When you step outside your door each day, do heaven, earth, and hell take notice? When you protect the woman under your care, can she do little to resist you? Do your children look to you with confidence? Do other men look to you as someone to emulate? Does your church call on you for strength and leadership? Are you a preserver of culture and a champion of society, one who keeps out evil and ushers in good? More than that, when God searches for a man to advance His kingdom, does He call your name? –Tony Evans (Kingdom Man)
In the Evans home, we have a sign. I can’t remember exactly when I started doing it, but when a problem comes up or a legitimate issue gives rise to worry or concern, I will sometimes raise three fingers. That’s all. When I raise three fingers, and without having to say a word, I can immediately see the tension leave my wife’s face or whomever it is I am talking to. It goes away because those three fingers remind them of three words: I’ve got this.
When I say I’ve got it that means whoever I’m saying it to doesn’t have to carry it, worry about it, or try to figure it out. I’ll take responsibility for it. And if it is something I cannot solve, I will provide the comfort, stability, and empathy that are necessary to get through it. It doesn’t mean that I literally and tangibly do everything. It means that I see to it that everything is done. As a man, when you have demonstrated to a woman, children, or people within your sphere that you are dependable, responsible, or simply carry the burden, you have freed them to rest. As a kingdom man, those around you need to know you’ve got it.
It is no different than when God does for us when He tells us not to worry. Essentially, God says, I’ve got this. God’s covering over us as His sons is a model of how we as men are to cover those under us. To cover someone or to be someone’s covering simply means that you provide the protection and provision they need, as well as an environment for nurturing, and fostering spiritual and physical health. Men, when God’s got it and you are leading and living according to His principles and under His governance, your faith in Him comes through in how you relate to those around you. Essentially, you’ve got it because you are putting your trust in and functioning according to the truth that God’s got it.
We can’t expect to understand or live out God’s definition of manhood without applying all of the content of His Word. The King has given you a rulebook by which you are to govern, you are to rule, lead, make decisions, direct, guide, and align your life choices. When you lead according to what He says in His Word, He will back you with the authority you need to carry it out. When you lead according to His principles and His Kingdom agenda, you free others around you to be what they were created to be as well. Yet when you don’t, you invite a world of chaos, disorder, and destruction not only in your life, but also the lives of those within your sphere of influence.
Gentleman I hope you enjoyed this. I encourage you to purchase the book. This is would be a great small group study, and possibly one we could open up on G+. I’m hoping to expand the reach of this blog which has taken the direction of building up men in the body of Christ. I believe the Lord is speaking to Men right now. This book came out in April, and if you look back at some of my previous blogs in March you will discover the Holy Spirit is trying to get our attention. Over the next month or so I’m going to post snippets of the book and add some commentary. I believe in letting the Word flow through me whether it’s original or someone else’s work. If it has the power to change the world or someone life, I’m going to share it.
Life is really, really, tough most of the time. It’s easy to praise God and speak the Word when everything is going along smoothly. The call of being a Kingdom Man though, is being one all the time. When we don’t feel like it. When we’re absolutely whooped, exhausted, worried about finances after a long day and someone asks for assistance or needs some stability and encouragement, while we ourselves are seeking a Word and direction from the Lord. When we just don’t know how things will work out or turn out, we have to provide the assurance and comfort that all will be well while being pressed on every side. As a man in this position myself, I do know that God always delivers. In fact the Bible says He watches and sees to it that His Word is performed. It never returns void and accomplishes all He set it out to do. Sometimes the promises aren’t enough we just have to know He’s faithful and remind ourselves of His past faithfulness. One of His names is FAITHFUL. Faithful and True. We must stick to our guns figuratively, by sticking to His Word and strengthening ourselves anew in Him every morning. It won’t be long before the Word comes alive before our eyes and the mountains have been leveled. Oh praise God! Three fingers, “I’ve got this”, because He’s got it!
Shout out to Jeremy Miller @WCOG, congratulations on Baby Lucy!
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