Leif Hetland has been a personal friend for many years. We have ministered together on numerous occasions, and I have been profoundly impacted by the principles he put in his new book, Called to Reign. He brings the believer back to the foundational truth of what it means to live a life full of purpose and fulfillment, which can only happen as we learn to live from a place of rest. Ripe with revelation, Called to Reign is a powerful catalyst to uproot the lies often created by anemic religious systems, and it helps to pave the way for discovering our calling or purpose in life. This book is powerful! It is powerful enough to affect how we think, while bringing greater freedom into every reader’s life!

Leif Hetland is an anointed communicator and a friend. His new book, Called to Reign, brings a vital message for the church. Filled with foundational teaching on identity, intimacy, inheritance, and destiny, this book will bless you as it calls you to come up higher and reign from the place of rest close to the heart of God.

Leif Hetland is an amazing hero of the faith. He steps out where others fear to go. His newest book, Called to Reign acknowledges the critical condition of the ‘church’ challenging believers to reign as ‘kingdom bringers.’ Leif offers a powerful and heartfelt roadmap for followers of Jesus to find peace, rest and ultimately, what we all really want…intimacy with the Father. The concept of ‘love’ is more than just an impractical sounding cliché; I have witnessed the strategy that Leif advocates work miracles even amongst religious radicals and dictators. His tactic of love, compassion and mercy really does work to bring reconciliation in even the most extreme circumstances. If followers of Jesus were to operate in Leif’s kingdom mindset by living daily in the ‘love language’ of heaven, it would change the world as we know it. In this generation of fear, deception and division, followers of Jesus must be known as ‘Ambassadors of Love’ - this is how we are called to reign.

Leif Hetland is a dear friend of mine and also a friend of God. He is passionate to see God’s Kingdom come, and ready for any assignment no matter how radical. Leif’s book, Called to Reign, is about understanding who we are as sons and daughters of our loving and tender daddy God. We are loved unconditionally before we ever do a thing. When we stay in this place of resting in God, knowing who we are and knowing we have access to the resources of heaven, we can dream big dreams for others and ourselves; we can shift atmospheres and carry God’s glory on the earth. Read this book and allow God to heal every false mindset and pour His liquid love into your heart. You are called to reign!

In 2019 I complete 70 years of ordained ministry and can say without hesitation that one of the brightest moments in my entire career was when I met Leif Hetland and established the father/son relationship we now share. Today, I hold in my hand his monumental work, Called to Reign; a literary confirmation of his amazing ministry. In it, Leif reveals the Holy Spirit’s awesome intent that every disciple of Jesus is “called to reign!” If I, and a million other young pastors, had been given this book the day we were ordained the history of the church would be far different!

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of meeting many leaders in the body of Christ from many different denominations and Leif Hetland is truly one of the most unique. I have never seen a combination of both power and childlikeness functioning in anyone as I’ve seen in Leif. In Called to Reign, Leif shares with us the priceless treasures he has received directly from heaven; treasures of revelation that carry the substance to transform our souls into gold - emanating the brightest light to the world around us.

As a young Christian, “reigning in life” was something we would all do in the future, in The Millennium. However, Leif Hetland challenges us to believe that God still loves the world, even our enemies! He contends that we best accomplish our co-mission with Jesus by coming to the amazing place of rest where His yoke is easy!

“Are you receiving all God has for you? Are you at heavenly rest and peace in your life, in all areas? Most believers cannot say, “yes.” This book is a “how to.” I call it “how to be normal based on the Word of God.”

Leif and his wife Jennifer have been friends of ours for over 10 years. I remember well the very first time I witnessed the three chairs. I am delighted that this teaching is now in a book. Leif enables us all to learn from our successes and our failures, to pick ourselves up and get back in the right chair. I can visualize him teach as I read, and that means that the book makes me smile. Leif is a man of faith and great generosity, giving himself away in every season and every place he goes, and now he is increasing that gift through the pages of this book. His desire will become yours - to find rest in this world and in the Father. The first time I met Leif he was a guest speaker, and now he is our friend. My wife Sue and I will never forget serving him. It gives me great pleasure to endorse this book written by such a great speaker and a dear friend because I know that it is not the result of preparing to speak a great message, but the pursuit of living a great life.

