What God Looks For In A Leader | Daniel Bentley

Nov 05, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Sovereignty in a Chaotic World

In the midst of global turmoil and escalating conflicts, it is vital to remember that God remains on His throne. He has not abdicated His authority, nor is He surprised by current events. All things are working perfectly according to His divine plans and purposes. His people are called to walk by faith, not by fear, anchored to the hope of the resurrection. This confidence provides a peace that transcends all understanding, even when the world seems to be coming apart at the seams.[02:20]

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV)

Reflection: When you watch the news or consider the state of the world, what specific anxieties tend to surface? How can you actively choose to anchor your heart to the truth of God’s sovereignty this week?

Day 2: The Foundation of Godly Leadership is Character

True leadership is built not on public giftedness but on private character. A person’s reputation reflects how others see them, but their character reveals who they truly are when no one is watching. Godly character provides the structural integrity needed to sustain any position of influence over time. Without this foundation, a leader is destined to falter, no matter how great their talents may appear. God sees and values the consistency between one’s public and private life.[20:55]

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. (Proverbs 11:3, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life that is largely unseen by others. In what practical way can you cultivate integrity and Christ-like character in that private space this week?

Day 3: God Equips the Called Through His Spirit

The primary qualification for godly leadership is not natural ability, extensive experience, or human approval. It is the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation desires to fill and dominate every believer’s life. This divine equipping makes the difference between human effort and heavenly power, transforming ordinary people into effective leaders for God’s purposes.[35:47]

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Deuteronomy 34:9, ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel most aware of your own inadequacy? How might you shift your focus from your lack to the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit within you?

Day 4: Embracing Your God-Given Commission to Lead

Every believer has been commissioned to lead others into the kingdom of God. This call extends to our homes, workplaces, communities, and circles of influence. We are not sent in our own authority but in the name and power of Jesus, who possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. Embracing this identity means stepping forward in faith to influence others for Christ, trusting that He equips those He calls.[43:17]

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your sphere of influence that God might be inviting you to lead closer to Him, and what would be a simple, loving first step you could take?

Day 5: The Pathway to Power is Total Surrender

Walking in the Spirit’s power is not about obtaining more of God but about giving more of ourselves to Him. The key to increased anointing is full surrender—handing over every key to every room of our heart. As we yield our will, desires, and dreams to God, we allow His Spirit greater access to work through us. This surrender releases His authority and power in our lives, enabling us to fulfill our calling.[38:12]

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life—a dream, a relationship, a fear—that you have been hesitant to fully surrender to God? What would it look like to release it to Him today?

Sermon Summary

Numbers 27 frames Moses’ final moments and the transfer of leadership as a theological lesson about what God values in those who lead. Global unrest and the season of Heshvan set a timely backdrop, prompting prayer for peace and an appeal to hold fast to resurrection hope amid chaos. The narrative moves from Moses’ life—three forty-year chapters of princely privilege, shepherding, and national leadership—to the moment God tells Moses he will not enter the promised land because of his failure at Meribah Kadesh. That incident exposes the gravity of a leader’s mouth and the way misrepresenting God can ruin a powerful metaphor: the rock that provided water prefigured Christ, struck once, not twice.

The text contrasts law and grace: Moses embodied the law that shows shortfall, while Joshua prefigures Jesus as the one who brings the people in. Moses prays for a successor and articulates a job description emphasizing public effectiveness (“go out”) and private consistency (“come in”), insisting that leaders must be the same in public and private. Reputation and character receive sustained attention; giftedness can elevate, but only integrity sustains. A strong foundation of character prevents the leaning collapse that talent alone cannot fix.

Shepherding imagery clarifies leadership: leaders go before people to feed, lead, and protect them. Long seasons of seeming obscurity build necessary skills for public leadership; nowhere are years wasted in God’s economy. God’s selection of Joshua highlights one decisive qualification above experience or courage: the presence of ruach—spirit, breath, wind—within the man. The anointing of the Holy Spirit makes the difference, transforming gifts into faithful authority. Increasing anointing flows not from acquiring more Spirit but from surrendering more of oneself so the Spirit can dominate.

Practical means of discernment matter: leaders must stand before priestly discernment or, for New Covenant believers, cultivate prayer and sensitivity to the Spirit’s guidance. Commissioning transfers authority, and the great commission sends every disciple to lead in different spheres. Communion and proclamation of “it is finished” underscore victory, freedom, and healing as fruits of Christ’s work that empower leadership. The whole passage calls for Spirit-filled, surrendered leaders who combine inner godliness with outward faithfulness, leading others into God’s promises.

