I am learning how to mature as a son in the Kingdom of God, following the example of Jesus. One of the major lessons involves growing in the role as a royal priest. I Peter 2:9 tells us,
But you are God’s chosen treasure- priests who are kings, a spiritual nation set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.
Ian Clayton discusses the importance of the crowns that we wear as kings in the spiritual realm, in his book Realms of the Kingdom, volume 1. Whatever you carry of the Kingdom is what you represent when you are in the spirit realm. Some of the vital things we need to carry as believers are the crowns that God has given us. Crowns are very important because a crown speaks of a realm of authority. Whenever a king would wear his crown he would have that dominion over his realm. He usually only wore his crown when he was out among the people or when he was sitting on his throne. The reason he wore that crown is because it represented the land he had authority over. A crown is symbolic of the representative of a realm of government. Without a crown there is no symbol of that recognition. As believers we have crowns that the Bible describes.
- The Crown of Righteousness- This crown is received at salvation and is the base of all other layers because without righteousness nothing can sit firmly on your life. The cross and salvation in our lives releases righteousness.
Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
- The Crown of Life- This is the crown that is received through the trials of life and our dealings with temptations, coming to a place of expressive abandonment and love of Jesus Christ as we experience victory over our sin.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved he will receive the Crown of Life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)
- The Crown of Glory- When the Christ in you begins to manifest around you, and you manifest God in the world around you as a king, then the Crown of Glory is manifested and revealed to the spirit world.
When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the Crown of Glory that does not fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)
- The Incorruptible Crown- This crown is represented by our personal yieldedness to the life of God, doing His will and the personal pursuit of His presence.
And every man that strives for self-control is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. (1 Corinthians 9:25)
The crowns you wear displays the manifestation of the relationship you have with the God of glory. Clayton shares, “God wants us to learn how to be kings. Unless you are carrying your crowns you will never become a king. A king wears crowns. The enemy sees what crowns you carry. He knows the measure of your government by the crowns that you carry in the spirit.”
Steps in Pursuit
- Take some time to study the different crowns in scripture. Think about what each one brings to your growth in Christ.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to highlight which crown or crowns you may need to focus on as you grow in your governmental authority.
- Revelations 4:10-11 describes a beautiful picture, “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Spend some time in worship and imagine casting your crowns at the feet of Jesus.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Let’s encourage each other as we continue to grow in our roles as kings wearing our spiritual crowns and manifesting the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven.
Continue the Pursuit,
Denise
