The "Leader's Paradigm" for Discovering Truth and Wise Decision-Making

Mark Virkler's picture

Combining six ways God speaks for maximum confidence

Top companies utilize creative brainstorming, intuition and input from a team to create the best products and ensure success. Shall I do anything less, if I want to succeed in marriage, life and Christian spirituality?


Do you think a king THIS WISE needs counsel?

Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men … and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005 (1 Kgs. 4:29-32).

Of course, we remember that Solomon got this wisdom from God, as a gift through a dream at night (1 Kgs. 3:12-15).

Solomon, the wisest and most prosperous king ever, said, “Get counsel so you don’t fall.”

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Prov. 11:14 NKJV).

Rehoboam rejected wise, mature counsel which resulted in his losing 10 of the 12 tribes he was to govern.

He forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him (1 Kgs. 12:6-11).

To make wise decisions, I choose to “put off” and “put on” the following:

  • I choose to put off slavish obedience to the traditions of men (Mk. 7:8,9).
  • I choose to put off pride and confidence in my logical reasoning abilities (Isa. 55:8-11; Jas. 3:14-18).
  • I choose to put on meekness and honor for the voice of God (Jn. 6:63).
  • I choose to put on the belief that I can fix my eyes on Jesus, tune to His voice within and hear, record and obey what He is saying (Heb. 12:1,2; Jn. 10:27; Gal. 5:25; Hab. 2:1,2; Rev. 1:9-11).

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words (rhemas) that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life (Jn. 6:63).

I choose to receive counsel from people which together embody the following five complementary heart motivations (Eph. 4:7,11-16)

  1. Apostle – heart for servant leadership which ensures that all the voices are heard, honored and integrated into the final decision
  2. Prophet – heart for divine creativity
  3. Evangelist – heart for sharing the good news
  4. Pastor – heart for loving people
  5. Teacher – heart that passionately seeks out truth

The Bible promises I will come to maturity (Eph. 4:13) if I can seek out, honor (1 Pet. 2:17) and integrate the wisdom and counsel from people expressing the above five heart motivations.


Intention: “I will make wise decisions by using The Leader’s Paradigm which combines six ways God speaks.”

The problem or situation I need to resolve is ____________________________________.

Six ways God speaks to confirm His will

Scripture

What the experience of this is sensed as

Journal out
 what God reveals

# 1 - Illumined Scripture: God turns logos (written words) into rhema (spoken words)

And they said one to another, “Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

This is experienced as the Holy Spirit illumines Scriptures to you — you sense verses leaping off the page or just coming to your attention spontaneously.

Record the Bible story or Bible principle which the Lord brings to your mind that relates to the problem/issue which is being addressed…

# 2 - Illumined Thoughts in One’s Mind: Spirit-led reasoning, which is reasoning guided by the flow of the Holy Spirit, which occurs as you prayerfully ponder while your eyes are fixed on Jesus

It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus (Luke 1:3) 

This pillar is experienced as the Holy Spirit guiding your reasoning process through spontaneous impressions. 

 

Record thoughts and pictures you receive while you are in Jesus’ presence (Ps. 73:16-17).

 

# 3 - Illumined Witness in One’s Heart

 

And immediately when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8)

This pillar is experienced as an impression perceived in your spirit. Deep inner peace or unrest is often part of this experience.

While in Jesus’ presence (Ps. 73:16-17) which answer gives your heart peace? Which answer gives your heart unrest?

# 4 - Illumined Counsel of Others

Your goal is to receive spiritual counsel from people exemplifying the five heart motivations of Eph. 4:7-11

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14)

This pillar is experienced as you ask your spouse, others involved, and your spiritual advisors for input as to what they sense the heart of the problem is, and what solution will fully address it.

Record what they tell you, and pray about it, asking God to show you the truth and value in what they have spoken, and how it could be weaved in as part of the final solution…

# 5 - Illumined Understanding of Life’s Experiences

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7:16)

 

This pillar is experienced as you ask God to give insight and understanding concerning the fruit life is demonstrating. God gives you revelation as to what has caused the fruit.

Record thoughts and pictures you receive while you are in Jesus’ presence (Ps. 73:16-17).

 

# 6 - Illumined Revelation from God Through Dreams, Visions, Prophecy and Journaling

“And it shall come to pass in the last days,” saith God, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17)

This pillar is experienced as you receive direct revelation from God through dreams, visions and journaling. Journaling is writing out your prayers and God’s answers.

Record thoughts and pictures you receive while you are in Jesus’ presence (Ps. 73:16-17).


My decision after applying The Leader's Paradigm is ____________________________.

