First Baptist Church of Highland Park

Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis III: Hi, I'm Henry Davis, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, Maryland. A Bible-believing, Christ-centered, and spirit-led congregation. I want to welcome you to our radio broadcast, and remember, there's power at the park.

Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis III: In this service, I want to look at one verse: Paul's letter to Rome, Romans chapter 5, verse 17. "For the sin of this one man Adam caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man Jesus Christ." Amen. You may go to your seats around the building.

I want to talk in this service: Reigning from the right place. The right place, right attitude, right spirit. Most people think reigning is about what is happening around you. We think reigning means having power, position, prestige, influence, or authority. Reigning. Perhaps that is the mentality of the current White House occupant.

Reigning. Power, position, prestige, money, influence, even government deals that do not benefit the poor but benefit himself and businesses he runs and some of his buddies. Reigning. But the Apostle Paul says real reigning doesn't begin on a throne. It begins in the heart. There are people with titles who are miserable. Got titles, but miserable.

I shared a story in the invitation in our first sermon about the one-time host of *Family Feud*. In one particular episode of *Family Feud*, he was going down the line, and one of the family members had a lapel with two question marks. Their particular church had used this question mark as an evangelistic tool. And so when the host got to him, he saw the lapel and asked, "What do the question marks mean?"

He said, "The first question mark is if you were to die, do you believe you're going to heaven?" The host said, "I hope so!" But he said, "What is the second question mark?" He said, "The second question mark is if God were standing here and God were to say to you, 'Why should I let you in?' what would be your response? I'm standing at the gate of heaven. Why should I let you in?"

His response: "I'm the host of *Family Feud*!" Roaring laughter from the crowd. That same person, some years later, hung himself, committed suicide. He had TV presence, he had popularity, but he did not have the answer to the most important question that could be asked of us. And that was the struggle of this individual.

And so that's why I look at this text. There are people with money who are enslaved to their habits. There are people who have conquered corporations but cannot conquer their own bitterness, anger, addictions, fears, and insecurities. You can sit on a throne and still be in chains. Paul writes Romans 5 to explain the contrast between two kingdoms, two rulers.

Through Adam, sin entered the world and death began to reign. One kingdom. But through Jesus Christ, another kingdom has broken into history: a kingdom of grace, righteousness, and victory. The phrase "live in triumph" literally means to reign in life. Paul says believers are not merely survivors. Listen, Dequan, we are called to reign. That's what it says in scripture. We're called to reign.

Question becomes, where do you reign from? Do you reign from your wounds? Do you reign from your fears? Do you reign from your past? Do you reign from grace? Because if your heart is not free, your crown won't help you. I preached in the earlier service, don't let the crown fool you. And that's why we've got to look at the theme in this service: Reigning from the right place. I'm in the right space.

The three areas we're going to look at: One, grace breaks the reign of what tried to rule you. Only grace could do that, could break the reign of what tried to rule you, trap you, and God in essence wants to set you free. Secondly, righteousness restores what sin tried to ruin. Righteousness restores it. Thank God for restoration, reclamation, revival, another chance. That's what God does over and over again.

Thirdly, Jesus gives you victory from the inside out. So many of us, we're concerned about the outside in, and that's why I spent so much time in the earlier service talking about the crown because the crown is not necessarily on your head. Sometimes the crown are your designer clothes. What people think about you. What social media says about you. But here's the thing, if other people can define you, other people can confine you.

If I can name you. That's why you look at the power of words, the power of a parent to a child, power of a teacher to a student. And if you tell students, "You're successful, you're going to do well, you're going to succeed," they operate with a different spirit. But if you tell them they're failures—as a matter of fact, we've done that, our language is bad. We've had broken relationships and then we're downing the person, the daddy, the mama, all of that.

