission make potentially dangerous leaders. Why? We come to trust someone as a result of assessing that person’s attitude toward power, fame, popularity, pride, and so forth. All these attitudes are dangerous for someone in a position of leadership and need to be dealt with before a person is given authority. We have witnessed the tragic outcomes in nations throughout the world after someone has been thrust into authority or has seized a leadership role for which he was not qualified.
Remember that Yahusha Himself was tested and proven trustworthy in three areas before He began to fully embark on His life’s purpose. These tests occurred during His temptation by HaSatan in the desert right after He was baptized by John. (See Matthew 4:1–11.) Anyone in leadership must pass these same tests:
1. The appetites test. This test includes drink, food, and sex. HaSatan wanted Yahusha to gratify His hunger more than any other considerations, including His relationship with Yah the Father. A person must be able to manage his physical desires before being given authority and power.
2. The fame and popularity test. When HaSatan challenged Yahusha to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, the courtyard below was filled with a quarter of a million people who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. The whole point of this test was to see if He would desire instant fame rather than be obedient toward Yah and receive “all authority” at the right time, after His sacrifice and resurrection. (See Matthew 28:18.) If a person hasn’t passed the test of popularity and desire for instant fame, he shouldn’t be trusted with authority.
3. The power test. HaSatan told Yahusha that if He would worship him, he would give Him all the power of the kingdoms of the world. No one should be given power until he doesn’t desire power for its own sake.
The three qualifications established by Yah, therefore, for one to be trusted with exercising authority, as well as delegating it to others, are control over one’s appetites, a willingness to go through the process of submission and obedience to earn trust and respect rather than seeking instant fame, and a desire to serve rather than a desire to wield power.
Note that even though Yahusha had already been affirmed by Yah the Father as His Son because of Yahusha’ submission and obedience, Yah still tested Him. After passing the tests, “Yahusha returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). He received the empowerment of increased authority. And He never used His authority for personal gain, for destroying anyone else— including His enemies—or for fame. He used it for the redemption, advancement, development, and protection of other people. Yahusha is our clear example that the ultimate purpose of authority and power is service—serving the interests and needs of others. It is never self-serving. Such an attitude toward one’s authority is so crucial that the testing is necessary.
True success in life, therefore, requires submission to legitimate authority. The spirit of genuine submission and humbleness will always bring favor with Yah. Likewise, a person’s success as a delegator will depend on his own ability to submit to genuine authority, to learn from it, and to serve. It’s only when we learn submission that we can become true leaders.
We can decide whether we want to succeed or fail in Yah’s eyes by our attitudes toward authority.
Delegated Authority Must Be Preceded by Preparation
Before you delegate authority to someone, you must prepare and train him. The delegatee first needs to be taught the true purpose and responsibility of authority. People must be prepared to receive power since the use of power is the highest form of responsibility. Until a person understands the danger of power, as well as its benefits, he should never be given authority. This is why a prerequisite for using the power of authority is the quality of humility. Humility is a consciousness of one’s vulnerability. You cannot fully trust a person who doesn’t know his own weaknesses or is unwilling to counteract or compensate for them. The delegatee also needs to be trained in the various aspects of his future oversight responsibilities.
An essential role of someone in a position to delegate authority, then, is to know when a person is ready to receive authority. Authority must not be delegated prematurely.
Delegated Authority Should Not Be Abandoned
Authority and power should be delegated in installments and never abandoned. The delegator continues to be answerable for them even after sharing them with someone else.
Authority is always responsible for the authority it delegates. When Yahusha gave authority to His disciples, He did leave not them on their own to figure out what they were supposed to do next. He said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18), and “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Those to whom you delegate authority may be in charge of various areas, but you are still responsible for those areas in the end. This is why you need to monitor, assess, and regulate delegated authority on a consistent basis. Delegation always has an accountability factor. If I delegate authority to someone, I must remain conscious of the fact that what I gave that person was on loan to me, as well. So, even though I delegate authority, I am using borrowed power. Again, everyone under authority is answerable to the Ultimate Authority.
Delegated Authority Is Always Delegated Authority
Likewise, if authority has been delegated to you, it isn’t a license for you to begin to function totally on your own. Always remember that your authority is a trust that has been given to you and that you are responsible to the one who gave it. To put it simply, authority is synonymous with responsibility. The need to report to your delegator is built-in. We can respond constructively to the authority of others as we recognize their own inherent Yah-given authority.
Delegated Authority Should Be Authentic
A delegator should never attempt to force a delegatee to violate or neglect his personal domain of authority and thus be rendered unauthentic. In other words, we shouldn’t make people operate in domains that are not natural for them; we shouldn’t expect orange trees to yield apples. A person is given gifts by His Creator to be used “in proportion to his faith” (Romans 12:6), so a leader needs to allow people to use their true gifts. Let people be themselves, not images of your own making. The benefit will be happier, more productive delegatees instead of complaining, contentious ones.
Delegated Authority Is Protected by the Delegator
Just as the Creator supports and protects us as the recipients of His authority, the person who delegates authority is responsible for protecting the one to whom he delegates it. The delegatee should be allowed to carry out the authority he has been granted. However, he must also be given the assurance that he may, when needed, refer to or appeal to the delegator, who should make it a priority to offer assistance, wisdom, direction, and encouragement. If problems arise, they are ultimately the delegator’s responsibility.
