There are many leaders in the Body of Christ today. Suppose we were to gather them together and subject them to the future; to what is taking place in the world, and to what they would have to face in order to enter into what God wants to do in His church in these End Times?

I dare say we would probably not even have two out of 12 that would come back with a positive message. But two out of those 12 leaders did.

You must realize that there was one man from each tribe; the top leader in each one. These were not little guys or ordinary little weaklings that they sent out. These were men that were specially selected.

In the military, the people they send out to do what they call the reconnaissance, are very brave men. They are highly skilled men who go ahead to check things out and to see whether the land is ready for you to come in and invade.

These were highly skilled men, and yet still 10 of them came to a wrong conclusion. Don't think that because you are a natural leader or that you are highly qualified, that you are fit to be selected to be an apostle of God.

God does not look for natural qualifications. He looks for somebody who has a different kind of commitment. He looks for somebody who is prepared to put it all on the line and pay the price.

Do you want to be an apostle? Do you want to be a leader? There is a price to pay. And don't think that because you have natural leadership qualities that you are automatically qualified to rise up.

Not Man's Choice

I see so many people who are in ministry today. And because they have pastored a church and maybe built a big congregation, everybody reveres them and looks up to them.

They say, "I'm a leader of thousands."

Well so were those 12. There was one man picked from each tribe. Each of them was a leader of a whole tribe, but only two were good enough for God to use to be His leaders.

And even out of those two, God only picked one to finally stand up and be the leader of the nation of Israel and to take Moses' place.

In Numbers 27:18 it says:

And the LORD [Yahweh] said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom [is] the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;

Who approved Joshua? Was it Moses who decided that he would pick his favorite guy to would work with? Was he Moses' pet? Have you ever been the teacher's pet? Didn't you hate those people? It was not Moses who stood up and said,

"Listen, can't you guys see that Joshua's the best leader here? I think we should make him leader of Israel in my place when I leave."

It was not Moses' choice. It was God's choice. Moses was simply God's agent to introduce what He wanted to do, but it was God who spoke to Moses and said,

"Now you see Joshua? He has a different spirit in him."

God didn't say, "Now, do you see that guy? Do you see how good looking he is; how big and strong he is? Do you know what kind of leader that person will make?"

A Different Spirit

That sounds rather like Saul doesn't it? That was not the quality that God was looking for. He had a different spirit in him. God looks on the heart, not on the externals. God did not say,

"Wow, he has such educational qualifications. This man is brilliant!"

No, Joshua was probably about as intelligent as most sportsmen. I don't mean that to be derogatory to sportsmen. But usually I have found out that you choose between brawn and brain.

In my experience most of the better sportsmen didn't have time to study. They concentrated on their physical qualities, on developing their skills and using their muscles.

I do not think that Joshua was that intelligent. He wasn't stupid, but God didn't pick him because of his brawn or his brain. He picked him because of his spirit.

You say, "Well I don't feel like an apostle because I'm just weak, small and insecure. I have a big nose and I'm bald. And you know if I appeared on National Television, people would not say, 'Look at the Apostle of God.' I don't look the part."

That is not what God is looking for. That is what the world and the System is looking for. God is looking for somebody with another spirit, and God will approve and qualify you.

Perfect Timing

He will also set the timing that determines when you are released and finally placed in that leadership position. In Deuteronomy 31:14 the Lord said to Moses:

And the LORD [Yahweh] said to Moses, Behold, your days approach that you must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

God had said to Moses,

"Take Joshua. He's going to take your place because he has a different spirit in him."

Moses didn't just rush out and say,

"Hey guys, the Lord has revealed to me that Joshua is the one who will replace me."

No, he waited for God's timing. He didn't say,

"We will have an ordination meeting and will officially place you as an apostle today. We will invite all your friends, and put out special invitations and make a great big fanfare. We'll have the newspaper here, and today you will be placed as an apostle for all the world to see."

Is this what you have been aspiring to? Has this been your goal?

Then you had better die to it now. The chances are it is going to happen in such an obscure way that nobody will even know what happened. The exception will maybe be you and your master and those whom God chooses to be witnesses. It will happen when you least expect it, because God will say,

"Now is the time."

That is when it will take place.

You say, "But I passed my exams. I've been through the tests. I've gone through all of this. Hey, a prophet prophesied over me that God has called me to be an apostle, hasn't He? I mean what is stopping me from being announced to the world?"

One small thing is stopping you - God's instruction. You will not be announced to the world. Sometimes it will never happen, but the time will come when God says,

"Now is the time for you to be appointed."

Only then will you step into the place where you are finally released to move into the apostolic.

Released Through People

How does it take place? It takes place through human agency.

You say, "You know I was praying one night and I had this vision. The Lord spoke to me and said, 'I've called you to be an apostle, and I've appointed you and sent you forth.' "

I don't see any example of that in Scripture; not amongst any of the known apostles. And the greatest apostle of all time, the one who is called the Apostle and High Priest of our faith was no exception. He too was released through human agency.

How does it take place? There are two things that must happen for an apostle to be placed.

Firstly there is the function of the prophet, and secondly there is the function of an apostle. Now it is possible if you are to be a Moses type of apostle, that it may just require a prophet to release you.

Perhaps you are to be a Joshua or a discipled type of apostle. If so then it is going to require the ministry of both a prophet and an apostle in order to release you.

Prophetic Decree and Impartation

The first thing that happened to Joshua is that he was released by prophetic decree. In Deuteronomy 31:23 it speaks of Moses and says,

And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore to them: and I will be with you.

Remember that God said to Moses,

"You and Joshua get to the tabernacle, because I have a charge to give to him."

How did God give that charge to Joshua? He gave it through Moses. Moses spoke the word to Joshua on behalf of the Lord, and he was prophetically released to move into the position that God had called him to.

But it took more than that. It took an impartation. In Deuteronomy 34:9 it says:

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel listened to him, and did as the LORD [Yahweh] commanded Moses.

He was not only released through the prophetic word spoken by a prophet, because Moses was a prophet. He was also released through an impartation through the laying on of hands by Moses, who also was an apostle. It will require both of those.

I don't care if some prophet prophesied over you. What did they prophesy and what has God called you to be?

If you have been under discipleship and training then you will be released in the same way. And it will require both a prophetic decree and a laying on of hands of impartation before you will move into that apostolic office.

Finally Joshua had been placed, and Moses went up the mountain and disappeared. Joshua was left now to take over the leadership from Moses and he had to exercise his leadership.

We have taught in other places that every apostle must receive a mandate from the Lord. We have looked at the Moses Mandate and the mandate that God gave to him. Now we come to Joshua who is another apostolic type. And Joshua, being an apostle, had to receive a mandate.