It was one of those questions that grabbed me hard: “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7). This was a question asked of Peter and John by religious leaders after the healing of a beggar. It reminds me of a similar question that Jesus asked the religious leaders in Luke 20:4: “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?”

Every leader needs to regularly think about these issues: What drives and motivates me?  Where is the power coming from? For whose glory am I doing it? Is the work based on heaven’s anointing or man’s approval?

As I prayed, I journaled the following thoughts:

By What Power?

I am reminded of the words of the late Fred Smith, businessman and spiritual mentor to many leaders: “Remember the power comes through you, not from you.”  Is it all about me or all about Jesus?  Is it his power, or is the ministry based on:

• My gifts
• My personality
• My capacity
• My charisma
• My passion
• My experience

By What Name?

Is it by the name of Jesus and for the glory of Jesus, or is it for the name and fame of myself? Is it all about:

• My dreams
• My reputation
• My goals
• My plans
• My programs
• My ideas

Ask yourself these questions, and remember 1 Corinthians 15:10: "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me."