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Volume 33   Number 27 Jul 5, 2009

        The theme of the "People of Destiny" Conference a few weeks ago was CREATED FOR DOMINION, and I would like us to look at this once again. (1) God created you for dominion, which is to rule and reign in life. (2) God created you to live victoriously and make a significant difference.
        What was God's original plan? The best place to start is at the beginning in Genesis 1:26-28: Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image (in Our DNA), according to Our likeness, and let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
        So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
        In the New Testament, we read in Romans 5:17 that we are to reign in life by or through Jesus Christ: ...those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will REIGN IN LIFE through the One, Jesus Christ.
        Revelation 5:10: "And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall REIGN on the earth." We are called to reign on earth, which starts with our reigning in our own lives, in our own domain or place of dominion. The question is: What is it that keeps us from reigning?
        When Adam and Eve (or you could say "man") fell from their place of dominion and authority, they not only lost their dominion, but through their actions and disobedience, it brought them under the dominion of the FLESH, SIN, and SATAN. Man's condition has not changed. The only way it can change is through Jesus Christ.
        What do we need to do? Our reigning in life and having dominion is not automatic. There is something we have to do.
        First, learning to reign in life is reigning over yourself. Proverbs 25:28: Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls. You have to learn how to reign over your own spirit, which requires self-control (a fruit of the Spirit), discipline, restraint, and Jesus must be Lord. David wrote in Psalm 23:1: "The Lord is my shepherd." So the question is: Who is in charge of your life? Is it your mind? Your emotions? Your will? Or your Spirit man? Remember, you can be your worst enemy. Luke 21:19 says: "In your patience possess your souls."
        Second, your enemy may not be flesh and blood. We read in Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
        Jesus declared in Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give you power (authority) to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." This authority comes only through the power and name of Jesus Christ. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow.
        Psalm 110:1-2: The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies Your footstool." The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies! It is vital that we rule over the flesh, sin, and Satan. We are learning how to rule and reign in authority over the adversary as well as over our mind, emotions, our will, and circumstances.
        Zephaniah 3:17: "The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Not only is it good to remember the Lord in the midst of you is mighty, but it is necessary to remember and apply the principles of the kingdom of God in your life.
        1 Corinthians 15:57-58: But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
        1 John 5:4-5: For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? We know that Christ in us is our hope of God's glory as stated in Colossians 1:27: To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
        Here are some keys to reigning in life and keys to having dominion in your domain. These scriptural principles can make the difference in your ruling, reigning, and having dominion.
        Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
        Colossians 3:1-5: If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. SET your mind and affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death (SUBDUE) your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, over-indulgence in fleshly passions, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
        There are three important things we need to remember.
        (1) SEEK. Seek, search out, and find those things which are above in the heavenly realm.
        (2) SET. We must make a conscious decision to establish our minds and affections on things above, and be determined and resolute in our mind that we will not allow the things of the earth to distract and prevent us from the good things God has for us.
        (3) SUBDUE. It is vital that we overcome and bring under control our earthly nature. We are to put off the old man with his evil works and put on the new man who is being conformed daily into the image of Jesus Christ.
        2 Corinthians 4:6-7: For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
        God's ultimate desire is that you reveal and manifest His Kingdom now. If you are going to have dominion, then you have to (1) SEEK HIM, (2) SET YOUR HEART, and (3) SUBDUE all other dominions in and around your life.
        It is time to rule in the midst of your enemies.
        It is time to take dominion.