“For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died, and rose and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:8-9 (NKJV)
The term “Lord” simply means the owner and master of something or someone, or the one who has supreme authority over a territory. Lordship was at the very heart of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross. When the lordship of Jesus becomes a settled issue in our daily lives as Christians, then all other issues would be settled as well.
The central message of the Bible is that “Jesus Christ is the Lord of all.” The most important truth in relation to our Christian walk is the lordship of Jesus Christ. If we do believe in His Lordship, then it should compel us to make the preaching of this message a matter of priority and urgency.
The reason for that defeat, discouragement, and despair in our lives as Christians are predominantly as a result of our refusal to acknowledge Him as our Lord. We try to approach life with our own strength, ability or power forgetting that when we get born again, we are no longer in charge of our lives. Our ability to do great things are now engineered by the lordship of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle puts it rightly in Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
It is very easy to acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour but when it comes to surrendering our lives or will to Him as our Lord, then it becomes challenging. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, it involves the recognition of His lordship. We must begin to yield to His will subsequent to our conversion. Jesus is a perfect gentleman. He doesn’t force us to give Him any area of our lives.
Most often, we say that Jesus is our Lord, but we have many areas in our lives that we refuse to surrender to Him; and in those areas where He is not made Lord, He does not tend to them, since they are not part of His domain. However, when we surrender all our will, Jesus becomes the supreme authority. When Jesus is the owner, the enemy cannot touch those area. For instance, when we make Him Lord over our finances, He will be in charge of our prosperity; providing for us, obtaining the best contracts for us, and He will pour out His gracious favour over our lives. In effect, we need to unseat ourselves and put Him in place. We need to die with Jesus so we can rise with Him in the power of His resurrection.
“Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NKJV):
Beloved, whatever the challenges that has bedeviled us, the knees of those challenges will bow to the name of Jesus as we recognize Him as our Lord. When we surrender our lives to Him, He becomes our savior, healer, protector and an unconditional friend. Today, I appeal to you to surrender every area of your life to Jesus, so that His will may be done your life. No matter your religion, race, the place of origin or whatever you might have done; if you surrender every area of your life to Jesus, He will take you out of those obscenities and use you for His glory.
Pray with me
Lord Jesus, I regret having acted in rebellion, but today I come before You and I surrender every area of my life to you. I choose to die to myself; even as I ask You to be my Lord and Saviour. Today I depose my arms and allow that, from now on, You transform my mind and guide my every step. I want to do Your will, this I ask in Jesus name! Amen!
Author: REV. SOLOMON KWAME LUTTERODT
So true.