A Sovereign Delay while Satan Rules.

I can only imagine the spiritual battle being waged in the heavenlies as Jesus headed toward Jerusalem and what we call the Triumphal Entry and Holy Week.

Surely, the demons seethed and swarmed.

And while we prepare our hearts to celebrate the fact that Satan and his minions were eternally defeated with the blood-bought, death-defeating victory on the Cross by the King of Kings, we must remember—

we remain in a fallen world,
not yet in the place,
Christ has gone to prepare for us.

We also need to understand that until Christ returns, and evil is cast out, God has allowed Satan to be the ruler of this world (John 12:31).

He is ruling in the sense that he has been allowed influence over our culture—worldly philosophies, entertainment, false religions etc.

But make no mistake, God is absolutely still sovereign in this and is using the evil one to reveal the thoughts and minds of the lost—those who like Satan would not have God rule over them.

I believe it is incredibly important to note that just before the Triumphal Entry, and all that Holy Week would bring, Jesus explains this very thing in the Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27)

Many of Jesus’ followers believed that as Jesus entered Jerusalem the Kingdom of God would appear immediately (Luke 19:11).

But in this parable, Jesus speaks of a sovereign delay —A nobleman is receiving a kingdom for himself but temporarily departs and gives people a choice to have him rule over them and serve him diligently, or to refuse, and be slain.

We are living in this sovereign delay and time of choosing.

Satan is absolutely defeated, but the evil one is allowed temporary reign in our world for God’s purposes to give us a choice.

We have been given a choice to follow Christ or not. God died so we might live eternally in Heaven but He will not force Himself on us.

God gives us each an opportunity , in this life, to surrender our lives to follow and serve Him—or to refuse, like Satan, and the other fallen angels, who would not have God rule over them.

Those who choose to follow Christ will be saved and will live in the Eternal Kingdom. But those who do not want God to rule over them will be slain (Luke 19:27).

God is very clear on this.

What He is not clear on is when He will return and when the time to choose for each person will be up.

Oh friend, have you surrendered all you know of you to all you know of God?

You aren’t promised your next breath. Please don’t think you have time to wait!

Yes, we live in a fallen world, but the ruler of this world has most certainly been defeated. A Day of Judgment is coming, and the way the world looks, this may be sooner rather than later.

For those who belong to the King of Kings, sickness, tears and death will be forever no more!

Our minds cannot imagine what it will be like for our faith to become sight and to walk with Christ in His Kingdom —a New Heaven and a New Earth! But we can be assured that we will behold just that!

But those who refuse to accept the blood-bought gift of salvation, those who will not surrender every part of their lives to the Lordship of the King of Kings, will hear the terrifying words, “ depart from me I never knew you” (Matt 7:23) For, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven“ (Matt 7:21). Those who do not will spend eternity in Hell by their own choice.

Oh friend, choose this day whom you will serve! Choose to follow the One who will not force Himself on you, but Who loves you and died for you and has made a way for you.

And go to church tomorrow and celebrate Palm Sunday! Let’s praise the King together!

What a Savior!

HolyWeek

Easter

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