Practical Ways to Protect and Lead Your Family 

The Kingdom Call

This year has been declared the year of the Kingdom – a time for sons and daughters to come into maturity and begin handling the Keys of the Kingdom. Jesus isn’t looking for church attendees; He’s looking for mature believers who can operate in His authority. As Matthew 16 reminds us, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 

Let’s be clear: Jesus has called us to operate in His Kingdom, not just observe it. 

Understanding Kingdom Rulership

The Kingdom of God is the King’s domain – His sphere of dominion. When we were born again, we entered this sphere of authority. Any version of Christianity without lordship is a false teaching. In a kingdom, the King is on the throne, not us. 

This Kingdom works through delegation. Jesus delegates authority to mature sons and daughters so His Kingdom can operate on earth as it is in heaven. And the Kingdom always comes through rulership: 

“We’re under authority, therefore we have authority.” 

Rulership is what brings the Kingdom of God to earth. Many of us see ourselves as just trying to get by, when God wants to bring us into our identity as sons and daughters with the birthright to rule. 

The Principles of Rulership

Here are key principles about rulership we must understand: 

1. What you won’t rule will rule you. If you don’t rule over sin, it will eventually rule over you. When we refuse to exercise authority, we surrender to something else. 

1. You’re called to be self-governed. The first place of rulership is in your own life. You don’t need someone else to rule you – you need to learn how to govern yourself. 

1. Ruling is your birthright. Jesus wasn’t an anomaly – He was the pattern Son teaching us the way of the Kingdom. Just as it was His birthright to rule, it’s also yours. 

1. The demonic assault against your life is to prevent your rulership. The enemy doesn’t mind if you’re saved, just don’t become a ruler. He gets nervous when you step into Kingdom government. 
2. To rule the demonic world, you must first rule sin in your own life. Personal authority comes from personal victory. 

Ruling in Your Family Sphere

God gives us spheres of jurisdiction to rule in, and one of the most important is our family. If you’re faithful in the small sphere, God will promote you to a larger one. 

In 1 Timothy 3:4, Paul writes that a leader must be “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.” The qualification for church leadership isn’t how well you preach or prophesy – it’s how well you rule your own house. 

Rulership doesn’t mean domination. Rather, rulership done right produces a quality of life that brings health to a spouse, children, and establishes a godly legacy. Your home is the proving ground for Kingdom rulership. 

What Does Family Rulership Look Like?

Ruling in your family sphere means: 

1. Being attentive – When people sleep, the enemy creeps in with tares. Keep your spiritual eyes open. 

1. Acting as a watchman – Look ahead to protect your family from what’s coming over the horizon. 

1. Serving as a gatekeeper – Determine what comes in and goes out of your home. Stand watch over the doorway. 

1. Confronting evil – Any evil that wants to affect your family must come through your authority first. 

1. Enforcing heaven’s ways – Bring Kingdom culture and God’s Word into your family situation. 

1. Having inward permission – Recognize that you have been deputized with spiritual authority. When evil appears, you have permission to stand up and say “no.” 

The Legacy of Rulership 

If you rule rightly, out of your house will come a family of rulers who will impact generations. Think of Josiah, who became king at eight years old. By age sixteen, he was seeking God, and by twenty, he was purging the nation of idolatry and bringing it back to righteousness. 

What’s inside of you will transfer to your children. When they watch you rule, you grant them inward permission to say, “I can rule. I can confront. I can bring the Kingdom of God into this situation.” 

A Call to Action

It’s time to wake up and access the keys of the Kingdom we’ve been given. We need to exercise our authority against demonic powers that seek to destroy our families and corrupt our generation. 

You have been deputized in the Spirit. You have been given authority. It’s your birthright to be a ruler in the Kingdom of God. Don’t just observe – operate!