CHRIST'S INCREASING KINGDOM The Spirit informs us that God has determined to openly display His Son in ALL of His glory. While men may doubt His exaltation now, no one will doubt it then. Thus it is written, "that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless UNTIL our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which He [God the Father] will manifest in His own time, He who IS the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen" (1 Tim 6:16). NKJV -- Tomorrow:
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. OF THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND PEACE THERE SHALL BE NO END, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this!" (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Devotion 19 of 36
Right now, Jesus is not only a Potentate, or Sovereign, He is the "blessed and ONLY potentate!" All other rulers – the "man of sin" (2 Thess 2:3), "the antichrist" (1 John 2:18), and "the son of perdition" (2 Thess 2:3), are nothing more than under-rulers – given brief power from the "only Potentate" in order to the fulfillment of His will. When He is finished with them, as when He was finished with Pharaoh, He will simply dispense with them. Scriptures apprises us the greatest foes will be consumed "with the spirit of His mouth" and destroyed "with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thess 2:8).
There are merchants of fear who write books and preach sermons designed to cause fear in the hearts believers. They chronicle the coming of an awesome despot who will run roughshod over the world, unrestrained and out of control. In order to comfort those who tremble at their message, they declare the church will be secretly wafted out of this world, while all of the havoc goes on. Such men do not promote the welfare of those who are waiting for the Lord from heaven. Their doctrines have been belched up out of stomachs soured with a benighted theology. What they ought to be declaring is the triumph of King Jesus, and how His appearing will bring a swift and decisive end to all despots – Satan included. When Paul spoke of "the man of sin," "son of perdition," and the "wicked one," he announced his destruction at the appearing of Jesus (2 Thess 2:3-8). We do well to do the same. After al, there really is only one "Potentate," and He is the King of kings – Satan and the antichrist included.
Who is the person willing to affirm Jesus is not presently "blessed?" Is there an individual who will stand up and say Christ is not presently "the only Potentate," or all-powerful One? Will anyone dare to say He is not at this present time "King of kings and Lord of lords?" Is He not deserving of "honor and everlasting power" right now? All of that is another way of saying He has been "given a kingdom."
The "Son of man" receiving a kingdom is referred to by Jesus Himself when speaking to the church at Laodicea. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev 3:21). When Jesus was seated with His Father in His throne, He was "given a kingdom." At that point He received the reins of the kingdom in order to bring the sons home to glory and Daniel was given to see it.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You that Your children will be fully revealed at the time Your Son is revealed in all of His glory.