Christ’s death, burial and resurrection restored the authority and dominion we had before the fall. It brought us to our original position and place in Christ. Jesus used his power and authority to disarm and defeat the enemy and all his demonic forces (Matthew 28: 18). The Bible confirmed this in Colossians 2:15: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Consequently, we no longer live our lives by chance or according to the dictates of the enemy. Your knowledge of this as a Christian should affect your thought, conduct, and comportment. It should destroy fear and boost your confidence in God because he desires His children to dominate and take authority over every circumstance in and around them.
THE MEANING OF AUTHORITY AND DOMINION.
To have authority and dominion is to have the power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience. It also means rightful, actual and unimpeded power to act, possess, control or dispose of someone or something. The picture of authority can be seen in the centurion when he said to Jesus, “For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another come and he cometh; and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it”(Matthew 8:9). Just like the centurion, every Christian is under the authority of Jesus Christ-the captain of our salvation. The basis of our salvation. The basis of our authority, therefore, is our position in Christ. The scripture says, God has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”(Ephesians 2:6).
The authority Christians have in Christ cannot be equated with the authority that is obtained by title or position, just like the authority that was delegated to Joseph by Pharaoh in Genesis 41:40. But Christ’s authority can never be compared with any type of authority; it is higher than any government’s or ruler’s authority. He has given all Christians this same divine and supernatural authority. This implies that you can declare and decree anything in His name and it will be done. Jesus himself affirmed this in John 14:13; He says “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
The authority Jesus conferred on you has nothing to do with your stature, whether you are big or small, the way you feel or even your location as long as you are a Christian. Anywhere you are, you can exercise and use your God-given authority. Jesus has given you his powerful name to use. It is a name that Heaven, earth, the kingdom of darkness, principalities and powers recognize because it has God’s approval. When you put it into use, nothing can reverse whatever you decree; even the devil himself trembles at the mention of that name (Philippians 2:10). That is the authority you have in Christ as a Christian, so rise up and use your authority anywhere and anytime.