Kingship Corruption Strategies of the Kingdom of Darkness

We have finally come to the very last part of the series on the Strategies of the Kingdom of Darkness. Last week, we delved into how the altar powers the sceptre and how, when our priesthood is corrupted, our kingship dominion mandate is taken from us. What we are going to learn today is how many have disappointed God by falling prey to the strategies that corrupt their kingship. It’s important to understand that usually, God does not have any problem lifting a man. The problems arise when the men whom God has lifted set Him aside, thinking they are gods themselves. But the truth is simple: Do you want to take God out of the equation? The equation itself won’t exist without Him.

Some people remain faithful in their priesthood, only to disappoint God in their kingship. You and I need to be aware of these things so that we don’t bring shame to the name of the Lord when He lifts us up. Today, we will explore the various strategies the Kingdom of Darkness uses to corrupt kingship, from key figures in the Bible whose lives illustrate these dangers.

King Saul: Be Loyal to God

Saul’s story is a clear example of how disloyalty to God leads to the corruption of kingship. At the start of his reign, Saul showed potential, but his fall began when he prioritized human approval over God’s commandments. In 1 Samuel 13:8-14, Saul, out of impatience and fear of losing control, performed a sacrifice that was meant for the prophet Samuel. His decision to disobey God set in motion the unraveling of his kingship. The same people-pleasing attitude led him to agree with his men to keep all the goods of quality from the fight with the Amalekites. Saul thought God approved of him because he won the battle but that day, God told Samuel that He was sorry he ever made Saul king. Even worse, Saul killed the priests of Nob, a sin that affected his entire bloodline, completely wiping them from the face of the earth.

The Kingdom of Darkness uses impatience and fear (or any emotional weakness you may have) as primary tools to corrupt kingship. Saul’s failure reminds us that kingship is about staying loyal to God, especially in the face of pressure. Saul, sadly, became a people-pleaser. As a king, you cannot afford to turn a blind eye to evil; you are held accountable for what you tolerate. You literally represent God as king on earth with this oil on your head. Don’t be swayed by the criticisms of the masses, especially in this social media era where people say anything. Never side with the people when they don’t side with God.Saul looked down on himself (1 Samuel 15:17) so he looked up to pleasing men.

God had no issue lifting Saul to the throne, but Saul’s impatience exposed his lack of spiritual discipline. His disobedience cost him the kingdom and led God to raise David in his place. Life is a marathon, not a race. Don’t be in a hurry to reach the top. Any step you skip; you will pay for dearly. Let God prepare you. Don’t let anything or anyone rush you into prominence. Being a king means you decree a thing with your authority and it is established. This is the place where God performs all your heart desires because they have been purged. If you skip steps, all your potholes will be exposed. Don’t “rush” God to lift you. You will be glad you spent more time in Adullam.

Lucifer: Don’t Make Yourself a God

Lucifer’s fall is perhaps the most classic example of kingship corrupted by pride. The once-beautiful cherub wanted to rise above God Himself (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer’s desire to make himself a god led to his downfall. His sin was pride—a refusal to submit to the ultimate kingship of God. The fact that God has promoted you does not mean you are no longer a servant of God. Don’t be too proud to continue to be a priest. You are a business tycoon now so you have outsourced your prayer life? You are a successful gatekeeper in your industry so you now pay pastors to keep praying for you? You will not last. Mark it on the wall!

The Kingdom of Darkness uses self-exaltation to trap those in authority. When leaders, or kings, begin to believe that they are irreplaceable, they fall into Lucifer’s trap. Some people reach the top by God’s help and now even think they made it there by their own hard work. By that logic, the most hardworking person in the world should be the richest person but it is not so. Haven’t you read that the race is not to the swift? Acknowledge God. If you think you made it by yourself, ask yourself; who gave you the life to live in the first place? In the parable of the rich fool, the fool amassed so much wealth and looked at himself. God simply took his life. In your kingship, always remember that you are a vessel of God’s power, not a god yourself.

As Ezekiel 28:17 says, Lucifer became proud because he looked at himself—at all his beauty and splendor. Pride is the cardinal sin. Every sin leads to the pride of life. Living in sin nurtures your pride. If there is one sin that is easily associated with prominence and prestige, it is pride. Once God crowns you king, the devil will come and look for you. Make sure that when the prince of this world comes, he will have no hold over you. Stay humble as God continues to lift you.

King Herod: Don’t Play with God’s Glory

Herod’s life offers a warning to those who play with God’s glory. In Acts 12:21-23, Herod accepted the praise of the people, who declared him as a god. Rather than deflecting this praise back to God, Herod absorbed it, and the result was immediate. He was struck down by an angel because he failed to give Glory to God. That angel was certainly a cherub; one who protects the Glory of God with jealousy. Remember this; God is the one who can choose to share His glory with you. You don’t have the right to take His glory. If people give you God’s glory, give it to God. Also, the fact that He shares His glory with you does not mean it becomes your glory. It’s still His Glory. Know this and know peace.

