“Let Us make man in our image, according to Our likeness ;let then have dominion …over all the earth…God said to them,” Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing that moves on the earth.”(Genesis1:26-28).The heavens are the Lord’s; but the earth He has given to the children of men. (Psalms 115:16).What is man that you are mindful of him…For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowed him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.”(Psalms 8:4-6) God gave the dominion of the earth to humans forever. This was God’s agenda for the human race from the beginning and still is!!
But in the Garden of Eden, The first man(Adam) succumbed to Satan’s bait thus Adam committed high treason and gave his authority over the earth to Satan. “This authority…has been given to me (Satan) ,and I will give it to whomever I wish”.(Luke 4:5-6). But the good news is that at the cross, Jesus as a Man defeated Satan and all the demonic powers and made a public spectacle of them before all Heaven and hell. This victory is finished, but must be enforced this age. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (His death and resurrection).Colossians 2:15
Authority is delegated power. “The thief (Satan) does not come expect to steal, and to kill and to destroy”. (John 10:10).We have to exercise our spiritual authority in Christ to released to the earthly realm, the victory that Jesus secured on the cross. God’s Word is our weapon. We resist Satan by speaking the Word. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers…in the heavenly places. Take up the whole armor of God…having done all, to stand…taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one…Take the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God…(Ephesians 6:12-17)Exercising authority against Satan’s attacks does not automatically cancel all the consequences of our wrong choices or all the effects of what others do to us. Demons can oppress a Christian’s body and soul without possessing their spirit. There is varying degrees of demonic oppression. Heightened strife or negative emotions often involve Satan’s flaming striking us. So our spiritual authority is based on our union with Jesus and what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us., not on our mood, feelings, fervor or victory. We are called to enforce Jesus’ authority on earth as His body. Satan’s attack against us will continue if we accept it, instead of refusing it or challenging it with our authority in Christ.
“The Father of glory, may give you …revelation in the knowledge of Him…That you may know….The exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe. Which He (Father) worked in Christ when He raised Him…and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. He put all things under His ( Jesus )feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him..(Ephesians 1:17-23)
Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.(James4:7)
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.(2 Tim 1:7)
Do not be sluggish, but through…faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrew 6:12)
“Not by might (human) nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Says the LORD of hosts.(Zechariah 4:6).
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In Him,
Sr.Thankam Mathew |