Words can be powerful. We want you to reign, we want you to reign from the right place. Like some people, their past affects so negatively in their present. They don't trust anybody. Everybody's out to get you. And least little thing, you fly off the handle because it is a reminder of something you stepped out of. And now you have right in front of your face something that stirs that back up for you.

But the real message is, no matter what my past has looked like, my past needs to stay in the past. So I can reign effectively in my present, and I can reign in my present without the negativity of my yesterday. You're not going to make me a slave to yesterday. My mind has been freed up. A young lady I had to marry one time, she says, "I'm a virgin. I'm a virgin." Well, she said, "Well, not really. But what I am is that I've gone through a shifting of perspective."

And as far as I am right now, I'm not who I used to be. So you're not going to define me about then. You're going to define me in my right now. Reigning from the right place. Grace breaks the reign of what tried to rule you. Verse 17: "But even God's wonderful grace." Paul says something used to reign over us. Sin reigned, shame reigned, fear reigned, death reigned.

The Greek word "reign," *basileuo*, means to exercise kingly power. Paul says sin acted like a king. It sat on the throne of our lives. Some people know exactly what that feels like: reigned by addiction, reigned by anger, reigned by family dysfunction, reigned by my own insecurity, reigned by guilt. But then grace showed up. Thank God for grace showing up.

Grace is God's unearned, undeserved, and unlimited favor. Grace doesn't merely forgive your past, grace dethrones what was ruling you. Notice Paul doesn't say grace merely assists us. He says grace is greater. Thank God for greater grace. Where sin increased, grace increased all the more. That's Romans 5:20. Your failure is not greater than God's grace.

Somebody needs to hear that. No matter what we have failed at, and all of us have failed at something, God's grace is greater. Your past is not greater than God's grace. Your mistakes are not greater than God's grace. Some of our seasoned saints, many of our seniors remember when segregation tried to reign over Black people. Telling us where we could sit, learn, live, how we'd go to the movies, what water fountain, what restroom.

But grace kept opening doors that oppression tried to close. And some of our millennials and young adults know what it feels like to be ruled by anxiety, comparison, social media pressure. One of the things that young people are dealing with today is bullying, and people can bully you without being in your presence. Grace says your identity is not determined by likes or followers, but by the one who calls you His own.

What used to rule me doesn't rule me anymore. What used to be the driving force of my life is not in the driver's seat today. All of us had somebody or someone or something in the driver's seat of our life. But once I get into relationship with God, I'm turning the wheel over to someone else. Take the wheel, Jesus. Where You lead me, I'm going to follow.

The second thing is, righteousness restores what sin tried to ruin. It talks about His gift of righteousness. Righteousness, righteousness, righteousness. Right in that 17: "But even greater is God's wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man Jesus Christ." The word righteousness means being put in right standing with God.

Adam ruined our fellowship. Sin damaged our relationship. But Jesus restored what Adam lost. This righteousness is a gift. Let me tell you why it's a gift. You didn't earn it, and you don't earn it, but you receive it. You don't achieve it, you accept it. Because if salvation could be earned, Jesus would have never needed to die.

Dr. Fred Craddock talks about it, says, imagine Adam leaving the garden. No more walking with God in the cool of the day. No more unhindered fellowship. No more innocence. Sin ruined everything for Adam. Then centuries later, Jesus hangs on a cross, stretches out His hands, and through His blood, opens the way back to the Father. What Adam lost, Jesus restored.

This is what sin does. Sin leaves ruins. It destroys relationships, it destroys, it drains you of hope. Broken families, broken dreams, broken relationships, broken hearts. But what does God do? He specializes in restoration. We've got folk all throughout this room and watching online right now. The only one who could have done it was Jesus.

Restored you, restored your hope, restored the fact that you can have a smile on your face and pep in your step. Giving God praise, only Jesus could have done that. Doctor gave you a diagnosis, but you're still here. One door was shut, somebody cussed at you, told you to go to hell, but I'm still here. You might have counted me out, but God has counted me in.