Delegated Authority Can Be Recalled
The one who is in authority should never be afraid to recall delegated authority when necessary. Authority is a privilege and not a right. It is permission to use someone else’s power. Someone who is functioning outside of his delegated authority is illegal and cannot be fully trusted. Yahusha told a parable in which a rich man discovered that his manager had squandered his resources, and he told him, “You cannot be manager any longer” (Luke 16:2). Even though the manager ended up redeeming himself in the eyes of his employer, Yahusha was telling us that authority can be withdrawn for misuse. If someone disappoints, he can be dis-appointed.
Since delegated authority is always borrowed, the person who distributes it is responsible for how, when, and to whom that authority is delegated, and he will have to give an account for it. Sometimes, the delegator has to remove someone from a position of authority for the very reason that he is accountable before Yah and it’s the responsible thing for him to do for the protection and benefit of all those involved.
There were a number times in the history of Israel when the people were misrepresenting Yah as their Source to such a degree that they, in a sense, had to be temporarily recalled from this function until they returned wholeheartedly to Him and to their assignment of revealing His nature and purposes to the world. Even during their periods of “recall,” Yah was working in the lives of individual Israelites to continue His purposes, but the nation was not functioning as it was intended to.
To return to an earlier example, if I am the leader of a nation and give you authority as an ambassador to another nation, then the power, or backing, to carry out your assignment comes with it. What gives it authorization is the fact that I gave it to you. And you have to use that authorization for the specific reason it was given, or it’s a misuse of power. In this case, I can recall you from that other nation and hold you accountable for your lack of representation. If you change your attitude, I may send you back to finish your assignment. If you refuse to represent my policies, I can take away your assignment and give it to another who will carry it out.
Benefits of Genuine Submission
When it is our position to submit to the authority of others, how should we think about our role? Again, submission is a voluntary and natural act as part of the interdependent nature of authority. It is not the same thing as surrender, in which a person succumbs to another through manipulation and fear.
Genuine submission is one person’s willing and conscious yielding to another person’s Yah-given personal authority. The Scriptures say that Yahusha was “faithful to the one who appointed him” and that He was honored for submitting to His life’s mission, even to the point of paying the ultimate sacrifice for us.
[You] who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Yahusha, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all Yah’s house. Yahusha has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but Yah is the builder of everything.(Hebrews 3:1–4)
Let us fix our eyes on Yahusha, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne
of Yah. (Hebrews 12:2)
The first Adam did not submit to Yah, but Yahusha, the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), did. We are to focus on Him as the “author and perfecter” of our faith and authority. He is qualified to be the Author and Perfecter because He submitted completely to the authority of Yah the Father.
Let’s return to the scene of Yahusha’ baptism in order to highlight the benefits of submission to Yah and those to whom He has delegated authority. Remember that Yahusha submitted to John in accordance with the authority John had received from Yah to baptize.
As soon as Yahusha was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of Yah descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Then Yahusha was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by HaSatan. (Matthew 3:16–4:1)
From this account, we can glean these benefits of genuine and faithful submission:
Heaven, or the presence and resources of Yah, opens over your life. You have access to the privileges of true relationship and connection with Him.
You are “introduced” to others by Yah Himself. You don’t need to scramble for self-promotion, because Yah will bring promotion to you as you faithfully follow in His ways.
You are confirmed by Yah Himself. Yah the Father called Yahusha “my Son, whom I love,” and as we pattern our lives off Yahusha, we will be affirmed in a similar way as a member of Yah’s family. Yahusha said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister” (Matthew 12:50).
You receive a special anointing of Yah’s Spirit available only to those under submission.
You become prepared and equipped by Yah’s Spirit for tests and trials.
You sometimes receive greater honor than the person to whom you submit. As Yah in the flesh, Yahusha was greater than John the Baptist and all other people, although the manifestation of this greatness depended on His submission to authority. As you submit to earthly authority, you may also find yourself becoming “greater” in influence or accomplishments than the one you submit to. This is not always the case, and it would not mean that you have greater value than the other person. It would mean that that your personal authority naturally extends to a wider or deeper domain in life.
Do the above benefits change your perspective on submission?
Entering into a Mentor-Mentee Relationship
The give-and-take of authority and submission may best be exemplified by the mentor-mentee relationship. A mentor is someone who invests his time, energy, and genuine interest in the life of another for the purpose of enabling that person to fulfill his personal authority. The mentee may initiate the relationship, and he voluntarily submits for the sake of learning and growing as a person.
I mentioned earlier that when you know who you are in your Yah-given authority, the first thing you look for is the authority that Yah has placed in your life to benefit and protect you and to release your own authority. If you are wise, you make a careful search for someone who is very effective in a domain that is like yours and, after prayerful consideration, ask to enter into a mentoring relationship with him or her. (It is usually best, for a number of reasons, for men to have male mentors and for women to have female mentors.) This person may be a family member, a civic leader, a leader in your community, or a member of an organization in which you are involved.
Unfortunately, people rarely will go to others and ask to be in such a relationship in order to learn what they know and to see firsthand how they function in their authority. Yet it is the people who have the humbleness of heart to seek a mentor-mentee relationship, rather than those who try to push or manipulate their way to the “top,” who become true leaders.
Examples of Mentorship
A famous example of mentorship is found in the Scriptures and involves the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Yah had told Elijah that Elisha was his authorized successor.
[The Lord said,] “Anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”...So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him....Then [Elisha] set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.(1 Kings 19:16, 19, 21)
Elijah’s cloak, or mantle, was the symbol of his prophethood, and by putting it around Elisha, he was demonstrating that he would pass along his authority to Elisha.
