Ruler

<<leader, governor>>

Someone who has authority and power to rule or control by implementing and ensuring compliance to rules and regulations that are designed to benefit everyone involved.

God is the ultimate ruler – He alone is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient (all powerful, present everywhere and all knowing). All other powers and authorities, however powerful they consider themselves to be, have limited control – even if they take your physical life they are not able to touch your eternal destiny (Mt 10:28; Mk 13:9; Rev 1:5).

Evil powers of this dark world and spiritual forces in the heavenly realm are also termed rulers because of the authority or influence they possess and exert in the affairs of men, but this is not outside God’s attention and permission (Job 1:9-2:10; Eph 6:12).

As Christians we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We owe Him allegiance as our King (Rom 6:16-18). We uphold Kingdom values and seek to implement God’s purposes in this world while resisting evil and wrongdoing so the Kingdom of God will be established and strengthened.

The Bible portrays us as soldiers in His army, being equipped with spiritual armour, having an intimate relationship with the commander-in-chief, and advancing the gospel (Eph 6:10-18). He invests His authority in us, to ‘demolish strongholds’ and advance the Kingdom, gaining victory over situations that Satan planned for our destruction (Mt 28:18; Mk 16:17; Jas 4:7,8; 1 Jn 3:8).

Scripture also uses the image of a ruler or judge to describe the ‘peace of God’ in our lives. His attributes and guidance give us confidence and keep our minds steady as we look at things from His viewpoint (Phil 4:7; Col 3:15).

Practically, we are to obey and pray for those earthly leaders who rule over us, submitting to their authority (Rom 13:5; 1 Tim 2:1,2; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 2:13,14). The only time we are permitted to disobey is when their orders defy

Do I pray for those who rule over me?

or oppose God [as revealed in the Bible’s teachings], however we then must be prepared to face the consequences (Dan 3:12-18, 6:6-22; Act 4:19, 5:29).