We are not called to do every job in the kingdom of God and if we do not know what our job is, we run the very real risk of doing everything or doing things we are not meant to be doing.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
1 Corinthians 12:29-30
Knowing our job equips us to say ‘no’ to kingdom work
Knowing where we fit in the kingdom of God equips us to say ‘no’ to worthwhile causes within the kingdom that have not been assigned to us.
The image of the body of Christ is very familiar, ‘from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16).
The apostles truly understood this and we see the apostles saying ‘no’ to personally feeding the widows because they recognised it was not their responsibility in the Lord to outwork this.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Acts 6:1-4
It takes discernment and clear conviction in the Lord to be able to say ‘no’ to worthwhile kingdom tasks and to continue to persevere and say ‘yes’ to the job He has already assigned to us.
Knowing our job equips us to say ‘no’ to civilian work
Knowing where we fit in the kingdom of God also equips us to say ‘no’ to tasks and responsibilities that are not advancing the kingdom.
If we consider God’s people to be an army; He prepares, trains and then places each of us in very specific jobs in this army. Each person then outworks their job as a soldier, knowing they are one of many advancing the kingdom on earth.
However, if we are working as a soldier and also get involved in civilian disputes along the way, we have become distracted from the job of a soldier.
Paul expounds this wisdom explicitly when writing to equip and encourage Timothy:
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.
2 Timothy 2:3-4
And we see a wonderful example of Jesus demonstrating this wisdom, when he encountered a ‘civilian affair’ while outworking His ministry:
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
Luke 12:13-14
There are many real needs and many difficult issues that arise around us every day. Not all of them serve to advance the kingdom and not all of them require our time or attention.
It takes discernment and clear conviction in the Lord to be able to say ‘no’ to civilian tasks and to continue to persevere and say ‘yes’ to the job He has already assigned to us.
The journey towards knowing
Knowing the kingdom job that God has given to us is a key personal revelation that equips us to discern when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’. It is with the knowledge of where we fit in the body of Christ, that we are strengthened to remain in the work that He has prepared for us to do. When we remain in the work He has chosen for us, toil no longer has power over us and His rest reigns.
The Lord often forms this understanding within us over a period of time rather than from one encounter with Him. In many respects ‘knowing’ has to be conceived and knitted together within us and this is a process that God takes time over like a master craftsman.
He will gift us scriptures, personal revelations, object lessons, signs and teaching until there is a deep and full understanding of our kingdom job. When He decides the time is right, He will also confirm what He has already revealed to us personally, through the ministry and words of others. And like a Father who knows when His child is ready, He will eventually send us to administer our job amongst His people.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Ephesians 4:14-16