POWER OVER ALL FLESH

"As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him" (John 17:2)

THE LORD JESUS is not anticipating authority over the entire human race when He comes again; He already has it! If this does not comport with appearance, we must believe it anyway! It is a matter of revelation. God has given Jesus power, or authority, over all flesh. It makes little difference whether it is political flesh, religious flesh, wealthy flesh, or common flesh. Christ has power over it all.

FOLLOWING HIS RESURRECTION, Jesus announced to His apostles that "all authority" had been "given unto" Him in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). That is all the authority there is. This is not authority He is expecting to receive, but authority He has already received. He has all authority in heaven! Nothing comes from heaven to earth without His approval. Nothing is received in heaven from earth without the recognition of Him. God looks at the world through Jesus. He has all authority in heaven! The angels are at His beck and call! The Holy Spirit is given because of Him, by Him, and in order to illuminate Him to the hearts of men.

HE HAS ALL AUTHORITY IN EARTHNothing can transpire in this world without His authority. No circumstance occurs in this realm without His approval. He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords! He is the "Governor among the nations" (Psa 22:28). Ultimately, the affairs of men are not determined by vote or by the imposition of powerful individuals. Daniel prophesied to king Nebuchadnezzar "to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men" (Dan 4:17).

WHAT IS THE divine intent behind Jesus receiving "power over all flesh?" It is not for managing a visible government in this world. Jesus reveals the purpose Himself. It is not made known in a discourse to men, but in a prayer to God. It is not prayed at a time of unusual blessing, but on the eve of His own cursing by God (Gal 3:13). Our Lord said these words in anticipation of the "glory that should follow" His vicarious death (1 Pet 1:11): "That He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him" (John 17:2). Note, the power was not given to Him to subdue His enemies – although will surely be done! His enemies will all bow at His feet.

THE MIGHTIEST DISPLAY of Divine power is not the subjugation of those aligned against God! Rather, it is giving eternal life to those that the Father has given to the Son. And what is involved in "giving eternal life to as many as" God has given to Him?

NOMINAL CHRISTENDOM has oversimplified the matter of salvation. Too often they equate it with shrewd evangelistic techniques, oratorical presentations, and disciplined procedures. God associates it with "power over all flesh!" It takes more than a little power to get people from earth to heaven; out of sin into righteousness; delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son! Such dramatic results require "all power in heaven and on earth." The magnitude of salvation has simply not dawned upon the masses of professed believers. That is why they find is easy to entertain futuristic views of a reigning Christ.

OPENING THE DOOR OF FAITHFor 1,500 years, the Gentile nations had been cut off from God. Appropriately, they were described as "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12). How would people in such a hopeless condition come to have faith in God? They were the "heathen" God had pledged to give the Son for an "inheritance" (Psa 2:8). Nevertheless, they were dominated by the devil, enslaved to sin, and blinded. How could they ever be able to believe?

IF BELIEVING was difficult for the Jews, who had been cultured to do so by Moses and the prophets, what hope is there for the Gentiles? The "King of heaven" will open the door of faith to them. In spite of their addiction to idolatry and blindness to truth, they will be enabled to believe. "And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how HE HAD OPENED THE DOOR OF FAITH unto the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27). Jesus had been given power over all flesh, to give eternal life!

OPENING THE HEARTThe key of David can be used to open men's hearts! Once, it is recorded that the Lord opened a woman's heart so she could respond to the glorious Gospel proclaimed to her. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul" (Acts 16:14). As always, Satan attempted to blind the mind of Lydia, but He could not do it! She had a genuine interest in the words she heard, and Jesus saw to it that nothing hindered her from comprehending and responding to the truth of the Gospel. Nothing in Scripture suggests that this experience was uniquely confined to her.

YOUR OWN SALVATION, initially and in its completion, is owing to Jesus' power over all flesh.– Given O. Blakely