Whenever the word destiny or destination is mentioned what comes to the mind is a ‘pathway’ or “way”. There can’t be a destination without the knowledge of the way. Even if the knowledge of the direction is known, ‘the way’ ultimately determines the successful arrival at that destination or leadership destiny.

For an aircraft to fly from one point to the other, i.e. The point of departure to its point of destination successfully, such an aircraft requires a pilot.  The ability of an aircraft to fly is not only dependent on the aircraft but on the maneuvering of a pilot. Similarly, for a ship to move from one point to the other, that ship requires a sailor or a captain. Hence, to lead a people from one point and ushering them into a better experience, then such a people require a leader who knows the way and willing to take them through the way. Just as a pilot is relevant for an aircraft, so also the sailor is relevant to the ship, so the pilot and the sailor or the captain are saddled with the responsibility to take the passengers on board to the required destination through the way.

This is why it is often said that everything rises and falls on leadership. (John C. Maxwell.) Whether the aircraft or ship will go the wrong or right direction is a function of precision, display of dexterity or excellence and competence on the part of the pilot or sailor who knows the way.

What is a way? And why is it so relevant for leadership and destiny actualization? A way is a considerable distance or extent significantly recognized as a forward motion or momentum; it is a means of passing from one place to another. A way can be seen as a method, style, procedure, mechanism, scheme, approach, modus operandi, or manner of doing something. And most importantly, it refers to an optional alternative form of action. So, how does this apply to leadership?

Again, I will refer to John C. Maxwell, he once said; “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”.

A way can be known, a way can be followed, and a way can be shown. How you know the way, how you follow the way, and how you show the way ultimately determines your effectiveness in leadership and greatness in destiny. Think about this.

Knowing the way, going through the way, and showing the way; talks about knowing the truth and following the truth, and these are different phases of leadership that demands or require certain level of proactiveness and responsibility.

Jesus said when the blind leads the blind, they will both fall into a ditch. The blind here is not just the man that cannot see, he is a man who does not see the way, know the way, go the way, or show the way. In other words, he is a man who does not know the truth nor follow the truth.

The Bible says narrow is the way and only a few find it, only a few walk in it. You know a way by how narrow it is. It is contrary to popular opinion. Only a few gravitate towards it. It may even agitate the crowd. But inherent in it is life, safety, and rest.

This is the quality of excellence and capacity resident or inherent in God that makes Him who He is. He said I will make a way in the desert, meaning that He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Even when it is crooked, He makes it straight. When Jesus came to the earth, amongst many things that He is, He said I am the way; so, if you know Jesus you have known the way.

While reading this article, I believe the Holy Spirit will show us various pathways that our destiny requires; distributing to each one insight as He wills. The Bible says the labor of a fool wearies them all because they do not know how to enter the city. This puts a direct responsibility on the leader, to show how to enter the city. Therefore, the primary responsibility of a leader is to become one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

As much as this is true, it is also important for us to note that it is not enough to know the way, go the way, or show the way; more importantly, in addition to this being the primary responsibility of leadership, a leader ought to take others through that way-the way which is known, the way that must be followed and the way that must be shown to others.

So, just as a sailor would need certain tools to navigate a ship towards the right direction, so also a leader needs the right tool to set an organization on the right course. If an organization would be steered towards the right direction; as its target goals and objectives, mission and vision being accomplished and followed, hence the right tools are required, the right way must be known.

The primary focus of this article is to solve the problem of how a leader can recognize the way and follow through; then to lead others through that defined path and to show the prerequisite leadership tools required to get you as a leader to either your prophetic destiny or to get the organization or people you are leading towards the right direction.

So, the first tool a leader requires to navigate in the context of this discuss is;

#. Number One: Reconnecting with purpose. One of the ways you will recognize that you are leading on the right path is when you have not lost touch with purpose. And one of the ways to begin to lead effectively is when you reconnect men back to their purpose.  What does reconnect back to purpose mean? It means to reconcile. What makes you effective in your leadership is your ability to firstly reconcile men. Another word for reconnecting is reconciliation. We all have been given the ministry of reconciliation. So, firstly, we are to reconcile men back to Christ, the giver of purpose. Secondly, reconcile men back to their purpose. These two procedures are different although they sound similar. It is one thing to be reconciled with Christ, it is another thing to carry the burden of Christ. You make this possible as a leader by making them see Christ for who He is.