Summary

Never make a major decision if any of the above six indicators are flashing RED. Five green and one neutral would be fine, but five green and one red means you still do not have the full mind of the Lord on the matter. So continue seeking, as you don’t want to wander and die in the wilderness. Wise decisions let you get to your Promised Land!

The Leader's Paradigm is a broad-based method for knowing. The Emmaus Road is one such example of coming to truth (Lk. 24:13-35).

  1. Scripture - Jesus explained to the disciples the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures
  2. Mind - their theology was changed with this illumined scriptural revelation. They went from gloom to joy
  3. Heart - Were not our hearts burning within us as He was opening Scriptures
  4. Counsel of others – the women shared that they had seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive
  5. Life experiences – The two disciples experienced Jesus and then they shared their experience with the other disciples
  6. Revelation - as Jesus blessed the bread the disciples' eyes were opened and they recognized Him

Resources


 

Related Blogs: 

Business and Creativity   
Add new comment

Add new comment

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Results

Results 361 - 370 of 490

Pages

Intimacy With God Through Journaling [Kindle Edition]

by Janet Gilham

It is a joy to celebrate the release of another new ebook of two-way journaling by one of our students, Janet Gilham! It was an honor to write the forward to this book, which contains 28 days of journaling. This makes it ideal to use for a month of your daily devotions. Each journal entry reveals the heart of God toward you and thus brings warmth and healing to our wounded hearts.

Price: $3.99
Intimacy with the Holy Spirit eBook

Intimacy with the Holy Spirit eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 223 Pages

This book leads you in meditating on and journaling about several hundred verses that discuss the Holy Spirit. You will grow in intimacy with the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the anointing within you will increase! You will exclaim as the disciples did on the Emmaus Road: “Did not our heart burn within us…while He opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)! In addition to being led to journal through these verses, you will read numerous two-way journal entries from Mark Virkler, as well as a powerful five-page prayer at the conclusion of the book.

Price: $10.95

Journaling Questions e-booklet

100's of journaling questions arranged in categories

Jumpstart your two-way journaling! People often ask me, do you have good journaling questions I can use in my dialogue with Jesus? The answer is yes! Predicting the date of His return is not going to work out well. So how about hundreds of GREAT two-way journaling questions you can ask the Lord!

Price: $6.95
Lamad Faculty Handbook eBook

Lamad Faculty Handbook eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 78 pages

This book presents lamad (revelation-based learning) standards  for teachers and curriculum writers. Lamad is a Hebrew word found in the Old Testament and it is translated "to teach" or "to learn."  It is a kind of learning that involves the Holy Spirit granting divine revelation to the heart of man. Thus it goes beyond western rationalism as a learning methodology.

Price: $7.96

Meditation: How to Study the Bible in the Presence of God ebook

Click here for Kindle version.

This book is our more academic version of this topic, designed more for the theologian.

Our practical, hands-on, user-friendly version for personal or group use is Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation.

Price: $2.99
Naturally Supernatural eBook

Naturally Supernatural eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 161 Pages

A step-by-step guide on “abiding in Christ” or how to let go and let God live naturally and powerfully out through you. Disarmingly simple. Mind-blowingly powerful.

Price: $14.95

On Things Above ebook

by Murray Dueck | 232 Pages

On Things Above by Murray Dueck is an amazing book of 52 prophetic activations. I have hungered to see such a book as this for many years. It is one thing to be prophetic yourself; it is another to teach someone else how to become prophetic. Murray will teach you how to be more prophetic.

Price: $16.00
Operations Manual eBook

Operations Manual eBook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 134 Pages

We have helped hundreds of churches establish Schools of Ministry or church-centered Bible schools over the last 25 years. This manual draws together insights and approaches for how to do it easier, faster and better. Enjoy as you build on the success of those who have gone before you.

Price: $55.96
Overflow of the Spirit - PDF eBook Cover

Overflow of the Spirit PDF eBook

284 Pages | Instant Download & Pay No Shipping! | by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe

Mark and Charity have teamed up again to write a book on how to easily manifest the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. It took us several years to break through all the confusion and present a clear, simple understanding of how to release the nine-fold manifestation of the Holy Spirit everywhere you go and with everyone you touch. It is not hard! It can’t be since these are gifts of the Holy Spirit, not things you have to work for.

Price: $15.99

Playtime with Jesus eBook

Helping Kids Know God | Jessica De Krijger

The goal of this little booklet by Jessica De Krijger is to help young children, ages 3 and up, learn how to start hearing God's voice for themselves. It is never too early to teach your children that they can hear from God. They are primed to do this. God's Spirit is urging them to come to Him. So reinforce this call with this beautiful full-color booklet which you can read to your children. Discover more at the Playtime With Jesus Website.

Price: $3.20

Pages