Taking Our Place In God's Dominion Mandate

THEME: Understanding who we are in Christ

LESSON 5: Taking our place in God’s dominion mandate

MAIN TEXT: Colossians 1:15-20

INTRODUCTION

God gave man the dominion mandate in Genesis 1:26-28 but we cannot fully understand and operate in the dominion mandate without a relationship with Jesus Christ because in Him lies the fullness of all things and the dominion over all are under Him as the Lord of all. Matthew 28:18. 1 Peter 3:22. And we are complete in Christ.

THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST – Ephesians 1:20-23, Daniel 7:14

Jesus Christ is Lord over all because He is God. God rules over all things by His providential control – Psalm 103:19. He has achieved the final victory over sin and death through His resurrection and ascension. Christ has authority over all believers and unbelievers – Matthew 20:18. The implication of the dominion of Christ:

i) He is truly the King of kings and Lord of lords – Revelation 19:16. (ii)He is the blessed and only potentate – 1 Timothy 6:15. (iii)He is the Prince of the King of the earth – Revelation 1:5, Revelation 17:14 (iv) He is the one with the unlimited authority – Matthew 28:18. (v) God has made Him both Lord and Christ – Acts 2:36, Acts 5:31 (vi) He is Lord of the dead and living – Romans 14:9 (vii) He is the one with pre-eminence in all things – Colossians 1:18

THE EXTENT OF CHRIST DOMINION – Zachariah 9:10

(i) His dominion is eternal i.e from eternity to eternity – Isaiah 9:6-7, Psalm 145:13 (ii) His dominion is universal – Zachariah 9:10. (iii) The uttermost parts of the earth are His to rule and control – Psalm 2:8-12 (iv)His dominion is over all things – Psalm 72:6-11 (v) His dominion is over all things for all time – Revelation 11:15 (vi) His dominion involves ruling over nature – Matthew 8:2 (vii) He is head over each and every one of His true church – Ephesians 1:22 (viii) His dominion is over the heavenly powers as well – 1 peter 3:22

THE POSSESSORS OF THE DOMINION MANDATE – Matthew 18:18-20, Matthew 16:17-19

It is important to know those who really have this dominion over all just like Christ. Is it every man or those who are in Christ? Adam sinned and lost the dominion over the earth to the devil whose bidding he did – Genesis 3:1-7, Romans 6:16. God was going to deal with the devil through another man, Jesus – Hebrews 2:14-16, 1 John 3:8. With the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the devil was defeated totally. Now Jesus Christ is the verified head of all principalities and power, either friend or foe – Colossians 2:10-15. It is said He has been given a name above every other – Philippians 2:5-11. Our sovereignty is in Christ – Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5

OPERATING IN THE DOMINION – Romans 8:19-21, Hebrews 12:1, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

As co-heirs with Christ and His representatives on earth, we have the right to exercise power over the enemy in Jesus name. Since we are ambassadors – His personal representatives of the heavenly kingdom to the earthly kingdom – we have His authority throughout the earth. God partners with us to stand against the works of evil and spread the gospel of Christ – 2 Cor 5:20, Matt 16:18-19: The work ‘Kingdom’ in this passage refers to the royal power and dominion involving the license of authority to rule. Jesus placed the keys of the kingdom in the hands of the church. We not only have access to them but also have the right to use them – Luke 10:19, 1 John 5:19.

CONCLUSION

Let’s move into our rightful positions as righteous sons and daughters, establishing the dominion standard. ‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father’ – Matthew 13:43 (NIV). And all creation will see. We are the lords with Christ in heaven and earth.