So, how does a leader reconnect men with purpose? Bible says, “stand in the way and ask for the ancient path”. So, standing in the way talks about standing in Christ Jesus. You stand in the way either by reconciling men with Jesus and have them encounter the giver of purpose or encounter with light via the instrumentality of prayer and intercession and the ministry of the word.

Apostle Paul was doing His thing until he encountered the light of purpose. And he simply asked; Lord what would you have me do? Your purpose is in what Jesus has asked you to do. It is by asking this question he got connected with his purpose and he did great things for Christ. Later in his life he said I am not disobedient to the heavenly vision. The reason is because he sees the vision as necessity. He said for necessity has been laid upon me, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.

#. Number Two: Leading with the tool of counsel. This is the same as the Spirit of counsel according to Isaiah 11 verse 2. What is counsel? Counsel is said to be, advice towards a particular decision or course of action. Your direction in life, leadership and decisions are a function of counsel. This means that people tend towards the direction of counsel. If you receive wrong counsel, you will go the wrong way, and if you receive the right counsel, you will go the right way.

The Bible says in Proverbs 11 verse 14; “Where no wise counsel is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” It is not enough to be counselled; you must receive wise counsel.

As a leader, it is wise to be in the multitude of counsel because there is safety there. Any leader that cannot be talked to, corrected, or advised will find it difficult to lead successively, successfully, and effectively. Counsel talks about having a heart that can be breakable, bendable, and teachable. A heart that is contrite and fears God, it is not a hard heart, it is not a heart of stone but a heart that is receptive.

Do you remember the story of Rehoboam? He took counsel from his contemporaries who lacked wisdom and experience.

I discovered one of the finest and most potent leadership counsels given in Scriptures in the book of Job 22:21-24, see what it says; “Acquaint now yourself with Him [agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great] good shall come to you. Verse 22 is very profound it says, - Receive, I pray you, the law and instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart. 23 - If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.”

See king David’s counsel to Solomon his son  in 1 Kings chapter 2 verse 3, it says; “keep the charge of the Lord your God, walk in His ways, keep His statues, His commandments, His precepts and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that you may do wisely and prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

Same counsel was given to Joshua by God in Joshua 1 verse 7, it says “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; I like us to note that. It says do not turn from it to the right hand or the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

What does it mean not to turn from it to the right hand or to the left hand? It means you are always in tune with God. You are keeping His words in your heart, His words are like laws and not opinion or suggestion, it means you bind them around your neck as ornaments. You mediate on them, and you will inevitably have good success.

If your leadership will lead the people to the right destination godly counsel is inevitable; A leader that is counselled by God will never fail, he will never go astray, such a leader will never miss it in life and in destiny.

Psalm 1 verse 1-3 explains it better. It says, “Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and live not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and mockers] gather. Verse 2 says it all. It says, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. This is what it means for your delight to be in the law of the Lord? Do you remember Joshua 1 verse 8? It says, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall mediate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success”.

#. Number Three: The tool of Wisdom. This is the same as the Spirit of wisdom. Wisdom is profitable to direct. As much as you can build with Him, you can be guided or directed by Him. As much as it is true that through wisdom a house is built, it is also true that wisdom directs. Bible says you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk therein. The way you are walking on determines whether you are wise or devoid of wisdom.

The Bible says, “Stand in the ways and ask”. The ancient path. The ancient path is the path of wisdom. Wisdom profits to direct. It is called the good way. Apostle Paul said Lord What would you have me do? As simple as that question may sound, it is a way. And when you walk on it you have found the pathway to destiny actualization.

