God exerts His will, His dominion, through Christ. Christ exerts His will, His dominion, through His saints.

During our life in the flesh we are to learn to perform the will of Christ. A seemingly infinite variety of forces and problems comes against us daily. Our task is to choose to do the will of Christ in each instance. We have to pray constantly for the wisdom and strength to perform the will of Christ.

There are new obstacles each day. Each day we pray, pray, pray until the will of Christ is being performed according to the burden the Lord has given us.

At one time there was a rebellion in Heaven on the part of the angels. The history of the earth reflects the spirit of rebellion. God's plan has been to permit man to be infected with rebellion and then to heal man by infusing him with Christ—with the One who loves righteousness and hates lawlessness.

The purpose of creating in man an immunity to rebellion and sin is that man may be able to serve as a judge of Satan and his angels, and also to prevent rebellion in the future. Because man has been infected with rebellion, and then has recovered through Christ, man will be able to prevent future rebellion against God.

The wall of the new Jerusalem symbolizes the resistance to rebellion and sin that has been created in Christ-filled man.

As we choose continually to do the will of Christ, our will to govern increases in strength. We understand we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

We do not have to serve Satan. We do not have to serve the world. We do not have to serve the lusts of our flesh. We do not have to be bound by our self-love and self-will. We can conquer through Christ. We can achieve victory over every circumstance, climb every wall, break every chain, outgrow every frailty and immaturity. We can be healed of the rebellion and sin with which we have been infected.

We can rule in life by Christ.

The lion is the symbol of man's commission to rule the works of God's hands. Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Man is to rule in Christ in God. Man is not to be ruled by nature or demons or angels or cherubs or his relationships or his fears or ambitions. He who commits sin is the slave of sin. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed because he is in slavery only to the Son.

Whoever is the slave of Christ is free. Living in obedience to Christ is the only true freedom there is.

The Church is the Wife of the Lamb, not of the Lion. The Father prefers meekness and love over violence and force, over the rule of a rod of iron. When all the creation has been brought under subjection to Christ through His saints, Christ Himself will be subject to the Father. Now will the Father be All and in all, and love, joy, and peace will prevail throughout the heavens and the earth.

To be continued.