Key Takeaways

1. Transition of leadership matters Moses’ removal from the promised land models a sober reality: leadership seasons end and must be stewarded with holiness and foresight. Preparing successors protects the people and honors God’s timeline; leadership is stewardship, not entitlement. [08:30]
2. Character outlasts giftedness Public ability opens doors, but private integrity secures them long-term. A leader whose inward life contradicts outward reputation will eventually topple; moral consistency anchors influence and sustains institutions. [21:12]
3. Ruach over résumé God elevated Joshua chiefly because the Spirit dwelt in him, not merely because of experience or bravery. Spiritual presence converts competence into kingdom fruit and aligns decision-making with God’s purposes. [33:34]
4. Surrender enables discernment More spiritual authority flows not by accumulating more Spirit but by surrendering more of self so the Spirit can lead. Prayer and yielded obedience replace gimmicks as the primary means of obtaining God’s direction. [40:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - Global unrest and context
[02:39] - Heshvan, Noah, and timing
[04:37] - Anchored hope in chaos
[05:54] - Why ask about leadership?
[08:30] - Transition in leadership
[11:15] - Meribah: mistake and meaning
[14:58] - Law versus the bringer in
[16:52] - Moses’ concern for the people
[18:33] - Reputation and integrity
[23:25] - Shepherding as leadership
[30:09] - God’s choice: Joshua
[34:07] - Ruach: spirit, breath, wind
[37:42] - Surrender and anointing
[38:51] - Prayer, Urim, and discernment
[41:44] - Commissioning and the Great Commission
[45:00] - Communion: victory proclaimed
[54:24] - Freedom, healing, and closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Based on the sermon summary and transcript provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
Numbers 27:12-23 (ESV)
The LORD said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” And Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the LORD directed through Moses.

Observation questions

What two specific reasons does God give Moses for why he will not be leading the people into the promised land (Numbers 27:14)?
In his prayer for a successor, what two primary activities does Moses say the new leader must do for the people (Numbers 27:17)?
What is the single, decisive qualification God highlights when he names Joshua as the successor (Numbers 27:18)?
According to the sermon, what was the significant spiritual picture that was ruined when Moses struck the rock a second time at Meribah? [13:28]

Interpretation questions

Moses describes the potential problem of having no leader as the people becoming "as sheep that have no shepherd." What does the imagery of a shepherd tell us about the true nature and responsibilities of godly leadership?
The transition from Moses to Joshua is described as a picture of the law giving way to grace. Why is the law, represented by Moses, incapable of bringing people into the "life of promises," and how does Joshua prefigure the work of Jesus? [14:58]
God’s instruction for Joshua to stand before Eleazar the priest to "inquire... by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD" was a method of discernment. For believers today, what has replaced this Old Testament system for discerning God's will and how does it function? [40:10]
The sermon makes a distinction between having the Holy Spirit and walking in the anointing of the Spirit. What is the difference, and what is the key to moving from one to the other? [37:42]

Application questions

Leadership is stewardship, not entitlement, and every season of leadership eventually ends. [08:30] What area of influence (family, work, ministry) has God given you to steward right now, and what are you doing to prepare for the day that season will end or be handed to someone else?
A person’s public ability (reputation) opens doors, but their private integrity (character) is what secures them long-term. [21:12] Is there any area where your private life contradicts your public persona? What is one practical step you can take this week to better align your character with your reputation?
God elevates leaders based on the presence of His Spirit within them (ruach) more than on their experience or bravery (résumé). [33:34] When you consider a new responsibility or opportunity, do you find yourself assessing your own résumé or seeking confirmation of the Spirit’s leading? How can you shift your focus to prioritize the Spirit’s presence above your own qualifications?
More spiritual authority flows not from acquiring more of the Spirit, but from surrendering more of yourself so the Spirit can dominate. [40:10] What is one specific area of your life—a dream, a relationship, a fear, a plan—that you are still holding onto and need to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s control today?
There are no wasted seasons with God; long periods of seeming obscurity are often where He builds the necessary character for public leadership. [25:56] If you are in a season that feels hidden or insignificant, what character trait do you suspect God might be developing in you for a future purpose?
Every believer has been commissioned to lead others into the kingdom of God and to be leaders in their homes, churches, and communities. [41:44] Who is one person in your sphere of influence that you feel God is specifically calling you to lead or influence for Him right now?
Partaking of communion is a declaration that "it is finished," a celebration of the victory Jesus secured that sets us free from guilt, shame, and bondage. [50:53] What old lie or burden from your past do you need to consciously lay down and leave at the cross this week as you embrace the freedom Jesus purchased for you?

Sermon Clips

40s

#CharacterOverTalent

“Now your giftedness, that can elevate you. It can give you a platform, and it can usher you into positions of influence. However, it is only your character that will enable you to sustain that position over a period of time. The problem with a lot of people is that their giftedness carries them to places and positions that their character can't sustain, and so they eventually end up falling. Think of the leaning tower in Pisa. They're in Italy. And soon after its completion, inconsistencies in the soil beneath the foundation of the building were discovered, and it started to lean.”

