I have come to discover that it is not enough to desire or wish to lead, as matter of fact everyone desires to lead and to influence, it is not enough to stop at that. What matters the most is a question that most leaders are failing to ask themselves and to answer by themselves. The question is; what is the primary need of my people at such a time as this? Your influence and leadership is always for a time and for a dispensation, if you miss out of it, you will lack the capacity to lead and make a lasting impact on generations, and this will be the focus this article.

I want us to begin our meditation from a Scripture in 1 Chronicles 12:32, it says; “of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” Remember the focus of this article is to help us understand how we can be influencers, not just influencers but be become generational influencers, i.e. making a lasting impact and imprint on the lives of people. See what this verse began with it says; “there were a certain groups of people”, which we could also say a certain group of leaders that something peculiar was noticed about them, they exhibited a character trait that distinguished them, that stood them out amongst the other tribes. This verse noted that they had an understanding of the times. I also want you to note that they didn’t just have an understand of the “time”, it says “times” meaning that they were not just relevant for a particular season or time or a dispensation, it was a perpetual occurrence.

It means that whenever time you meet them, whether rainy or sunny, whether day or night, whether in a familiar terrain or an unfamiliar terrain, their understanding was producing the results as long as there was breath in them. This particular tribe know the time to harvest and the time to plant, they know the time to dance and the time to mourn, they know the time to cast away stones and the time to gather, they know the time to speak and the time to keep silence, they also know the time for peace and the time for war and they know the exact strategy that will ensure them victory.

Perhaps someone may be saying it’s not a big a deal, there is nothing special in that. Let me show you why that is so important; the concluding verse says “all their brethren.” And I want you to note that, “all” not “some” all their brethren were at their command. This means that by the virtue of that understanding it automatically qualify them to lead, to set the pace, to influence their generation. As much as you would love God to use you in your generation, as much as you would love God to use you to steer your generation towards the right course, it is important to note that the basic ingredient you need to lead is to have an understanding. Not just having an understanding but having an understanding of the times and seasons. These particular tribes may not know how to do other things that the other tribes could do, it is even possible that the other tribes may also have some level of understanding but what is it about their own kind of understanding that has set them apart from the others? It is an understanding of the times.

If you are a leader and you are ignorant of the times, the season or the phase your leadership, your organization, your nation or your career, your life is going through you may take certain decision that will neither profit you or the people that you lead. Let me give us a few example; when you read 1 Samuel 3:1, it says; “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” I want us to note this word; “in those days.” There was a particular kind of lack, that verse says the word of the Lord was rare. It didn’t say “in that day”, it said “in those days” talking about a repeated occurrence that cuts across a dispensation, within the times, and within certain seasons. Two points stands out here, number one; there was a lack, number two; people were in search of what was inadequate. These truths also stand out about the sons of Issachar, people didn’t know the time and because they didn’t know the time, they didn’t know what they ought to do within the time.

Here we are also seeing that the word of God was scarce and because it was scarce there was no revelation. But this problem didn’t happen in another dispensation, it happened in his days. Now that verse began with the boy Samuel, not that he was just a boy perhaps a young boy who lacked experience, who may be growing up in his leadership, because he had this access, he led his generation. Your leadership will not be a product of luck; neither is it determined by age it is a function of how much understanding you have about the times and knowing what ought to be done within that time.

What is the lack or demand going on around you that you that your leadership is laying a responsibility on you to make supply? The concluding verse says there was no wide spread revelation. Meaning that it was the responsibility of Samuel to spread it wide and to make it available. Do you still wonder why he led and judged his people? Now see the question the Lord asked king Solomon in 2 chronicles chapter 1 verse 7; “on that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “ask! What shall I give you?” Solomon gave a response to the open cheque God gave him with an understanding. He knew that the problem of kings at that time was how to make and give wise and sound judgement. He knew that the people need king who is more than a warrior, I am sure you would agree with me that there are foolish warriors. But see what he said in verse 10; “now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of yours?

