Understanding Our Divine Identity: Walking in Authority and Dominion
Last week, we concluded our newsletter by emphasizing the importance of recognizing our uniqueness. Without understanding how different we are, we risk never walking in the confidence and fullness of who we were created to be. This week, we dive deeper into this truth by exploring Genesis 1:26, unpacking who we are and what sets us apart in this world.
Apostle CJ Atemi, a renowned preacher in Kenya, once said, "If we have identity issues, we will always struggle with authority." This profound statement points us to God's original design for humanity. God created us to have authority and dominion over His creation—things in the air, the sea, and the land. Our authority, therefore, is rooted in our identity.
When God formed us, He didn’t just shape us from dust; He poured His very DNA into us. Genesis 1:26 tells us we were made in His image and likeness. The Amplified Bible beautifully explains this, describing how God deposited His spiritual personality and moral likeness into us. This means that all God is, we are designed to reflect.
Because we are made in God’s image, the enemy relentlessly fights to distort our view of ourselves. He distracts us by making us compare our progress to others or desire things outside of God’s will for us. This leads us to drift from the image of God we were meant to mirror.
As Pastor Sarah Jakes explains in Power Moves, to operate in true power, we must remain God-centered. So, the question for us is: What are we beholding that is not of God? Remember, what we fix our eyes on shapes who we become.
God’s intention for us was never ambiguous. It is clearly expressed in Genesis 1:28, where He declares a blessing over humanity:
Be fruitful
Multiply
Fill the earth
Subdue it
Have dominion
This is the identity we are called to reflect as God’s children. But let’s clarify: we are not given authority to dominate or subdue people. Instead, we are called to steward creation and collaborate with others.
In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image.” The use of “us” reflects the collaborative nature of the Trinity. If God operates in collaboration, so must we. Our identity as image-bearers calls us to partner, not compete, as we walk in dominion.
Your DNA—your identity—is rooted in fruitfulness, dominion, authority, and multiplication. It’s time to walk boldly in this truth, stewarding what God has entrusted to us with faithfulness and collaboration.
Reflection Corner
Did you know and believe that you carry God’s DNA, or did it feel like just another Christian cliché?
What lies about your identity have you believed in the past?
How will you walk in the fullness of your God-given identity this year?
Are there areas where uncertainty about your identity caused you to compromise your authority?
When you hear the word “dominion,” what comes to mind?
How will you collaborate with others to be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted to you?
Prayer Points
Lord, help me to collaborate with others as we steward what You’ve entrusted to us this year.
Help me find my identity in You and walk confidently in that knowledge.
Holy Spirit, tear down the lies I’ve believed about my identity and replace them with the truth of Your Word.