The story of Daniel, and how his heart was burdened for a pagan king, is one example of how sons and daughters walk out their destiny. Because we know that the mission of our Father is a family mission, we do not stand against the world in judgement. We are for the world. Our hearts are invested in those we love, honor, and serve. We are always asking the question, “How can I be a blessing?” because we know it’s the heart of our Father to bless– and because, in our alignment with Him, He has put the desire to bless into our hearts as well.
If you really want to know how to bring honor and glory to God in this world, become an agent of the Father’s blessing.
We are carriers of the Dove’s habitation and we live from heaven to earth.
The rest of the world is living from earth toward heaven, hoping to get some of heaven’s blessings and resources into their lives.
We are already in the Father’s house; He has already said, “All that I have is yours.”
We are agents who bring those resources and solutions into every area of our world. We carry the atmosphere of heaven – the love and honor we have experienced in the Father’s living room– for others around us to experience.
We can’t impart what we don’t have. Daniel and his friends understood who they were and who they belonged to. The culture within them shaped the culture around them.
Culture changers know who they are, whose they are, what they have, and what they are called to do – to be a chosen nation and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9.)
They also know what is happening in this world and look for opportunities to bless and carry shalom into restless, anxious, and even dark places.
As priests, we re-present God before the people and the people before God. As sons and daughters of the King, we carry keys of the kingdom to bind and loose and prophesy the King’s decrees. Those are all intercessory roles, and they flow from the intimacy we have with the Father. From that intimacy, we take on the responsibility of ruling and reigning with Him. Our place of habitation becomes a kingdom culture, and our culture brings the blessings of love, honor and covenant. The increase of the kingdom and the government of shalom are going to be on the shoulders of the Son (Isaiah 9:7) – and the sons and daughters.
The kingdom culture is first and foremost a family culture – not an institutional culture, not an organizational agenda, and not a religious movement. If the fellowship of the Father, Son, and Spirit in heaven is the prototype for earth, as we saw in Eden, then heaven’s environment on earth is going to look like that fellowship. We will still honor people we disagree with, love those who are not yet receptive to our love, and bless those who might expect us to curse them. That’s what the prayer “On earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) is all about. We do this together with the Father, Son and Spirit. It’s a journey together as a family.
Together in the family of heaven you are called to shift culture. You only have authority over what you weep over, so I want to challenge you to position yourself to receive the Lord’s heart in the areas of culture He has put on your heart. What does He say about these spaces and these people? And then, I want you to ask the Father, what is He doing and how you can bless what He’s doing. It’s a wonderful thing to be entrusted by Papa God.
Leif Hetland
www.leifhetland.com
