A sermon on Christ's victory over darkness through his death and resurrection. God reigns absolutely, but the devil still influences areas where people disobey. The speaker uses an umbrella metaphor: believers can block evil in their sphere, but the storm rages elsewhere. Nations are chess pieces God moves according to his purpose.
The kingdom of God has been established. When Christ died on the cross and he rose again from the dead, he shamed the powers of darkness. He embarrassed the devil, and he took authority. God rules and reigns in this earth. Now, you may say, well, why is it if God rules and reigns in this earth, why is it that we see all these bad things happening? Well, because the devil has reign, he has influence in the disobedient. So it's like if it's raining outside and you carry an umbrella, just because you're holding an umbrella doesn't mean it's not raining outside. You are just blocking the flow of that rain. So you have your little subsphere of influence, so to speak. It's the same way God rules and reigns over this earth, and there are pockets of demonic influence where there is disobedience. Disobedience being like that umbrella blocking off the influence of the kingdom. But ultimately, God is in charge. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus sits high above all other thrones. Governments can make their plans, wicked people can make their plans, but Jesus is in charge, not them. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The nations are just like chess pieces on a board, and God moves them around according to the arrangement that he so desires to bring forth the outcome that he wills.
