- the territory or country subject to a king
- undivided territory under dominion of a king or monarch
- the inhabitants or population subject to a king
- In Scripture, the government or universal domain of God
Reign:
- to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority to rule
- to have superior or uncontrolled dominion
Rule:
- to govern, to control the will and actions of others either by arbitrary power and authority or by established laws
- to predominate, to prevail
- to have superior or uncontrolled dominion
Dominion:
- Sovereign or supreme authority
- the power of governing and controlling
- power to direct, control, use and dispose of at pleasure
- right of possession and use without being accountable
Supreme:
- highest authority
- holding the highest place in government or power
- In the universe, God is the supreme ruler and judge
- His commands are supreme and binding on all His creatures
- highest, greatest or most excellent as in supreme glory
Sovereign:
- supreme in power
- possessing supreme dominion
- superior to all others
- one who possess highest authority without control
Authority:
- legal power or right to command or act
- the power derived from opinion, respect or esteem
- testimonies, witness or the person who testifies
- weight of testimony; credabilty
- weight of character, respectability, dignity
King:
- a man invested with supreme authority over a nation, tribe, country
Monarch:
- the ruler of a nation who exercises all the powers of the government without control
Kingdom, Reign, Rule, Sovereign, Supreme, Dominion, King, Monarch, Authority, these are all words that I have been hearing in increasing frequency this past year. Growing up in the land of the free it is hard to completely understand the meaning of these words. Sure, I have a general understanding of their Webster's definition. But it is an understanding that is superficial, lacking depth.
At the end of the study of John, my BSF leader said she was going to spend the summer pondering the following definition:
Life: embracing the rule and reign of God in my life
I think it starts with Kingdom. There are two. Mine and the Lord's. Because of Adam and his decision to believe Satan over God, sin entered this world. Adam was tempted to take dominion over himself so "he would be like God." The Lord had already given Adam dominion over all of creation, but Adam was tempted to want more, to be like God, to be God over his own life. When Adam took dominion for himself, the disposition of sin became the inheritance of the entire human race. So the struggle is this, who has dominion over my life? Is the dominion mine, is it my claim to my right to myself that is above all else or is it the Lord's? That is the constant struggle.
Satan is the ruler of this world. I was born into this world. This is my world. I am a sinner. My kingdom, my territory, my country is me. The inhabitants, the population of my kingdom is one, me. The king of my country is me. I reign in my kingdom. I posses and exercise sovereign power. I have the authority to rule my life as I see fit. I have uncontrolled dominion. I am supreme. I can govern and control my will and actions with full authority and control without being accountable to anyone. In this world, this is what Satan wants me to be believe, that my life is embracing the rule and reign of me. This is the only way to happiness, fulfillment. It is my right. I should claim it and never release control to another.
Satan is the ruler of this world. I was born into this world. This is my world. I am a sinner. My kingdom, my territory, my country is me. The inhabitants, the population of my kingdom is one, me. The king of my country is me. I reign in my kingdom. I posses and exercise sovereign power. I have the authority to rule my life as I see fit. I have uncontrolled dominion. I am supreme. I can govern and control my will and actions with full authority and control without being accountable to anyone. In this world, this is what Satan wants me to be believe, that my life is embracing the rule and reign of me. This is the only way to happiness, fulfillment. It is my right. I should claim it and never release control to another.
This is the world we are all born into. This mind set is ingrained into each one us from the moment we are born. We are bombarded on every side. You are the kingdom, You are the king, do not let anyone try to claim your kingdom. I look at the world we live in today, there is political unrest, racial tension, anti authority agendas, LGBTQ agendas, media corruption. Satan is crafty and is making THE TRUTH harder and harder to see. We are constantly filled with messages to accept a new truth and to compromise with God's Truth. How does Satan do this, the same way he has always done it, by having us question who has dominion over our lives. Satan is going to do everything in his power to ensure that each one of us believe that true life is embracing the rule and reign for ourselves and not handing it over to another. We know best. And we fight to remain in complete control of our kingdom.
What am I fighting for: the right to do what I want, when I want and how I want. Why, because it will bring me joy, happiness, fulfillment, contentment, and peace. This fight is constant, there is no relenting, no time of reprieve. It is exhausting. It is never ending. The fight is always there. You can choose to rest, but that one weak moment results in the enemy gaining a foothold. This fight will never be over, it will never be won. This fight will be to the death. The one who will die is me. I will either choose to die to myself and embrace the rule and reign of God in my life or I will die to God and choose to embrace my rule and reign in my life.
