Here is the message of scripture: "The Lord reigneth." This is the message unbelievers need to hear "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth". This is the message believers need to hear "Say unto Zion (the church), Thy God reigneth." To say that the Lord reigns is to say nothing more than God is God. He is in control. This is what we call "the sovereignty of God." The definition of sovereign is in the word itself.....He reigns!
The sovereignty of God is a declaration that God is God. He reigns! His will must be done! "Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased" Psalm 115:3. God is Holy, all-powerful, and all wise. Whatever he does is right. He does not do it because it is right. It is right because He does it. He has the right, as God, to do His will, and He has the power, as God, to make sure His will comes to pass. It is impossible for His will to be thwarted! Nebuchadnezzar was taught this lesson. "And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes to heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom from generation to generation; and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will among the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hadn, or say unto Him, what doest Thou?" Daniel 4:34-35. God is absolutely sovereign in all things. This is expressed by these three statements.
God is sovereign in creation. As an act of His sovereign will, spake the world into existance. "God said, let there be light: and there was light" Genesis 13.
God is sovereign in providence. We read in Eph. 1:11 of "the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." There is no such things as chance, good luck, or bad luck! God is the first cause behind everything that happens. Nothing can take place without His permisssion. If someone does not believe this, they believe in a very little god. But the child of God rejoices in the great truth that "all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" Rom. 8:28.
God is sovereign in salvation. The destiny of men is not in their own hands, but in God's hands. He literally chooses who He will save! "Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth" Romans 9:18. God's sovereignty is most clearly seen in the great truth of election, where He literally chose whom He would save before time began for Christ's sake. "For the children, being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth" Rom. 9:11.
Men will agree that He is sovereign in creation, and many will agree that He is sovereign in providence but that is where they usually stop. They do not love the God who is sovereign in salvation. But it is here that the true state of a man's heart is revealed. This is not merely an issue for theologians to debate! To reject the truth that God is sovereign in salvation is to refuse to bow to His authority. Did He not say "Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own?" Matt. 20:15.
Do you rejoice that God is sovereign? "The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice" Psalm 97:1. Is this good news to you? "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of them.....that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth." This is the essence of true faith. In Luke 7:10, The Lord said concerning the Roman Centurian's faith, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And what was so great about it? Listen to what he said to the Lord. "Say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one go, and he goeth, and to another come, and He cometh." The centurion understood authority, and he knew He was speaking to the One with sovereign authority. God reigns!