You might have shut a door, but I can thank God that the door got shut because I had a better door waiting for me once you shut that door. I'm going to reign from the right place, right spirit. Joel said in Joel chapter 2, verse 25: "I will give you back what you lost." Somebody ought to thank God for that. He restored my peace, He restored my purpose, He restored my joy. He restores us.

Thank God for restoration. Thank God you came into church and seemed like the preacher knew you were coming. Thank God the scripture was your scripture. You know what you're dealing with, you know what you're facing, but then all of a sudden the word is able to meet you and at benediction you go floating outside. You left with your head down, but I'm coming back with my head up.

I'm coming back with rhythm. I'm coming back with joy. I'm coming back celebrating. I see some Go-go people in here. I'm coming back, I've got the beat in me. When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that He's done for me, I can reign from the right place. I've been pastoring a few years. Yeah, I don't count them. I've always got to figure it out.

I pastored my first church five years, pastored my second church seven years, that's 12. And then here 25, then I said okay, that's 37. And then okay, 38 years, all that. But I've pastored across those years some mean folk. They weren't in the majority. They were never in the majority. But I dealt with some of them. But I've never held those mean ones in the forefront of my spirit. When I get to church on Sunday, I'm not thinking about the mean ones. I'm thinking about Jesus.

And sometimes I've had to look through mean ones. But I'm looking at a bigger agenda. So I'm not going to carry an attitude to the pulpit. I'm going to get on my knees, I'm going to say, Lord, this was a rough one. But I'm going to come to church tomorrow and no one is ever going to know. But don't push me now. Don't push me. I had some pushing me in that, and they pushed me into what some of you know as church business meetings where their business is never reflective of the Bible.

To me, that's the business of the church. The business of the church is winning souls for Christ. That's business. And the second church I pastored, first business meeting we had, it was on a Wednesday, and listen to this, we cancel prayer meeting and Bible study for church meeting. That was my first one. The people don't want to come out multiple times during the week, so we're going to cancel prayer meeting and Bible study.

And then they came in, they come dragging in. Now, I'm in Harlem, so I understand it, because it's a lot of pressure. I mean, New York, all that kind of stuff. But I saw folk who never come to prayer meeting, never come to Bible study. So it's obviously nothing wrong with the night. But when you're reigning from the wrong perspective, then you come in with a wrong mentality.

I told them that day, I said, because it was my first meeting at the church, you know, I'm a rookie. I said to them, "This is the last time we're canceling prayer and Bible study for this." I said, "From now on, we will meet, but it will not be canceling prayer or Bible study." Because the business of church, and that's why I talk about reigning from the right place.

Now, nobody could argue with it because it made perfect sense. I mean, Bible says men and women ought always to pray. It says study to show yourself approved. This is what the word said. Now, what have you all got to say? *Robert's Rules of Order* says—but Robert didn't die on a cross for me. Jesus did. And so you've got to have the perspective: I'm going to reign, but I'm going to reign from the right place. That right place, that right spirit.

Third point: Jesus gives you victory from the inside out. Starts inside. Something on the inside. Everything I'm preaching is right in one verse. It said, "It will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man Jesus Christ." Paul doesn't say we'll reign one day. He says we will reign in life. Right now! Not because our circumstances are perfect, but because Christ is victorious.

The world says victory starts on the outside. Jesus says victory begins on the inside. Before David ever wore a crown, he had a heart after God. Before Esther ever sat on the throne, she possessed courage. Before Peter ever preached Pentecost, Jesus transformed him from within. God always works from the inside out. The phrase "through one man Jesus Christ" reminds us that our victory is not self-generated.

We reign because He reigns. We overcome because He overcame. We live because He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. No matter what this week has held, no matter what this week has looked like, I get up this morning with a mind to praise God, a mind to lift up holy hands. I'm reigning from the right place. Bitterness is not going to carry me.