Note Elisha’s attitude. He wasn’t like most people, who want the position before the qualification and experience. He was willing to become Elijah’s full-time attendant and to observe him as he fulfilled his calling as prophet. He was not afraid to submit his life to Elijah for fear of having his life ruled and controlled by Elijah or his own future forfeited. That kind of fear comes from misunderstanding authority, which, in its true form, releases and frees a person to fulfill his purpose.
The greatest example of a mentor is Yahusha Hamachiach, who mentored the small group of twelve men from among His disciples whom He had chosen to train as His apostles, or those who would have special authority in establishing His ecclesia on earth after He returned to Yah the Father. The word apostle comes from the Greek word meaning “a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Hamachiach” or “a messenger, one sent on a mission.” Yahusha trained and then delegated authority to these men, who would be ambassadors and messengers of Yahusha’ mission to bring the kingdom of Yah to the earth. Their mentorship relationship would last for three and a half years, before Yahusha’ death and resurrection.
These men submitted to the mentoring of their Master Teacher. They spent large amounts of time with Yahusha, observed His way of life firsthand, and endeavored to imitate it. They were able to ask Him questions and benefit from His knowledge and wisdom for the purpose of personal transformation. He asked them questions and tested them to see if they understood who He was and the truths and principles He was teaching. (See, for example, John 6:5–13.)
Selecting a Mentor: Assessing Attitudes and Qualities
Mentorship should not be entered into lightly. When making a decision on whom to approach as a potential mentor, and even when you are considering taking a job, or aligning yourself with an organization or individual who can influence you and the direction of your life, refer to the following checklist first. It will save you time and help keep you from heartache and even abuse.
Submit yourself only to someone... who loves you.
-who will receive no personal gain from your submission. who is committed to your success more than you are.
-who has passed the three crucial tests of (1) the appetites, (2) fame and popularity, and (3) power.
-who is secure in his leadership and ability.
-who is or has been where you want to go.
-who has access to those whom you need to know. who is willing to teach you everything he knows.
Key Characteristics of Mentorship
What will being a mentee or delegatee mean for you? The following is a list of the general characteristics and benefits of mentor-mentee relationships and delegated authority:
Identification/Identity: the association of yourself and your name with the respected authority
Accountability: follow-up of your delegated authority and actions and evaluation of your progress
Responsibility: a solemn trust to carry out and show evidence of the delegated authority
Credibility: authorization to work on the authority’s behalf and, in some cases, to succeed him
Representation: the authority’s endorsement and certification of the decisions and actions you take on his behalf, as well as the benefit of his defense and help on your behalf
Counsel/Advice: the knowledge and wisdom of the respected authority gained from years of experience and study
Protection: the safety of being able to appeal to the decisions and problem-solving responsibilities of the authority
Physical Resources: the supplies and support needed to carry out your authority
Personnel: access to people, through the respected authority, who can assist you to accomplish your responsibility and fulfill your personal calling
A Person with Genuine Authority Can Open Doors for You
As you can see, when you submit to an authority, you identify with him and receive many benefits from your relationship, including credibility. This is where the power of mentoring comes in. In fact, a person in authority can transfer to you in a very short time what it took him an entire lifetime to achieve.
Consider the case of Moses and Joshua. Shortly before Moses died, he transferred leadership of Israel to Joshua, under Yah’s guidance. None of the people argued about it or nominated someone else for the job instead; Joshua was accepted as Moses’ successor. “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:9). In effect, Moses transferred forty years of leadership to Joshua in about forty seconds. Similarly, Elijah’s anointing as a prophet of Yah was transferred to Elisha when it came time for Elijah to leave this earth. This transfer was represented by the symbolic act of Elisha receiving Elijah’s mantle, or cloak. In fact, Elisha desired and received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. Other prophets recognized this anointing and said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” (See 2 Kings 2:8–15.)
Many people believe that submission means restriction, and so they compete with authority or try to make themselves look equal to someone in an authority role. Frankly, the dumbest thing you can do is to compete with true authority. Submission to authority opens doors that you don’t have to push. A person with genuine authority can help you progress quickly in accomplishing something that could take you ten years to achieve on your own.
Again, when you submit to authority, you receive everything the person can give you—friendships, resources, experiences, the lessons learned from his failures, and access to influence and fruitful environments. John the Baptist had many followers as he prepared the people for the coming of the Authorized Dealer, or the Messiah. People went to him “from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan” (Matthew 3:5). So many people came that he had a massive campaign. Yahusha could have thought, I’m going to attract some of John’s crowd and start My own ministry with them. Instead, He submitted, and John’s followers legitimately became His.
John saw Yahusha coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of Yah, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’...I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of Yah.” The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Yahusha passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of Yah!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Yahusha.(John 1:29–30, 34–37)
If you submit to and receive from one who has true authority, you eventually will receive his credibility. John willingly transferred his whole school of followers to Yahusha. He stated, “The reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel” (verse 31). Yahusha rightfully “inherited” John’s followers at the outset of His ministry, and some of them became His closest disciples. John’s former disciples were already in tune with the message that they needed to align their lives with the Creator Yah and that the kingdom of Yah was coming to earth.
Yahusha didn’t have to strive or promote Himself to accomplish the purpose for which He had come. As He followed Yah the Father’s ways, Yah provided for Him. Many people are working too hard because they haven’t entered into submission and received its benefits. Submission reduces stress, saves time, and eliminates work. When you submit in a genuine way, you work smarter, not harder.
