One of the silent battles that many spiritual leaders face—though often unspoken—is insecurity. It may wear the cloak of control, overprotection, or caution, but at its root is a fear:
“What if they grow beyond me?”
“What if they stop needing me?”
“What if I’m forgotten?”
This mindset is dangerous—not just to the people a leader is called to serve, but to the purpose of God in a generation. Let us examine this deeply, and by the light of Scripture.
1. THE ROLE OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP: EQUIPPING, NOT POSSESSING
Ephesians 4:11–13 declares:
> “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Leadership is not for hoarding followers, but for maturing saints.
The purpose of being called into any ministry function is to raise others, equip them for their God-ordained work, and help them grow into Christlikeness.
The success of your leadership is not in how many people follow you, but how many people grow because of you.
2. THE ERA OF MOSES AND THE GLORY THAT FADES
There was a time when the people could not approach God directly. Moses was the singular mediator—he went to the mountain, he saw the glory, and he came down to tell the people what God said.
2 Corinthians 3:13 says:
> “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.”
Moses' glory faded.
It was never meant to last forever.
He was a shadow of a better covenant to come.
Many leaders today still operate as though they are the only ones who can access God for others—as though people need their veil to relate with the Father.
But this is no longer the case in Christ.
3. THE TORN VEIL: THE END OF MONOPOLIZED ACCESS
Matthew 27:51 says:
> “And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom...”
This was not a symbolic act. It was a spiritual revolution.
No longer would access to the presence of God be restricted to priests or special people.
No longer would spiritual encounters be the privilege of a few.
No longer would the glory be veiled.
Christ tore the veil—not so that leaders could become the new gatekeepers, but so that every believer could come boldly (Hebrews 4:16).
Every believer can now behold God. Every believer can now grow in intimacy with the Father.
So when leaders feel insecure about people growing, leading, or being used by God, they are subconsciously trying to re-hang the veil that Christ tore.
4. FROM GLORY TO GREATER GLORY: A LEADER’S TRUE FRUIT
2 Corinthians 3:15–18 reads:
> “…Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away… And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory...”
God’s goal is not for people to remain dependent on a man forever, but for every believer to be transformed into the image of Christ.
If a spiritual platform does not facilitate growth, freedom, and transformation, but instead breeds dependence, stagnancy, and silence in the absence of a leader—it is failing.
A true leader is one who:
Raises people who can function in his absence.
Builds people who grow in their personal walk with God.
Rejoices when others begin to walk in greater levels of glory.
Anything else is not leadership—it is spiritual insecurity.
5. THE FEAR OF LOSING PEOPLE: WHOSE ARE THEY?
Here’s a confronting truth:
You can’t lose people that aren’t yours.
Jesus said in John 17:12:
> “While I was with them, kept them in your name. Those whom you gave me I have kept…”
People are God’s own.
As a leader, your assignment is stewardship, not ownership.
The moment your sense of identity or relevance is tied to how many people you lead, you are no longer leading—you are clinging.
6. THE FINAL CALL: FROM INSECURITY TO GOD-DEPENDENCE
Leaders must be delivered from the fear of becoming irrelevant.
You were never called to be the destination—you are a signpost to Christ.
Your true legacy is not in the size of your gathering, but in the depth of transformation you enabled.
Christ did not come to build platforms.
He came to build people.
And He is still building.
Let us not compete with God by trying to monopolize what He freely gave.
Let us not build empires.
Let us not count numbers.
Let us raise sons.
Let us raise stewards.
Let us raise Christ in people.
So I ask: Are you helping people see Jesus clearly—or are you becoming the veil?
Let the veil remain torn.
Let your heart be at rest.
Let the people grow.
Let Christ be formed.
Written by Adewale Joseph Okanlawon
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