Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.
As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians. Let’s get into it.
Key scriptures for this year:
2 Corinthians? ?9?:?8? ?TPT??
“Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do.”
Galatians? ?5?:?4? ?TPT??
“If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!”
Romans? ?6?:?14? ?ERV??
“Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace.”
1 Corinthians? ?15?:?10? ?NIV?
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
Scripture(s) we will study today:
Galatians 2:1 TPT
“Fourteen years later I returned to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas and Titus.”
Acts 13:2-3 NIV
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”
Acts 13:43 NIV
When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:46 NIV
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Setting the Stage:
We’ve been exploring the amazing partnership between Paul and Barnabas. I hope you have been enjoying it. There’s a leadership principle here that hasn’t been addressed yet, which is absolutely crucial for anyone who wants to live THE GRACE LIFE. It’s the difference between leadership that flows from grace and leadership that flows from ego.
Notice something fascinating: When the early church was suspicious of Paul’s conversion, Barnabas was the only leader who vouched for him and brought him to the apostles. Later, Barnabas sought out Paul in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to minister together. These actions show someone who was genuinely invested in Paul’s success rather than threatened by it.
Initially, Luke refers to them as “Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:30, 12:25, 13:2), but this gradually shifts to “Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 13:43, 13:46). What happened? Did they have a power struggle? Did someone get demoted? No—this is what grace-based leadership looks like.
Barnabas exemplifies what mature Christian mentorship looks like—being willing to decrease so others can increase, just as John the Baptist said about Jesus. His nickname, “Son of Encouragement,” reflects his character throughout his relationship with Paul.
Today’s message is about how authentic spiritual leadership requires security in God’s grace—especially when God shifts the dynamics around you.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Grace-Based Leaders Are Secure Enough to Share Whatever Prominence God Has Given Them.
When you understand that your value comes from God’s grace rather than your position or recognition, you can celebrate others’ successes without feeling diminished. Barnabas demonstrates this beautifully. He didn’t view Paul’s growing influence as a threat to his position but as the fulfillment of his mentoring ministry.
How this applies to you:
— Security, in grace, eliminates the need to protect your position against rising talent in your organization (team, business, church, etc.).
— When you are settled in God and His grace, you can celebrate the diversity of giftings and callings without jealousy or competition.
— Grace-based leaders find genuine joy when team members excel beyond them, understanding that their success reflects your investment.
— Your willingness to share the spotlight reveals whether you’re operating in grace or ego—ego demands recognition, while grace finds joy in others’ advancement.
— When you’re confident in God’s grace, you become a kingmaker rather than a kingdom protector, helping others reach their full potential.
— True leadership isn’t about maintaining hierarchy but about maximizing Kingdom impact and organizational effectiveness.
— Grace empowers you to hand over leadership when God’s season for you shifts, recognizing divine timing and transitions.
— Many leaders, because of ego, hang around too long. So long that it negatively impacts the organization. When I was early in ministry, a wise leader, Velma Hayden, said to me, “Baby, never make them glad twice. Glad to see you come, and glad to see you go!” Don’t hold on to things so long that people are glad to see you go.
2. Grace Enables Leaders to Invest in Others Without Fear.
The most impressive thing about Barnabas is that he actively sought out Paul and brought him into ministry, even knowing Paul’s extraordinary gifts. It takes tremendous security to mentor someone who may surpass you. And then to be glad when they do!
How this applies to you:
— Grace-based leaders mentor people who have greater assignments than their own, celebrating their mentees’ potential impact.
— When you’re secure in your calling, you can pour into others without reservation because your identity isn’t threatened by their potential.
— You understand that building someone else up doesn’t tear you down. Making others big doesn’t make you small in God’s Kingdom.
— Your legacy isn’t about how long you led, but how well you developed other leaders who outlive your influence.
— Grace removes the scarcity mentality that says there’s only room for one leader at the top of your field.
— True success is measured by how many people you empower, not how many people follow you personally.