“No Trespassing!”
When people truly understand authority, delegation, and submission, life runs much more smoothly for them, and their relationships are characterized by order and peace. They function in their areas of personal authority, respect others’ authority, and don’t trespasses on the authority of those around them. In this way, both harmony and effectiveness are achieved.
Part of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Forgive us our debts [trespasses], as we also have forgiven our debtors [those who trespass against us]” (Matthew 6:12). Could the greatest Example of authority have been calling our attention to the need to stay in our realms of authority and not trespass on others’ authority or interfere with their personal callings?
The only way to fully experience Yah’s plan for your life is to understand the interdependence of your personal authority with the personal authority of others and to carry out that interdependence through mentorship, delegation, and submission.
Today we are walking in: The Benefits and Responsibilities of Mentorship, Delegation, and Submission
Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.
The Torah Testifies.............................
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The prophets proclaim...............
Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.
The writings bear witness.............
2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword
IN the beginning Elohiym created את the heavens and את the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Ruach Elohiym moved upon the face of the waters. And Elohiym said, Let there be light: and there was light. And Elohiym saw the light, that it was good: and Elohiym divided the light from the darkness. And Elohiym called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And Elohiym said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And Elohiym made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so. And Elohiym called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And Elohiym called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. And Elohiym said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed feasts, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And Elohiym made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And Elohiym set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. And Elohiym said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven. And Elohiym created great dragons, and את every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and את every winged fowl after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And Elohiym said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And Elohiym made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and את everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and Elohiym saw that it was good. And Elohiym said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So Elohiym created man in his own image, in the image of Elohiym created he him; male and female created he them. And Elohiym blessed them, and Elohiym said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. And Elohiym said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and את every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given את every green herb for food: and it was so. And Elohiym saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. BERE'SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:1-31 את CEPHER
The Interdependent Nature of Authority
The Benefits and Responsibilities of Mentorship, Delegation, and Submission
Authority is a team effort rather than a solo activity. Although each individual has a personal authority, the nature of authority is such that people’s purposes are interrelated and function interdependently in corporate life. It is a foundational principle that we need each other’s authority to fulfill our own authority.
Every Person on Earth Yields to Authority
In teaching 5, we saw that nothing the Creator made can exist without submission to some authority because, by its nature, authority involves both dependence and interdependence. First, everything depends on the Creator to exist because everything in life flows from Him and is maintained by Him. Second, the lives of living things are naturally interwoven for their existence and growth. Third, we all need to submit to the personal authority of others in order to function in life, and we all naturally yield to others’ authority. I used the everyday example of submission in which we trust the dentist’s authority to safely and effectively work on our teeth. There are hundreds of other examples, such as needing to stop at red lights or yield to other cars when we are driving. Much of common courtesy is actually a form of submission to others for their benefit.
Although interdependence is a natural state of life, the give-and-take of genuine authority has often been lacking. Misuse and abuse of authority have given rise to misconceptions about leaders and followers and the characteristics of submission, causing people to steer clear of situations in which they feel they are “taking orders” from others. Compounding this mind-set is the fact that many people have felt overwhelmed by circumstances in their lives that have made them feel powerless.
Again, because many of our parents, teachers, employers, and other authority figures did not understand authority and misused it in relation to us, we are afraid to submit to others and therefore find it difficult to release our own true authority. Consequently, many of us have dreams, goals, and gifts trapped inside us.
Despite their past experiences, those who resist genuine submission and the concept of delegation rob themselves of the benefits and opportunities connected with interdependent relationships. They unfortunately restrict themselves from experiencing Yah’s purpose and will for their lives by their attitudes about what they perceive as “authority.”
A Time to Delegate, a Time to Submit
At various times in your life, you will be called upon to delegate to others based on your authority. At other times, you will be called to submit to others based on their authority. This is just a part of life. It is not something you need to be uncomfortable about, whether you are on the giving or receiving side.
Some people are as uncomfortable about directing others as they are about taking orders because they don’t want to feel as if they are “bossing others around.” Not wanting to exercise false authority is a commendable attitude, and their concern would be valid if delegating were the same thing as acting like a tyrant or having the “boss spirit.” It is not. Instead, delegation is a natural aspect of legitimate authority. We need to recognize this truth, because the role of directing and mentoring others may be an integral part of fulfilling our own personal authority. Therefore, understanding true delegation and true submission will free all of us to experience the Creator’s purposes and plans for our lives.
As we survey the topics of delegation, mentorship, and submission in this chapter, let us keep in mind the following foundational points:
1. Our Ultimate Authority is Yah; we are to submit to Him and His purposes for us.
2. We “submit” to or live according to our inherent domains—the authority, dreams, and gifts Yah has given us—instead of trying to be someone we aren’t or to succeed with improper motivations.
3. We submit to others’ Yah-given authority in relationship and community.
4. To function properly either in the role of delegator or delegatee, it is vital that we clearly know our own self-worth. We must know that we are of great value to Yah and that He has given us special gifts and abilities to contribute to corporate life, or we may be overly influenced by other people’s opinions or demands and be unable to fulfill our authority.
Let us now look at what it means to delegate authority and submit to authority, as well as the responsibilities and benefits connected with each role.
