Matt 2:16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance (NLT)

Herod was an insecure leader.

John the Baptist was not intimidated when the people told him that Jesus is getting more people than him.

Joihn.3:26 “And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”

There was no insecurity in John because he knew his calling and what he was here for. 
When all you do is to shut down other ministries from getting invitations to preach in the environment you have being before by painting other ministries black and giving them all kinds of names. You are suffering from leadership/ ministry insecurity. You need help no matter who you are help in ministry.

When you have to spend one hour to correct your guess speakers’ message that you gave him 30mins to preach, because you do not want the people get into error. You are suffering from insecurity. If you have done your work well, your people should be able to know what is truth and what is error when somebody else preaches. Do you correct all the messages they listen to on television when you are not there?

First of all, you must recognize that everyone or any position of leadership you are occupying today, whether it be that of Father, Mother, CEO of a company must be seen as a calling from God and by God. Just as we are told of the office occupied by Aaron and Jesus towards the people as priests.

Heb.5: 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.

Once you miss out on this fact, that you are called and set in place by God, you become insecure in your attitude and character towards the people you are called to lead.

King Herod was such a leader. He was such an insecure leader that he feared the loss of power and had to control every aspect of the people he was ruling. 

Leaders of these nature, has deep-seated control issues rooted in the fear of the loss of power, money and prestige. 

And most often you wouldn’t even know they have all these issues within, until certain things are made real that they feel is a threat to their position and then they explode.

This spirit is demonstrated by Herod and King Saul. Herod heard about Jesus’ birth, the level of insecurity in him got out of control, which resulted in his making life-threatening decisions for those in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Saul’s level of insecurity as a king exploded on hearing people sang about the success of David. Now, he found a rival in David, and that is something he cannot contain within himself. This is the outcome of leadership with insecurity. Have you wondered why you were invited as a quest speaker among others and you were given 30mins when the hall was empty, while others had one hour to share? Insecurity was speaking maybe. Either you don’t have what is relevant, which on the most part is not true, or someone is afraid of you and your message.

So, you see, like Herod, Fathers take decisions that could be detriment to the entire family because they suspect either their wives or children are trying to usurp authority or otherwise.

The attitude of most parents changes once they suspect or feel their children are no longer respecting them the way they should. Are you a parent who flares up for little reasons and talks for hours none stop in the name of trying to correct the child? My friend you’re simply suffering from insecurity. You are talking to protect your position of authority as a parent. You have fears hidden within you that you losing your position in the house.

Listen, it’s not the volume of words with conjectures that corrects a Child. It is a fact of the statement that says ‘A word is enough for the wise’. Encouraging words laden with divine wisdom and love can restore a child, more than a thousand words of outburst. The child might even develop a thick skin towards your constant shouting and frowning of face all the time, thinking you are doing that to get the child’s attention to recognize your position as a parent.

The response of the man whose friend was troubling him in the night to have something for his visitors speaks volume to us in this regard. Hear his reply …

Luke 11:7 “And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.”

This is parenting, ‘my children are with me in bed’. That is relationship, true family union. knowing the position and state of your child per time. When last have you really sat your child down just to discuss the issues of life. How do you express love to them? Buying them gifts and yet no relationship is no love, parents! If you can’t raise your child to the point of trusting and building confidence in you, then you miss this point, and you miss the child.

See this;

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord. (Amp)

Col 3:21 “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Amp)

Col 3:21 Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.] (Amp)

You see that?

The effect of provoking your chidden your position of leadership as parents?
You make them morose and feeling inferior. You kill their self-esteem parents!

The word ‘provoke’ is so powerful. It means –to anger alongside, i.e. enrage: –anger, provoke to wrath. And ‘wrath’ means: to anger alongside, i.e. enrage: –anger, provoke to wrath.

So, you see, the word of God says, your anger will result in raising the anger of the child, this time around, toward you and that makes you lose him as you lose respect in his sight. Then he begins to resent you as a parent that is fighting back. Too dangerous!

Recognizing that God placed you in authority as a Father or Mother in the home, is enough truth to give you confidence and so break you away from the spirit of insecurity that will make you acts strangely without control.

Same thing with CEO’s who are suspicions of their subordinates of trying to gain more power or popularity. Its turns them over into taking drastic and dangerous decisions in other to protect their position and hold on to power.

Once you are threatened by the rising popularity of your assistance in an office, you are suffering from leadership insecurity. At this stage delegating responsibilities is with restrained and full of suspicions. All of these are the products of insecurity.

Excerpt from my Book. ‘Insecure Leadership’.

To be continued.