How do you make Jesus King of your life? In Daniel 7:13-14, Daniel said he saw “One like the Son of Man.” The Son of Man was an expression Jesus used to describe Himself. Daniel saw Jesus and said that He was given…
- Dominion
- Glory
- A Kingdom
Daniel saw Jesus as King, and you can too.
- “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”–Daniel 7:13-14 (Emphasis added)
Numerous kingdoms have existed throughout history. The Bible indeed tells us of the rise and fall of several of these kingdoms. None of them, however, have the strength, abundance, prosperity, and promises of restoration, righteousness, love, and perfection like the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
What Does It Mean to Make Jesus King of Your Life?
- “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’”–John 18:36
You might get busy with your daily routines: work, family, hobbies, and life. In fact, you likely have gotten so absorbed at times that you prioritized all these activities over your King. Prioritizing things of this world means allowing them to rule over you, just like a king does.
Jesus' kingship has many facets. Revelation 17:16 says that Jesus is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” If the Bible claims that Jesus is King, and you believe God’s Word is truth, then you need to make Jesus king of your life and know what this means.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords because…
- He brings princes to nothing (Isaiah 40:23-24)
- He upholds the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3)
- He had a one-of-a-kind and pure conception and birth (Matthew 1:18-25)
- He heals (Matthew 8:5-17)
- He gives us eternal life through His death on a cross (John 17:3-6)
None could these things could be accomplished except by divine power. There's no way any mere human could perform such amazing feats without supernatural assistance.
This means that when you accept Christ as your Savior, you accept Christ as your King—the One who lives within you and gives you victory over sin every day.
Jesus | King of the Universe
Jesus is the King of the universe. He has all power and authority over everything in existence, including humanity.
- “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”–Colossians 1:16
Because Jesus is King of the universe, you can make Him King of your life.
How do you make Jesus King of your life?
- Serve Him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).
Jesus | King of Your Heart
Jesus is also King of your heart because He reigns there as well! If you love Him with all your heart, you submit yourself to Him as your ruler and Lord and respond in love (1 John 4:19). You will obey His commands because you love Him more than anything else (John 14:15).
- “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”–Colossians 3:15-17
Because Jesus is the King of your heart, you can make Him King of your life.
How do you make Jesus King of your life?
- You seek His kingdom and righteousness first (Matthew 6:33).
What Stands in the Way of Jesus Ruling in Our Hearts?
To make Jesus King of your life, you need to get rid of the obstacles in your way. Here are some common roadblocks…
Pride
When you are proud, you take credit for God's wonderful works. Such pride means you are consumed with yourself, pushing Jesus away from your mind and further out of focus. God hates such pride (Proverbs 8:13) as it is the complete opposite of the humility He expects of His children. In the end, such pride will be your destruction and disgrace (Proverbs 16:18)
Material or Worldly Wealth
It's easy for worldly riches and possessions to entrap you to the point of forgetting who granted them to you. You might become so caught up that you make these riches your king and priority. You forget they'll never be enough or satisfy you (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
Jesus reminds us not to store up treasures on earth because they will eventually be destroyed. Instead, we are to store up treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed. Where our treasure is, there our hearts will also be (Matthew 6:19-21).
Struggles and Hardships
Struggles and hardships are part of life. We all face them in one way or another, but how you handle them matters. Even the most faithful of God's servants, such as Moses, Elijah, Abraham, David, and the disciples, faced hardships. Jesus faced hardships!
God allows you to face them to strengthen your faith and trust in Him, shaping you more into His image. However, these hardships can either refine you or define you. Be careful not to let struggles and hardships rule your thought life. God’s Word tells us to set our minds on the things above, not on the things of this earth.
Lack of Faith and Trust
There are times when faith and trust in God can wane, especially during difficult times. However, like Job, that's when your faith in God can actually grow, becoming stronger than before.
As Jesus said in Mark 9:23, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Further, asking Jesus to develop and grow your faith and trust in Him pleases Him, and He is gracious to reward you accordingly (Hebrews 11:6).
Live Out Colossians 3:15
Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
- Let Him rule.
Because Jesus is King, let Him rule your heart and life, your thoughts and words, your actions and feelings. Pray and ask Him what His thoughts are about situations and circumstances you go through daily and that He aligns your thoughts with His.
- Be thankful.
The Bible says to give thanks in all circumstances. Because God works through and in all things, you can thank Him for what He is already doing.
How do we know if we're living under His kingship?
As difficult as it is, do you welcome correction and instruction? How do you respond when someone points out your sin or you hear a sermon challenging your thoughts?
David asked God to search his heart and to reveal anything not of God within him. He petitioned God, asking him to lead him back to the way everlasting when he was wrong (Psalm 139:23-24). This shows a heart that desires to be under Jesus’ authority.
If you struggle with this, perhaps it is time to ask God how He wants to change this area of your heart.
Repent and ask God to forgive you for placing other things or people on the throne of your heart. Confess it is He alone who deserves that seat. This is the process of making Jesus king of your life.
Summary
When you obey God's Word and make Jesus king in your life, you experience His rule in all areas of life. He guides you and gives you wisdom, courage, and joy to be living proof of a loving God to a watching world. Christ has called you to walk in unity and bring others into His kingdom through loving one another as He loved (John 13:34).
This is what it means when Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses,” because He wants you to share His love with those around you by living out this truth together.
And this is what it looks like to make Jesus King of your life. Are you ready to take that step?