#. Number Four: The Holy Spirit and the word of God. A leader that is led by the Spirit and the word will not stumble in darkness. Stumbling in darkness talks about going out of the way. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of light. He illuminates the path of those who listen to Him. The word of God is the best compass for navigating, finding bearing, or direction in life. David said your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. To be led by the word and the Spirit is to be led by the following:

1. To be led as a son. Sons hear the voice of the shepherd. Bible says you will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way walk in it.  Our sonship is through the Spirit. And because we received the Spirit of adoption, that Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. The Bible says as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. So, to be led by the word is to be led from the world. And to be led by the world is to be led from the word. God takes delight in leading sons not illegitimate children. Sons are those who are born into the kingdom not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God by water and by the Spirit. It is sons that abide, And if you will abide it is because you are led as a son. (Think about this). A leader who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way is a leader that partners with the Holy Spirit as a son. So, the pathway of sonship is the pathway to destiny fulfillment and effective leadership.

2. To be led by prophecy. Inherent in the word is prophecy. Every leader takes their prophetic blueprint from the word. Including Jesus. All that Jesus spoke and said while doing His earthly ministry took a pattern from the Scriptures. If you want to be effective in your leadership, you must follow the same pattern. As an effective leader, you must seek to hear God’s word concerning your organization, your destiny etc. this is what prophecy simply is; it is the word of God charting the course of your life and destiny. Hence it is important to know what is written concerning you, it is important to know what Gods intention is concerning your life and leadership per season.

3. To be led by Instruction. What does it mean to be led by instruction? It means to heed to instructions. Another word for that is to listen to instructions and to do them. Every instruction requires an ear to take heed to, to listen to. What does it mean to heed? It means listen. You will always see Solomon say my son listen to my instructions, listen to my words. It is sons that listens. Bible says he who has an ear, should hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The Bible says Joseph taught Pharoah’s senators wisdom. You can’t speak wisdom to the senators, to the leaders of your organization and other organizations by extension if you don’t have an ear. See what Isaiah said, he awakens me morning by morning to hear as the learned.  Apostle John said His voice was like many waters. Meaning that he heard a sound. And he wrote according to what Jesus had been shown and spoken to him. You lead by influence and your influence is a function of what you see and what you hear.

#. Number Five:  Authority. The Bible says, Behold I have given you authority to trample on snakes, serpent and scorpions, and they shall by no means hurt you. (Luke 10:19) What is authority? Authority is the power or right to make or enforce rules or give orders; or a position having such power or right. Authority in the context of my discuss is a function of the following factors: Being sent, it is a function of identity, it is the function of the God you know, the anointing of the Spirit and the blessing. See what God said in Genesis 1 verse 26. “Then God said let us make man in our own image and likeness, let them have dominion over. Another word for dominion is authority-sovereign rule. It says, let them have authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts and over all the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth”.

See what happened in Matthew 28:18. “Jesus approached and breaking the silence said to them, all authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. Jesus knows that His disciples would not function effectively without authority in His absence. So, in Mark 6 verse 7, the Bible says; “And He called to Him the twelve [apostles] and began to send them out [as His ambassadors] two by two and gave them authority and power over the unclean spirits”.

If you will lead effectively as a leader, you must not be devoid of authority. Bible says for with authority and power He commands the foul spirits and they come out. (Luke 4:36)

#. Number Six: The Presence. See what the Bible says in Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

The presence of God is God with us, God dwelling in the midst of us. The promise of God for Joshua is His presence, the promise of God for Jacob was that I will be with you. The promise of Jesus to His disciples was I will be with you even to the end of the age. See what He said in that Scripture, as I was with Moses, I will be with you. It means just exactly what He was able to do with Moses He would also do with Joshua. Jesus said the works that I do, you will do and greater works than this you will do because I go to the Father. He said I will not leave you as orphans I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.  

David so much desired the presence of God. And that was the secret to his exploits. If you will lead effectively, it is because you carry the presence of God and you stay in the presence of God.

It’s a build-up, the carriers of his presence are those who tarry in His presence. The presence of God rubs off on those who stay in the presence.  

So, having discovered the 6 strategic tools and pathways for excellent leadership, we must therefore walk and work in this consciousness to effectively maximize our leadership and deliver God’s expectation for our lives and destiny. I pray the Lord supplies every grace we require for this worthy task and assignment in Jesus’ name.

Thanks for the gift of your time, Apeh Francis Abah!
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