— When you operate in grace, you understand that advancing others advances the Kingdom and your organization’s mission. It’s bigger than you. Remember, you are doing all that you do for God, not for personal gain.
3. Grace Creates Leaders Who Flow with God’s Timing and Transitions.
Here’s the beautiful thing about the Barnabas-Paul partnership: There’s no record of jealousy, competition, or conflict when Paul became the primary leader. This leadership transition happened naturally through their spiritual maturity and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
How this applies to you:
— Grace gives you the wisdom to recognize when God is transitioning leadership roles and flow with it rather than fight it.
— When you’re secure in grace, you can support someone else’s promotion without feeling personally demoted or diminished in any way.
— Grace-based transitions occur through relationships and mutual respect rather than rebellion or conflict.
— The goal isn’t to maintain your position—it’s to advance God’s purposes and your organization’s mission.
— Sometimes, your greatest contribution is knowing when to step into a supporting role while maintaining your value.
— Grace teaches you that there are seasons for leading and seasons for following. Guess what? Both require spiritual maturity.
— As you grow in grace, you learn to trust God’s sovereignty over your significance, knowing His purposes are bigger than your preferences.
4. Grace Produces Leaders Who Multiply Rather Than Control.
When leadership transitions happen in grace, both parties are empowered to fulfill their unique callings. Paul went on to write half the New Testament and plant churches across the Roman Empire, while Barnabas continued his ministry of encouragement and reconciliation. This wasn’t a replacement—it was multiplication.
How this applies to you:
— Grace-based leadership creates multiplication, not replacement. Both you and those you develop become more effective. It’s not about one or the other, it is about BOTH becoming who God called you to be.
— Your willingness to develop others creates a legacy that outlives your own direct ministry or business impact.
— When you walk with God and are settled in His grace, you know that someone else’s success is actually your success in the Kingdom.
— You become more concerned with succession than success, thinking beyond your own season to the next generation.
— Grace enables you to see others’ advancement as God’s promotion, not your demotion or rejection.
— Your greatest achievement might be the leader you develop, not the ministry or business you build.
5. Grace Empowers Leaders to Run Their Own Race.
When you stand before God, you’re only going to be measured against your own destiny and assignment, not against what others accomplished. This liberating truth frees you from unhealthy competition and empowers genuine celebration of others’ success.
How this applies to you:
— Everyone runs their own race—whether in the military, business, or ministry—and comparison steals the joy of your unique calling.
— You can genuinely celebrate what God is doing in other people’s lives, even if their impact appears bigger than yours.
— Grace enables you to mentor someone whose business becomes larger than yours, whose church grows bigger, or whose rank exceeds your own without feeling threatened.
— Your security in grace determines your ability to navigate when others surpass you professionally or personally.
— When you’re settled in who you are, you’re free to invest in others’ destinies without feeling threatened by their potential.
— Grace teaches you that Kingdom mathematics works differently. While the world operates on a “zero-sum mentality” where lifting others up means going down yourself, in God’s Kingdom, elevating others actually multiplies your own impact rather than diminishing it.
— When you walk with God and embrace His grace, you understand that we’re not in competition but in collaboration, each fulfilling our unique assignments for God’s glory. It’s ALL ABOUT HIM anyway!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for the example of grace-based leadership that Barnabas demonstrated.
I declare that my security comes from Your grace, not my position, prominence, or title in any organization.
I receive the grace to celebrate others’ success without feeling threatened by their advancement or achievements.
I am willing to mentor people who have greater assignments than mine, understanding that their success reflects Your purposes.
I will flow with Your timing and transitions, even when they change my role or organizational position.
I declare that I will multiply leaders rather than control ministries or business outcomes.
I trust Your sovereignty over my significance, knowing that Your purposes are bigger than my personal preferences.
I will develop others to surpass me, understanding that their success is my success in the Kingdom.
I choose to run my own race, knowing I’ll only be measured against my unique destiny and assignment.
Thank You for the grace that makes me secure enough to share the spotlight and wise enough to invest in others.
I am living #TheGraceLife, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
