THE KINGSHIP ROLE OF THE BELIEVER

“So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” Ezekiel 37.10, KJV


The above description of the army above refers to the saints of God – an army of influence on the earth dominating our environment. God has called us in Christ to reign on the earth over all circumstances. It is not a reign of autocracy but of excellence in the affairs of life. That we have a kingship role is not in doubt. Scripture repeats this frequently. 1 Peter 2.9-10 speaks of our being a ‘royal priesthood’. Our kingdom is of the spiritual while our influence is on the earth.
In other words, we are to bring the kingdom of God into the lives of people in our various communities. This is the assignment that God has chosen for us to accomplish and it is explicitly stated in;


“ARISE, MY PEOPLE! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you...All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you” Isaiah 60.1-3, Living Bible

So what is to be the problem as we do not seem to be exerting the influence we should in all spheres of life. Are Christians being taken seriously when decisions that affect our lives are being considered? Are we gaining ground or losing that which we have? Where is our influence as a group in our various communities and countries? Do we think as saints – the Body of Christ or are we unnecessarily factionalised to have weakened the operation of the power within?  Is our light set on a hill or is it hidden? What really is our strategy for our Assignment? Is the world contaminating us when we should be streaming the glory of God to it?

All these questions and more is what we must stop to ponder upon – each one of us if we are truly sincere about being Christians and carrying out our God ordained role on the earth. Our fellow saints like Joseph and Daniel understood this and did excellently well. They influenced their world and refused to be tainted by the ever changing worldviews of their time. We need to learn from them the way of the kingdom. Here is the account of Joseph’s influence in Egypt.

“The Lord greatly blessed Joseph there in the home of his master, so that everything he did succeeded .Portipher noticed this and realised that the Lord was with Joseph in a special way. So Joseph naturally became quite a favourite with him. Soon he was put in charge of the administration of Portipher’s household and all of his business affairs. At once the Lord began blessing Portipher for Joseph’s sake... he didn’t have a worry in the world with Joseph there, except to decide what he wanted to eat!” Genesis 39.2-6, Living Bible

Now, that is some tremendous influence on one’s employer and all this was done as a slave in Egypt.  Again, the king’s testimony after Joseph exhibited excellence in interpreting his dreams. He was given the plum job of a Prime Minister;

“Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the Spirit of God...you are the wisest man in the country!...”Genesis41.38-39, Living Bible

Joseph didn’t come from heaven. He was one of us yet he understood his purpose and was diligent about it. That is what is lacking in the Christian community. We have put aside God’s grand plan as stated in Isaiah 60.1-3 and followed ours. We have lost influence on the earth and even in our communities. We spend so much time bickering about our personal beliefs while the world is united in theirs and gaining a foothold in our lives.

Consider our thought patterns, beliefs and actions? Do they line up with the Word or the world? I am concerned when I see Christians separating the spiritual from the secular and openly confusing both the world and their brethren by advocating and championing gay rights, liberal views on just about anything that offends the laws of God. We have really lost ground. Daniel and Paul would be so sad at our present behaviour. It also shows that we have not understood what our role is. 

Do take note, that this action was not just limited to the food and wine but in every aspect of his affairs. Daniel and his three brethren took a stand. How often have you taken a stand that was contrary to worldview on any issue? Do you agree with the crowd whether in spiritual or secular circle? - The ‘never rock the boat mentality’. If so, you are losing ground where it matters and may end up even losing your faith because it is the little foxes that spoil the vines.

Our kingship role of influencing others means we must take a godly stand always like Daniel, Joseph, Paul and others even in our present day. The world has an agenda to destroy the godly boundaries that God has set. Don’t allow yourself to become a part of that agenda whether in ignorance or in error. Be wise!
God rewards those who take a stand on His behalf. After Daniel’s action, the king found him and his brethren superior to others. Nebuchadnezzer had this to say of him;

“He said to Daniel “your God is beyond question the God of all gods, the Master of all kings and He solves all mysteries. I know because you’ve solved this mystery”. Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position in the kingdom, lavished him with gifts and made him governor over the entire province of Babylon and the chief in charge of all Babylonian wise men” Daniel 2.46-48, The Message

Daniel was working in captivity in a secular environment. Daniel was not in a religious order yet he made such an astonishing impression on the king with Godly principles. Are you doing so in your place of work neighbourhood, among friends? Or is it a case of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds – sitting on the fence when the chips are done?

