Sovereignty is an aspect of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives. “Lord” is not a title, but a description of relationship. Lordship is not only an affirmation of what Jesus did at the cross, but agreement with Him that at His resurrection, and our acceptance of Him as Savior, we have now given up the right to dictate our own destinies, act according to our past, or control our present.
Recognition of His Sovereignty
When we speak of the sovereignty of God, we are speaking of His exclusive authority over us. God is a jealous God, and does not delegate His sovereignty, His authority to anyone else. Though there are those He may set in positional authority (our boss, the police, etc.), these have authority only in the natural realm. The ONLY spiritual authority in a believer’s life is God Himself. God is NOT your co-pilot, He’s your Pilot; He doesn’t want the Guest Room, He wants the Throne Room; He doesn’t come to help out, He comes to take over! So if you want to get along with God, don’t sit in His chair—AND DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE SIT IN IT EITHER!
Submission to His Sovereignty
Knowing God involves not just acknowledgment of His sovereignty, but also a joining of our wills to His in subjection to that authority. As we learn to depend on Him, as He exercises His full rights over our lives, we begin to enjoy letting Him live through us, even in unpleasant situations. Since one of the goals of the flesh is to maintain control, as the Lord begins to exert His absolute control over our life, there will be conflict with the flesh, both our own and the flesh of those who, for whatever reason, believe they have a right to exert spiritual, or in some cases soulical or natural rights over us that they do not have. But as we continue to submit our rights, we also become blind to how the Lord deals with these situations.
One of the reasons we may avoid learning to know God for ourselves, and be directly under His authority and lordship, is we are believing lies, and are afraid of what He may say to us or ask us to do. You DO want to know Him. By grace we know that we are already totally acceptable, honored and loved by Him permanently, so that whatever He may say or ask of us, it is for our good, to bring healing, deliverance and rest to us and through us. Don’t tell Him what to do, or how to do it; He is under no obligation to tell us when or how or what.
“Father, I ask You now to show me if there is anyone or anything I turn to before I turn to You for guidance, direction, encouragement or correction, or even for friendship, acceptance or recognition.”
Adapted from Knowing God by Dianne Thomas