4 TESTS to See if You’ve Got What It Takes to LEAD [Acts 7:23-29]

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Do you have an urge to take charge and make a difference?

But then comes the self-doubt: “Am I ready? Do I have what it takes?”

So, how do you know if you’re ready to hatch and spread your wings as a leader?

Here are 4 tests inspired by the story of Moses told by Stephen in Acts 7:23-29.

4 Tests to See if You’ve Got What It Takes to Lead [Acts 7:23-29]

#1 – Skills

“And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.” [Acts 7:23]

“And when he was full forty years old….” This verse indicates that Moses had spent the first four decades of his life in Egypt, where he was raised and educated in the wisdom and knowledge of the Egyptians.

“…it came into his heart…” This statement proves that Moses also had spiritual skills of perceiving and discerning non-intellectual impulses.

Moses possessed not only the worldly knowledge and education acquired in Egypt but also a heightened spiritual awareness and ability to discern divine promptings or messages.

Moses was a royal priesthood with a combination of kingly and priestly qualities. [1 Peter 2:9]

He was both wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. [Matthew 10:16]

In him, both the tree of knowledge and life were growing to produce a double-edged leader of influence with dominion both in the natural and in the supernatural [1 Corinthians 15:45-58].

#2 – Passion

“And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian.” [Acts 7:24]

Our passions only align with God’s purpose when they motivate us to do things beyond our personal advancement or gain.

For example, despite his Egyptian upbringing, Moses identified with the plight of his Hebrew brethren and was moved to defend the oppressed.

His actions aligned with God’s higher calling, and that is how he became a powerful force for the positive transformation of his tribespeople.

Therefore, we must examine the motivations behind our passions to make sure that they transcend personal ambition or self-interest.

#3 – Pressure

“For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.” [Acts 7:25]

Moses expected that the Israelites would recognize his calling and mission to deliver them from oppression, but they did not.

Despite the initial setback, Moses persisted in his efforts to intervene and promote unity among his people, but all he got back was resistance.

The example of the directed opposition in Acts 7:27 is proof that he was repeatedly dismissed and challenged regarding his authority.

As if the opposition was not enough, Acts 7:28 reveals that he was seen as a potential threat to his people.

Not only was his leadership rejected, but he was also viewed as a danger to his fellow Israelites.

Moses’ experience serves as a poignant reminder that there is a cross to bear and a fellowship with suffering to endure in a leader’s journey.

If you are Daniel, there is the lion’s den, and if you are Joseph, there is the prison.

It is by enduring and overcoming these tests of pressure that true leadership is birthed and revealed.

#4 – Character

“Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.” [Acts 9:29]

This verse marks a significant transition from being raised in luxury in Egypt to his new reality as a shepherd in the wilderness.

The 40 years in the harsh desert tending sheep built his character and his ability to handle future leadership challenges.

His experience reminds us that character is often forged in seemingly uneventful periods of life, where adversity, hardship, and mundane tasks shape our resilience.

Leadership is a journey, not a destination.

Just like a chick needs time to develop in the egg, leadership qualities take time and experience to cultivate.

Nature vs. Nurture: Are leaders born or made? Let’s discuss this in the comments!

Do you know someone who embodies great leadership qualities? Tag them and tell them why they inspire you!

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