You must be careful to know what your leadership needs are, and also know the needs of the people. Because Solomon knew and discerned the demand on his leadership at that particular time, he requested for what was appropriate for his dispensation and it made him influence other kings and kingdom, even though his initial thought was just to his immediate people. So, because there was a lack in wisdom and there was an availability of the wisdom of God in him, he led and influenced his generation.

David said in Psalm 144:1, “Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” I came to realize from this Scripture that what stood David out in his leadership was that he allowed God to take him through this process. What is the process? The process of training his fingers. David knew that the fingers was not for plucking down fruits, nor for farming, his fingers were trained for war and for battle, he knew it, the finger may be trained by God but it will only be effective and successful at warfare. David discerned that war and deliverance was what Israel needed at that time, he was not trained to become a peace negotiator or one who runs to hide whenever his adversaries show up, he was trained for battle and while Goliath and the oppressors confronted Israel he rose up to the task and took on the responsibility.

You must discern, you must know what you are been trained for? You must know the dispensation, you must know the problem your nation, your family, and even the world at large is facing and be a solution provider. When you do that you begin to influence them and generations to come. When you look through the Bible, those who have responded to problems are those who lead, those who respond to the need of that time are those that lead. Joseph would never have become a prime minister if he didn’t know the times and the seasons of famine that would be coming upon the earth, Moses would not have led Israel if he was not aware that the time of their deliverance had come. Jesus spoke certain words in Matthew 11verse 16 to 19, He said ¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn. ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

The simple reason why He spoke these words was because He was amazed at a generation who just sit idle in the market place doing nothing but calling unto others. What does it mean? A market place is a place of transaction, it is a place of business and seriousness, it is a place of profitability. Now for children represent a people who have not grown up, when they find themselves in the market place, rather than do the appropriate, they misplace priorities. They call out to others to come and take up the responsibility simply because they barely know where they are and what they ought to do where they have found themselves. See what verse 17 says; we played the pipe for you, you did not dance. Usually when a pipe is being played it is melodious and the normal reaction is to dance, but this generation are finding it difficult to do so.

They simply don’t know what they ought to do in such a time as this. If they find it difficult to discern. What about when the music changes? They still find it hard to mourn. This is a situation where the leader is finding it difficult to respond and to adjust accordingly to the dynamics of the evolving society. We are all in the market place, if you can know what you ought to do, when you ought to dance and when you ought to mourn then influence and generational impact is not a matter of doubt for you but a question of time. Jesus said wisdom is proved right by her deeds. You require wisdom to know what to do, haven known what to do you require understanding to know how to do it. Your influence begins when you know what to do and you also know how to do what you ought to do.

Going back to our text in 1 Chronicles 12:32, it says; “of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command” I want us to note the word “to know what Israel ought to do.” Let us take Nigeria for instance, and this particular tribe are in Nigeria, they know what Nigeria out to do. It will be foolish of the people of Nigeria to refuse to submit to their command, why? Because there is every tendency for them to miss the way or live in ignorance and error. The problem we face as a people, as a nation and as organizations is that we have refused to subject ourselves to the leadership of those who know. Let me be emphatic about that word “know” not those who claim to know, but those who really know. There is a particular tribe in Israel that the scepter of leadership belongs to them, but because this sons of Issachar really know there was no conflict between them, if we can gain victory and achieve success collectively as a people then why the struggle for power?

Influence and leadership does not come by struggles it comes when you know what your nation ought to do in this difficult time. This means that the place of knowledge can really not be over looked, the Scripture says in Daniel 9:2, “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” If this tribe has come to know by the books the ways in which the captivity of this nation will be turned around then let them lead us, our responsibility is to follow because we are sure that knowledge is power and by its right application success and unprecedented development will be achieved in our nation. Those who know must lead and must continue to lead.

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

Feel free to share your thoughts or testimony in the comment box below. I promise to respond to them as soon as possible!