Principles for Delegators and Delegatees
We were all created in the image of Yah, and He Himself is a delegator. He has delegated authority to each of us for our individual purposes and pleasure in life. Yah “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). Similarly, part of Yah’s delegation of authority is to give people the ability to release the authority of others through mentorship and the pursuit of common goals.
Human delegation is therefore the transfer of authority. It is taking the permission you have from the Creator to use power and sharing it with someone else. Delegation gives the other person the right to function in that authority.
The following are essential principles for delegated authority.
Authority Is Legitimate Only If It Has Been Delegated
Unless authority has been given to you, you don’t have it. It cannot be seized and still be legitimate. Authority is given for specific reasons and purposes, and these can’t be carried out if someone is unauthorized. This is why all authority must come from Yah as the Ultimate Authority, and why any authority we administer as human beings must be Yah-given, as well.
Authority Is Given so that It Can Be Shared
Authority is not given to be kept but to be distributed. The authority you have received from Yah was bestowed on you to share with others to achieve positive results. While this principle is true for anyone in his personal authority—all gifts and abilities have been given to benefit not only ourselves but also others—it is especially applicable to those who have areas of oversight or power to delegate to others. Delegation of authority is the transfer of legitimate power to enable others to exercise or operate in their authority. Perhaps the highest form of delegation is that which empowers people to empower still others for the benefit of all. Anyone who hoards his authority and refuses to delegate it is violating a natural principle of authority. Like the manna that was hoarded by the Israelites, authority that is not used for its intent becomes corrupt. (See Exodus 16:13–20.)
Yahusha Hamachiach perfectly exemplified the principle of shared authority. He always delegated His authority for the purpose of benefiting others. As Yah’s Son, the Word made flesh, He seems to have progressively received authority from the Father. But whatever authority He received, He always used and delegated in service to others. Here are some examples:
Yahusha’ obedience up to the time of and including His baptism by John brought His Father’s affirmation: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). He was one in purpose with the Father.
After Yahusha overcame the temptations of HaSatan, He “returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). He was given both authority and power for His ministry.
Yahusha manifested that authority and power: “Yahusha went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).
After Yahusha had demonstrated that He had the power and authority of the Father, He delegated it to His disciples: “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matthew 10:1).
Yahusha delegated authority to still more of His followers: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1).
Through His obedient life and sacrificial death, Yahusha qualified for “all authority.” After His resurrection, He said to His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20). Note that in response to all authority being given to Him, He told His disciples, “Therefore go.” He immediately delegated His authority. He didn’t control, hoard, or sell it. He didn’t say, “All authority has been given to Me; therefore, I will use it all Myself.” He distributed it.
Yahusha promised additional authority to His followers: “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).
Yahusha was constantly transferring authority to fulfill His purpose, to release the purposes of others, and to benefit the community and the world at large. We who have been given authority are to do the same.
Authority, whether it is personal or corporate, is always to be used to serve, benefit, or improve others. Paul wrote of “the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down” (2 Corinthians 10:8). If someone is a legitimate authority, it shows by how much his authority benefits people’s lives. If someone in a position of authority doesn’t help others, he is not exercising genuine authority but merely power.
Authority Should Not Be Delegated Based on Favoritism
Delegation of authority should not be motivated by partiality or favoritism. This is in keeping with the nature of our Creator. “Yah does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34–35). Paul wrote to his mentee, Timothy, “Do nothing out of favoritism” (1 Timothy 5:21). And we read in the book of James,
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Yahusha Hamachiach, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?...But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as
lawbreakers.(James 2:1–4, 9)
You don’t give authority just because you like someone but because his unique gifts, talents, and personality correspond with the tasks or supervision that needs to be delegated for a certain project. In this way, you are being responsible for the authority that was delegated to you.
Authority Should Not Be Given to the Untested
Authority and its accompanying power should never be delegated to someone who is immature or someone who is a novice in the area of oversight. Instead, delegated power must be invested in increments and installed as a result of trust that the delegatee has earned over time. Before delegating authority, therefore, you should first evaluate a person’s maturity by learning how that person has functioned under authority in the past. Does the person work well with others, or is he always fighting direction and openly or subtly contentious? A person cannot receive from an authority he doesn’t submit to.
The one receiving the authority must also allow the delegator to lead and support him. Paul wrote, “If [a person’s gift] is leadership, let him govern diligently” (Romans 12:8). In other words, let the person whom Yah called to be the visionary or overseer be the visionary or overseer. The delegatee shouldn’t give him a hard time. If the delegator is forced to become something he’s not because of the resistance of those whom he’s trying to delegate to, it is going to cause problems for the whole organization. Let him remain in his authority.
Those who are untested in regard to submission make potentially dangerous leaders. Why? We come to trust someone as a result of assessing that person’s attitude toward power, fame, popularity, pride, and so forth. All these attitudes are dangerous for someone in a position of leadership and need to be dealt with before a person is given authority. We have witnessed the tragic outcomes in nations throughout the world after someone has been thrust into authority or has seized a leadership role for which he was not qualified.
Remember that Yahusha Himself was tested and proven trustworthy in three areas before He began to fully embark on His life’s purpose. These tests occurred during His temptation by HaSatan in the desert right after He was baptized by John. (See Matthew 4:1–11.) Anyone in leadership must pass these same tests:
1. The appetites test. This test includes drink, food, and sex. HaSatan wanted Yahusha to gratify His hunger more than any other considerations, including His relationship with Yah the Father. A person must be able to manage his physical desires before being given authority and power.
