Leadership Principle - Authority

 Taking on the Mantle of Authority

Each of us is eager to grow in our career, climb to the top and make it big. These are good goals to have. However, it also demands that we take charge when we are given the opportunity, and take on the mantle of authority.

Let us learn about the principle of "Authority"  from the Bible.

In the book of 2 Kings we read about Elijah a great prophet. After a stellar track record, its time for him to handover the leadership to his disciple Elisha. Elisha is keenly following Elijah and serving him faithfully till the very end. On the fateful day when Elijah was taken by the Lord in a chariot of fire rising to the clouds, Elisha looks in awe at his master / predecessor being taken up and sees the "Mantle" of Elijah fall from above. As he picks it up and he is overwhelmed with the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders.

 Often we see ourselves praying and waiting for a position or role in an organization or ministry. We think that we are ready for the role and finally it becomes ours. There are other instances where a role is given to us quite unexpectedly too. But end of the day we have the new role, and now the question before us is, "What is it that we need to do at this juncture?"

2 Kings 2

¹¹ Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

¹² And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more.  ¹³ He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

Lets now look into the Word of God and to the example of Elisha.

1. Take up the mantle (2 Kings 2:13):

    First things first, Elisha takes up the "mantle" of Elijah the prophet. This can be compared to taking the authority and the responsibility of a new role in your career. You may have very big shoes to fill, especially if your predecessor was a great leader. So the very first task is to pick up the mantle, take charge and show that you are taking this role seriously and are ready to take up the challenge. 

    A frequent mistake is hiding in the corner or safety of your current role, not taking up the challenge head-on. You may feel like a fish out of water away from the comfort zone, but you just need to take charge whole-heartedly.

 

2. Exercise the authority (2 Kings 2:14):

    Elisha knew God's power that operated in Elijah. He had asked his master for a double portion of the power. He had faithfully followed Elijah to the end. These were qualification enough. Now that he had the mantle, he had to exercise the authority that comes along with it.

    How many times have you seen a person be named for a position, but fail badly when they are not ready to make the decisions called for by the position? When they do not clearly communicate their leadership? 

    Here we see Elisha take the mantle and strike the water. He used the God given authority, he did not harbor doubt or fear in his heart, but exhibited faith in the God of Elijah. His authority came not from the mantle / role / title, but from the faith he had in his God.

     We should do well to remember here that the authority with which Jesus preached, set him apart from the other leaders of his time. If he was wishy-washy or fluid or a people-pleaser, I am sure the people would not have recognized him as a worthy leader and messiah.

3. Take up the challenge (2 Kings 2:14):

    The Jordan was a pretty wide river and crossing it in full flow was not a joke. There was no bridge or easy way out. Here was Elisha faced with a mega challenge the very first day. But we see that he didn't flinch at the challenge. 

    New roles and positions throw new challenges your way, but be ready to face them in your stride. It may be people, customers, markets, just about anything, but be ready and seek God's guidance to face your challenges and win over them. 

    We see that this one act of taking up the challenge catapulted Elisha as the successor of Elijah among all the other prophets of Israel who were waiting on the other banks of the Jordan. Yes the challenges you face and overcome will establish your leadership and authority among your colleagues and counterparts.

4. Do it with humility and fear of the Lord:

    Elisha's strength was from God. He did not rely on himself, he was humble and faithful to God. So it should be with us as leaders. We are called to exercise the authority and power of a position with kindness, humility and every fruit of the Holy Spirit.

    This will help us avoid the pitfall of being arrogant or authoritarian. As a leader we not only take on authority, but we must also trust our team and delegate and empower those who work with us. 

But we should be careful not have a false sense of humility and end up shying away from taking responsibility, and hiding behind the facade of humility. However our God's purpose for us is being proactive and using our God given talents for His glory. This is the only way we can glorify God and stand a testimony for Him. 

And as we see in the chapters following this incident, we see Elisha having received the double portion of power and becomes a great prophet and does many miracles.

As we, in faith and submission to our Lord Jesus, 

(i) put on the mantle of authority,  

(ii) take charge of our new role,  

(iii) take up our responsibilities and

(iv) handle authority with humility.

May God bless us to glorify Him in all we do.