God has sovereign power over His creation and has delegated the authority to mankind to have dominion over the animals in Genesis 1:26.
David reinforces this truth: “You made [mankind] rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” in Psalm 8:6
Therefore, Humanity was to "subdue" the earth (Genesis 1:28)—we were to hold a position of command over it; we were placed in a superior role and were to exercise control over the earth and its flora and fauna.
Mankind was set up as the ruler of this world. All else was subjugated to him.
Therefore, in the journey of faith, believers are called to walk in the authority and dominion granted to them by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Drawing inspiration from biblical passages and insights, let us delve into the empowering message of ‘Dominion by the Anointing,’ from a sermon delivered by Pastor Benjamin Nebechukwu – the Senior Pastor at the Living Word Assembly.
He alluded to the power of Lesser Night and Greater Night. The greater light and lesser light have been empowered to rule the night, and they have been empowered to smite people in Psalm 121:6-7 - The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
‘’It is so unfortunate that many believers do not understand the power that God has put in the greater light (Sun) and lesser light (Moon) that rules the night, which is being manipulated by the people in the dark world to disorganize the children of God,’’ he stressed.
Scriptural foundation of Dominion by the Anointing
The David’s encounter with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:41-45 serves as a powerful illustration of the victory that comes from the anointing of God.
David, though young and seemingly ill-equipped, faced the giant with unwavering faith in God's power. This story reminds us that we, too, can overcome impossible challenges through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:13-14 and Revelation 5:10 also affirm our identity as redeemed children of God, destined to reign with Christ.
Genesis 1:16 and Matthew 5:14 emphasize our call to shine as lights in a dark world, reflecting the glory and dominion of our heavenly Father.
He underscores the power that the believers have been given to rule, likening it to the World Monarchs or rulers who had absolute control. The one who rules is absolutely unchallengeable, and so is according to Psalm 110:2.
Keys to dominating by the anointing
Uprightness: Psalm 49:14 underscores the importance of living uprightly before God. Our dominion is rooted in our righteousness, which is made possible through the blood of Jesus Christ. Compromise and crookedness undermine our authority as Christians, making it imperative to uphold integrity in all our dealings.
‘Compromise undermines your power and crookedness undermines your spiritual authority as a Christian. Crookedness and compromise have no place in the life of a Christian. Therefore, live uprightly. Avoid compromise. You cannot have dominion in crookedness and compromise,’’ He added.
He gave tips for upright living
- Don’t tamper with that is not yours – Tampering with what is not yours guarantees you to be a thief. If money if not yours, don’t tamper with it, because if you do, you will be a thief and will therefore be taken as a thief. Don’t take money that is not yours, when you do, you are taking poisonous substance, you are begging for death - Collecting money that is not yours is like collecting leprosy, thinking that no one has not seen you. Satan is spiritual legalist – which is always accusing the brethren, therefore a Christian, don’t supply it what it with legal accusations.
- Avoid hypocritical existence: Be real with yourself and live within your means . Contentment with holiness is a great thing. We should learn that living within our means saves us from unnecessary pressure. This calls for contentment as stated in 1 Tim 6:6. Therefore, As a believer, don’t live a fake life – learn to be content with what you have, don’t borrow to fulfill your wants. And to add injury, some believers borrow and don’t pay back. Be satisfied with what you have, those who don’t pay back are wicked and are bringing curses unto themselves.
- Always listen to your conscious when dealing with people – don’t live a consciousnesses life. Listen to your conscious always, let it be your guide. It is not proper as a believer to ignore what our conscious is saying before we do anything, especially when you are dealing with people. The easy way to run a conscious test, before doing anything, always think about the outcomes of what you want to do to others. Would you want the same to be done to you, if it is not befitting, don’t do it.
- To the singles, avoid married people like leprosy – they are moving coffins. If you cause another women to cry, God is taking note, you will absolutely cry yours. Don’t be the reason why another person is broken down, you reap what you sow. You are piling up weeping days and they will surely come.
- Avoid evil company: The bible gives account that bad company corrupts good character. Darkness and light cannot mix. You may be a believer, but prolonged exposure to bad friends/company will corrupt your beliefs. Wisdom demands that believers ought to be careful with whom they bring into their lives. You cannot say you are born again, and you are surrounded by lucifer-kind of people or friends. If you are not a thief and you are friends with thieves, you are a thief in making. You must be careful with who you associate with! People carry different atmospheres/spirits and where they enter, they pollute it. So be careful with whom you bring to close to your life.
Understanding – Psalm 49:20 highlights the correlation between wisdom and dominion. As we deepen our understanding of our identity in Christ and the authority bestowed upon us, we become more effective in exercising dominion on the earth.
One of the challenges facing the church of Christ these days is that Christians do not understand Jesus Christ and his power. This explains why many Christians are threatened by powers and forces of hell. Christians are supposed to be the light of the world, carrying the power of light – which is our identity. Where there is light, darkness cannot comprehend. There is a lot of identity crisis in the church today. Many people are in church but don’t understand Christ. The deeper the understanding of who you are in Christ, the stronger your dominion on earth.
It is unfortunate that many are in church but few have experienced and have had an encounter with God of this Church. They are church- they are scared of every little thing that comes by the way. When you understand God deeply, there are things that will not shake you anymore – you have a firm stand in the insights in the Word of God.
Praise and Worship: Praise and worship connotes gratitude. Revelation 3:7 and Psalm 149:5-6 emphasize the power of praise and worship in spiritual warfare. Gratitude and adoration toward God activate His intervention on our behalf, enabling us to triumph over every adversary.
As you are praising God, he is waging warfare for you. David’s major key for dominion was gratitude. Irrespective of circumstances – David was always gratitude – When child died, even when he learnt that the child died even when he was fasting, David worshipped God. Worshippers will always triumph over the forces of hell – Psalms 149:8
Let us embrace our identity as kings and priests in Christ, empowered by the anointing to rule and reign in life. As we walk in unrighteousness, wisdom, and praise, we will experience the fullness of dominion that comes from our union with Christ, through anointing.
May this revelation of dominion by the anointing propel you to new levels of victory and spiritual authority in your journey of faith.
Watch the sermon HERE