2. The fame and popularity test. When HaSatan challenged Yahusha to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, the courtyard below was filled with a quarter of a million people who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. The whole point of this test was to see if He would desire instant fame rather than be obedient toward Yah and receive “all authority” at the right time, after His sacrifice and resurrection. (See Matthew 28:18.) If a person hasn’t passed the test of popularity and desire for instant fame, he shouldn’t be trusted with authority.
3. The power test. HaSatan told Yahusha that if He would worship him, he would give Him all the power of the kingdoms of the world. No one should be given power until he doesn’t desire power for its own sake.
The three qualifications established by Yah, therefore, for one to be trusted with exercising authority, as well as delegating it to others, are control over one’s appetites, a willingness to go through the process of submission and obedience to earn trust and respect rather than seeking instant fame, and a desire to serve rather than a desire to wield power.
Note that even though Yahusha had already been affirmed by Yah the Father as His Son because of Yahusha’ submission and obedience, Yah still tested Him. After passing the tests, “Yahusha returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). He received the empowerment of increased authority. And He never used His authority for personal gain, for destroying anyone else— including His enemies—or for fame. He used it for the redemption, advancement, development, and protection of other people. Yahusha is our clear example that the ultimate purpose of authority and power is service—serving the interests and needs of others. It is never self-serving. Such an attitude toward one’s authority is so crucial that the testing is necessary.
True success in life, therefore, requires submission to legitimate authority. The spirit of genuine submission and humbleness will always bring favor with Yah. Likewise, a person’s success as a delegator will depend on his own ability to submit to genuine authority, to learn from it, and to serve. It’s only when we learn submission that we can become true leaders.
We can decide whether we want to succeed or fail in Yah’s eyes by our attitudes toward authority.
Delegated Authority Must Be Preceded by Preparation
Before you delegate authority to someone, you must prepare and train him. The delegatee first needs to be taught the true purpose and responsibility of authority. People must be prepared to receive power since the use of power is the highest form of responsibility. Until a person understands the danger of power, as well as its benefits, he should never be given authority. This is why a prerequisite for using the power of authority is the quality of humility. Humility is a consciousness of one’s vulnerability. You cannot fully trust a person who doesn’t know his own weaknesses or is unwilling to counteract or compensate for them. The delegatee also needs to be trained in the various aspects of his future oversight responsibilities.
An essential role of someone in a position to delegate authority, then, is to know when a person is ready to receive authority. Authority must not be delegated prematurely.
Delegated Authority Should Not Be Abandoned
Authority and power should be delegated in installments and never abandoned. The delegator continues to be answerable for them even after sharing them with someone else.
Authority is always responsible for the authority it delegates. When Yahusha gave authority to His disciples, He did leave not them on their own to figure out what they were supposed to do next. He said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18), and “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
Those to whom you delegate authority may be in charge of various areas, but you are still responsible for those areas in the end. This is why you need to monitor, assess, and regulate delegated authority on a consistent basis. Delegation always has an accountability factor. If I delegate authority to someone, I must remain conscious of the fact that what I gave that person was on loan to me, as well. So, even though I delegate authority, I am using borrowed power. Again, everyone under authority is answerable to the Ultimate Authority.
Delegated Authority Is Always Delegated Authority
Likewise, if authority has been delegated to you, it isn’t a license for you to begin to function totally on your own. Always remember that your authority is a trust that has been given to you and that you are responsible to the one who gave it. To put it simply, authority is synonymous with responsibility. The need to report to your delegator is built-in. We can respond constructively to the authority of others as we recognize their own inherent Yah-given authority.
Delegated Authority Should Be Authentic
A delegator should never attempt to force a delegatee to violate or neglect his personal domain of authority and thus be rendered unauthentic. In other words, we shouldn’t make people operate in domains that are not natural for them; we shouldn’t expect orange trees to yield apples. A person is given gifts by His Creator to be used “in proportion to his faith” (Romans 12:6), so a leader needs to allow people to use their true gifts. Let people be themselves, not images of your own making. The benefit will be happier, more productive delegatees instead of complaining, contentious ones.
Delegated Authority Is Protected by the Delegator
Just as the Creator supports and protects us as the recipients of His authority, the person who delegates authority is responsible for protecting the one to whom he delegates it. The delegatee should be allowed to carry out the authority he has been granted. However, he must also be given the assurance that he may, when needed, refer to or appeal to the delegator, who should make it a priority to offer assistance, wisdom, direction, and encouragement. If problems arise, they are ultimately the delegator’s responsibility.
Delegated Authority Can Be Recalled
The one who is in authority should never be afraid to recall delegated authority when necessary. Authority is a privilege and not a right. It is permission to use someone else’s power. Someone who is functioning outside of his delegated authority is illegal and cannot be fully trusted. Yahusha told a parable in which a rich man discovered that his manager had squandered his resources, and he told him, “You cannot be manager any longer” (Luke 16:2). Even though the manager ended up redeeming himself in the eyes of his employer, Yahusha was telling us that authority can be withdrawn for misuse. If someone disappoints, he can be dis-appointed.
Since delegated authority is always borrowed, the person who distributes it is responsible for how, when, and to whom that authority is delegated, and he will have to give an account for it. Sometimes, the delegator has to remove someone from a position of authority for the very reason that he is accountable before Yah and it’s the responsible thing for him to do for the protection and benefit of all those involved.
