Reflections: Jesus Christ is supreme over all powers and imminent influences

God’s Word declares that “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”  (Col. 1:15-18)

This passage tells me that everything that exists, whether in the natural world or the spiritual world, has been created through Christ and for Christ. In other words, he is the agency whereby everything exists and he is the reason for their existence. To me this means that he has supremacy over all powers and immanent influences.

Let’s look at two examples.  

Example # 1: He has supremacy over my body.

My wholeness is in his hands. As far as my health goes, what he says goes. He is Lord over all powers that influence my health; he is the ultimate influence over all my body systems and how they work.

• He directs my heart and blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to my body and to collect waste products for removal.

• He enables my lungs to inhale the oxygen that feeds my red blood cells and to exhale the necessary carbon dioxide.

• He forms my bones, cartilage and ligaments that provide a physical structure for the rest of my body and a protective system for my vital organs.

• He forms the skeletal muscle that moves me around, the smooth muscle to line my organs and the cardiac muscle that keeps my blood flowing.

• He envelops me with skin to keep out germs, regulate my moisture level and keep my body temperature even.

• He enables my body to transform ingested foods into smaller molecules from which my cells can garner energy.

• He created my brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves to gather, process and convey information.

• He breathes creatively into my reproductive system, causing the children born out of intimacy there to live, fulfill their destiny and glorify his name.

Example # 2: He has supremacy over my household.

There have been times when we have had situations in our household where we felt that one of our family members was being threatened by forces beyond our control. They were dark times when it seemed as if our household was being violated. Innocence was being threatened, honour was being denigrated or morality was being tested.

On one of these occasions an issue came up that brought my wife and I to a very serious point of alarm. The thought that we may lose our daughter to the ravages of evil literally horrified us. We were at a crisis moment, a crossroads, and we felt that what we did there and then could and would change the eternal destiny of our daughter.

It was intense!

But what we did at that moment was pivotal, and I believe it set some things in order in the heavenlies that will reap eternal consequences.

We were sitting at our dining room table, and we started to pray. As we prayed, I remember raising my hand and stamping it firmly at different spots around the table’s edge, as if I were placing protective stakes around my household. And each time I placed a stake I declared, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15b)

That day, as we did also at numerous other times and in a variety of ways, I believe we staked a spiritual and authoritative claim around our family. And from that day, as we did also at numerous other times and in a variety of ways, a shift came. And since that day, while we continue to declare the promises of God over and into our children, I have had the calm assurance found in these words: “All is well!”

I could go on and on and include example after example of how this truth applies to my neighborhood, to my community, to my country and to my world. The truth is this: my Lord is Lord of all, my King is King of Kings, my Master is Master of the universe and my Savior is Savior to everyone.

I am definitely blessed.

Laurie Langdon