Bitterness is not going to define me. Every bad relationship you've had, you're not going to carry that into what you're dealing with right now. Paul and Silas were in prison physically, but they were reigning spiritually. You can walk through difficult seasons, career disappointments, uncertain futures, and still possess an inner peace because Jesus is ruling your heart.

You may not have everything you want, but if Jesus rules your heart, you're reigning. You may have tears in your eyes, but if Jesus rules your heart, you're reigning. You may have problems—what did Jay-Z say, problems? All around. But if Jesus rules your heart, you're reigning. Because reigning doesn't start with a crown. Reigning starts with Christ.

If you're in a place right now and you're trying to make it, the reigning can start now. Without the crown, without the position, without the place, God gives you a peace and you start walking in that anointing, walking in that belief system, walking with that authority. God, You've done it. God, You're doing it. God, You're going to do it.

I can't bring down a mountain, but You can. I can't bring down a wall, but You can. I can't come out of that valley, but You can bring me out of it. I can bend, but I'm not going to break. I can reign from the right place. The text says, "those who receive." That's what it says right there, "those who receive." "For all who receive it will live in triumph."

Are you receiving? See, some people come and you have walls up. You're not receptive. God wants to speak into your situation, but you have to receive. Teach me, Jesus. Lead me, God. Show me the way. Then when God starts showing you the way, don't you question God. Don't you doubt Him. Lord, I'm going to trust You every step of the way.

Some of us, we've got some heavy stuff on our agenda. Heavy, heavy, heavy. Some of you all have got some heavy stuff you've got to deal with this week. Some of you all have got some stuff you've got to deal with today. Why'd you just remind me? I came to church for relief. But after church is over, there are some boxes you've got to check. Those who receive it will live. They will live in it.

They will live, and the scripture says they will live in triumph over sin and death. That's like Ali with maybe Ernie Terrell, and Terrell went down, Ali threw his hands up. It's a classic picture. Triumph. Triumph. You can live and operate in triumph. But you've got to receive it. You can't reign without receiving. You've got to receive His grace, you've got to receive His salvation, you've got to receive His righteousness.

And when Christ sits on the throne of your heart, you can reign over things that once ruled you. I'm accepting God what You want me to do because I'm ready to reign. I know another king who reigned from the right place. They nailed Him to a cross. And even while He was on the cross, He was not negative. But He said, "Today, you're going to be with Me in paradise."

They placed a crown of thorns on His head. They buried Him in a borrowed tomb. But early Sunday morning, as a matter of fact, somebody said right early. He got up with all power in His hand. And because He lives, grace reigns, righteousness reigns, victory reigns. And everyone who belongs to Him can reign in life. So I said it earlier, so don't let the crown fool you.

Real reigning doesn't begin on your head. Real reigning begins in your heart. And if there's somebody in the room today who needs the reign of grace, somebody needs the reign of righteousness, somebody needs to know, thank You, Lord, that King Jesus can take His rightful place on the throne of your life. Because when Jesus rules your heart, you can reign from the right place.

Do I have a witness in here? Reigning! I was once down, but the Lord picked me up, turned me around, put my feet—hallelujah!—on higher ground. Do you love Him today? Because when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He's done for me. Reigning! Giving God praise. Every round goes higher, higher, higher. Can't nobody do me like the Lord.

I love the Lord, I love the Lord. He heard my cry, pitied my every groan. I love the Lord. Won't He do it? He's able. Put clapping in your hands, running in your feet, joy in your heart. From the inside to the outside. Can't nobody do me like the Lord! And what God can do, Reverend Wymel, is to get us to reign from the right place. I'm not going to be who I was, I'm going to be who God wants me to be. And when I get there, I'm reigning from the right place.

Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis III: You've been listening to the radio broadcast of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, Maryland. If you want to receive a CD or DVD of what you have just heard, please call 301-773-6655, or visit us on the worldwide web. And remember, there's power at the park.