In order to lead people you have to be free from people. Being free from people means that you are no longer intimidated or controlled by them. If you love people and want God’s best for them, you won’t want to control them. This takes a real trust in God, in His ability, wisdom and goodness. If you think you know best you will try to control people. In the same way, someone under authority can only be free from manipulation if they rely solely on God for His approval in their lives. Too many of us are looking to man for affirmation, approval and direction. Don’t look for a man or woman to supply to you what only the Lord should give to you.

To be free from people means to be free of their control, intimidation, and manipulation. This kind of life allows you to truly be led by the Spirit. This is because you are not trying to process through what this or that one will think. You hear and obey what the Spirit is saying. This doesn’t mean that there is not a true spiritual leadership and authority. (We need to stay accountable to one another. But, this is a matter of mutual submission.) Someone who is leading in the spirit will not try to usurp the authority of God in your life. They accept you as you are because God has already accepted you in Jesus. You are not having to qualify for their love because you qualify for God’s love. This truth should keep us free from falling into the trap of performing for the approval of man.

If you are looking to a person to applaud for what you do you have settling for far too low a reward. When you are not looking to man for what God alone should supply and you know you already have God’s approval, it will be difficult if not impossible to be manipulated.