Taking Dominion

Are you as amazed as I that God gave mankind dominion over "the works of His hands?"  From Genesis 1:26 and Psalm 8, we see that God wanted us to be in control. Then there's Genesis 3.  The proving ground for the thinking of human hearts that we didn't just want what we had, we wanted it all.

God knew we couldn't exercise dominion over our own hearts yet, we wanted everything we saw even if it meant disobedience.

It took Jesus to bring us into an accurate view of these texts (1 Corinthians 15:21-28; Hebrews 2:7-9) Now we understand how the first and primary place we must take dominion is over our own soul as we discipline ourselves to follow Christ in all things, all the time, everywhere.

I do that with a series of affirmations that I prayerfully review every morning.  It's the way I remind my own soul of these truths and principles. Rehearsing my "manifesto" has strengthened my spirit and my soul.  As you read through them, ask God to help you prepare your own.

MIKE’S MANIFESTO

1. Christ died in my place, therefore, I will live this day as a STEWARD seeking to honor the God who gave me this day. (Matthew 25:29) 
2. God is a God of abundance, not scarcity, therefore, I will live in GRATITUDE. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
3. Because God calls me to a peaceful life, I will create HARMONY around me today. (Romans 12:17-18)
4. God inclines toward me (Psalm 116:2), therefore I will be attentive toward others and LISTEN well.
5. Because the One who has solved all my problems is with me, today I will be a creative, HOPEFUL problem solver. (2 Chronicles 20:17)  
6. My future is in the hands of a wise and loving God, therefore I will TRUST my future will be good. (John 10:10)
7. I take responsibility for what is heard when I speak, not just about what is said. No ambiguity. WORDS MATTER (Proverbs 18:2)
8. Work with the resistance, seeing tension as required to paint new POSSIBILITIES. (Philippians 4:13)
9. I will face my fears with COURAGE knowing that I am stronger than I think (Ephesians 6:10).
10. I EMBRACE THE BATTLE zones with the same enthusiasm as my comfort zones. (Philippians 1:21)
11. When life presents a paradox, I will BELIEVE it is for my good and protection (Romans 8:28; John 13:7; Deuteronomy 29:29)

Every morning, I pray through these thoughts in their entirety then I pick one of the FOCUS words in bold and look for ways to intentionally exercise that focus in my life that day.  At the beginning of each morning, I assess how I did the day before then pick a different one for the current day.

Let me encourage you to get alone with God and prepare your own manifesto and rehearse it daily. Allow the Holy Spirit to coach you and lead you. This process has taught me much but the most important thing God has shown me is that He loves me more than I'll ever know.

Photo by Bruno Bergher on Unsplash