I will never forget the day when God told me that there’s a difference between when I think He’s with me and when He truly is. Now, don’t get me wrong, God loves us and His Spirit lives within us 24/7. However, the revelation He conveyed to me that moment is that He has a people, “My people.”
Someone can be in church for years and be very religious, but this doesn’t mean there is a covenant between God and them. Please bear with me as this may not make sense to you at first, but it will as soon as the Holy Spirit brings it home.
In the Holy Bible, God refers to His people as chosen, holy, peculiar, and a royal priesthood, as found in 1 Peter 2:9. His people are called to live on His Holy Mountain. The psalmist said in Psalm 15:1 and 4, “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? “One who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts and does not change his mind.” God is a covenant-keeping God, and He also calls His people to faithfulness.
Sometimes a covenant is passed down the family line. However, God will not let the next person walk with Him blindly without knowing that they are in covenant with Him and what it entails. For example, God told Moses ahead of time that Joshua would be his successor. Then, later, God Himself revealed it to Joshua. (Joshua 1:1-9)
Being under God’s authority means accepting the fact that your life is no longer your own; it means living a life of surrender unto the Lord.
So, what does that look like in real life?
A life of surrender may sound easy, but it may not be as easy. Let’s say, for example, pastry is my thing, and my friends know it. They know that anything that involves pastry, they can always count on me as a willing participant to eat with no questions asked. And they invited me to their pastry festival, but I cannot go because that very moment when that party will be held is the moment when I usually have my quiet/worship moment with God. I may look like the weirdest creature on the planet to my friends, and possibly be misjudged by them because they have no idea that things have changed ever since I became a citizen in God’s kingdom; my life is no longer my own. Nonetheless, I must decide who I would rather be unfaithful to and consider the consequences of my decision.
When you are under God’s authority, you have to allow Him to change everything about you that needs to be changed, down to the lies that you’ve believed about yourself for years. Your itineraries, your plans, and all of that must go for the sake of God’s agenda for your life, even if that means forsaking your own desires, losing your friends, your career, and even your loved ones. You must be totally okay with God’s decision, and God will also help you let people, places, and things go. God will give you a set of instructions to live by, which will be a different life pattern than what you are used to. It will be different from the norm, but it is the pattern that your soul needs.
The thing is, as strange as it may sound, the life that God has for us is the one we’ve been looking for. The time when Jesus becomes our Good Shepherd and we become the sheep of His pasture, where the devil cannot have his way with us.
When God oversees you, He is not only in control of your life, but you also don’t lack any good thing. God being in full control of your life doesn’t mean that if your back is itching, you can’t scratch it unless God opposes that; otherwise, it depends on how long you want to feel the itch. However, any decision that could have a short-term or long-term negative impact on you or others needs to be presented before God first, because you will witness for yourself how rewarding it is when things are done His way. “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him” Psalm 34:8
God’s people lack nothing because God then becomes their Supplier for everything, which is indeed one of the best deals from God. Let’s imagine this: We live in a world where people’s priorities are to be financially stable, healthy, have a roof over their head, be free from stress, provide for their family, always be safe and secure in their homes with their family, and travel and spend time with their family peacefully. Some people will even work two jobs to keep up, but still fall short of accomplishing these things. They cannot sustain someone else if they are not being sustained by God themselves.
For example, when we consider Exodus 23:25- 27, where God offers to bless our food and water, remove sickness from among us, increase our lifespan, and scatter our enemies before us if we worship Him. So, if God is giving us all these things and other gifts such as strength, wisdom, creativity, wealth, peace, joy, protection, and many other spiritual gifts, when we obey what He says for our good. How can we not accept such an offer? If this is not a great bargain, I don’t know what is! And those who are willing to become His people enjoy His many blessings. Does that mean they are living a stress-free life? The answer is no. But what they know and are certain of is that when stress knocks at their door and sicknesses show up, they know what’s next: God’s powerful intervention will meet them right in the middle of their problems because He’s done it for them over and over again due to His covenant with them through Christ.
When you are God’s special people, your cry receives special attention because it has a different sound in God’s ears. However, it’s interesting to say that God may not answer His people right away, but He’s never late in answering them. God can give other people in their stead. He can even destroy a whole country because of His people. God will hold back strong winds, part the Red Sea, and send plagues for the sake of His people. The Bible says in Psalm 50:14-15, “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you will honor Me.” The deliverance of God’s people when they cry out to Him is nothing but a matter of God’s timing. All they have to do is cry out to their Father, who has full authority over them, and wait patiently because their deliverance will certainly come in due time. I am a witness to this, and there’s no doubt about it.
We only need God to be on our side because once He is, then no one and no spiritual forces can be against us. However, to benefit from all these things, we have to be under God’s authority through Christ Jesus. We don’t have to be perfect to be under His rulership because God is faithful to His covenant with us, and He will always keep us on the right track and help us stay the course when we lose our way on the journey. Oh, how freeing it is to know that Jesus is our partner for the long haul. Amen! Hallelujah!
Always remember, Jesus has your back!
SCRIPTURES
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I’ve been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:23-25
“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” Psalm 46: 5
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