Greatness is not a word many people would ascribe to themselves; they find it simply too farfetched to think of themselves as ‘great’. But we have been called to greatness by God our Father. Yes, if you are born again, you are called to greatness. Without greatness you cannot do the work God has called you to do.
Genesis 1:16-18 “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good”.
The two great lights (the Sun and Moon) were created by God to accomplish their respective purposes – to RULE the day and the night. Because of the ruling mandate God had designed for them, He made them great. In the same, way God created us to dominate the world for Him. (Romans 5:17; Revelations 5:9, 10). Believers have the legal authority from God to rule this earth. Just like the Sun and Moon were made great to rule, we also have been equipped with greatness – the inherent capacity to be significant and relevant in this world.
I know this is not always easy to grasp if you look at your contrary circumstances, but that does not exclude you from the life of greatness. God told Abram that “…for a father of many nations have I made thee” Genesis 17:45: He told him this when he had no child as yet. God talks in the past tense and expects you to agree with Him, so that what He has said will happen in your present. So if God says you are great, you do not have to wait until you see physical signs of greatness before you believe, because He (God) has been to your past and future before telling you who you are. He talks about our future with as much certainty as we talk about our past.
We must therefore embrace this truth. Greatness is normal in the Kingdom of God because Jesus Himself said, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. It is clear that even the least person in the Kingdom is greater, according to Jesus. So get used to greatness, and begin to incorporate it into you day-to-day life.
Greatness does not mean all of us will become Presidents one day; but it does mean that all of us have a specific area of calling, and when we find and pursue it, we will emerge as a force to reckon with. We will make such great contributions to our nation and world, that we cannot be ignored. Don’t let your profession limit you. Find out from God what He brought you here for, and pursue it. Your greatness is tied to God’s calling or assignment for your life. God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. Remember, He gave everyone according to his several ability, and to whom much is given much is required (Matthew 25:15; Luke 12:48).
How do I do this?
The first step you need to take to become the great man or woman God has made you to be is to embrace this call. Do not resist greatness; rather begin to get rid of mediocrity in your life. If you are used to seeing yourself as insignificant, begin to replace that thinking with the thought of greatness. That is what Abraham did when God called him a father of many nations. Would you call God a liar because at the time he said that Abraham was still childless? No, you wouldn’t! Here’s what Abraham did: “… he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah\’s womb; He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:19-21).
As you begin to think greatness, be prepared to give up any habit that does not conform to greatness. A wise man said, “you dress for where you are going, not where you are coming from.” Be so greatness–minded that it shows in the way you live your life – the way you talk, the way you walk, how you work, and so on. That way you are acting as though you believe what God has said, just like your father Abraham did. The world will call you a fake; but God’s word calls it faith – calling things which be not as though they were (Romans 4:21).
Greatness is Responsibility
God made the two great lights to rule at daytime and at night time. What would you and I do without the Sun and Moon? Nothing! These two lights are so great because of the impact they have on the earth. When you become the great person God has created you to be, do not lord it over others, but rather serve. Unfortunately, not many great people in our world today like to serve. They would rather use their elevated positions to serve their own interests. The Bible says “…but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Luke 22:26).
It is your responsibility to serve others with your greatness. As your greatness begins to manifest, there is the tendency to run away from responsibility. When people begin to call on you for help, do not refuse. Embrace the opportunity to be a blessing; the more you serve, the greater your impact becomes in the earth. So get used to greatness, and rule for God!