God is not pleased with such behaviour. He wants us to take stock of our actions today and begin the process of change. This is more than mere soul searching. It is a time for deeper reflection on our personal conduct and lifestyle if we sincerely believe we are born into the family of God. We cannot continue to live below our royal traditions and expect that all will be well. God is not interested in sacrifices but in OBEDIENCE!!

All over the world today, the Christian influence has been restricted to ‘religious activities’ like charitable causes, crusades and church programmes. These are good but not the best that we can do. God ‘s command is to influence every facet of life such as technology, education, medicine, science, arts, entertainment, law, finance, politics and all spheres of life. In all of them, there is a wisdom of God that the saints should exhibit that will gain the world’s attention. Joseph and Daniel thrived in such secular matters and made a great impression. Here is an account of such excellence by Daniel;


“Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other presidents and governor’s, for he had great ability and the king began to think of placing him over the entire empire as his administrative officer. This made the other presidents and governors very jealous...but they couldn’t find anything to criticise! He was faithful and honest and made no mistakes. So they concluded “our only choice is his religion!” Daniel 6.3-5, Living Bible

Even in that aspect of his faithfulness to God, he was not found wanting. Putting their plan to get Daniel to deny God was also ineffective as Daniel had already determined to take a stand for God ALWAYS!

“So King Darius signed the law. But though Daniel knew about it, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs bedroom, with the windows open towards Jerusalem and prayed three times a day , just as he always had, giving thanks to his God” Daniel 6.9-10, Living Bible.

Daniel’s life is an example of the Christian kingship influence on others. Despite a law made solely to trap Daniel and which consequence in disobedience was a trip into the lion’s den, he remained resolute in his actions regarding his faith; unperturbed! That is the true Christian character in the face of severe trials. While we applaud Daniel’s conduct, can we equally say our actions are like his? When the last time you took a stand that caused you some sacrifice and hardship for the sake of your faith? Are you easily moved to switch sides when the chips are down – avoiding the lion’s den experience? Or is it your belief that such actions are for certain special people and not you.

Pause!.....If you do believe that you have fallen short of these standards that God has set , then you have come to the right decision. God is always on the lookout for anyone willing to make such adjustments. He is not interested in our condemnation but our salvation. The Scriptures records that the influence of some of our brethren caused the people to make certain remarks. For Jason and some brethren, they said of them

“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” Acts 17.6, NKJV

Yes! Our assignment is to turn the world upside down with God’s laws. In another incident, there was the same report.

“When the Council saw the boldness of Peter and John and could see that they were obviously uneducated non- professionals, they were amazed and realised what being with Jesus had done for them! Acts 4.13, Living Bible( emphasis mine)

Their being with Jesus was not of a physical relationship with Him but of the spiritual where they imbibed the character of Christ into their life and the result was the overwhelming influence they had. So, how can we restore our kingship role in the world such that comments like the ones above will be made about us. This is our responsibility as the saints of God. Here are a few steps to begin that journey.

DIVINE PROTOCOL – Jesus gave the order of protocol as follows;
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve god and mammon (deceitful riches,money,possession or whatever is trusted in)”Mathew 6.24, Amplified Bible

The right order of leadership is god first above all. That is how Joseph, Daniel, Paul, Peter, Stephen and all the people whose lives encourage us in the faith have lived( inclusive of modern day saints). That is divine protocol. In response to a threat not to preach the gospel by the high Priest and Sadduces ( the Jewish religious establishment), Peter gave this  resolute answer that we must make our stand always!

“We must obey God rather than men,” Acts 5.29, Amplified Bible


Yes! There is a daily threat to obeying God but He has not left without protection. But what most Christians want is to walk by sight and not faith – The “God show me the protection before I take a stand” attitude. This is disobedience. Our protection comes when we first take the steps of faith in obedience. Jesus said “...and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” Mathew 28.20, NKJV. It is either you believe His Word or you don’t. There is no in between. There is a grace for every situation, but you have to show yourself committed first.

DIVINE GUIDANCE - Exercising our Christian influence means walking in divine instruction in all aspects of your life and not just ‘religious activities’. Godly guidance is all encompassing because our actions are all connected, so that one bad seed can affect other areas of life. This is where the Ministry of the Holy Spirit is important. I cannot overemphasise this truth. Without a close intimate relationship with him, it is almost impossible to truly experience the Christian life.(not religious activities but influence) The world and it’s ways are deceptive and corrupting and knowing how to specifically overcome those challenges can only come from the guidance that the Holy spirit provides on a daily basis.

