There is a reason for us to be confident. It is by the following. “After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God’” (Rev. 19:1). True believers always keep their confidence in God concerning their life. If salvation, glory and power belong to our God, there is no reason to worry. All things are for our good. Because salvation belongs to Him, He will not lose us. Since glory belongs to Him, He will not disappoint us. And because power is in His hands, He will make all things possible for us. What wonderful privilege then do we have as believers!
God will not lose us, because He saved us in His wisdom and mercy. It was not only His desire to save us, but was also His choice. God made a choice concerning us as He does with all the saved. He chose us from the sinful world and separated us from sin so that we would be a people of His qualities among those who did not desire Him. By choosing people for salvation He establishes righteousness so that judgment will not be unjust. And, He trains, teaches, tests and disciplines us that the light we bear is a guide to those whom He desires to save. For this reason, John heard the voice saying, “salvation belongs to God.” He does not save all, though He impartially desires all to be saved. He only saves those who come to know Him. And He made us His choice that it comes to fruition.
When He made us His choice, it is His will that we bring Him glory. He does not intend we do it by our thoughts and works; for the glory we bring Him does not allow men to see the life His salvation offers. Instead, He gives us His higher ways and thoughts so that the glory resulted would be far greater than that of the flesh. No man can bring forth such glory. One may do many works in His name to display Him to the world. Yet, if they are not of His will, the fruit they yield will not benefit Him. For the nature of the flesh is (has become) such that it works contrary to the nature of holiness. When sin entered flesh, there was nothing righteous left in it. So, flesh has to perish, i.e. death came into existence. But when God in His mercy provided salvation, He began saving the souls of men through His Spirit. It remained the only possibility for Him. Flesh no longer had importance to God. Then, the thoughts and works of men are all either of sin or weakness. They can never bring glory to God. But if a work is of His will, though it may seem foolish and laughable to men, He brings it to fruition, since He knows His intent for it. Men will come to know the excellence of God and of obedience. For this reason, John heard the voice saying, “glory belongs to God.”
In order to accomplish that which God desired in or among men, He has the right resource and that too, in ample amounts. It is power. It can resolve things or matters and change circumstances, even times. Hence, we hear and believe that nothing is impossible to God. What man does not know and many times does not accept is that he does not own the power to save himself from all things including death. He does not have, rather he lost, the wisdom to see beyond the life in the flesh. This restricts him from being sovereign. Nevertheless, when he believes in God, who is sovereign, the power of God comes into action. It saves him and glorifies him by the glory it brings to God. It is quite different to what man has seen or known. It is endless. It cannot be overwhelmed. It can destroy all things. It makes ways where there are none. Believers are acquainted with it. From the slightest of matters to the greatest of them it is able to resolve. So, John heard the voice saying, “power belongs to God.”
Let us consider the following. “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19). Evidently, Abraham not only knew, but believed that salvation, power and glory belong to God. When he considered his own body, he knew it was useless; and the deadness of Sarah’s womb meant her body to bear children is also useless. Now, here is how he overcame the fear of not being able to father a child. It was by faith. Then, he knew all things are possible to God. They were physically not in a position to bear children. Yet, he did not become weak in believing the promise of God. That promise was His will. It showed him what God holds. By it he demonstrated the God of heaven and earth to the world. Sarah too was saved through child bearing, i.e. she retained the honor of a woman. When they were past the time to exercise their power to bear children, i.e. when the situation is beyond their power, they received joy and honor. Life on earth for believers is similar. Many times they find themselves powerless in solving and accomplishing matters. It is because of the sinful world and the weakness of the flesh. Yet, if they are able to contemplate themselves by wholly trusting in God, there will be glory. Hence, the will of God is such a pivotal aspect to their life. It is like the rudder steering the ship.
We are a people weak to overcome the world. I say weak, because we cannot act like the world. If we go by the ways of the world we can accomplish more than few things, but that would mean we compromised our righteousness and holiness. This produces dire consequences. So, when we possess God’s will and contemplate ourselves without becoming weak in faith, we will see Him working on our behalf. This was also the case with Jesus. He believed in God through His will for Him. And we read of those who saw Him “saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon’” (Luke 24:34). This is proof enough for us to believe that salvation, glory and power belong to our God. Luke believed, though he was not present at that time. And if we are a people that believe in the Spirit, we too ought to certainly believe.
God has prepared everything for each one of us. Jesus did not doubt the Father when His will for Him was to die on the cross. He knew He would raise Him from the dead. Similarly, when we are aware of His particular will for us, we should have no reason to doubt. For though we are powerless and in feeble circumstances God will do the needed for us. Then, whatever He prepared for us He will demonstrate. Now, being aware of His will and accomplishing it are two things. Many obtain His will and still fail to bring Him glory, because they do not fulfill it by His ways. They fail to heed His Word. “Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’” (Mark 9:7).
It is utterly important to listen to Jesus, i.e. seek His voice from the Word, if we are to bring glory to God. Why did the Father place such great emphasis on listening to the Son? It is because through Him alone all things have their existence. Hence, when the disciples were given the great commission and were told to wait for the Spirit in Jerusalem, they listened. And He was with them in the Spirit all the days of their ministering to God. Listening to His voice guides us to fulfill His will. God can freely exercise His salvation, glory and power in us.
When believers fail to listen to Jesus, they also fail in performing another significant work. It is to pray. When we pray as Jesus taught His disciples saying, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10), we appeal God to facilitate His power that we receive glory by the glory He receives. To pray for His power and to hear His Son’s voice should be our daily activity, foremost than any other. Then, we find ourselves in awe of His works, intentions and mercies. We have heard them say ‘hallelujah,’ now we ourselves will be convinced of praising Him.
God has planned everything in heaven even before He revealed it to us. His planning is perfect. If we pray that His will to us should be done on earth, He will do it. That we pray for the fulfilling of His will means we declare to Him our readiness to glorify Him. He is a God who observes our hearts and searches it thoroughly that we do not bring Him shame. When the time appears, His power will cause all things for the fulfillment of His will to us. He even causes men to act for the praise of His glory. He is known to act promptly. And we see that “Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David” (Luke 2:4).
It was God’s doing. He controlled the times and led Caesar Augustus to order a census. He used the decree to bring to fulfillment His prophecies and will concerning the Savior. And Jesus, as He said, was born in the city of David. Many would say He just picked the time to perfection. Yes, He does pick time to perfection, but His perfect timing is based on the things He planned to take place. Remember, He controls, governs and supervises all things. So, if we obey God’s will like Joseph and Mary, He will plan our ways for us. And we shall be in the footsteps of the One that said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34).