Called to Reign is a must-read book for those who desire deeper experiences with God and to live out the abundant and victorious life He has promised for all of His children. In every page, Leif Hetland, my spiritual father, shares the gold nuggets of revelations and wisdom that he has received in the secret place with the Father and faithfully stewarded through the years of pouring God’s love to the nations bringing healing, salvation and transformation. I have had the privilege of joining him on a number of ministry trips to some of the most spiritually dark regions of the world, and I have personally witnessed how he carries and releases the presence of God that shifts spiritual atmospheres resulting in massive healings, miracles and transformations. While there are some simple and practical steps mentioned in this book that are very helpful, this is not “how-to” material. In these pages you will find stories and revelations that serve as a guiding light that gives understanding and wisdom to our walk as beloved sons and daughters ruling and reigning in life. I highly recommend this book to leaders and fathers of movements, and churches and cultures who desire to raise up a people compelled and empowered by the love of God to bring heaven to earth in all arenas of life.

In his book, Called to Reign, Leif Hetland has captured the heart of Jesus’ call to: “come and learn from Me” (Matthew 11:25 – 30). Jesus describes His life as coming out of intimacies and knowledge of a Father and Son relationship and that He is ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

When I first heard Leif preach on the content of this book, I knew that the message was one that the Church so desperately needs to hear. In my relationship with Leif, most of our conversations revolve around the idea that true breakthrough in the Kingdom only comes through deep rest in the Father’s heart. Leif has been given a revelation from the Father on the power of rest in the life of His children. Through Leif’s metaphor of the ‘Three Chairs’ we see that ordinary people can learn extraordinary strategy from heaven on the principle of actually working from a place of rest. You will find that this book will help you connect to God and learn the rhythms of what He deems normal. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ with the ability to take the principles of Leif’s revelation and to step more fully into your own identity and eventual destiny.

Leif Hetland is a dear covenant friend and partner in ministry who carries a deep realm of truth and revelation. As I read the pages of his new book, Called to Reign my heart was deeply moved by the words I read because I believe they came directly from the Father’s heart. Leif has constantly demonstrated what a life of love and intimacy with God looks like. Called to Reign will change your thinking, transform your heart, renew your mind, and awaken you to the Father’s love as you read each sentence. I have listened to Leif preach, watched him minister with pure love and joy, and live from a place of resting in God. Over the years I’ve been greatly blessed as I have had the honor of watching Leif live out the pages of this book. It is refreshing and empowering to watch someone live what they are preaching, teaching, and writing about. As you read this book, I believe that you will receive an impartation and a deep deposit of truth and love that flow from a lifetime of Leif’s encounters, revelation, and personal testimony. My heart has been so refreshed by the Father’s love through this book that was written from a place of love and transparency. I highly recommend and encourage every pastor, leader, minister, and believer to read Called to Reign. It will definitely change your life.

My life is dedicated to seeing the 7.5 billion people on earth having an experience of how good Papa God is and how loved each one of them are.

A book is never written by an author without the history, heart and hands of contributors and influencers in their life. My wife and best friend Jennifer is the greatest gift given to me—a gift that never stops giving. Our children Leif Emmanuel, Laila, Courtney, and Katherine, and our son-in-law RayVon continue to give me the passion and purpose to fulfill my potential as they live love to the world around them.

Leif Hetland is a spiritual son of mine who has taught me much about fathering, as well as what it means to be a son. He is a devoted son with a sonship characterized by avid pursuit and constant communication mixed with the language of love.

I’ve noticed that most of our society is struggling with a major identity crisis. A lot of people don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing with their lives. Society has created a cycle of striving as we succumb to the pressures of picking a major in college, choosing the “right” career path, finding the “perfect” job. In the end we’re spinning our wheels to find undiscovered meaning. Spinout turns to burnout, an all-too-familiar term, and its prevalence is a sign of the church losing our grip on the reality of life with Jesus. The underlying message in these decisions is that finding our life purpose and mission is in what we choose to do with our lives. The idea of discovering our calling isn’t a bad one, but the breakdown in truth happens when we define our identities by what we do, not who we are.

One of my favorite ways to illustrate humanity’s worldviews is to put three chairs on a stage to represent three kinds of people. The picture for this began when I was ministering in a large African-American church in Alabama. The presence was strong, and healing began to break loose. It was a powerful impartation. I remember being very overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness as many people experienced breakthrough from Jesus’ touch. After the service, as I sat in the car to begin my 30-minute drive home, I thought, “Wow, that was powerful this morning. Leif, you were really anointed.” I felt so good about that. But in a few moments, I felt as if the presence had lifted. I was scheduled to return for the evening service, and as I thought about it, I was crippled with fear. Someone called to let me know that because of the powerful service that morning, some were planning to bring people in great need to the evening service—people in wheelchairs or with Down Syndrome, people who were in institutions, people from all walks of life who needed a creative miracle. The faith level of this congregation had gone up, but I just felt overwhelmed by the pressure.

