GOD IS ABOVE THE LAW
Have you ever heard that phrase, “What do they think - that they are above the law?!” Recently, I learned that God is above the law. Praise Him!
Over the years, God has taught me that He is more powerful than man. Essentially, God’s opinion matters more than any human’s opinion or power. God showed me that Pharaoh thought he was in charge, but God was in charge the entire time.
Likewise, God has taught me that He has authority over circumstances. Jesus calmed the water and waves when the disciples were freaking out with three simple words, “Peace, be still.” Jesus also told a little dead girl to “Get up!” because He said she was not dead, but asleep. Just prior to doing this, people laughed at Him.
However, it wasn’t until a recent mess up on my part that God combined both lessons to remind me that He is above all. He is above the law! When we break a rule or a law there are consequences. Now, of course, we don’t go around purposely doing that… In fact, don’t we feel bad when we realize we did something we weren’t supposed to do? I usually put my hand over my mouth or say, “Oh my gosh, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”
Recently, I did such a thing. As soon as I realized it, I immediately felt like my limbs were drained of blood! You know how you feel when you’ve been in a car wreck? I felt sick and weak. I immediately had to get on my knees because the consequences of my mess-up could have had catastrophic consequences. I was trembling. I asked God to forgive me and protect me from my ignorance. I thought it was truly amazing that I had even prayed such protection over myself before I even got out of bed that morning and here I was, drowning in my own ignorance only 90 minutes later. I was so fearful of the potential consequences.
In His Grace, God reminded me that He is sovereign over all. No matter what law or rule was innocently broken, no matter what the consequences could be, no matter what man thought or said, He was sovereign over all. God showed me a vision of everything being under His foot. Essentially, I saw the enemy hitting me with the backlash of his tail –whipping me with condemnation and fear – but I saw the enemy squirming under God’s sovereign foot. And, all of a sudden, I was relieved! The blood seemed to drain back to my limbs and my breathing became more normal. I would choose to focus on God and His authority in my life, despite my ignorantly messy self. I would rest in Who God is!
All day and as I went to bed last night, I chose faith over fear. I had to make the choice over 100 times because I could still hear the lashes the enemy was attempting to hit me with, but I was protected by the grace of God. I chose God’s grace over condemnation every time I heard the enemy’s tail lash out at me.
Then, this morning, the Holy Spirit was whispering a Scripture to me… “What the law could not do…
I immediately rant to my concordance to find the Scripture to which Christ was referring.
Life Through the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4, Romans 1:15-17)
v. 1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
v. 2 - because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
v. 3 - For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,
v. 4 - in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
v. 15 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
v. 16 - The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
v. 17 - Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
I immediately recognized that the enemy was merely trying to whip me in condemnation about an innocent mistake. I would not receive that from him. Rather, I would receive Life through the Spirit. God reminded me that He is above the law. I am so thankful for Christ who died, paying full penalty for my sins so that I would not have to live as a slave to fear and death. Rather, I could rest in His love and mercy. Christ’s love for me and the payment He paid is way, way, way, more powerful than any law. Praise His Holy Name!
I went from crying to crying “Abba Father” to praising, “Abba Father.” Praise God that He is above the law.
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her recently founded Share & Company Publishing House http://seymourkristina.wix.
Originally published Tuesday, 31 October 2017.