There were a number times in the history of Israel when the people were misrepresenting Yah as their Source to such a degree that they, in a sense, had to be temporarily recalled from this function until they returned wholeheartedly to Him and to their assignment of revealing His nature and purposes to the world. Even during their periods of “recall,” Yah was working in the lives of individual Israelites to continue His purposes, but the nation was not functioning as it was intended to.
To return to an earlier example, if I am the leader of a nation and give you authority as an ambassador to another nation, then the power, or backing, to carry out your assignment comes with it. What gives it authorization is the fact that I gave it to you. And you have to use that authorization for the specific reason it was given, or it’s a misuse of power. In this case, I can recall you from that other nation and hold you accountable for your lack of representation. If you change your attitude, I may send you back to finish your assignment. If you refuse to represent my policies, I can take away your assignment and give it to another who will carry it out.
Benefits of Genuine Submission
When it is our position to submit to the authority of others, how should we think about our role? Again, submission is a voluntary and natural act as part of the interdependent nature of authority. It is not the same thing as surrender, in which a person succumbs to another through manipulation and fear.
Genuine submission is one person’s willing and conscious yielding to another person’s Yah-given personal authority. The Scriptures say that Yahusha was “faithful to the one who appointed him” and that He was honored for submitting to His life’s mission, even to the point of paying the ultimate sacrifice for us.
[You] who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Yahusha, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all Yah’s house. Yahusha has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but Yah is the builder of everything.(Hebrews 3:1–4)
Let us fix our eyes on Yahusha, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne
of Yah. (Hebrews 12:2)
The first Adam did not submit to Yah, but Yahusha, the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), did. We are to focus on Him as the “author and perfecter” of our faith and authority. He is qualified to be the Author and Perfecter because He submitted completely to the authority of Yah the Father.
Let’s return to the scene of Yahusha’ baptism in order to highlight the benefits of submission to Yah and those to whom He has delegated authority. Remember that Yahusha submitted to John in accordance with the authority John had received from Yah to baptize.
As soon as Yahusha was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of Yah descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Then Yahusha was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by HaSatan. (Matthew 3:16–4:1)
From this account, we can glean these benefits of genuine and faithful submission:
Heaven, or the presence and resources of Yah, opens over your life. You have access to the privileges of true relationship and connection with Him.
You are “introduced” to others by Yah Himself. You don’t need to scramble for self-promotion, because Yah will bring promotion to you as you faithfully follow in His ways.
You are confirmed by Yah Himself. Yah the Father called Yahusha “my Son, whom I love,” and as we pattern our lives off Yahusha, we will be affirmed in a similar way as a member of Yah’s family. Yahusha said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister” (Matthew 12:50).
You receive a special anointing of Yah’s Spirit available only to those under submission.
You become prepared and equipped by Yah’s Spirit for tests and trials.
You sometimes receive greater honor than the person to whom you submit. As Yah in the flesh, Yahusha was greater than John the Baptist and all other people, although the manifestation of this greatness depended on His submission to authority. As you submit to earthly authority, you may also find yourself becoming “greater” in influence or accomplishments than the one you submit to. This is not always the case, and it would not mean that you have greater value than the other person. It would mean that that your personal authority naturally extends to a wider or deeper domain in life.
Do the above benefits change your perspective on submission?
Entering into a Mentor-Mentee Relationship
The give-and-take of authority and submission may best be exemplified by the mentor-mentee relationship. A mentor is someone who invests his time, energy, and genuine interest in the life of another for the purpose of enabling that person to fulfill his personal authority. The mentee may initiate the relationship, and he voluntarily submits for the sake of learning and growing as a person.
I mentioned earlier that when you know who you are in your Yah-given authority, the first thing you look for is the authority that Yah has placed in your life to benefit and protect you and to release your own authority. If you are wise, you make a careful search for someone who is very effective in a domain that is like yours and, after prayerful consideration, ask to enter into a mentoring relationship with him or her. (It is usually best, for a number of reasons, for men to have male mentors and for women to have female mentors.) This person may be a family member, a civic leader, a leader in your community, or a member of an organization in which you are involved.
Unfortunately, people rarely will go to others and ask to be in such a relationship in order to learn what they know and to see firsthand how they function in their authority. Yet it is the people who have the humbleness of heart to seek a mentor-mentee relationship, rather than those who try to push or manipulate their way to the “top,” who become true leaders.
Examples of Mentorship
A famous example of mentorship is found in the Scriptures and involves the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Yah had told Elijah that Elisha was his authorized successor.
[The Lord said,] “Anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.”...So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him....Then [Elisha] set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.(1 Kings 19:16, 19, 21)
Elijah’s cloak, or mantle, was the symbol of his prophethood, and by putting it around Elisha, he was demonstrating that he would pass along his authority to Elisha.
Note Elisha’s attitude. He wasn’t like most people, who want the position before the qualification and experience. He was willing to become Elijah’s full-time attendant and to observe him as he fulfilled his calling as prophet. He was not afraid to submit his life to Elijah for fear of having his life ruled and controlled by Elijah or his own future forfeited. That kind of fear comes from misunderstanding authority, which, in its true form, releases and frees a person to fulfill his purpose.
The greatest example of a mentor is Yahusha Hamachiach, who mentored the small group of twelve men from among His disciples whom He had chosen to train as His apostles, or those who would have special authority in establishing His ecclesia on earth after He returned to Yah the Father. The word apostle comes from the Greek word meaning “a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Hamachiach” or “a messenger, one sent on a mission.” Yahusha trained and then delegated authority to these men, who would be ambassadors and messengers of Yahusha’ mission to bring the kingdom of Yah to the earth. Their mentorship relationship would last for three and a half years, before Yahusha’ death and resurrection.
