A ROYAL REALITY: WALKING INTO YOUR GODGIVEN IDENTITY

By Tricia Goulbourne

Royalty, as the Cambridge dictionary defines it, is ‘the people who belong to the family of a king and queen’. In Ephesians 1: 5, “God decided in advance to adopt us in His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.” We aren’t merely Christians or followers of Christ; we are a part of a Kingdom. And that makes royalty. As we are blessed with life each day, us, as members of the Royal Family must show up on purpose.

Showing up in purpose starts by surrender. And this surrender is continuous – on a daily basis. It is only when we surrender to our King will we be able to complete the tasks He has assigned us. It is in the surrender when we gain clarity, strength, insight and all we need to fulfill our mission here on earth.

See, we have been ordained by God Himself. He took His time in uniquely crafting and molding us. He has designed us for His unique purpose to be fulfilled in the earth. This is the part where it requires our participation. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, in our likeness”. In verse 28, He further tells us to be fruitful and multiply. To fill the earth and subdue it. To “have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Being fruitful doesn’t only mean bearing children. We are called to bear fruit, that is, spiritual fruit. And we fill the earth with just that. The fruits of the Spirit.

That means we have authority.

These are love, peace, joy, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Whichever environment we find ourselves, we are to fill them with these fruits. That’s in the home, in the workplace, at the grocery store, at the park, wherever. We are called to be light and to reflect and represent our King and the Kingdom.

So then, we ought to walk in and exercise this authority we are mandated. Tony Evans, in his book ‘Kingdom Woman’ says that “While God retains absolute sovereign authority and ownership, He has delegated relative authority to humankind within the sphere of influence, or dominion, that each person has.”

Now look back closely at what He says in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth”.

In John 15:16, Jesus says that He chose us that in Him we will bear much fruit. Fruit that will last. So no matter our profession, race or rank in society, we must intentionally do all that is required to give glory to God. In the workplace, show up to work toiling for the glory of God. In the classroom, learn all you can to the glory of God and to the abilities He has given you.

In the home, love and honour your family practically. This advances the Kingdom here on earth. As it is produced, so it permeates. This is multiplication.

This is legacy. And being a part of any kingdom, there is always a legacy.

This isn’t always easy. But that is where trust comes in. We serve an omniscient, omnipresent King in which we must remind ourselves of in times of adversity. This is the time we really take up the whole armor of God, standing on His promises and speaking His word by faith.

As we know, life doesn’t always go as planned. As Kingdom members, we should not dread trials. The Bible does not hold back in telling us that we will have tribulations. Note, it doesn’t leave us there. Jesus encourages us to take heart because He has overcome the world.

All these are lovely in and of itself but there’s one thing we should never forget. We aren’t meant to do it alone.

We need community.

Additionally, Romans 8:37 tells us that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. So when those troubles come, and they will, we remember there is a King in whom we hope and whose Word and promises we possess.

It is written in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 that “two are better than one because they have a good return for their labour. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” We are a body, part of a Kingdom and so we are stronger together as we are diversly gifted with gifts that produces growth as we operate in the function which we are called.

View challenges as already overcome as we know we serve a King who fights for us, listens to our petitions and causes all things to work together for our good. Let me be honest.

We sharpen one another as we come together in community (Prov 27:17).

Powerful things happen when we come together in one accord, as in the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), when a sound from Heaven like a mighty rushing wind filled the house as they came together in unity.

In living our royal reality, we must be secure in our God-given identity. It is only when we walk in close communion with our Creator do we find our true identity. It is there we know that we are loved, we are chosen and that we are enough. It is there our minds and hearts are renewed and transformed.

It is there our characters are being built. And in the moments when we fall short, we repent and rest assured knowing that His grace is sufficient for us and our sins are forgiven.

The Kingdom offers many treasures which must be valued and constantly sought after. It is when we submit and remain under the mighty hand of our King that we truly live our royal reality.