Latest / Reborn w/ Antonio Boutros / Kingdom vs. Empire: Where's Your Focus?

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Kingdom vs. Empire: Where's Your Focus? · Reborn w/ Antonio Boutros

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Reborn Podcast.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: I am Tony Virtuos, your host, and today we're diving into a topic that I believe has the power to change not only how you do business, but how you live your life.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm 20 years old, an entrepreneur, an author in the making, and most importantly, a follower of Christ.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: On this podcast, we do discuss spiritual development, leadership, and entrepreneurship through a lens of faith.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: Today's episode is one that heads home for me personally because I've lived it.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: We're talking about something that can either elevate or derail your entire life.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Being kingdom minded versus empire-minded.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Let me ask you, how do you spend your time, your energy, and your money?
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Are you building for God's kingdom?
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Are you just building your own empire?
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start by breaking down what I mean when I talk about being kingdom-minded versus empire-minded.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: I had to wrestle with this question when I shut down my first business earlier this year to go all in on my calling.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: For a long time I was chasing success, numbers the hustle.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: But it wasn't until I came to Christ in October of 2023 that I realized I was building my own empire instead of serving the kingdom of God.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: So what's the difference?
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Being empire-minded is all about building things that serve you, your name, your legacy, your comfort.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's a mindset that focuses on me first.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: And listen, there's nothing wrong with having big goals.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: I've said before that I want to be a trillionaire.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: But if your live if your life resolves solely around what you can get, how much power you can accumulate, and how many people serve you, you're gonna end up feeling empty.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: On the other hand, being kingdom-minded is about serving a purpose greater than yourself.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's about building something that lasts, but not for your glory.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's for God's glory.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Matthew 6 and 33 says, but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's exactly what we're talking about here.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: A kingdom mindset is about serving others, aligning with God's will, and knowing that everything you do is a part of something bigger.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's get practical.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: We all have three main resources in life time, energy, and money.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: This might be scary, but I want you to think about where these three things are going in your life.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: Are you investing them in ways that build a kingdom, or are they being spent to just build your empire?
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about time first.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: We've all heard the phrase time is money, but in reality, time is much more than that.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's the one thing that you can never get back.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: When I was grinding in my first sales job, 100% commission and no base pay, I was pouring all my time into work, but I wasn't really investing in what mattered.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't pouring into my relationship with God.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't connecting with my community, and I definitely wasn't leading with a servant heart.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: I was tracing success at the expense of everything else.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Ephesians 5 and 15 to 16 tells us, be very careful then how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: How are you using your time?
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Are you spending hours scrolling social media, chasing meaningless goals?
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Are you investing your time into something that will matter 10, 20, even a hundred years from now?
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Next is energy.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: This one is huge.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: How many of you are running on empty right now?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: You're burnt out, tired, and barely holding it together.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've been there too.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: When you're building an empire, your energy is focused on you.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: You're constantly running, trying to control everything, and it leaves you drained.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: But when you're kingdom minded, your energy flows from a different source.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Isaiah 40 and 31 says, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow wary, they will walk and not be faint.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: When you focus your energy on serving others and living out your purpose in Christ, there's a renewal that happens.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Your energy doesn't come from you anymore, it comes from God.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: Now finally, let's talk about money.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Money is one of those topics that people don't like to discuss, but it's an important part of the conversation.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: How you spend your money says a lot about what you value.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Are you using it to build your own comfort?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Are you obsessed with buying the next big thing, the next status symbol?
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Or are you using your resources to build something that will last beyond you?
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: In 2 Corinthians 9 and 7, it says, Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Money isn't evil, but the love of money is.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: Are you using your finances to further the kingdom of God?
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Or are you just patting your own pockets?
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Let me get rid of you for a second.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Earlier this year, I made a decision to shut down my first business, and it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I knew God was calling me to something bigger.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: And in a very real way, although I knew I had to sacrifice financially, I had to even sacrifice my ego.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: And the reason why is because I knew God was calling me towards it.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: I knew that God had placed this conviction on my heart.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: I knew that God wanted to use my testimony for something bigger, something more direct, something where I can serve and build his kingdom.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: I had to let go of my empire in order to step into what God had planned for me.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: I was so focused on building something for me that I had lost sight of the bigger picture.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: When I shut that business down, I wasn't left with nothing.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: I was left with a new purpose.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now I'm doubling down on writing my book, public speaking, and I'm creating a community focused on personal and spiritual development.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: The shift from empire-minded to kingdom-minded is what allowed me to do that.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm no longer just chasing success, I'm chasing significance.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: So how do you make this shift?
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: How do you go from empire building to kingdom building?
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: Here are a few steps that help me, and I think they'll help you too.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: Step one, audit your life.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: Take an honest look at where your time, energy, and money are going.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Are they being spent on things that matter?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: Are you pouring them into relationship service and growth?
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Are you spending them on things that only serve you?
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Step two, make time for God.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: You can't build for the kingdom if you're not connected to the king.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Let me read that again.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: You cannot build for the kingdom if you're not connected to the king.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Spend time in prayer, in the word, and in reflection.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: Make God a priority in your daily life.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: Jeremiah 29 and 13 says, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: When you make time for God, He'll guide you in how to use your resources.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Step three, serve others.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Serving others is at the core of a kingdom mindset, whether in business, ministry, or our personal life.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: Always look for ways to give.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus said in Market Mark 10 and 45, for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's not about what you get, it's about what you give.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Before we wrap up, let's dive into a couple questions from the community.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Tony, how do you say focus on building for the kingdom when there's so much pressure to succeed in the world?
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great question.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: The key is understanding where your identity comes from.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: My identity isn't tied to how much money I make, how many followers I have, or how much how successful my business is.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's tied to Christ.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: When you root your identity in him, the pressures of the world lose their power.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Success in God's kingdom looks different than success in the world.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Question two is how do I balance my business goals with serving the kingdom?
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: I used to think it was one another.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Either you chase success or you serve God.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: But the truth is, you can do both when your priorities are right.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs 16 and 3 says, Commit you to the Lord, whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: When you commit your business to God, you're no longer building for yourself.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: You're building something that can impact others and glorify him.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: Alright.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: That is it for today's episode.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I hope this message resonated with you.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: Remember how you spend your time, energy, and money reflects what you're building in this life.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Are you building for yourself?
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Are you building for God's kingdom?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: If today's episode spoke to you, share with a friend and don't forget to join our free community where we grow together in faith and personal development.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: I will link the description, the link for our community in the description below, and let's build something meaningful together.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Shona Beatrice, and this is the Reborn Podcast.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, stay focused, stay faithful, and keep building for the kingdom.