FUNCTIONING AS A KING - PART 1

SATURDAY 05 AUGUST 2023

David was a king the Lord was greatly delighted in. However, he knew something on the inside, which led him to enjoy manifold victory from the Lord - in the battles and life's situations he encountered. For this reason, the Psalmist said, "Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to His anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand..." (Psalm 20:6 NIV). Yes, the Lord gives victory to the king!

Reference: Psalm 21:1 New Living Translation (NLT) "How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because you give him victory."

King David rejoices in the strength of the Lord. Our referenced Scripture says, "How great is his joy in the victories God gives him! Verses 2-5 says more about David's joyous experience for the Lord's given victory: "You have granted him His heart's desire and have not withheld the request of His lips. You came to greet Him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on His head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, His glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendour and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made Him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High He will not be shaken" (NIV).

In his day, King David was anointed as king of Israel for the Lord and by the presiding strength of his reign, the Israelites won all their battles which led to the expansion of their empires. In this present age, we are chosen to function accordingly in Christ's superior Kingdom. To that effect, Revelation 1:5-6 says, "From Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)— and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (AMP). Through the virtue of new birth and salvation, the Lord Jesus formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], and priests to His God and Father. And as kings and priests unto God, He gives us the victory.

1 Corinthians 15:57 ► But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (ESV). Just as King David rejoiced in the strength of the Lord with shouts with joy because God granted him many-sided victory, we should remain thankful to God for the victories He gives us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Notice that God gives us His victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Why is our victory not directly affordable without Christ? This is because there is no coming to God except by Christ (John 14:6 NIV), and all the assured promises and benefits of salvation come to us through Christ. Hence, our thanksgivings of victory are only acceptable to God on His account, and so, we must rightly offer them to God in Christ, through Christ and by Christ. Got it?

King David was a replica of an empire of countless victories of the new life we've been given in Christ Jesus. Beloved, our unquestionable victory and dominion are unstoppable in the Lord. And it is a vast multifarious wonder to grasp the reason behind Pauline epistolary comfort, assurance and moral support in 2nd Corinthians 2:14 which says, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere" (ESV). To constantly build and sustain a victor's mindset, cogitate on the Word, plus practise and respond to it with ardent alacrity. Stay tuned for part 2. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Proverbs 16:10 & 13; Proverbs 20:8; Luke 1:69; Acts 13:22-23.

Exuberant Declaration: On a regular basis, I experience expansive, tremendous and triumphant life of Christ's sacrificial love poured forth on me as a child of the Most high God. Glory to God!