by Stan Rodda: Every person who calls on the name Jesus Christ, is invited into an entirely new way of doing life. A brand new Kingdom that Christ is building called the church. That Kingdom has a mission which requires workers. The mission of the Kingdom being to make disciples that will make disciples.
Paul in the New Testament speaks to one of those he had discipled, Timothy, and encourages him in his Kingdom work.
Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. [2 Timothy 2:15 CSB]
We are called to be Kingdom workers. Not just to work, but to be diligent and work hard. So what are the distinguishing factors of a Kingdom worker? What do they look like anyway? There are 5 key distinguishing factors that point out a Kingdom worker, a disciple who is making more disciples.
Know God’s Will
One of the dangers when it comes to knowing God’s will is that once we have a direction, we can be inclined to run without looking back. The real key to knowing God’s will is to be attune to His voice on a daily basis. It is the person who is abiding in Christ on a daily basis.
Said in the negative; when we do Kingdom work without connecting afresh with God, we begin to work from our own power. We know God’s will for us is ultimately to make disciples who make more disciples. Yet sometimes God’s will for us is to rest and abide in Him for a season. If we trudge ahead without listening to the voice of God, then we begin doing work in our own power and we get too far in front of God
Kingdom workers will allow God to go before them. Get back to hearing from God on a daily basis.
Obey God’s Will
Once you hear God speak to you through prayer and scripture, it’s time to obey. We must break this belief that a disciple is a student who simply learns stuff. We are called to obedience to God. So let’s get practical. Let’s assume…
God calls you to rest!
Within 24 hours, you need to make a plan to take time to rest. Make plans with a spouse, reserve a hotel, go to the beach, whatever it means for you to rest, but obey within 24 hours.
God calls you to change how you treat your spouse!
What do you need to do in the next 24 hours to love, honor, respect your spouse more like God would have you to? Obey God’s will.
God calls you to something that doesn’t make sense!
You guessed it. Make a plan and obey within 24 hours. Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, move toward obedience with urgency, as quickly as you can. Knowing is not enough or Jesus would have said, “Teach them to know everything I said.” His words are a stark contrast to how we normally define a disciple or Kingdom worker, “Teach them to obey all that I have commanded.”
What do you need to do in the next 24 hours to walk in obedience to Christ?
Conquer Yourself
Each of us has a dark side. There’s a dark side to our leadership and to our egos when it comes to disciple making. As we grow in our Kingdom work, we must conquer ourselves. Paul said it this way…
Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control. [1 Corinthians 9:27 CSB]
What habits do you need to change in order to bring your body under strict control? This is not meant to be used as a fitness plan to look good at the beach. It is meant to bring to mind the things in our lives that we need to control so that we can be used in powerful ways by God in Kingdom work.
What does this mean for how you use your eyes and what you allow your eyes to consume? What about how you eat and care for yourself? What about how you can easily slip into workaholism? What in your life is out of control and needs to be conquered?
Hard Work
If you asked me, I would take liberties with scripture and say that hard work overcomes a multitude of sins. Every Kingdom worker and disciple maker is called to build, work hard, on the foundation that Jesus Christ has laid. There is coming a time when our work will be tested. A Kingdom worker shows themselves faithful through hard work. Here’s how Paul says it in 1 Corinthians…
Each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. [1 Corinthians 3:13 CSB]
There is coming a day when our work will be obvious. What we have done with what Christ has given us. Work hard for the day your work will be revealed.
Hold Firm
Our hope is in Christ. He was faithful over His household, the church. And now we are called to hold firm to the hope we have in Him.
But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast. [Hebrews 3:6 CSB]
Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Drop to your knees and put your face to the ground. Beg the God of the universe to keep you for the work He is calling you too. Hold firm to the hope you have in Christ. Be resilient and steadfast. Never let go of Jesus because a war is coming your way. It’s the spiritual battle for the souls of men and women. And when you engage that war as a Kingdom worker, as a disciple who makes disciples, our enemy will clamp down his attempts to shut you down. And when the war comes crashing down on you, you’re going to want something more solid than you to hold onto.
Hold firm to the hope you have in Christ.
These are five distinguishing factors of a Kingdom worker. What factors come to your mind?