It is funny that someone whom you do not think is worthy to be your leader becomes one. This may be your bishop, pastor, elder, cell group leader, choir leader et.al.
For success to come by, you should submit and obey leadership. The word “submit” means, “to put yourself/ something under, to surrender, yield, or resign yourself to”. You are to willingly surrender your life for the sake of the work of God though initially, it may seem foolish or too much. This is the same principle the army has borrowed from the spiritual. There will always be ranks in the spirit (e.g. in Ephesians 6:12). We can never be the same in terms of rank. To obey means to do as you’re commanded to, comply with, follow, observe, or conform. As you submit, obeying comes naturally. If you are not submitted then you cannot obey.
By Bishop Pride Sibiya
I am the vision bearer and know where God wants us to go. I may not be learned or too special but God has chosen me (among many) to lead his vision. We must follow the vision. There is always a temptation especially among the young and zealous to divert from the vision because one feels, “I am now greater than my leader because one has “special gifting”. This is not it. You may preach better, be more erudite, more “theological”, speak in more tongues or prophesy more than your leaders or me. This is beautiful and I pray that you have a double – portion of the spirit on me, but I still remain your father and leader. I love my spiritual father and mother a loving and caring couple.
By Bishop Pride Sibiya
I am the vision bearer and know where God wants us to go. I may not be learned or too special but God has chosen me (among many) to lead his vision. We must follow the vision. There is always a temptation especially among the young and zealous to divert from the vision because one feels, “I am now greater than my leader because one has “special gifting”. This is not it. You may preach better, be more erudite, more “theological”, speak in more tongues or prophesy more than your leaders or me. This is beautiful and I pray that you have a double – portion of the spirit on me, but I still remain your father and leader. I love my spiritual father and mother a loving and caring couple.
They respect us so much and entrust us with much but they still remain parents and us, the son and daughter. I may do greater things than them but I realize I do all this because of the grace and anointing that flows from their lives so in actual fact the works that I do are not mine but are the father’s (John 8:28,14:28). I continually remind myself of this and maintain this spiritual relationship by putting all my tithes into their hands.
God respects the godly hierarchy in the church regardless of the past. Moses was once a murderer and a stammerer while his older sibling Aaron was an eloquent speaker (Exodus 4:10,14) and Miriam, an older sister was a wonderful musician. Both had prophetic gifting and it is by the hand of Miriam that Moses was saved from death whilst a baby. However, God had chosen Moses to be the vision bearer and leader of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. With time Aaron and Miriam (like king Saul in 1 Samuel 13:7-14) wanted to go into the leader’s office of their own accord. They criticized Moses and asked: “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses…Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” (Numbers 12:2). God punished them and the progress of the vision was delayed (v9-16). To obey is better than sacrifice and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft
(1Samuel 15:22-23). God calls us to have faith in him that we may be upheld and to believe in his prophets (not false ones) so that you may be successful (2 Chronicles 20:20).
1 Timothy 5:17 says: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor especially those whose work is preaching and teaching…Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses”
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| Moving The Church To The Next Level: Submission |
God respects the godly hierarchy in the church regardless of the past. Moses was once a murderer and a stammerer while his older sibling Aaron was an eloquent speaker (Exodus 4:10,14) and Miriam, an older sister was a wonderful musician. Both had prophetic gifting and it is by the hand of Miriam that Moses was saved from death whilst a baby. However, God had chosen Moses to be the vision bearer and leader of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. With time Aaron and Miriam (like king Saul in 1 Samuel 13:7-14) wanted to go into the leader’s office of their own accord. They criticized Moses and asked: “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses…Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” (Numbers 12:2). God punished them and the progress of the vision was delayed (v9-16). To obey is better than sacrifice and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft
(1Samuel 15:22-23). God calls us to have faith in him that we may be upheld and to believe in his prophets (not false ones) so that you may be successful (2 Chronicles 20:20).
1 Timothy 5:17 says: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor especially those whose work is preaching and teaching…Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses”
According to Hebrews 13:7, you are to remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you, consider their outcome, and imitate their faith. Church government should be viewed with double honor. It is God who has called me to be an apostle, and your leaders as well. You may prefer someone better but in terms of this ministry: “Even though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ you don’t have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father. I urge you to imitate me” (1 Corinthians 4:15:16).
Obey leadership as long as they are giving godly commands and not talking subversive language. They speak on my behalf and on God’s. When they assign you a duty, do the work of God with joy without grumbling. It is me who encourages leaders to delegate duties (but not responsibility) because everyone should do something in God’s house. I cannot do everything alone. I need those who will cover the gap and release me to more time of prayer and ministering to visionary needs. This was the pattern in the early church and the result was
“....the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:3-7). This is exactly what we are looking for. Whatever you can do, do it with all your strength, God will remember your every good deed and reward you for it. Leaders must remember that delegation is the core of Exodus 18:21-22. As I delegate you, also delegate the church and as they find difficult issues they will come back to you or else a few people will burn out while the rest fail to make an impact for God.
As you submit and obey, God will let flow the same anointing on my life to you. The anointing will flow from the head (apostolic leader) to Aaron’s beard (leadership) then to the skirts of Aaron’s garment (church). A lot has been said about the vision and me. Do not let the enemy deceive you. Some say, “Sibiya is a satanist”. The Bible says, “touch not my anointed ones” I am not a Satanist, neither am I Jesus or the greatest prophet but I am a servant of the Lord among many, a brother amongst brethren.
Lack of submission to God’s servants has catastrophic consequences. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose against God’s servant with two hundred and fifty people who were famous leaders. They told Moses that he was going too far and accused him of regarding himself too highly. Moses warned them but they did not listen. God saw this and the earth swallowed them alive. Some complained because of this and were punished by a plague that killed over fourteen thousand, seven hundred (14 700) people in Numbers 16. Do not despise leadership because of age (1 Timothy 4:12) or be ashamed of your leader or ministry (2 Timothy 1:8). Be submissive to God’s vision.
Flee from the temptation of advocating for a divergent vision and message than what God has given us through his Word and the mouth of His servant (Galatians 1: 8-9) For Bishop Tudor Bismarck the work of the leadership is to teach the church what the head has taught them. This will remove divisions amongst us and the vision will not be grounded. Remember when I came out of the United Methodist Church I never rebelled but was blessed and released and I left alone. I will not reap rebellion and division because I never sowed such. Let us all submit and be respectful towards leadership and God’s servant and see our vision being successful.
Obedience will bring you many blessings and you will prosper in life and in ministry, business, and family as you submit. The Angel of this ministry will take care of all your needs. Our vision covers those that work for it and they will never be in lack as we heed to it.
Sons and daughters, if you want to see success and many days on the earth, start NOW, fully submit to the leadership, vision, and ministry of God in this Church. My father, Archbishop Asa Gurupira always says, "It won't benefit you to be in a church and not believe and work for its vision."
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