UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOMINION MANDATE
By Bishop Mike Okonkwo
Friday 23rd August 2024
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26 (KJV)
Mandate means a command or authorisation to act in a particular way. It is a command from a superior court. It is an authoritative order, a decree, an injunction, or an instruction. God has always intended that we have a dominion mandate over our lives from creation. That is why He said: “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness …” Our God Himself is the Absolute One in charge. He is the beginning that created the beginning. He began the beginning, so He wanted man to dominate what He did first. And for man to dominate, he must be like Him. You can’t effectively dominate when you are not like God.
God Himself gave this mandate. And so, in making man in His own image, he must have God’s nature, character, and life. So, image is you being like God, and likeness is you functioning as God. To function is to dominate, while image talks about your personality. For you to dominate, you must be like Him.
Adam committed high treason and lost his dominion. So, the mandate was lost when Adam fell. And Adam is the representative of every man born on the surface of this earth. So, when Adam fell, Adam died. Everyone who does not have Christ inside him is dead. Such a person may be breathing and moving about, but if he doesn’t receive Christ, he is already dead because that is his choice.
Because Adam died, every one of us born on the surface of this earth is born dead. But Romans 1:17 says: Much more they which receive the abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Further Reading: Genesis 1:26-30; 2:15-17; 3:6-7; Romans 5:12-17
Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 113-115; Evening- 1 Corinthians 6