When a Leader Sins II

Wednesday 6 June
READ: 1 Samuel 24:4-11
MORE LESSON: Romans 12:16-21

When a leader is being disciplined for the sin he has committed, he should take it in good faith rather than create enemies. God anointed David in Saul's stead and this made David become Saul's arch enemy. He started seeking every possible way to kill David. This didn't change anything; Saul only succeeded in making the matter worse. This is because fighting a man who God has chosen only means fighting God Himself. I have discovered that trying to cover one sin only leads to more, because you can only use sin to cover sin. Therefore, Saul was not just guilty of disobedience but he was also guilty of lying, hatred and suicide.
When a leader sins, it is in the place of his followers to forgive him, especially if they have been directly offended. In a bid to do this, most times there is the temptation to pay back but we must always resist such. For instance, when David met Saul, he moved and cut a piece of Saul's skirt but his heart smote him because of what he did. Like most of us today, David was also tempted to repay Saul for all the evil he did to him but David was more conscious of pleasing God rather than having his way. If all we seek is to please God, then forgiveness will become very easy for us.
Finally, when a leader sins, it is not given to the subordinates to discipline or ridicule him or even take vengeance. They must remember that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. David had opportunity to kill Saul but he refused to lay his hand against the Lord's anointed.
And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way: 1 Sam. 24:6-7.
Though the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, this didn't reduce David's respect for Saul. What loyalty! As subjects, we must remember that our leaders’ correction should come from God and we should not take laws into our hands when they offend us. We must resist the temptation to join unbelievers to ridicule God’s servants no matter what they could have done. Rather, we must pray for them and trust that the God who called them will help and lift them up.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will always be a source of strength and blessing to your leader.
* Pray that God’s mercy will raise up every fallen leader.
* Pray that God’s grace shall be sufficient for you as you lead.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: All spiritual embargoes and altars of impossibility, your tenure has ended, collapse now, in the name of Jesus.