You Were Created To Shine and to Dispel the Darkness! 

In pre-service prayer one Sunday morning I saw an active vision of our pastor adorned with a golden crown and her face shining with a glow (like Moses' after he had met with the Lord). She was facing the King of kings and was dressed in a light blue velvet mantle, like a regal cape. She was leading our congregation who were all marching in unified step with her towards the place the Lord was directing her to.  

When I relayed that vision aloud in our pre-service prayer meeting I sensed a resistance in the room and someone prayed-out a little later in a careful yet corrective tone that God shares his glory with no one and I realized that person was struggling with the imagery. 

What was being conveyed in my vision was confirmation of God's blessing over our house. It was a life-giving promise to me of some things I had been praying about for a very long time. I saw my pastor standing in God's favour and in her God-given authority as a leader of our assembly. She wore a crown of honour as a member of the royal priesthood and was standing confidently in her positional authority. She was effectively leading our church (a holy nation) into the battle for the territory assigned to this ministry. I saw a strong, confident leader who I wanted to follow into battle. 

The scripture this conscientious warrior was referring to as she prayed is Isaiah 42:8 (AMPC) which says, "I am the Lord; that is My name! And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images." In this passage of scripture, God was proclaiming to His people that He was a jealous God and he would not tolerate them selecting for themselves an idol to worship and glorify. God Himself would be the one to send them a leader (the Messiah) and He alone would be worthy of worship and honour. He was telling them that He was not willing to share His glory with any other god. 

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel as though we are so afraid as Christians of becoming prideful and wanting to steal God's glory that we forget that we were called to take dominion in this realm. This is a very sad state of affairs because that means that we are playing too small. We forget that we are sons and daughters of the King of all Kings. Maybe forget is the wrong word here. We know it intellectually but we are afraid to step into the glory that we need in order to stand up under that reality. We do not know how to be who we are and therefore the earth continues to groan for the revelation of the true sons of God to come forth. Where are they? It is time to stand up an pick up our crowns and wear them boldly. Not out of pride or arrogance, but rather out of duty and obedience. There is a difference! 

There is a time when kings are to go to war (2 Sam. 11:1) and there is a time to lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus (Rev. 4:10) but neither of those two pieces of our assignment negate the spirit of reverence, awe, love and adoration we have for our Lord. "It is in Him that we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

If we are afraid to see our pastors standing in their authority and leading a people then how will we ever be able to see ourselves standing in our power doing what we were meant to do? It is not prideful to know who we are and to own it. In fact, in my opinion, it is dishonouring and even dangerous not to. 

As a business owner, when I give someone a positional assignment, I want them to know they are capable and to stand in their power and kick-butt at getting that assignment done. I have no problem giving them a title and a reward and acclaim even for a job well done. Our Father in heaven is the same way.  

This may be a controversial statement but here it is; God is not afraid of us getting some glory. (gasp!) Take a deep breath, calm down and let me explain. He’s really not! The glory given to us for a job well done does not take any glory away from Him - it magnifies it to Him. The honour given to us which enables us to attract a following who we then lead to Jesus, is not taking any of His glory away. Each of us is called to lead, some have larger followings than others but the principle still remains. God doesn't want to share His glory with any other god, but remember, we are made in His image and likeness. When someone praises your kids, don't you feel blessed and honoured? Do you feel as though your child stole some of your glory? No! Neither does God. 

Here are some scriptures that further illuminate my point.  Rom. 8:18-19 (TPT) says, "I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us. The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!" 

If we don't step into the glory God has for us, the earth and all her inhabitants will continue to groan in their captivity.

Proverbs 25:2 (TPT) says, "God conceals the revelation of His word in the hiding place of His glory. But the honor of kings is revealed by how they thoroughly search out the deeper meaning of all that God says."

There is honour set aside for kings who step into the hiding place of God's glory and search out the deeper meaning of all that God says. Doesn’t this verse make you want to go and get some of that honour? It does for me. This is not a trap or a set-up God put in the scriptures to ensnare us into the sin of pride. It is a promise that God wants to fulfill. He loves us.

In John 17:22-23 (TPT) Jesus himself says, "For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy. You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me."

Jesus gave us the glory that God had given Him to do the work He needed to do on this earth. We need to take hold of that glory which enables us to walk in unity of heart and purpose with one another and with God. Jesus gave it to us. He wants us to have it. This scripture says that this glory Jesus has given to us will make the world see that God loves us (His adopted children) just as much as He loves Jesus Himself. 

I realize that pride is an ugly thing, but beloved of God, choosing to accept that you are powerful, that you are called, that you are strong and capable is not pride. When we use our gifts, talents and abilities to attract others who happen to appreciate those gifts in us and then we lead them to the throne of Jesus, that is not prideful either. When we lead the people God loves on a God-assignment with their name on it and teach them to believe in themselves because God believes in them, that is empowerment, not pride. 

Some of us choose to play down our gifts and talents because allowing them to shine is not "socially acceptable." Maybe out of jealousy someone has said to us, “who do you think you are?” or some variation thereof. My advise to you is to shine anyway. Your gifts and your successes bring glory to the King of kings. You were meant to stand up on that hilltop and let your light shine. Do not hide it under a bushel. Be amazing. Be strong. Be courageous. God is able to deal with His jealous, confused and fearful kids. Leave them to HIm. You do not have to live your life for anyone else's pleasure but the Lord's. If they expect you to tone down your glow-ry because it makes them uncomfortable, it make one wonder who the prideful one really is. "Oh no she di-dn't!!!" Oh yes she did! Be you child of God - Be unashamedly you and please never neglect searching out God's deeper meaning and getting in on the glory He has for you to walk in. The earth needs your supply, and only you can get it to us.

Have an awesome week beloved and remember, you are loved and deeply cherished by Jesus and by me!