Friday Fight 231: Who is Really in Control? A Heart Check

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF231.

If someone asked you, “Is Jesus Christ your Lord?”, how would you respond? It might sound like a simple or silly question, something we could answer quickly and confidently, but what does it really mean to say that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives? It’s easy enough to say, but our words don't always align with our actions, beliefs, or daily choices. Together, let's explore what it looks like to genuinely follow Christ as Lord in our everyday choices.

Who is Really in Control? A Heart Check

It's easy for Christians to say, “Jesus is Lord,” until we begin unpacking our character traits and habits. Some of us may see Jesus as a kind figure, a good man, or someone we love, but proclaiming Him as Lord means acknowledging Him as the ultimate authority; the One who reigns supreme over our fears, doubts, and anxieties. What once seemed like a silly question suddenly becomes serious when we realize how much of our attention and thought is consumed elsewhere.

Philippians 2:10-11 says, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Paul describes Jesus as our Final Authority, King, and Lord of all creation, seen and unseen. This isn’t symbolic language; it’s a declaration of truth. To gauge whether Jesus is truly Lord of our lives, we can ask ourselves some honest questions:

- What controls my thinking?

- What demands my respect?

- What shapes my decisions?

- What consumes me — fear, pain, tragedy, or the presence of Christ?

- Which do I respect more — my Lord, or the looming tragedies that rob me of sleep?

It’s a simple but profound reflection: whatever controls or motivates you ultimately becomes your lord.

If Jesus cannot handle the fear, division, or tragedy in our minds, then we’ve reduced Him to a nice man who says nice things in Scripture, someone who’s good to know, but not someone we trust to have real authority. If we don’t believe He has authority over everything, including our fears and our future, then He is not truly Lord of our lives. When we make this statement of faith, we are declaring that He has full authority over our identity, our fears, our decisions, and our future.

I have recently been listening to sermons preached by my dad, Pastor John Lane, to preserve them for my mom. This post was inspired by one of his sermons.

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In His Grace,

Pastor Shannon

River Church