Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 NLT
Acknowledging Jesus as King is much more than believing in Him. James 2:19 tells us that even demons believe in Jesus and tremble at the thought, but that’s not enough.
- A king requires authority. He holds supreme authority over his subjects and expects his commands to be obeyed. King Jesus requires authority in our lives.
- A king requires ultimate allegiance. Kings expect to be the lone ruler in your life. Jesus will not accept “shared loyalty” on the throne of your heart.
- A king requires action. Kings don’t ask for agreement alone. Agreement must be teamed with action in alignment with the king. True faith in King Jesus shows itself by loyal and complete action, changed behavior, marked by obedience.
What does obedience to the King look like?
- Obedience to the King is not asking Him to bless or participate in MY plans. It is surrender that willingly places my plans under His authority.
- Obedience is love in action, treating others the way He commands, even when it is challenging.
- Obedience is trust. I follow what He says because I believe He knows what is best for me. I trust that His ways are always for my good.
When Jesus is King, He gets more than my admiration. He gets my total allegiance. When Jesus is King, it requires far more than believing the right things about Him. It is more than loving Him. A King is not just someone to love. He is not just an advisor. He is the absolute ruler and authority of my life.
King Jesus is not simply asking to be added to my life. He is asking to be Lord of my life.
- Think about it and ask the following questions: Do I treat Jesus as an advisor or as the absolute ruler of my life? Is there an area where I say I believe Him, but refuse to obey Him? Is there a specific teaching or command of Jesus He is asking me to obey right now or an area He is asking me to surrender? What challenges am I facing in obeying Him in this area? Take the next week or so to consider how you can actively work with Jesus so both you and He know that He is your King.