Like Herod, many kings and leaders fall into the trap of basking in the praise meant for God, forgetting that their authority is delegated, not inherent. The Kingdom of Darkness thrives when it can tempt kings to embrace vanity, making them believe that they are deserving of divine praise. Herod’s end was sudden, a reminder that God does not share His glory with anyone (Isaiah 42:8). In the New Testament, we are kings and priests, and kingship means more than ruling over people; it means fulfilling your God-given dominion mandate. As kings in your sphere, you must remember that your actions bring glory to God, not to you.

King Solomon: You Need God Till the Very End

Solomon’s story is perhaps the saddest among all the corrupted kings. He started well, full of wisdom, wealth, and favor from God. But over time, his heart drifted from God due to the influence of foreign wives, who led him into idolatry (1 Kings 11:1-4). Despite being warned twice by God in an encounter, Solomon did not heed His instruction, leading to the eventual split of his kingdom after his death. The enemy’s strategy against Solomon was compromise. Solomon, in all his wisdom, began to compromise his devotion to God, thinking that his kingship could be sustained by his wisdom and wealth. Kingship requires constant dependence on God till the very end.

Sometimes, as humans, we seek God very well because we want something; marriage, fortune, soft life etc. After He gives it to us, we take it and walk away. Error! If you take God out of whatever God gives you, it becomes degenerative. It’s like a car without a battery or an electronics without electricity. Wisdom without God is foolishness. You need God till the very end. What we need is God Himself, not even the things of God. The things of God without God are just things. Ask Lucifer. Ask Solomon. If you think it’s deprived, depressed and devalued people who only need God then I’m sorry. It’s a deceit from the pit of hell. Those at the top need God even more.

King Jeroboam: Reject God, and He Rejects You

Jeroboam’s kingship is a perfect example of how rejecting God leads to destruction. When Jeroboam became king, God promised him a lasting dynasty if he followed His commands (1 Kings 11:38). But instead of trusting God, Jeroboam, out of fear of losing power, set up golden calves for the people to worship, leading Israel into idolatry (1 Kings 12:26-30). Jeroboam was the first king of the 10 tribes that had been broken apart because of Solomon. As the first, he set a foundation that corrupted the kingship for many years. Only a handful of the kings of Israel were not corrupted by “their father” Jeroboam.

Jeroboam’s fear of losing control was his downfall, leading him into idolatry that affected several kings that came after him. 2 Timothy 2:12 says if we disown God, he will also disown us. Reject God, and He will reject you. Jeroboam’s disobedience led to the eventual destruction of his dynasty, showing that no kingship can stand when it is built on rebellion against God. The enemy tempts kings to prioritize political power over spiritual integrity, but Jeroboam’s life warns us that when a king rejects God, he forfeits his right to rule. Kingship is sustained only through faithful obedience to the King of kings. If you think this is just an Old Testament concept, then Jesus says He will cut off any branch that does not produce fruit.

This is the matter o. Kingship is not for play. You can sin; God is merciful to forgive you. If we are faithless, He remains faithful. However, He can choose to never put that mandate and resources and power in your hands again. There is no prayer on earth, under earth or in Heaven that can make him change His mind when your cup is full. It happened to the priesthood of Eli, the kingship of Saul, Jeroboam, Baasha, Ahab and many others. Remember the parable of the talents. “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” God does not waste resources. He never returned the 10 tribes of Israel back to the line of David because of what Solomon did. Selah!

King Baasha: God Does Not Show Favoritism

King Baasha rose to power by assassinating Jeroboam’s son and his entire bloodline, fulfilling God’s judgment against Jeroboam’s house. However, despite being an instrument of God’s judgment, Baasha himself did not follow God’s ways (1 Kings 15:27-30). The same judgment that fell on Jeroboam’s house eventually came upon Baasha’s. See, God shows favour not favoritism.

The Kingdom of Darkness used self-righteousness to trap Baasha, who perhaps believed that because he had executed God’s judgment on Jeroboam, he was exempt from the same standard. But God showed that He does not show favoritism. Every king is held to the same standard and are not above reproach. Baasha’s life is a clear reminder that kingship does not grant immunity from judgment. No matter how successful or powerful a king may be, God does not play favorites. Every leader must walk in righteousness and humility, or face the same consequences of sin as those before them.

The stories in the Bible were written for our own learning. These are real-life events. Don’t be too quick to judge the characters; you could be the Saul of our times if you don’t learn from their errors. We are kings and priests, a royal priesthood. As a king, you have influence over nations. Whatever action you take directly brings glory to God or shame to the name of the Lord. A small sin you commit can cause thousands to lose their faith. When you fall, people you don’t know and have never met fall with you. Don’t be in a hurry to get to the top, and stay with God when He lifts you. When you continue to humble yourself under the Lordship of God, God will make a name for Himself through your life.