The LORD (Yahweh) shall reign for ever and ever.
(Exodus 15:18 KJV)
Even as the King of Glory Himself, (our Forerunner, and Author of Eternal Salvation, and King of Kings) "...IS NOW CROWNED BECAUSE of the DEATH He suffered", (in demonstrating the greatest LOVE by laying down His Life for His friends*, in tasting death for all mankind)- even so are we given a crown of kingly authority to "Reign in Life" ONLY because of our being made conformable unto His Death. This is a part of partaking of His sufferings and following in His holy and godly example.. and is the straight and narrow way that leads to LIFE as we pass through the DEATH GATE of self, that we may live the CRUCIFIED LIFE, dying to our own selfish ambitions, leaning and relying NOT on our own understanding, but in ALL our ways acknowledging God that He may ORDER our steps, guiding us by His Eye, for we only can REIGN WITH HIM if we accept His death as being our own, and partake of His sufferings that we may partake also of the glory and virtue that He has called and invited us into.
"Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it."
(Matthew 16:24-25 Webster)
"You can trust these words: If we were joined with him in his death, then we are joined with him in his life! IF WE ARE JOINED WITH HIM in his SUFFERINGS, then we will REIGN TOGETHER with him in his triumph. But if we disregard him, then he will also disregard us."
(2 Timothy 2:11-12 TPT)
We each must choose of our own free will... "He that seeks to SAVE his OWN LIFE will LOSE it, but he that loses his life for My sake, and the Gospel's, the same shall save it." (Mark 8:35) It is up to us to SAVE or LOSE our life, and YES... it is contrary to our carnal, natural, fallen nature and worldy fleshly reasonings, and the self-preservation that we inherited through the fall from the Glory of God that once clothed mankind.
For those who are fleshly set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not submit to the law of God, nor indeed can it. And those that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(Romans 8:5-8 EMTV)
As we can see, the difference between Life and Death is determined by the state of our MIND-SET!
"For if you live according to the flesh you shall die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THESE ARE SONS OF GOD. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together, so that we may also be glorified together."
(Romans 8:13-17 EMTV)
"The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 146:10
"By Me (Wisdom) KINGS REIGN, and princes decree justice." Proverb 8:15
*ALL are not necessarily "His Friends"... for He makes this clear:
"No one has greater love than this--a man laying down his life for his friends. YOU ARE my friends, IF YOU DO what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you."
(John 15:13-15 WNT)
