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Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.
Malachi 3:16
As Jesus walked this earth, He laid out a perfect example of what divine legacy looks like. He was not trying to make His name great on the earth. Jesus’ sole purpose was to do the will of His Father in Heaven, fully surrendered and obedient to it. I love these statements Jesus makes in the John chapter 5:
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. (John 5:30)
I receive not glory from men [I crave no human honor, I look for no mortal fame] (John 5:41)
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19)
Talk about a lasting impact, a spiritual inheritance for us to receive and model. We must remember that we are entirely dependent on God. In and of ourselves, we cannot do anything that holds eternal value. Humility will always be our power and protection. Scripture says unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain (Ps. 127:1). We must ask ourselves: have I been building my legacy, or has the Lord been the builder? Have I reached the place of absolute abandonment and total dependency upon the Lord? The subtleness of pride manifests itself in self-dependency. I recently heard a minister say, “Prayer is a sign of your dependence on God, and your lack of prayer is a sign of your independence. Prayerlessness is a sign of your pride.” We see this with Jesus. He highly prioritized prayer because He knew, as a man anointed with the Holy Spirit, He was solely dependent on the Father. If we want to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we must make it our greatest aim to embrace humility. For out of humility will spring forth divine legacy.
Here are three keys to Legacy:
1. It is not about you – it is all about Jesus.
2. Live every day with the reality of the BEMA (Judgment Seat of Christ)
3. Walk in the Fear of the Lord
Early on, I mentioned that legacy is not just about us but about our generations. Family is so very important to God. Our ministry unto the Lord is the first place, but the next place of ministry we will all stand accountable for before God is our home life. A friend of mine once told me that he went to pray and spend some time with the Lord, and the Lord spoke to his heart, telling him to play with his kids instead of praying. He initially didn’t think it was the Lord, but as he searched his heart the word bore witness with him that it was from God. So, in obedience, he left the prayer room and played with his kids. We have no idea the eternal impact that made. That was sowing into the next generation. That was a moment of building divine legacy.
Legacy is not about an earthly kingdom or empire but being obedient and faithful unto the Lord. Four keys that will not only create stability in our walk with God but keep us on the right path concerning legacy are:
1. Humility
2. Holiness
3. Hunger
4. Honor
I always pray: Lord, tell holiness and humility to be the guardrails to my life. Never let me steer outside of them. Those protect us and guide and steer us concerning our divine race. Pride lurks outside the boundaries of humility, and a life not committed to true holiness will entertain sin. Committing to live a life of humility, holiness, honor, and hunger will take up places in the Lord we never knew were possible. The fear of the Lord is tied to all four of these keys. Look at some of the benefits, according to scripture, of walking in the fear of the Lord:
Taught by God, safe and at peace, children will be blessed, will know God’s secrets and will know His covenant, generations blessed, fruitful wife, healthy children, fruit of your labor will be well with you, Son of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings, leaping with joy, comfort of the Holy Spirit, angels encamped around you, prolonged life, abide in satisfaction, riches, honor, and life.
I believe one word can describe these benefits, and that is LEGACY.
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