Daily Bible Plan - Romans 13

18. June 2025

Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi

Theme: From Upper Room to Every Room

Fortified City Church & Love City Church, Basel

Honoring Authority, Honoring God

Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi

Introduction:

Please open your bibles and read this Scripture quietly romans 13: 1-7 please read through and make notes

“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God…”

Romans 13:1a (NLT)

Devotion

We live in a time when the concept of authority is under siege especially among the younger generation. The rise of “free culture” across Europe has emphasized independence, self-expression, and personal freedom above submission, accountability, or guidance. This cultural shift, while empowering in some respects, has also produced a dangerous byproduct: a generation that rejects discipline, structure, and authority often to their own detriment.

Recent studies show

• According to Eurofound (2024), over 60% of young adults in the EU report distrust in political and religious authorities.

• A 2023 Youth Trends Report found that 42% of Gen Z in Western Europe reject the idea that anyone has the right to tell them how to live, including parents, pastors, or government officials.

• Rising levels of anxiety, purposelessness, and depression correlate strongly with this detachment from structure and guidance.

The tragic irony? In rejecting guidance, many young people find themselves stuck trapped in cycles of confusion, addiction, instability, or rebellion with no sense of direction. Freedom without wisdom becomes a prison.

But God’s Word gives us a better way.

Romans 13 tells us that all authority is from God, and to rebel against it is to rebel against Him. Whether it’s government, spiritual leaders, or even family structures submission is not slavery it is safety. It aligns us with God’s design, preserves peace, and allows us to live with a clear conscience.

And this principle extends to the home. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” In a world screaming for equality without order, God calls for unity through structure. A husband’s authority is not for control, but for protection, guidance, and spiritual covering. In Christ, there is no democracy there is lordship. We are not citizens of personal kingdoms, but soldiers under command.

We don’t follow Jesus on our own terms. We obey Him fully, even when it challenges our pride. True discipleship demands submission to Christ, to His Word, and to the godly structures He’s placed around us.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have I unknowingly adopted a rebellious mindset toward authority?

2. Am I embracing God’s structure in my family, church, and society?

3. Do I see submission as weakness, or as strength under control?

Let this be more than a devotion let it be a doorway to genuine transformation.

Closing Prayer

Lord, forgive me for the ways I’ve resisted authority whether in my home, church, or nation. Teach me to see submission as Your design for protection and peace. Help me walk in humility, obeying You like a soldier of the cross. I yield to Your order, trusting that Your ways are higher than mine. In Jesus’ name, amen.

With you on the journey,

Reverend Joseph Antwi

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