With Whom Do You Want to Rule

With Whom Do You Want to Rule

“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:5.

Jesus is God’s Son, which means that He is the heir; but Satan is the “god of this world,” and he has blinded the minds of the unbelievers lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine for them. 2 Cor. 4:4. “The god of this world” tried to deceive Jesus and showed Him all the world’s kingdoms in a moment of time, saying to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be Yours. And Jesus answered and said to him . . . ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Luke 4:5-8.

We see how it went with Jesus; He didn’t even have a place where he could lay His head. However, after He had overcome all things, God gave Him all power in heaven and on earth. Jesus said to those who wanted to make Him king, “My time has not yet come.” He did not want to have any authority together with Satan. Jesus did not want to have any of it as long as Satan ruled over all the kingdoms and their glories. Therefore Jesus says that no one can be His disciple unless he forsakes everything; and John writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15.

Those who strive for the glory of this world go further and further away from God. This is a daily occurrence. We see that Jesus has little or no room in the habitations of the rich. The reason is that Satan does not give his glory to anyone except those who worship him. Many people sense this, therefore they do not have the faith to get converted, and even fewer people have the faith to become a disciple of Jesus. However, Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Read Luke 12:29-38. Now we may feel that we are being pushed aside on all fronts because we do not want to worship the devil; but Jesus’ hour has not yet come, and we also do not want to have any authority before that time either. Jesus has promised that He will give us what we need if we seek God’s kingdom first, so we don’t need to be afraid. And when Jesus’ hour has come the devil will be bound for a thousand years and the kingdom will belong to Jesus and His flock. Rev. 20:1-6.

So we see that no one can overcome but those who believe that Jesus is God’s Son. Most people do not have the faith to wait until Jesus’ hour has come. They reach out for the earthly treasures now even as they belong to Satan. They hold on to them with all their might and are filled with anxiety. Yet how poor they will be on the day when Satan is bound; then the roles will be reversed. What a glorious day that will be! Therefore we read that the glory belongs to him who believes. 1 Pet. 2:7.

No one who loves the world and its glory now while Satan is loose can love the Father. Now we sell what we have, give alms, make ourselves moneybags that do not grow old, and gather treasures in heaven. Our loins are girded up and our lights are burning while we wait for our Lord. Yes, blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds watching when He comes. He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. They will not lack glory and authority because they worshiped the Lord their God alone and overcame the world.