Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Rev 5:9-10
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take
the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have
REDEEMED us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and
tongue and people and nation,
AND HAVE MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS TO OUR GOD; AND
WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH.” (NKJ)
The scripture above is announcing the definite and deliberate
emergence of royalty and enthronement in the affairs of life. The
earth is our jurisdiction or area of influence as we see in Ps
115:16 - The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S; but the
earth He has given to the children of men.(NKJ) We have been
given stewardship over the earth and it is for that reason that
Jesus commanded us to occupy until He comes (Lk.19:13 - KJV).
As priests, we are to serve in a spiritual capacity but as Kings,
our sway and scope is in the natural affairs of this life. The Latin
word for a priest is Pontifex which means a bridge-builder. The
priest is the person who builds a bridge between man and God. To
do that, he must know both man and God. He must be able to
speak to God for men and to speak to men for God. This is purely
a spiritual service. But as Kings, our province is the earth and its
operations. God is out to release the believer into the fullness of
his redemptive package. Redemption is an all round, complete
work of grace. It touches spirit, soul and body. Though our spirits
have been regenerated, God wants us to renew our minds to the
end that our bodies will embrace divine life. In line with divinity,
we are to reign in this life through the application of heavenly
principles. The following scripture will shed light on this;
Reigning in life
Rom 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through
that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s
abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness
REIGN IN LIFE through the one man, Jesus Christ. (NIV)
It is crucial to remember that Christ and the Word are
synonymous (Jn. 1:14, Rev. 19:13). If we are to reign in life
through Christ, it simply indicates that our royalty will only be
expressed to the level that we grasp principles from the word of
God and apply them in the affairs of life. This is not an automatic
process; there is a making we are to undergo if we are to be Kings
and Priests unto our God and if we shall reign on the earth. Friend,
until you begin to reign and have dominion in the area, sphere or
domain where God has placed you, then you are operating way
below the expectations of God. The world should be looking at
us to learn how to operate successfully.
Jesus likened the believer to a city set on a hill (Mt. 5:14),
insinuating that the world was to look up on the church. He
actually said that we were the light of the world. The believer is
meant to command attention and to be an attraction to his
generation. We are also meant to be the salt of the earth (Mt.
5:13). This means that we have been created to give taste
(understanding) to our contemporaries and thereby preserve it
from rottenness and putrefaction.
NATURALLY SPEAKING....
In the natural, a King cannot be made without the following
disciplines - Education, Culture, Economics, Religion and Politics,
of which we can only examine a few;
* EDUCATION - this relates to intellectual (Professional and
Academic) schooling of a leader. Beyond Education, we have
wisdom. Wisdom is the applied knowledge or the experience
earned from the practical employ of education. Meaningful
Education is that which helps us to know ourselves, our world and
how best we can deal with life. The way in which we experience
and interpret the world obviously depends very much indeed on
the kind of IDEAS that fill our minds. Education is the transmission
of ideas which enable man to choose between one thing and the
other. It puts meaning into life and creates identity. All this is done
through ideas and concepts. Weak, small, superficial, and
incoherent ideas and concepts will make life appear insipid,
uninteresting, petty and chaotic.
When we talk of Education we mean something more than mere
training, or a simple knowledge of facts. Education speaks of
ideas that make the world and our own lives, intelligible to us.
When a thing is intelligible one has a sense of participation. They
are not lost. When a thing is unintelligible, you have a sense of
estrangement. Estrangement breeds loneliness and despair.
Education should be a tool-box of ideas with which, by which,
through which, we experience and interpret the world. Education
comes in ideologies, theologies, psychologies and philosophies.
The issue here is to influence the world through Kingdom policy,
philosophy and ideology made practical and relevant to the
society. Such policies should be able to solve problems, correct
misunderstandings and give instruction.
* CULTURE - Culture relates to the social schooling of a leader. A
leader has to know the background, customs, habits, lifestyles
and way of life of the people in the field in which God has
assigned him. He has to understand trends, cycles and behavior.
If you are going to understand anyone, you need to know
something about his parents, his heritage and ancestry and the
home he comes from. No wonder the bible is full of histories and
genealogies. To be able to create change and have impact one
has to be versed with the social orientation of his field. It is in this
aspect that that the church has miserably failed. Moses could
deliver Israel out of Egypt because he perfectly understood the
Egyptian system having once been in the same “limitation” (Ps.
Egypt means limitation) Paul was so effective in fighting against
distortions of the gospel because he had once been a fanatical
Pharisee. In essence, the broken become experts in mending.
Many Christians just chant and rave about heaven and thus the
society can never relate to them because they have never been
there. People will never identify with our cause if we cannot relate
to their personalities. One key ingredient of a priest, who we are,
is fellow-feeling, which we see in the following verses;
Heb 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but we have one who has been TEMPTED IN
EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE— yet was without sin. (NIV)
Heb 2:14-18
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too SHARED IN THEIR
HUMANITY.....For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s
descendants.
For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in EVERY WAY,
in order that he might become a MERCIFUL and FAITHFUL high
priest.....Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is
able to help those who are being tempted. (NIV)
* ECONOMICS - A King must be in touch with the Economics of
his area of influence or he is just a sham. Please look at the
following extract from Financial management and policy by James
c. van Horne;
Each year Fortune magazine polls thousands of business people
and asks them to rate companies according to key attributes.
These are;
* Quality of products or services,
* Innovativeness,
* Ability to attract, develop, and keep talented people,
* Financial soundness,
* Community and Environmental responsibility,
* Quality of management,
* Use of Corporate assets, and,
* The long-term investment value.
This is what Economics is all about. To say the least, Christians are
miles away from such concepts, not mentioning the language. If
we are going to be Kings ON THE EARTH, then we MUST pay
attention to these disciplines. God has given us CALLINGS and
GIFTINGS - (Rom 11:29 - For the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable - NKJ) - which will usher us into our royalty and sphere
of influence. In these two categories, we must excel. If you have
not received any call, find your gift and begin to maximize your
life. You are a king in the making!!