Control Part 3
October 1, 2025
Control Part 3
There is temporal power, and there is divine power. Heads of state and their armies are examples of temporal power, while leadership of spiritual movements and religions has long been associated with divine power. Kings, queens, emperors, empresses, and pharaohs, even the Pope, held both kinds of power, since they ruled as heads of state and were also considered divine beings—or ruled by divine right.
But what kind of power do you and I have?
Surprisingly, just as royalty once held both forms of power, we too possess both temporal and divine power. How can that be? Because each of us has a life that can be likened to our own “kingdom.”
Our personal kingdom is our domain over which we exercise authority. It includes the decisions we make, the taxes we pay, the commitments we honor, the friendships we nurture, the income we produce, the property we own, the responsibilities we have, the pets we care for, the celebrations we enjoy, and much more. Though our temporal power has limits, and it is always ultimately subject to divine power, we hold a good deal of control over that which we take responsibility for.
Yet we also carry a deeper power: divine power. We may not recognize that we have divine power because it falls into the realm of the supernatural. But divine power in humanity is not equal to the power and control of God. Instead, it is the capacity God places within us that transcends our normal abilities.
Our divine power shows itself in what I call our “super-spiritual qualities.” Think about it: when have you endured the impossible or the unspeakable? When have you chosen love in the face of hatred? When have you extended yourself for the spiritual growth of another? When have you believed in someone so deeply that it altered the course of their life? When have you forgiven the unforgivable? These are not ordinary powers. They are divine gifts infused in us by God—strengths beyond our own.
Yes, in our own way, we are queens and kings, emperors and empresses, or pharaohs. This thought is echoed in the words of Scripture:
“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” (Psalm 82:6)
“Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” (John 10:34)
These words are startling and profound. They shake the foundations of how we usually see ourselves, especially under the influence of theologies predicated on human deficits, sins, limitations, and depravity.
We typically imagine the Divine as distant, untouchable, and infinitely beyond us. Yet the holy words of the Psalmist and Jesus remind us of a deeper truth: we share in the divine power. We are not God, but we are an expression of the essence God.
Spiritual practice: Is there a situation you face now where one of these practices could apply? If so, try it.
Self-inquiry: What keeps you from surrendering?
Prayer: Dear God,
I surrender to You a situation I have tried to solve on my own, without success. I don’t know why I have waited so long, except that I thought I could do it myself. Please help me surrender, O God. Amen.
