Genesis 1 : 26, Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." NKJV
Did you know that worship, and dominion are interconnected? If we make the choice to worship God, then He has promised that we will walk in dominion in the earth. Whenever Lucifer was created by the Lord, He made him with timbrels, (tambourine) which is a sign of merriment in the Old Testament.
When Lucifer rebelled in his heart against the authority of God, it was for the sole purpose of glorifying himself over God. He desired to exalt his throne above God's throne, and this cost him his dominion as an Arch-angel. We see Satan make his first appearance in the New Testament when Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness. Satan promised Jesus that he would give him great authority over his kingdoms and the glory of them if He would just worship him as "god." To this, Jesus quoted a portion of scripture from the Law of God, "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve."
Satan will offer people this world's pleasures and fame as long as they make a commitment to worship their "self" nature and not God. Nonetheless, it is not hard to see that the price a person pays for listening to Satan far outweighs any short-term fame, wealth, or authority because they soon become enslaved to his lies. Jesus tells us in Mark 8, "What shall it PROFIT a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his soul?" Once again, we can see that worship, and dominion are connected.
It is God, who has given us the right to have dominion over the earth, and it was Satan, who stole that right through man's sin. As man made the decision to worship self in the place of God, he has slipped deeper into bondage and depravity. The key to remaining faithful to God is to avoid hardening your heart to His voice. If you truly desire to live with authority, then you must see to it that God has the proper place of priority in your life over self.
The more a person or a people harden their hearts against God, the more they will turn their worship toward self...this will produce bondage in their lives. Instead of having dominion over the creatures that God promised us in the beginning, men will worship them as god.
Romans 1 : 18 - 23, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. NKJV
They didn't worship or honor God because they rejected or suppressed the truth that God had revealed to them. As a result, they chose to worship the very thing that God had given man dominion over. Do you honor the Word of God in your heart? When the Holy Spirit speaks the truth into your life, do you listen? Each time we deny the authority of God to speak into our lives, we are giving our dominion over to Satan to hold us in bondage.
Worshiping God through Obedience,
Pastor Asa Dockery
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