All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time,
and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
(Jude 1:25 NLT)
Series: His Name is Jesus
These thoughts have been rolling around in my spirit in recent months: Do I elevate my thoughts higher than God’s? Am I giving more weight to my ideas than to the plans and purpose God has for my life? Do I value my opinions more than the Word of God? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then I have become the lord of my life and ceased to surrender to the Lord in some areas.
God does give believers in Jesus the authority to reign as kings and priests in the earth. This truth is noted in Exodus 19, 1 Peter 2, and Revelation 1, 5, and 20. However, we are subject to the rule and reign of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.
After His resurrection, when Jesus met with the disciples, He said:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Matthew 28:18 NIV)
The Greek word used for authority is exousia, meaning the right, power, or freedom to act as the supreme ruler. Jesus has total dominion across every realm—spiritual, physical, angelic, nations, human hearts, and historical events. There is no domain outside of His control. God the Father gave this authority to Jesus as the crown of His earthly obedience, sacrificial death, and resurrection victory.
Paul explained the absolute sovereignty of Jesus in his letter to the Colossians. Paul wrote:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 NIV)
In Jesus, through Jesus, and for Jesus, all things were created. He existed before all things, and He holds all things together. He is the Head of the church, the Beginning and the End, and overcame death and the grave through His crucifixion and resurrection. Because of His victory, He reigns over all things, and restored our relationship with God the Father. Now we, as believers, are established as kings and priests in His kingdom.
John illustrated this truth in the opening greeting of the book of Revelation:
Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 1:4-6 NIV)
Those who believe in Jesus are kings of the earth and priests who serve God the Father, to the glory of Him forever. And, we are subject to the authority and rule of Jesus, the Living Word.
In Revelation 19, John wrote that he saw the heavens open and Jesus riding on a white horse. Verse 16 says that on His robe and on His thigh, it is written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Jesus holds all authority, all power, and all dominion. He is our All in all, and we are subject to His rule and His reign. Hallelujah that He is perfect love, and He leads us in righteousness. He invites us to draw near to Him, to enter the holy of holies boldly, to be reconciled to Himself, and to go in His name to grow His kingdom.
We are kings and priests in the earth under the sovereignty of Jesus—because of Him, in Him, and for Him. We can refuse to surrender our will to His, but then we are kings of our own lives and subject to our own demise. When we submit to Him as our Lord, our King, our God, we find purpose, fulfillment, and the abundant life He has prepared for us.
His name is King of kings and Lord of lords. Surrender to Him and let Him uphold you by the Word of His power.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Jude 1:25; Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:4-6, 5:10, 19:16, 20:6; Matthew 28:18-19; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 Timothy 6:15; Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 1:3