These men submitted to the mentoring of their Master Teacher. They spent large amounts of time with Yahusha, observed His way of life firsthand, and endeavored to imitate it. They were able to ask Him questions and benefit from His knowledge and wisdom for the purpose of personal transformation. He asked them questions and tested them to see if they understood who He was and the truths and principles He was teaching. (See, for example, John 6:5–13.)
Selecting a Mentor: Assessing Attitudes and Qualities
Mentorship should not be entered into lightly. When making a decision on whom to approach as a potential mentor, and even when you are considering taking a job, or aligning yourself with an organization or individual who can influence you and the direction of your life, refer to the following checklist first. It will save you time and help keep you from heartache and even abuse.
Submit yourself only to someone... who loves you.
-who will receive no personal gain from your submission. who is committed to your success more than you are.
-who has passed the three crucial tests of (1) the appetites, (2) fame and popularity, and (3) power.
-who is secure in his leadership and ability.
-who is or has been where you want to go.
-who has access to those whom you need to know. who is willing to teach you everything he knows.
Key Characteristics of Mentorship
What will being a mentee or delegatee mean for you? The following is a list of the general characteristics and benefits of mentor-mentee relationships and delegated authority:
Identification/Identity: the association of yourself and your name with the respected authority
Accountability: follow-up of your delegated authority and actions and evaluation of your progress
Responsibility: a solemn trust to carry out and show evidence of the delegated authority
Credibility: authorization to work on the authority’s behalf and, in some cases, to succeed him
Representation: the authority’s endorsement and certification of the decisions and actions you take on his behalf, as well as the benefit of his defense and help on your behalf
Counsel/Advice: the knowledge and wisdom of the respected authority gained from years of experience and study
Protection: the safety of being able to appeal to the decisions and problem-solving responsibilities of the authority
Physical Resources: the supplies and support needed to carry out your authority
Personnel: access to people, through the respected authority, who can assist you to accomplish your responsibility and fulfill your personal calling
A Person with Genuine Authority Can Open Doors for You
As you can see, when you submit to an authority, you identify with him and receive many benefits from your relationship, including credibility. This is where the power of mentoring comes in. In fact, a person in authority can transfer to you in a very short time what it took him an entire lifetime to achieve.
Consider the case of Moses and Joshua. Shortly before Moses died, he transferred leadership of Israel to Joshua, under Yah’s guidance. None of the people argued about it or nominated someone else for the job instead; Joshua was accepted as Moses’ successor. “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:9). In effect, Moses transferred forty years of leadership to Joshua in about forty seconds. Similarly, Elijah’s anointing as a prophet of Yah was transferred to Elisha when it came time for Elijah to leave this earth. This transfer was represented by the symbolic act of Elisha receiving Elijah’s mantle, or cloak. In fact, Elisha desired and received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing. Other prophets recognized this anointing and said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” (See 2 Kings 2:8–15.)
Many people believe that submission means restriction, and so they compete with authority or try to make themselves look equal to someone in an authority role. Frankly, the dumbest thing you can do is to compete with true authority. Submission to authority opens doors that you don’t have to push. A person with genuine authority can help you progress quickly in accomplishing something that could take you ten years to achieve on your own.
Again, when you submit to authority, you receive everything the person can give you—friendships, resources, experiences, the lessons learned from his failures, and access to influence and fruitful environments. John the Baptist had many followers as he prepared the people for the coming of the Authorized Dealer, or the Messiah. People went to him “from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan” (Matthew 3:5). So many people came that he had a massive campaign. Yahusha could have thought, I’m going to attract some of John’s crowd and start My own ministry with them. Instead, He submitted, and John’s followers legitimately became His.
John saw Yahusha coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of Yah, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’...I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of Yah.” The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Yahusha passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of Yah!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Yahusha.(John 1:29–30, 34–37)
If you submit to and receive from one who has true authority, you eventually will receive his credibility. John willingly transferred his whole school of followers to Yahusha. He stated, “The reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel” (verse 31). Yahusha rightfully “inherited” John’s followers at the outset of His ministry, and some of them became His closest disciples. John’s former disciples were already in tune with the message that they needed to align their lives with the Creator Yah and that the kingdom of Yah was coming to earth.
Yahusha didn’t have to strive or promote Himself to accomplish the purpose for which He had come. As He followed Yah the Father’s ways, Yah provided for Him. Many people are working too hard because they haven’t entered into submission and received its benefits. Submission reduces stress, saves time, and eliminates work. When you submit in a genuine way, you work smarter, not harder.
“No Trespassing!”
When people truly understand authority, delegation, and submission, life runs much more smoothly for them, and their relationships are characterized by order and peace. They function in their areas of personal authority, respect others’ authority, and don’t trespasses on the authority of those around them. In this way, both harmony and effectiveness are achieved.
Part of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Forgive us our debts [trespasses], as we also have forgiven our debtors [those who trespass against us]” (Matthew 6:12). Could the greatest Example of authority have been calling our attention to the need to stay in our realms of authority and not trespass on others’ authority or interfere with their personal callings?
The only way to fully experience Yah’s plan for your life is to understand the interdependence of your personal authority with the personal authority of others and to carry out that interdependence through mentorship, delegation, and submission.
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