My son, do not despise the Lord’s
discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he
loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11,12
Has the question ever risen in your heart: Am I going to sit
on the throne to rule and reign with Christ?
Maybe the better question to ask is: Am I meeting the conditions set by
God to sit on the throne to rule and reign with Christ? God has left us examples
in His word to help answer this question.
In I Kings, King David was on the verge of death and Israel was
asking who will be heir. We need to
recognize how the natural man moved during this critical time in Israel’s
history, and how the natural man is moving at this particular time as well. The Holy Spirit helps us to recognize human
nature and how God deals with it. Throughout
His Word, God exposes the natural man’s sinful state to help us. I Kings 1:1-37
records the story of David’s last days upon the earth. Verse 5 reads, “Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put
himself forward and said, “I will be
king.” So he got chariots and horses
ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.”
Note the first two words, “I will”.
In Isaiah 14:13-14, Lucifer rose up and crassly
spoke similar words before he was cast out of heaven, “….. I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne above the
stars of God; I will sit enthroned
on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the
clouds; I will make myself like the
Most High.”
Nathan the prophet told King David what was taking place. I
Kings 1:6 reads, “His father had never interfered
with him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?...” This verse tells us Adonijah
never experienced the discipline of his father. Understand this; we must receive
our Father’s discipline in order to come into our given positions in the Body
of Christ instead of moving forward and taking titles and ministries that have
not been given to us. Only through this process of discipline will we sit on
the throne to rule and reign with Jesus Christ.
Jesus said in Luke 16:10-12, “Whoever
can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is
dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in
handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have
not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property
of your own?”
In 1 Kings 1:33 David declares his son Solomon as heir to his
throne. Solomon’s procession didn’t consist of chariots or guards. He was put
on the king’s mule, escorted by the priest
and the prophet, then sat on the
throne and was declared King.
Solomon’s heart is revealed in I Kings 3:7-9, “Now, Lord my God, you have made your
servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my
duties. Your servant is here among the
people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to
govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able
to govern this great people of yours?”
There was no arrogance, pride, or self confidence in Solomon. The
prophet and priest came and got him. Today
it is the Holy Spirit that draws a person as we read in Matthew 2:14, “Many are
called but few are chosen.” You will
know it and you will submit to God’s disciplinary process. How important it is to listen, to agree and
come into the reality of God’s divine discipline.
Today, there is a greater one than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). According
to Galatians 4:6, “Because you are his
sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
“Abba, Father.” This is being ‘United in the Spirit’. Since we have
received the faith of the Son, we have received the authority and power of the Son. However before we can exert the authority we
must understand the discipline our Father puts us through. We must willfully accept or reject the
process of discipline; this is not the time to complain. God is speaking to his
people through the unfolding events around us.
The Body of Christ is preparing to manifest the authority, the power and
the glory of Jesus Christ; all that He is and all that He has.
There was peace throughout the land during Solomon’s reign but
it came to an end as all types and shadows do.
Today Jesus Christ has arrived in all His glory and He is increasing in
us. Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV) reads, “Of the
increase of His government and peace there will be no end...” As the Spirit
of Glory is increasing, the spirit of the antichrist is also increasing. Discipline comes along with spiritual increase
because the spirit of Christ is being poured out. The church will arise in the glory and
splendor of Jesus Christ. Solomon was
declared King and proclaimed heir of the kingdom because he was loved by his
father. Kingship is not a matter of
merit, skill, talent or any natural accomplishments; it’s a matter of love. Love
is the key to discipline that is working in us and for us. Solomon’s words were referenced in Hebrews 12:5
when the Hebrews were going through troubling times of pressure and testing, “
. . .My son, do not make light of the
Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord
disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” You and I are discovering our position; we
are coming to know what it will take to rule and reign with Christ Jesus.
Our Lord endured discipline.
Hebrews 5:7 reads, “During the
days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries
and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of
his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what
he suffered…..” Are you a son? It is very
important to understand our father’s ways!
Consider the Lord accepting Judas Iscariot’s purpose and never pushing
him away. He knew Judas’ walk with Him
was appointed of His father. Jesus knew
his disciples were flesh and blood with weaknesses, ambitions and self
interests. As they walked with him he
accepted and loved them to the end.
Kingship is not a
matter of merit, skill, talent or any natural accomplishments; it’s a matter of
love.
We must understand and accept the process of discipline
because God loves us despite the poverty, pain or whatever else has been
ordained for us. We belong to God. If our Lord had to endure these hardships to
inherit, shouldn’t we as sons and daughters accept hardships in order to
receive our inheritance? We are being loved
in these times of hardships and crisis.
There is a hereafter; there is a throne to be received and a kingdom to
rule. He will entrust the Kingdom of His
Son to children who have accepted the discipline and understood its purpose. The reality of “Here am I” will set in and a
joy will abound despite the circumstances.
You’ll know you’re in your Father’s hands. God says to the church in Revelation 3:19-22
(NKJV), “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and
dine with him, and he with Me. TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES I will grant to
sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His
throne. He who has an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.” We are destined to rule and reign, but
there is a process of discipline that will bring discomfort, pain, and irritation.
God knows what he is doing to you. Sometimes
He will use those closest to you, a family member, friend or co-worker. This is
not a time to give up!!! This is a time to submit and depend on God. Regardless of where you are pray that you
will take hold of this revelation and submit to the Holy Spirit who will bring illumination
to your understanding. The process of
being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ will become a reality and this
world which is coming to an end will see that there is a people who know their
God and who walk upon the face of this earth demonstrating, expressing and
fulfilling God’s purpose. The message of
the cross is Jesus Christ glorified and exalted. The
Holy Spirit solely knows what the Body of Christ needs. Rejoice in the Lord in EVERYTHING, rejoice!!!!
*Unless noted, all scripture references are from the NIV.
