Leaders! it is Time To Die a Good Death

September 24th, 2023

By: David Hoskins

Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

When leaders try to take inordinate ownership of those they are helping it tends to pollute the waters of the Kingdom. I see empire builders on every corner while the kingdom suffers. Building empires and edifices to ourselves makes ministry about something other than equipping and empowering people, because the end goal is often power, control, money or self validation.

When those in ministry are driven by selfish ambition and an inordinate need to succeed in the eyes of men they tend to use their own spiritual leaders as a resource or a springboard on their journey toward success. Spiritual fathers end up being treated as resources rather than fathers and mothers in the faith.

We must learn a lesson from the seed…

The Seed:

In creation every seed has a protective covering or coating however the very thing which houses the seed also has to die in order for the life in the seed to spring forth and produce a harvest. Unless we choose to die to our flesh we cannot truly bring a harvest of the Kingdom either.

Many who are ambitious struggle with Kingdom because it is about dying to self and allowing the life of Christ to reign in us.

Death to our flesh and our inordinate success agendas are a part of the process to becoming family. When we are dead to selfish ambition we can experience the life of Christ fully manifesting through us. Death is not fun but it is absolutely necessary.

John 12:24 (NASB)

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Speaking as one who has had to die quite a bit, I must admit it is not the funnest thing, but eventually it brings forth a vessel ready and fit for service.

2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (NIV)

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

1. Pressed but not crushed

2. Perplexed but not in despair

3. Persecuted but not abandoned

4. Struck down but not destroyed

We are given over to death so that the “life of Jesus” may be revealed in our mortal bodies

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

if leaders will truly die to themselves and refuse the way of selfish ambition along with empire building then they are ready to call out to true sons who desire family and who will connect and align for kingdom purpose.

Relationships which are driven by Kingdom are built upon a foundation of love and appreciation. They can be trusted to produce beautiful things and harvest in season.

James 3:15-17 (NASB)

15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Authentic Kingdom relationships tend to become even better with time. The truth is that all of those spiritual giants that many look to for guidance eventually require care and assistance themselves. Many leaders end well but they end alone. I have seen this often be the case for strong leaders who in life and ministry catered to the selfish ambition driven crowd rather than to true sons and daughters. What a tragedy. How many of those giants in the faith end up surrounded by sons and daughters in their time of need. Only relationships built upon love and which value the person equal to the grace and gifts will stand the test of time. Fair weathered sons and daughters leave when times are challenging and the storms in life come.

God is looking for His leaders and those who are emerging to learn what it means to be the family of God.

Some people do not understand what it means to be a father or what it means to be a son because they never experienced healthy family in their upbringing. family escapes them and so they are relegated to a dog eat dog mindset. Kill or be killed. Success above relationship. What a lonely trap the enemy has built into the hearts of men. I have also seen many break out of an orphan mindset to become great fathers themselves.

The Father has a great plan for what kind of ministry model that we should emulate and His plan is called family.

Malachi 4:5-6 (NASB)

5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 6 He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Leaders must learn to die to self first because their hearts must be the first to turn in order for the sons and daughters to take note and learn a better way. We must shift from the Lording over structures that we have inherited. Yes, there will be a sacrifice.

With every level that we die to our inordinate need for success and the praise of men, we gain more of the life of Christ to share with others.

I am convinced that we will never become the army of God until we learn to become the family of God.