The first step – We have all heard stories of millionaires having a history of bankruptcies and failures before they reach their dream. I want to suggest that there is a principle in the spirit by which God prunes, kills, shakes or breaks off things in our lives so that we can be more fruitful. It’s a loving process, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t painful and scary. I’ve had the privilege of walking through one of those seasons over the last several months, and many of you have, as well. It really is a season in which God is preparing Kings for a resurrection, and it’s important that we know how to navigate it.
Jesus’ resurrection is the hinge point for Christianity. I want to suggest that it is not only a theological fact of the atonement and a historical fact, it’s also part of our discipleship process. Here is the simple reality: every resurrection is preceded by a death. What does that mean?
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:23-25 NIV
The experience – There are times when our concepts of Christianity and abundant life have a Pollyanna tone. Our real-world experience is just not like that! I like Paul’s description of life in Romans 8:18ff. Listen to the words he uses: present suffering, frustration, bondage to decay, groaning, weakness, trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword. Standing up into our greatness and glory requires that the Lord dig our spiritual foundations much deeper. There are times when it does feel like death (loss of your vision) and resurrection (the need for miraculous intervention). God takes us through some of the valleys intentionally… so does the enemy! The Lord is letting us experience Jesus, the suffering, the resurrection and the life. Those who “die” in faith instead of fear, come to life again. We do not fear death or surrender to it. We die in faith, expecting resurrection as part of our normal walk with Jesus.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Phil 3:10-11 NIV
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Cor 15:54-55 NIV
…and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Heb 2:15 NIV
The Fruit – It’s easy to see the character fruit in the life of someone who has been broken (in a good way) by the Lord. Here are a few of the characteristics:
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Love – Nothing can separate them from God’s love. Once I “feel” the loss of every outward thing I cherish, love for God is all that’s left. Those who have experienced a resurrection have a new level of love for other people, as well. They can feel our pain and naturally have a desire to extend their hand and encourage us however they can. You can feel something very genuine in their hearts.
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Focus – Many of us are very “scattered and fragmented” in our thinking when it comes to our life purpose in the Kingdom. Death and resurrection cure that. Everything that is not tied to your deepest heart’s desire in Kingdom falls away. In my case, horses, home, dogs, ranches and wealth can all go away… my one heart’s desire is Jesus, and the one thing where my heart and the Father’s heart share deeply is Releasing Kings. Those two things represent the pearl of great price that I would sell all to obtain.
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Many Seeds – The love and the focus, rooted in death and resurrection, produce a third ingredient. Our lives are given to make others successful. There is some aspect of our business and ministry that promotes others and gives them value. Like Abraham, our promise is sons and daughters as numerous as stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.
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Wealth Creation – I risk the wrath of the religious spirit of poverty by including this one, but the natural offshoot of providing value to other people is profit. This is a Kingdom principle that determines the sustainability of our work, ministry, generosity, and our ability to bless nations. We are very intentional about creating disciples who know how to provide value and create wealth. It’s the theme of the proverbs. See Struggling or Strategizing (prior newsletter).
Can you see the progression? Death provides a compelling motive to make a healthy change and resurrect into a new life and a new level of fruitfulness and abundance. It’s a process God can take us through more than once to get from glory to glory. The fire separates the dross from the silver.
Death –> Resurrection –> Life –> Abundant life
Compelling circumstances –> Change –> Fruit –> Much Fruit
Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith Prov 25:4 NIV
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1 Peter 4:12-14 NASU
What is God saying to Kings right now?
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We are in a pioneering phase of a new era. God’s people are just beginning to see the Kingdom and enter the Kingdom. We are placing value on our mountain and connecting the dots in our heart between vocation, ministry, wealth creation, and blessing nations / impacting our culture.
- Doors will open for those who knock and keep on knocking. We are being invited to choose resurrection life instead of giving up on our dream.
- There is a network of love relationships available to us. God is unveiling like-minded Kings around the world who care and are willing to help one another. There is a huge networking component in the Kingdom right now.
- We are coming out of a posture of being scattered, confused, lost sheep wandering in the wilderness to a place of being very purposeful and focused on the desire of our heart, the passion of our purpose and our Kingdom assignment from the Father.
What shall we do? – The most important first step is to get the desires of our heart into writing, translating that passion and Kingdom purpose into a credible plan that integrates our life. We’ve developed a Heart Plan and a coaching process to assist you with that endeavor, which is very effective. The details are in the Father’s Coaching Heart. You’re being invited to play a role in the Kingdom. It has a price and it is a challenge, but it’s also the sweet spot if our life in Christ and our fruitfulness in the Kingdom. That treasure that God writes in our heart, as a desire, is the pearl of great price.
