3d (edited) • General discussion
Kingdom Key Point 97
I Faithfully Occupy Until Christ Returns
Luke 19:13 (KJV)
“And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”
Kingdom Lesson
One word. Two syllables. Yet within it is one of the greatest assignments ever given to a follower of Jesus Christ: Occupy.
When Jesus spoke these words in Luke 19:13, He was not instructing His followers to merely wait for His return. He was giving them a divine commission. The word occupy carries the idea of doing business, investing, trading, increasing, and faithfully managing what has been entrusted to us. It is the picture of a servant who is actively engaged in the Master’s business until the Master returns.
Far too many believers have misunderstood the Christian life. Some spend their lives waiting instead of working. Others become so focused on trying to determine when Christ will return that they neglect what Christ told them to do before He returns. Jesus never instructed His servants to become spectators. He commanded them to become faithful stewards.
Everything we possess has been entrusted to us by God. Our time, talents, treasures, spiritual gifts, influence, opportunities, relationships, careers, businesses, ministries, and even our families ultimately belong to Him. We are not owners; we are managers. One day we will stand before our Master and give an account of how faithfully we used what He placed in our hands.
James reminds us of another truth that should shape every decision we make:
“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:14, KJV)
Life passes more quickly than most of us realize. That reality is not meant to produce fear but wisdom. Every sunrise is another opportunity to glorify God. Every conversation becomes significant. Every act of kindness matters. Every opportunity to serve, give, teach, encourage, disciple, or lead carries eternal value.
The brevity of life should move us away from procrastination and toward purpose. Too many people postpone obedience, believing there will always be another season to get serious about God’s calling. Yet none of us knows how many days remain. The sooner we discover God’s purpose for our lives, the sooner we begin living intentionally. Purpose gives direction to our efforts, while stewardship gives eternal value to every opportunity.
The Scriptures remind us that God uses people in every season of life. Moses was eighty years old when God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Haggai faithfully proclaimed God’s message during a critical season of rebuilding. Josiah began reigning as a young boy and became one of Judah’s most godly kings. Their stories remind us that God is not limited by age. He is looking for surrendered hearts. Whether we are young or old, our responsibility remains the same: faithfully occupy until Christ returns.
Occupying also means refusing spiritual inactivity. Waiting upon the Lord has never meant doing nothing. Biblical waiting is active. It is prayerful, watchful, productive, and obedient. While we anticipate Christ’s return, we continue teaching, serving, building, giving, encouraging, praying, evangelizing, discipling, and loving people. The expectation of Christ’s return should never cause us to withdraw from the work of the Kingdom; it should motivate us to serve with even greater urgency.
Great Kingdom impact is rarely built through occasional moments of extraordinary effort. More often, it is built through ordinary acts of faithful obedience repeated day after day. A prayer offered in private. A word of encouragement. A lesson faithfully taught. A generous gift. A difficult conversation handled with grace. A business conducted with integrity. A family led with love. These seemingly ordinary acts become extraordinary when they are offered to God as faithful stewardship.
Every leader must also recognize that people are among God’s greatest assignments. Parents are entrusted with shaping the hearts of their children. Pastors shepherd congregations. Business leaders influence employees. Teachers shape students. Coaches develop future leaders. Every relationship entrusted to us becomes part of our stewardship before God. Faithful occupation is never self-centered. It always looks upward toward God and outward toward others.
What we build today will influence generations we may never meet. Our decisions either strengthen or weaken those who follow us. We leave behind far more than possessions. We leave examples. We leave convictions. We leave values. We leave a testimony of what mattered most. Faithful leaders do not merely build successful lives; they build Kingdom legacies that continue pointing others toward Christ long after they are gone.
Mark Twain is often credited with saying, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” While not written from a biblical perspective, the statement echoes an important spiritual truth. When we discover God’s purpose for our lives, everything changes. Our calendars change. Our priorities change. Our conversations change. Our goals change. Life is no longer about simply existing—it becomes about faithfully occupying until our Master returns.
As I write these words, I find myself in one of the most productive seasons of my life. Spiritually, in writing, coaching, discipling, and serving others, I honestly believe some of my greatest work is happening now. The older I become, the more aware I am of the brevity of life. James reminds us that our lives are but a vapor. Rather than discouraging me, that truth has become one of my greatest motivations. It reminds me that every day is a gift from God and another opportunity to faithfully steward what He has placed in my hands.
I remember hearing Dr. Jerry Falwell make a statement that has stayed with me for years. He said, “If you find me dead, believe me, it was not in my five-year plan.” I have smiled every time I have thought about that quote because it reflects the way I want to live. I don’t want to spend my remaining years slowing down spiritually. I don’t want to simply reminisce about what God did decades ago. I want to be found building, serving, teaching, writing, coaching, discipling, and advancing God’s Kingdom until the day my Master calls me home or returns in glory.
My prayer is that when Jesus returns, He will not find me watching from the sidelines. He will find me occupying. He will find me using every gift He entrusted to me, investing every opportunity He placed before me, and striving to hear those words every believer longs to hear:
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, KJV)
The King is coming.
Until that day arrives, let us be found faithfully building His Kingdom, serving His people, investing our gifts, redeeming our time, and living every day with eternity in view.
Coach Robert Quote
“God never called us to count the days until Christ returns. He called us to make every day count until Christ returns.”
Kingdom Declaration
I declare that I will faithfully occupy until Christ returns. I will steward my time, talents, treasures, relationships, and opportunities for God’s glory. I refuse to waste the life God has entrusted to me. I will serve diligently, love generously, lead faithfully, and remain committed to His Kingdom until I hear my Master say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Kingdom Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting me with gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities to serve Your Kingdom. Help me to be a faithful steward of everything You have placed in my hands. Teach me to redeem my time, to serve others with excellence, and to live each day with eternity in view. Guard me from complacency, distraction, and wasted opportunities. May I be found faithfully occupying until Christ returns or You call me home. Let my life bring glory to Your name and point others to Jesus. In His precious name I pray. Amen.
Pastor Robert E. Hardy
If these Kingdom Key Points have been a blessing to you and you want to see them go across the world in different languages — we invite you to pray about sowing a one time seed and or becoming a monthly ministry partner with us at www.wordoflifehouston.org. Together we can take these Kingdom principles to every nation, every language, and every generation. Thank you for believing in this mission.
2
0 comments
Kingdom Key Point 97
powered by
skool.com/kingdom-key-point-9991
Don't let your purpose go unfulfilled. Live significantly — "free to the first 250 members!"
Suggested communities
Powered by