Is God in Control? Part 4

Did God the Creator, Lord of heaven and earth, really give man dominion (authority and control) over the earth? Yes! (See Part 1.)

Did that old serpent, the Devil, really deceive Adam and Eve into handing their dominion (authority and control) over to him, effectively making Satan the god of this world? Yes! (See Part 2.)

Did Jesus Christ really set free all who believe on his name from the worldly dominion (authority and control) of Satan? Yes! (See Part 3.)

So, what does all this mean for us? Today, we each have the freedom in Christ to have our heavenly Father give us the victory, even though we live in a world ruled by Satan.

Our Choice Today

All those born after the fall of man have had to deal with the problem of sin and separation from God as best they could. None lived perfectly, but plenty sought after God’s heart and will. God manifested His will to all throughout the ages in many and various ways—by the spoken Word of God, by the written Word of God, and by the living Word of God, His Son, Jesus Christ.

John 1:14:
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 1:1,2:
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

Now we live in a very blessed and unique time in history. By no work of our own and simply by accepting the grace of God in the accomplished works of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, we stand free and righteous in Christ with the hope of eternal life in him. And this is available to anyone and everyone living in the world today!

Satan’s Dominion

Yet we still have physical bodies and an old-man nature, not to mention other aspects of Satan’s worldly powers that come at us such as his myths, fables, and cunningly deceitful “winds of doctrine” (II Timothy 4:4; Ephesians 4:14).  The adversary does his best to hinder God’s purposes, to obscure the light of God’s Word, to discredit our heavenly Father and to gain for himself the worship that rightfully belongs to the true God (Romans 1:20-25).

Choosing God’s Love

As God’s children, we have essentially the same choice Adam and Eve originally had—will we live our lives God’s way, or will we live the way of the world, Satan’s way? The difference is that Adam began life in the garden of Eden; today we are born into “the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2) where Satan has dominion.

When I heard the spoken Word of God, when I read the written Word of God, when I considered the source of the magnificent creation around me, when I witnessed the powerful love of Christ in those who followed in his steps, I believed.

I believed in the invisible God who loved me since before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4).  I believed in the atoning work of His Son, Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).  I confessed with my mouth the Lord Jesus, and I believed God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).  I was born again of God’s spirit, and I became His child.

Notice how often the pronoun “I” appears in the previous two paragraphs. Why? To demonstrate the freewill choice that God has given to each of us. We each have “control” over our own spiritual destiny. This includes both 1) choosing to receive the new birth, and 2) the choice we have moment by moment to walk by the spirit of God within us or to walk by sensual and worldly ways (Galatians 5:16).

God does not predestine, control, or choose to save particular “favorites.” Consistent with His love, He does not take control over anyone’s mind or body. However, He does show His mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace to those who choose His way. We live in an age today when God, by His limitless and unconditional love, has made salvation freely available to all the world (John 3:16).

Individual Responsibility

God has given every one the responsibility to control their own body, soul, and (if born again) spirit. Scripture gives clear direction on how to take care of these three aspects of life.

The Body

It requires self-discipline (temperance) to keep the body under control.

I Corinthians 9:25:
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Galatians 5:23:
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

We can make our body a “vessel” unto honor, prepared unto every good work.

I Thessalonians 4:4:
That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.

II Timothy 2:22:
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Believers no longer need to follow the lusts (over-desires) of the flesh.

Galatians 5:24:
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

I Peter 2:11:
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

I Peter 4:2:
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

We can each keep under our body and tell it what to do.

I Corinthians 9:27:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

God wants us to be in good health (III John 2; I Peter 2:24).

The Soul (Breath Life)

You are to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Romans 12:2:
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We can set our thoughts on things above and focus on God’s blessings.

Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Colossians 3:1,2:
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Let’s have a merry heart, for it does good to us like a medicine (Proverbs 15:13,15; 17:22)!

The Spirit

We are to be led by God’s working spiritually within us.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Romans 8:14:
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

It is up to us to use God’s gift of holy spirit by our free will.

I Corinthians 14:32:
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

I Peter 4:11:
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Praying in the spirit (speaking in tongues) avails much.

Romans 8:26-28:
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Ephesians 6:18:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

James 5:16:
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

New Life in Christ

Another difference today (and we can continually sing with joy in our hearts over this one) is that by God’s grace and through the finished work of His Son, we can “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), even in a world of sin and strife. We have chosen God’s way by our own free will, rejecting the controlling systems of the god of this world who only seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

John 10:10:
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

II Peter 1:3,4:
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We who are born again of God’s Spirit have complete and free access to our heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:12). This new life includes the hope of Christ’s return for us so that we will live forevermore. Living the mystery, as one body of Christ, believers support each other in this adventure of shining as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15). We are each a new creation in Christ, and have authority in this world that we can claim!

II Corinthians 5:17:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Colossians 3:10:
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him [God] that created him [it, the gift of holy spirit].

Who Is in Control?

So is “God in control,” as well-meaning people often say? We have to ask ourselves one simple question in order to answer that: which God are we talking about? The Bible says there are basically two “gods” to choose from—the God and Father of Jesus Christ, and the god of this world, the Devil.

Ephesians 3:14,15:
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

II Corinthians 4:4:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Let’s choose to live God’s way like our big brother, Jesus Christ, shining bright as we walk in the light of God’s Word and overcome the darkness of this world!

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