Being Great in 2017

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by Kris Valloton from Destined to Win

“You are the light of the world…” — Matthew 5:14

Greatness and fame are terms often confused or even used inter-changeably. Fame is usually the result of some popular act: a ball is caught, a song is sung, a book is written, or a character is played. But greatness cannot be reduced to an action or an event. Kingdom greatness is measured long after the crowds have dispersed, the applause has silenced, and the stage lights have cooled, because true greatness lies deep in the heart of every person. In fact, genuine greatness is most often exposed in the dark times, in the secret places, and in the alone hours of a believer’s existence. It is in these desert seasons that the seedbeds of God’s greatness, the attributes we need to cultivate, are conceived. It is later — often much later — that the results are revealed to the world.

Humility and greatness walk hand-in hand. That’s right, true humility is fully connected to being rewarded. Most of us know Matthew 23:12 says that,

Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

So, the act of humility is the very pathway to promotion! Greatness is planted in the seedbed of humility, it’s watered by the deeds of servant hood and it’s cultivated by the hands of perseverance until it finally yields the harvest of royalty.

Being a World Changer

The Scriptures describe men and women of God who cultivated these qualities and took hold of their positions of divine influence to shift the destinies of nations. Their prominence was not for their own benefit, but for the purpose of shaping society toward God’s original intent. They created catalytic cultures that maximized the godly influence of their constituents on the rest of creation. Believers throughout the book of Acts are great examples of noble people who catalyzed culture. They had such deep impacts on their societies that when Paul and his friends arrived in Thessalonica, the people said,

These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. — Acts 17:6 NKJV

The world is crying out for people like Paul, Esther, Deborah and Joseph who will become fathers and mothers to the pharaohs of the world (see Genesis 45) and see whole nations fall into the hands of the Lord. God is summoning the Daniels of the earth who can stand as he did in the courts of four worldly kings and bring the most powerful nations into the Kingdom. God is gathering the Nehemiahs of our day to rebuild our ruined cities and restore hope to the planet. He is awakening the Davids of our generation and commissioning them to defeat the giants of racism, crime, immorality, and corruption that seem to roam the earth wreaking havoc on our children.

Positioned for Success

This is our moment, our time, our Jordan River crossing, and our season for epic transition. We are God’s X factor, His secret weapon, His ace in the hole, His divine strategy for global reformation. That’s right. We are the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). We preserve the planet and are vital to life in the Kingdom. We are the light rising in the darkness that is longing for a new day to dawn. It’s you and me, and it’s people like us all over the world who are taking hold of this mandate to stand firm in our stations at the height of every city and shine against the back-drop of doom. Together we are the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14), illuminating breathtaking solutions to people in desperate, despairing, and destructive circumstances.

Do you feel called to greatness? We are born to win! That’s who you are, and that’s who I am! We are sons and daughters of the King, filled with wisdom and living in His radiance. This is the truth that frees the world to fulfill our divine design, our Master’s mandate. We must discover our true identities, proactively develop noble virtues and get to the root causes of our destructive or unproductive behaviors.

Today, pray:

“Father, I ask you for a revelation of your love for me. Please search my heart for any lie or thought pattern that would say that I am “less than,” or not good enough for this calling. I am your child. Forgive me. Lead me into Your extravagant love and truth for my life.”

Remember that no matter where you are in life, or how you might be feeling, Jesus believes in you. He is bigger than your worst mistake, better than your worst day, and more powerful than your worst circumstances. Put your trust in Him; you will never regret it. After all, you are destined to win!