Leadership - Acts 13:1-12

I believe in counsel. Wise counsel is the best. While foolish counsel may seem like the worst , it is not. The worst counsel comes from deceitful or ingenuine advisors. The Bible provides a story which illustrates my point in the graphic. When the advisor, who provides insight becomes “blind”, that may be when the leader is able to see clearly. Here is how the story breaks down.

A governor’s spiritual adviser provides counsel, which at its core is anything but spiritual. When truly spiritual leaders, Barnabas and Paul, arrive this adviser feels threatened. He can see these men are led by the Holy Spirit. Everything they teach and do is Holy Spirit directed. Compared to them the governor’s spiritual adviser is a fake.

The fake spiritual adviser knows his only option is to advise the governor to decline any invitation to meet with Barnabas and Paul. When Paul hears about this he confronts the fake spiritual leader, calling him a son of the devil. Paul charges him with deceit and fraud, and he questions how long will this adviser be an enemy of right living. Paul’s final words to the fake spiritual adviser are like the pronouncement of a judge giving a prison sentence. For his fake counsel, the advisor goes blind, and immediately begins groping around for someone to lead him.

When the governor sees this he believes in the power of the God Paul teaches about. Before this, the fake spiritual leader hindered the governor’s ability to believe.

Read this story in Act 13:1-12 and begin to evaluate your circle of advisors. Is someone’s counsel hindering your ability to see?