King of Kings

There's a song I used to listen to back in the day by Nas that goes a little something like this:

“If I ruled the world, imagine that
I'd free all my sons, I love 'em love 'em baby”

Before we continue, don’t hold on to this misconception that just because I am a Believer, I cannot listen to anything but Hillsong Worship or Jesus Culture or even Jeremy Hill from Z88.3 (a local Christian radio station). Yes, I recommend not listening to secular music if you struggle with it, but I know my identity in Christ and that is not a struggle of mine. Every now and then, I indulge with an old school jam or two because that’s what I grew up listening to. I’ll tell you this though, you'll barely catch me jamming out to worldly music. I’d much rather be worshiping God, staying in worship mode, than anything else that this world can offer. Now that I cleared everything up, let’s get this party started!

The other day I was praying and asking God to speak to me, and guess what? He did!!! But what’s new about that? Because the Bible says in Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

When God speaks to me, it's nothing new because, with Him being my Father and me His son, we kind of have to communicate, you know? And how can a King guide His people without communicating with them? Just like Moses spoke to God all throughout the book of Exodus and just like God spoke to Abraham in the book of Genesis, that's how He speaks to us here today. Well, except without taking on the form of a cloud pillar on top of a mountain, a burning bush or without telling me to sacrifice my (currently non-existent) son. You know, minor things. But yes, God does speak and we can hear Him.

Like I was saying before getting off topic- SQUIRREL!!! Ahem, I was praying and asking God to speak to me and He began to place the song by Nas called “If I Ruled the World” in my mind. I was trying to tell my brain to shut up so that I can focus on God’s message for me. And then again, the chorus appeared in my thoughts but this time louder, which by then I knew that it was God’s way of speaking to me and not just my mind trying to overpower me.

So as the chorus was playing in my head, God was revealing to me that if He ruled the world, He’d free all His sons. If He ruled the world, He’d free all His sons. If He ruled the world, He’d free all His sons, because He loves em’ (loves em’, baby). Then I started to allow my mind to flow and let God lead me. Yet all I could muster up is that God already rules the world! First of all, God created the world (Genesis 1:1-25), the people in it (Genesis 1:26-31), and everything else that surrounds us in this life (Genesis 1). But then the enemy came and ruined it (Genesis 3). What did God do as a response? He sent His son, Jesus, to REDEEM and bring FREEDOM not just to the world but also to the people in it (John 3:16): His children (Romans 8:15)!

Technically speaking, we are already free. The price has been paid for us to walk and live in the freedom destined for us. The King fought the battle and won. As a result, we have been freed. Why don’t we see this freedom that I speak of, you ask? Great question! Well, the enemy is great at what He does. He is the father of lies (John 8:44). He’s experienced in the field of deception. His plan is simple: take God’s truths and promises then make them seem like something they’re not. Currently, he prowls around attempting to make people continue living in bondage. But I’m telling you right now that you are free in Jesus name!

The act that Jesus did was win the war against the devil. Right now, you have in front of you a ticket voucher to heaven through this eternal “seasonal pass offer” called grace. Whether you cash it in and follow God or toss it is up to you. But God sent His son Jesus into battle and what looked like a loss from Him dying ended up being a sneak attack because when He resurrected, not only did He sucker punch the devil, but He also took the keys of death and actually beat death itself. So, just like David, a king that went into battle for His people, Jesus came out victorious.

Do you want to live in that victory?

With that being said, I would like to just shine some light on a small area of this bigger picture. Just because this song wasn't a “Christian” one or was simply secular doesn't mean that God isn't able to use it for His glory and get a point across. We see in Genesis 50:20 with the life of Joseph that, what the enemy in this story (his brothers) meant for evil through selling him into slavery, God really meant for good. The act of selling him later led to God placing Joseph into a high position in the eyes of the king which ended up saving Joseph’s brothers and their family. Relating it to this story, the music that the enemy has meant for evil, God still uses for His glory by giving me an inspiring message through it. I’ll leave you with this: don’t place boundaries on what God is capable of doing.