I know the right answer. I know which death should occur. I know which death brings Eternal Life. And yet the struggle is real, it is daily, it is hourly. And instead of feeling happy, joyful, content and at peace "I'm tired, I'm worn, my heart is heavy from the work it takes to keep on breathing. My hope fails and my soul feels crushed by the weight of this world. I know I need to lift my eyes up but I am too weak, life just won't let up. My prayers are wearing thin. I'm worn even before the day begins. I'm worn I've lost my will to fight." (Worn by Tenth Avenue North). Satan has blinded my eyes to believe that God's ways are a threat to my kingdom. He has convinced me that God is the real enemy. Some many have chosen to believe his lie, often I choose to believe it. Often I choose to believe that God is taking me in directions and asking me to do things that will rob me of joy and not lead me into life everlasting.
This fight will never end on this side of heaven. Satan will never relent in his fight to convince me that I should be the king of my kingdom. Choosing to believe that I deserve to be king of my own heart will never result all the things I am longing for, true love, joy, peace, and contentment. I am a child of God am I am saved. I know my salvation can not be snatched away, I know I am firmly in the grip of the Lord. But Satan can take my joy, peace and contentment on this side of heaven. He can keep me from being transformed into His image. He can keep me in the chains Jesus destroyed at the cross. Fear, worry, despair, guilt, shame can keep me from living in freedom here on this side of heaven. He can keep me from shining THE LIGHT and drawing others to know the one, true God.
But God will never stop fighting either. He wants full rule and reign in my life. I know I fail so often. I know I am difficult. I know I am not a compliant believer. I know I allow fear, guilt and shame keep me from living a life fully surrendered to Him. I know He has to fight hard to get me to fully surrender, for me to give up dominion over my life, my right. I am just so grateful He is patient, persistent and long suffering. I am so grateful He loves me so. I am so grateful that He sees worth in me, that He continues to reveal Himself to me. He is so good. He is so faithful.
The interesting thing about a fight is this, I can choose to end the fight anytime I want. I can choose. Do I want to continue to keep fighting for dominion over my own life? Or Do I want God to have complete rule and reign over my life? When I choose to die to myself and submit to His rule and reign the fight is over. It will be a choice I have to make multiple times a day, every day, for the rest of my life. But the quicker I make that choice, the quicker the fight is over. And I can rest in Him and enjoy all the inheritances of His goodness. My prayer is that I will recognize the struggle for control quickly, that I will submit quickly, that I will be obedient to what He is asking, so I can rest and allow Him to fight on my behalf.
I know the right answer. I know which death should occur. I know which death brings Eternal Life. And yet the struggle is real, it is daily, it is hourly. And instead of feeling happy, joyful, content and at peace "I'm tired, I'm worn, my heart is heavy from the work it takes to keep on breathing. My hope fails and my soul feels crushed by the weight of this world. I know I need to lift my eyes up but I am too weak, life just won't let up. My prayers are wearing thin. I'm worn even before the day begins. I'm worn I've lost my will to fight." (Worn by Tenth Avenue North). Satan has blinded my eyes to believe that God's ways are a threat to my kingdom. He has convinced me that God is the real enemy. Some many have chosen to believe his lie, often I choose to believe it. Often I choose to believe that God is taking me in directions and asking me to do things that will rob me of joy and not lead me into life everlasting.
This fight will never end on this side of heaven. Satan will never relent in his fight to convince me that I should be the king of my kingdom. Choosing to believe that I deserve to be king of my own heart will never result all the things I am longing for, true love, joy, peace, and contentment. I am a child of God am I am saved. I know my salvation can not be snatched away, I know I am firmly in the grip of the Lord. But Satan can take my joy, peace and contentment on this side of heaven. He can keep me from being transformed into His image. He can keep me in the chains Jesus destroyed at the cross. Fear, worry, despair, guilt, shame can keep me from living in freedom here on this side of heaven. He can keep me from shining THE LIGHT and drawing others to know the one, true God.
But God will never stop fighting either. He wants full rule and reign in my life. I know I fail so often. I know I am difficult. I know I am not a compliant believer. I know I allow fear, guilt and shame keep me from living a life fully surrendered to Him. I know He has to fight hard to get me to fully surrender, for me to give up dominion over my life, my right. I am just so grateful He is patient, persistent and long suffering. I am so grateful He loves me so. I am so grateful that He sees worth in me, that He continues to reveal Himself to me. He is so good. He is so faithful.
The interesting thing about a fight is this, I can choose to end the fight anytime I want. I can choose. Do I want to continue to keep fighting for dominion over my own life? Or Do I want God to have complete rule and reign over my life? When I choose to die to myself and submit to His rule and reign the fight is over. It will be a choice I have to make multiple times a day, every day, for the rest of my life. But the quicker I make that choice, the quicker the fight is over. And I can rest in Him and enjoy all the inheritances of His goodness. My prayer is that I will recognize the struggle for control quickly, that I will submit quickly, that I will be obedient to what He is asking, so I can rest and allow Him to fight on my behalf.