Most Christians have no real influence on others because they cannot stand up boldly for what they profess and cannot comprehend how to deal with practical issues that test their faith. This is because there is no intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Some don’t even know Him as a living person.
In a world where the truth hardly exists and lies have been deceptively marketed as ‘truth’. You will fall for such without the holy Spirit revealing these strange voices that are often very subtle and persistent. Jesus is the Truth and it is the Holy Spirit that can help you recognise and practise it on any issue.

“However when He, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, he will teach you all things” 1 John 14.26,NKJV

He filters all things and lets you have the Godly perspective in a practical way. Besides, He also gives you the experience of grace for every decision you have to make. You cannot get a better deal anywhere or with anyone. There is a lot error in our world and it has been made more efficient in its spread by the various forms of media we have in existence such as the internet. Also, a lot of it comes from the opinion that some highly respected individuals with a huge influence have spoken. Recently, I read about a very successful talk show host who erroneously stated that the mind of a person is god and therefore God is not a person. This woman is very wealthy and commands a great influence on her viewers and so many believe that her opinion is true on all issues. By these words, she has questioned the existence of God, the incarnation of Jesus Christ and the salvation work. How do you counter such without the Holy Spirit to reveal such errors? These cuts across various professions and people.


SUBMISSION – This is another aspect of seeking guidance. You can only be guided when you are teachable and submissive.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths” Proverbs 3.6NKJV


Meditating on this truth helped me understand in a much deeper way the wonderful fatherly care of God. Consider how we all look out for kids whenever we see that they may be in danger, we go to so much length to protect them because we know that they are vulnerable and can easily be harmed due to their young age. That is how God watches over us in a much bigger way. He sees all things and therefore is in the best position to know the truth about any issue and give you the right guidance. So why do we often depart from this path and choose to follow our ways that are limited and open to error?


How often do you ask God out of respect for help on any matter?( not when you are now desperate after trying out all other ways of help and failed). For many, God is the last resort after all human assistance has been exhausted, frustration has set in and a lot of unnecessary suffering has taken place. Most people have their daily affairs known to everyone from friends to family but not God. No! God is the last card for them, the ‘joker’ for any situation. I was once in that category but I have repented and I make my plans (in all things) known to Him, seeking His guidance. Even when I sometimes slip, I am corrected and get back on track. It has proven to be the best decision, saved me from humiliation and a waste of time.


Seeking the counsel of God first, will enable you get the right form of assistance you need and save you from wrong choices, some of which lead to deadly consequences. When you seek God, then the human aspect will be easier to receive. People are raised up to help you and do it with respect and a sense of dignity unlike where you go begging for help that opens you up to all sorts of humiliation, manipulation and even ungodly acts. I have been through these experiences and I will NEVER GO BACK!!


“WOE TO MY rebellious children, says the Lord; you ask advice from everyone but me, and decide to do what I don’t want you to do. You yoke yourselves with unbelievers, thus piling up your sins.”Isaiah 30.1, Living Bible.


Seeking God, means relating with Him, devoid of any hypocrisy or religious piety. God knows you beyond your personal knowledge. Tell it to Him as it is rather than sugar coating it as though you can deceive him. You can do that with man but not God. Be sincere and he will honour your honesty. I cannot relate the numerous times God let me into my real thoughts that I was not even aware of in order to help me make the adjustments that will give me the desires of my heart( that are in alignment with His desires of course)


Relate with God on a daily basis in the most flexible ways and unorthodox too. Too many people are stiff before God. Lighten up! He isn’t going to chew you up and spit you out. He is very caring, considerate even when He has to apply some discipline to you. Don’t be like the Pharisees that think the wearing a long and ‘serious’ face is how to approach God. Approach Him as a friend whom you have a high regard for and yet is comfortable with. God is very approachable. Don’t put God in a box for certain times. Let Him into your life at all times.


Many have suffered the consequences of putting God outside ‘small decisions’ which impact created a huge mess in the end. Remember, it is the little foxes that spoil the vines. Whether in small or major issues, let god be Lord over all.
Be open to new adjustments in guidance. Don’t come to God with settled decisions looking for a rubber stamp approval. It is an insult. You will not hear God while you are holding on to your own mindset on any matter. That is a spiritual law. Come ready to be led – that is guidance!


While the list is not exhaustive, these are the seeds that should be sown to create the foundation for a life of excellent leadership. To begin with this will open you up to step by step guidance that is richly rewarding and fulfilling. We are called to be the salt of the earth; the light that is set on a hill for all to see; the exceeding great army of influence. Let us not be weary in our calling nor be too quick to accept a lesser and mediocre life.

START NOW!!