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The King of Kings, Lord of Lords (2)
A king often comes into power due to having done battle with an enemy prior to conquering the land, and begins his rule in a new territory. He establishes his law. He puts people in authority to carry out his commands, establishes a tax code, and maintains a military force.
How did Jesus conquer? What was His strategy? What or whom did He overcome to be placed as king? Would His laws become unbearable? What promises would He make as the new king?
Jesus conquered DEATH.
Death is something we fear. We would avoid it if we could. We do not like to mention it. It cannot be avoided. It will not stop, though we fear it. We all die. The wise will as well as the fool; the rich as well as the poor (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16).
Our fear of death is removed, because Jesus conquered it. 2 Timothy 1:8-10 says He abolished it and “brought life and immortality to light though the gospel.” From reading 1 Corinthians 15:52-57, death is swallowed up because of what Jesus did. This makes Jesus the king over death. It also helps us understand, since Jesus has conquered death, why God asks for our repentance, submission, and obedience to this King, His Son (Acts 17:30-31). No one else has done what He has done for us.
The reason for there to be no fear in death is not only it being abolished, but there is a destiny after the death is removed - a resurrection. Conquering death is a joyful thing. It is something of which the people in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 needed assurance because of the loved ones who had passed. By faith they could see the resurrection of their loved ones and their own resurrections, because the King, Jesus, conquered death in His resurrection.
Jesus conquered SIN.
Sin feels good at the time it is done. Others say the same thing and ride the same wagon extolling sin’s pleasure and fun. We are in a free land to do it. Expressing yourself is a great “privilege.”
When reading 2 Timothy 2:24-26, a person understands sin is not free like we assume. We may be free by society’s standards to do it, but we are not free by God’s standards. Sin brings a bondage and a snare. We are caught and held captive by its enticements and fun. Some are held so tightly by it, they say, “I can’t get out of this. It’s hard to stop. Everyone else is doing it.” People making those statements are conquered by sin, not conquering sin. They are not truly free, and we will never be free until we come to Jesus.
When you read Colossians 1:13-14, you realize Jesus conquers the sin which leads to death by redeeming us. “...Who delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins...” We are freed from sin by what Jesus the King did in living perfectly and dying for our transgressions (Hebrews 4:14-16). this is liberating freedom to have the bondage of sin we think we cannot get out of or is hard to stop. Jesus brings the freedom sin may promise but cannot fulfill.
Jesus conquered THE DEVIL.
Satan joys in sin and death. He loves to see man bask in all he offers. The reality is Satan is man’s greatest opponent and adversary in life. He has great power, a power we cannot overcome. We do not have the forces to overcome all the ways he tempts us. We can yell, swing our arms, get angry, cry, and hide, but none of those things makes him go away and stop what he does. “...The whole world lieth in the evil one...” (1 John 5:19).
If you read Hebrews 2:14-18, Satan has always been our problem. However, Jesus conquers him as a “propitiation.” Knowing this gives us a choice of making Jesus our King and Lord to help when tempted. With what Jesus does to overcome Satan, we are drawn to Him to help us overcome the devil. The Lord has to be the dominant matter in our minds. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says we need to allow all things to be captive to Jesus. When our hearts are engulfed in and taken captive by the Christ, we defeat Satan. Christ supplies all the equipment (Ephesians 6:01-18). We do not go out with a determined grit, fortitude, or drive to conquer Satan. We need to put the armor on and keep it on, because we have no idea where or when Satan will strike.
Jesus is the King and Lord over everything Satan uses to defeat us. He helps when we think the situation is helpless. He saves when we think the situation is hopeless. It is our responsibility to sacrifice for Him since He has sacrificed for us (Romans 12:1-2). The king of a nation asks of its citizens to submit, follow the law, and receive blessings from living in the land over which he rules. This King of kings, Lord of lords does nothing less thank ask for submission and following, and gives blessing from obedience. This King is faithful, true, has blood for redeeming, the word which directs, eyes like blazing fire, a sharp sword a rod (conquering), and a name like no other (Revelation 19:11-16). Fix your eyes upon the King of kings, not on yourself. As the King of kings, He deserves your ultimate attention and devotion.