Christians are in Chairs 1 and 2. If you are living in either of those chairs, you are saved. But there are many differences between Chair 1 and Chair 2. Most Christians live from Chair 2, even if they have visited Chair 1 at times. Chair 1 is a beautiful place to be. Those who live from that place are rooted in the spirit of sonship, which we talk about quite a bit in this book. Chair 1 is about experiencing God’s pleasure without ever having to perform. In fact, you already have an A+ on your report card before you ever go out and do something. In Chair 1, you live from a place of total acceptance and rest. The Dove, the Holy Spirit, comes to rest on you; you become His habitation. You can hear the Father’s voice as a son or daughter and trust that He is able to guide you. You know you belong, so you can believe God’s promises and then behave as He has called you to do—you learn to put “be,” “have,” and “do” in the right order. You know who you are and then you live from your inheritance and walk out your destiny. You aren’t just trying to get from earth to heaven but also want to bring heaven to earth. You can live as a river overflowing righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit (Romans 14:17), overwhelmed with the things of God, because that is the atmosphere of the kingdom.

Chair 2 is the kingdom of self. Most people don’t think Chair 2 describes their worldview because they don’t recognize the subtle differences. We have all been Chair 2 Christians at times, and we can easily slip from Chair 1 into Chair 2 thinking at any point in our lives. But over time, we learn to see the difference. You are always under pressure to perform because it’s what you do that makes you who you are. You experience the Holy Spirit’s visitation but not His habitation as the Dove resting on you. Instead of confidently hearing God’s voice, you try to discern His will while fearing you might be misled by the self or the devil. Instead of being a son or daughter in order to have and then to do, Chair 2 believers are trying to believe the right way in order to behave the right way in order to belong. You try to live from inheritance and destiny so you can know who you are rather than the other way around. You’re always trying to become something because you don’t know or have forgotten your true identity. You’re trying to get to heaven rather than trying to bring heaven to earth.

If you are living in Chair 3, you are lost. That is the world system apart from Jesus, outside of the kingdom of God. It includes 1.6 billion Muslims, more than a billion Hindus, and nearly half a billion Buddhists, as well as atheists, agnostics, and every other non-Christian.¹ Every one of these people is looking for love, security, value, significance, and purpose; it’s in our DNA as human beings. But they aren’t able to find these things, whether they are looking in religion, money, accomplishments, or anything else. I believe the biggest god in the world right now is money, regardless of the religion of the people seeking it. Whatever people serve, that’s what they worship.

The move from Chair 1 to Chair 2 often happens across generations. The church at Ephesus was in Chair 1—revival, open heavens, signs and wonders. By the time of Revelation, that church had left its first love (Revelation 2:4). In the generations after the New Testament, they didn’t believe in God at all. You see this pattern today in institutions like Harvard and Yale, both of which were started to train Christians for ministry. The next generation came in and talked about God without actually experiencing Him. Now those institutions are thoroughly secular. Chair 2 people know how to get from earth to heaven, but they don’t know how to bring heaven to earth. The next generation does not get to see who the Father really is; they don’t know how to disciple a nation.

How do you disciple a nation? You engage with the “seven mountains” of culture - education systems, governments, media, arts and entertainment, families, the business world, and religious institutions - with a kingdom mindset, not to try to dominate them or move them from a Chair 2 mindset by human effort, but to influence them, to bless and not to curse, to carry the atmosphere of heaven into the experiences of the world. You begin to deal with systemic poverty because you understand heaven’s economy. You live out kingdom ethics and share kingdom insights. The sons and daughters of glory leave their Chair 1 church to go into the world on Monday morning to pastor, teach, prophesy, and exercise their gifts in their assignment in the marketplace. From a Chair 1 perspective, you will recognize the next Joseph or Esther or Daniel in normal or even unlikely people because you will treat people based upon their destiny, not their history. You will be able to see the apostle Paul when you are looking at the terrorist Saul. You will change the environment around you and raise up a generation of people who influence the world rather than being influenced by it.

Many have prophesied the coming of a billion-soul harvest. In 1975, Bob Jones had an experience of dying and seeing heaven. He heard the Lord tell him about this wave of a billion souls coming into the kingdom family. Though many people have come to the Lord since then, we haven’t yet seen a distinct move in which a billion souls have said yes to Jesus. Why not? He is preparing the environment of His kingdom on earth not just to receive souls, but to welcome sons and daughters who fit into a family and can understand what it means to be family members. Many in the church have been busy looking for the fire, but God is looking for fireplaces. If we build the fireplaces, He will provide the fire.