David Diga Hernandez - Dominion: The Believer's Authority

You and I are heavenly representatives of the authority of God. Now, it was always God’s intention that man would have dominion on the earth. In Genesis chapter 1, verses 27 and 28, the Bible says this: «So God created human beings in his own image; in the image of God, he created them; male and female, he created them. Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.'» Psalms chapter 8, verses 3-8 says this: «When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority: the flocks and the herds, and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.» You and I will be held accountable for how we’ve stewarded our authority on the earth.

Now, am I saying that the church is going to dominate and take over the world in a military sense? No, of course not. I’m simply saying that the influence in the nations of the world belongs to the church. We should be the ones speaking and directing culture; we should be the ones shaping how the nations will go. This, of course, takes into account all of the end-time events that should occur. We know that all things tend toward disorder and that, eventually, God will begin a new creation. But while we are here, and while we are stewarding what God has given to us, we must seek to establish the kingdom of God on earth. As I said, it was always God’s intention that man would have authority over the earth, but after the fall, dominion needed to be restored to man. So Christ came; he died on the cross for our sins so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. However, one of the other effects of Christ’s sacrifice was that man would now regain his spiritual dominion. Christ came as a man and took back that dominion as a man. Philippians chapter 2, verses 9 through 11 say this: «Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.» Ephesians 1:19–23 says, «I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else, not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church, and the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.»

So Christ came as a man and regained that dominion as a man, and because you and I are in Christ, we too are seated in heavenly places in that position of authority. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 6 says, «For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.» You notice the scripture says that we have been seated, not that we will be seated. It’s already been done; it’s already been established in the heavenly realm. We have been given authority that affects the earthly realm. That dominion actually continues now and into eternity.

First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 3 says, «Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life.» Matthew chapter 25, verse 21, which is a portion of a parable, says this: «The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! '» That parable in Matthew 25 was a parable on stewardship, but the time Jesus was implying was the end times, the end of all things. Those extra responsibilities gained on top of what had already been accomplished were representative of the believer’s responsibilities in eternity. You and I are being tested here on earth with earthly things so that we might become stewards of heavenly things in eternity. So the nations for now are in our care.

Now again, I want to make sure I’m being very clear here: I’m not talking about dominating or subjecting people. I’m talking about having the authority to liberate people, having the authority to set people free, and having the authority to destroy the works of the devil—not to dominate people, but to deliver them, not to overcome people, but to break off the bounds of their oppression; to come against the assaults of the enemy that target the creation of God. We, with the love of God, establish the dominion of God, the kingdom of God. This is why Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6, verses 9-13, pray like this…