29/03/2014 - HOW TO PRESERVE YOUR REIGN

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Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by loving kindness he upholds his throne. Proverbs 20.28

The Bible says Jesus redeemed us to God by his blood (Revelation 5.9). It also says that we were made priests—ministers of God’s blessings—and kings—rulers over our lives (v. 10a). This passage ends saying that we shall reign on the earth (v. 10b). When a Christian reads such declarations, he rejoices and praises God for what He has done. After all, what He has done for us is really amazing, isn’t it?

In the beginning of our lives as Christians, under the fire of these revelations, we start living as God wants us to live. But then we become too comfortable in our faith, and we realize that our ordaining is not working; problems start to arise, and, even if we cry before the Lord, pray and fast, things no longer happen as they used to. Could the king have lost his throne? Were God’s promises only valid for the beginning of our Christian walk (as if God could not fulfill his promises)?

Unaware of how to preserve your reign, some Christians think their problems will be solved forever and so they stop praying, they stop consecrating themselves, and, in some cases, they even believe in the tricks of the enemy, who says a bunch of things that, as everything that comes out of his mouth, are lies. Then, when they try to fight against an attack from the devil, they find themselves lost, because their ordaining did not come into effect.

In this verse of Proverbs, the Lord reveals that there are two virtues that need to be practiced by the king so that his reign will be preserved. The first virtue is love, which is translated into having God’s commandments and keeping them. He who does not have them or keep them does not love the Lord (John 14.21). When we love God, we also love our neighbor, since that is the summary of all commandments.

The second virtue that preservers a king’s reign, maintains his authority and gives him only victories is faithfulness. The king who is not faithful towards that which he needs to do, who treats people with prejudice, and who seeks only his own gain realizes that these things are making him lose his throne. The devil may try to destroy him in all possible ways, but God, who is faithful, will not allow that he, nor what belongs to him, be touched.

To wrap up, the Holy Spirit used the author of Proverbs to say that, through loving kindness—by being good, kind—the king will uphold his throne. Now, examine yourself and see if you have been a kind person, or if rather you have given in temptations and lived only for your own benefit. Do not forget that, if you become silent, God will raise another person to occupy your throne. Therefore, be faithful and steadfast in accomplishing your mission, and the Lord will surely honor your life.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares