Focus: Your God Owns It All!

Text: Mt.6:13

"For thine is the KINGDOM, and the POWER, and the GLORY, for ever. Amen."

The Lord's Prayer, which is actually our own prayer, ends with the ascription of kingdom, power and glory to God. Anywhere there is kingdom in this world, it belongs to God. It is documented in the Holy Scripture that when the end of all things comes, that "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev.11:15). In Rom.13:1, Paul tells us that "there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." The psalmist says, "God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps.62:11). Jesus Christ says to Pilate, "Thou couldest have NO POWER AT ALL against me, except it were given thee from above" (Jh.19:11). Talking about the glory, it is written, "Glory and honour are in his presence…" (1Chron.16:27). David declares, "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens" (Ps.8:1). The Scriptures present God as "the God of glory," "the Father of glory," "the Lord of glory," "the Spirit of glory," and "the King of glory." The Holy Trinity is associated with glory in the Scripture of truth.

David captures everything in one breath in his prayer to God. He says, "Thine, O LORD, is the GREATNESS, and the POWER, and the GLORY, and the VICTORY, and the MAJESTY: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the KINGDOM, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all" (1Chron.29:11). He owns it all! He is the head of all. God has neither superior nor equal. He possesses absolute power, indescribable majesty and ultimate kingdom.

What is even more amazing is that our God delights in letting us share His kingdom, power and glory with Him. We are privileged and blessed.

Concerning the kingdom, Jesus Christ says to us, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the KINGDOM" (Lk.12:32). God has no qualms sharing His kingdom with His children. Paul says, "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1Cor.4:20). We have in our possession the kingdom of His power. We are children and citizens of God's kingdom. Paul says again, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col.1:13). We are already in the kingdom now through the new birth in Jesus Christ. The King lives and reigns in us. Paul instructs us by the Spirit to "walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory" (1Thes.2:12).

Concerning the power, we read, "But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had GIVEN SUCH POWER UNTO MEN" (Mt.9:8). God has equipped the believer in Christ with sufficient power. Matthew reports that "when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them POWER against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Mt.10:1). In Luke's account, Jesus Christ says to His disciples, "Behold, I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk.10:19). John says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he POWER to become the sons of God…" (Jh.1:12). Luke describes Stephen as being "full of faith and POWER, did great wonders and miracles among the people" (Act.6:8). Paul tells us of the extent his preaching and the miraculous power that attended it, "Through mighty signs and wonders, by the POWER of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ," and in Ephesians, he tells us that God's power is lodging in us. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the POWER THAT WORKETH IN US" (Rom.15:19; Eph.3:20). In Timothy, he says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2Tim.1:7). Peter writes, "Who are kept by the POWER of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Pet.1:5). Again he says, "According as his divine POWER hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…" (2Pet.1:3). 

Believers in Christ are the people of power. We are loaded with power. We are being sustained by the power of God. God has given us the power to create wealth, the power to cast out devils, and the power to heal sicknesses.

Concerning the glory, the psalmist says, "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with GLORY and honour" (Ps.8:5). God made man to be the crown of creation. God has bestowed upon man His own glory. Jesus Christ prays to the Father, "And the GLORY which thou GAVEST me I have GIVEN them; that they may be one, even as we are one…" (Jh.17:22). He has given us His glory. We are carriers of the divine weight of glory. 

Peter says, "For the spirit of GLORY and of God resteth upon you…" (1Pet.4:14). He describes himself as "a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed" (1Pet.5:1). Indeed we are all partakers of the soon to be revealed glory. Peter continues, "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a CROWN OF GLORY that fadeth not away" (1Pet.5:4). Again he says, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his ETERNAL GLORY by Christ Jesus…" (1Pet.5:10). We have Jude's doxology: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his GLORY with exceeding joy" (Jude 1:24). The Lord Jesus Christ says in His prayer, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may BEHOLD MY GLORY, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (Jh.17:24). Not only have received Christ's glory, but also, when we are finally with Him, we shall behold His glory.

Our God has brought us into His kingdom, given us His power to function on earth, and beautified us with His glory. What is left is for us to reflect the glory we have received.

A. W. Tozer said, "In this world men are judged by their ability to do." What are you doing with the power you have received from God? Are you maximizing your power and opportunity? William James said, "Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake. We are making use of only a small part of our physical and mental resources. Stating the thing broadly, the human individual thus lives far within his limits. He possesses power of various sorts which he habitually fails to use."

I pray you form a new habit of using what God has given you. Don't waste divine resources! Don't do less with God's power! God's power inside you is enormous. Utilize your potential to the fullest! Let it be etched into your consciousness that your God owns it all - the kingdom, the power and the glory! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter