Have you ever:

• been under a spiritual attack for doing God's business at work?
• gotten extreme push back from your customers, colleagues or bosses for standing up for biblical truths?
• experienced extreme character assignation attempts, dishonest suppliers, incredibly slow-pay customers or just general battles that never seem to end?
• seemed to get punched back on everything you attempt to grow your business?
• faced what seemed like an impossible problem to solve without a clue what to do?
• needed wise counsel and did not know who to call?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you are experiencing what Jesus promised—your kingdom impact will bring violence. That's right, Jesus promised it ... violence!

Kingdom Impact Brings Violence

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matt. 11:12, NKJV, emphasis mine).

"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it" (Luke 16:16).

The words "violence" and "pressing" in these two verses are the same word, baizo, which means to use force or apply force, to inflict violence upon. Let's look at a couple of more versions of the same verse for greater revelation.

"And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it" (Matt. 11:12, NLT).

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize]" (Matt. 11:12, AMP).

"From the time of Yochanan the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering violence; yes, violent ones are trying to snatch it away" (Matt. 11:12, CJB).

And more thing Jesus said:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34, MEV).

Wow! Violence. Pushback. The enemy trying to snatch away your victory.

Should we be worried? Defeated? Ready to give it all up? Of course not.

Advancing Together

Even Jesus did not advance the kingdom alone. He recruited and led an intimate team of 12 that ultimately impacted the known world and carries on today.

Jesus shepherded the first inner circle.

After his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, the disciples emulated His example. Throughout all their earthly years of suffering violence and spiritual attacks, they did not work in isolation. They, too, walked out their destiny with a small group of kingdom-minded, passionately-driven men and women who banded together to reclaim territory and influence.

Just like Jesus, the disciples had an inner circle.

I boldly suggest that if you are fighting your marketplace battles for the kingdom all alone, you need help. You need an intimate circle to learn from, pray with and band together to fulfill your destiny on earth.

The Power of an Inner Circle

If you do not currently have an inner circle of marketplace men and women to do battle together, I encourage you to check out and consider joining my Inner Circle.

Inner Circle is an intimate team for marketplace warriors who, through spirit-led, kingdom-focused teachings, partner together to take giant leaps forward in their businesses, careers and Kingdom callings.

Through monthly live on-line video conference to 1-on-1 customized growth plans and advising calls, Inner Circle members learn how to unleash the power of Holy Spirit throughout their marketplace, their work and their lives.

If you are tired of fighting your marketplace and career battles alone and need to surround yourself with other passionate, hungry, spirit-led marketplace warriors, then click here to learn more about how to join my Inner Circle.

Have a specific question for me? Email me at [email protected] and I will promptly reply.

Dr. Jim Harris is an executive coach, adviser and author of 14 award-winning business books. Download his free "31 Power Prayers to Prosper Your Business." Connect with Dr. Jim on Facebook LinkedIn and Twitter.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.