36s

#HiddenIntegrity

“But if your reputation deals with your public persona and peep who people think you are, then your character reflects who you really are in private. It's who you are on the inside, and it gets revealed by who you become when you come in at night and close the door. Now a person with godly character will be the same regardless of whether or not anybody's watching. When someone is consistent and they're going out and they're coming in, they're just consistent in that way. They're said to have moral integrity.”

41s

#AnointedLeadership

“Without the anointing, the church is just a country club. Worship is just a concert. Pastors are just motivational speakers, and sermons are nothing more than self help talks. What is needed in the church today, what is needed in the community today are leaders who are filled and anointed and are dominated by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. He makes all the difference. Can you say amen? Now here's what's beautiful. Just like Joshua, you are a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit.”

32s

#YouCantFoolGod

“I mean, it's relatively easy to fool people. You can pull the wool over their eyes and get them to believe you're something that you're not. But you can never fool God. The Bible says it like this. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of whom whom we must give account. God sees it all. What that means is while you can fool some of the people all the time and all of the people some of the time, you're never gonna fool God. So stop trying. Just be honest with him and seek to develop your character.”

32s

#SpiritOverLaw

“And so he pictures the law. Now while the law is righteous and pure and perfect and good, it's incapable of bringing us as God's children into the life of promises, the life of abundance, the life of victory. All it can do is point out all the ways that we fall short. So the law can never bring you in to that abundant life that the New Testament talks about. Only Jesus can do that. It is his spirit within us that brings us not only the the desire to perform what's right, but the ability to carry through on that.”

28s

#LeadershipAccountability

“I mean, that's a sobering thought, and it should make any of us think twice before we jump into a position of leadership. Now now let me tell you why the Lord deals more strictly with leaders. It's because the potential for damage is far greater. Right? When a a leader misrepresents the Lord, there is the potential for him to drag a lot of people down with him, and so that's why leaders are held to a higher standard, and that's part of what's going on here and and what we see at play.”

36s

#IntegrityInBoth

“What does that mean? Well, this was Moses' way of saying whoever got the job should be someone with a proven track record. They developed a history of going out before the people. This refers to a person's outward facing or public life. They had a good standing within the community. The coming in refers to their inward facing or private life. And and note this, that both aspects are important components of leadership. Moses is essentially saying whoever Israel's next leader is going to be needs to be the same person in private that they are in public.”

36s

#DontMisrepresentGod

“And because of what happened in the way that miss that Moses mischaracterized the heart of God in that instance, he says, I'm keeping you out of the promised land, which I don't know about you, but to me that seems kinda harsh. Seems a little heavy handed of the Lord to say, you can't go in because of what appears to us to be a relatively small infraction. What gives? Well, are a couple of reasons why the Lord dealt with Moses in this way. I'll point them out to you. First, it's not a small thing for a leader to mischaracterize or misrepresent the Lord.”

31s

#JesusStruckOnce

“So when it was struck a second time, the analogy was ruined. Why? Well, Jesus was only struck one time. When he hung on the cross, the Roman soldier took a spear and thrust it into his side, and what came out? Water. And who all for all who come under the waters that flow from his side, they find life and they find salvation. But he didn't need to be crucified twice. He wasn't struck twice, only once. So when Moses struck the rock a second time, the picture was ruined, which is unfortunate.”

28s

#TrustGodsChoice

“He says, Lord, the choice is yours. And God always reserves his best for those who leave the choice with him. However, while Moses may have left the final decision in the Lord's hands, he still had a few thoughts of his own about who God should select. And so he shared some of his opinions with the Lord here, and he proceeds to outline the the kinds of qualities that God should be looking for in a candidate. He kinda gives God a job description. Lord, here you go.”

64s

#StepIntoYourCalling

“We bless you, Lord. And it's a high and holy calling. It's not anything that we feel qualified for. If you feel unqualified, welcome to the club. Who is sufficient for these things? Not us. But there is a God in heaven who qualifies the unqualified. And God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called. You have been called, called by God. You are a leader. Embrace that identity. Instead of shrinking back in fear, instead of pulling back in timidity, it's time to step into your God given mantle of authority, to lead the way in righteousness, to be examples of those who walk in the power of the spirit and not according to the flesh.”

33s

#WeightOfLeadership

“God wasn't angry with his people. He wanted to provide water for them, but Moses gave the people that impression. And so James addresses this, the importance that that the the weight that leaders have on them to really accurately carry the heart of the Lord. And he says this in James three one. I'd love it if we could read it out loud. He says, not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. This is where all of you get to breathe a sigh of relief, and I get to go, ugh.”

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How does one receive more of the Spirit

What God Looks For In A Leader | Daniel Bentley

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Sovereignty in a Chaotic World

Day 2: The Foundation of Godly Leadership is Character

Day 3: God Equips the Called Through His Spirit

Day 4: Embracing Your God-Given Commission to Lead

Day 5: The Pathway to Power is Total Surrender

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

What God Looks For In A Leader | Daniel Bentley

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