Genesis 1:26 (Amplified) tells us, "God said, Let Us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), make mankind in Our Image (after Our Likeness), and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all of the earth and over everything that creeps upon the earth."
This mandate of authority and dominion, was lost to mankind when Adam surrendered his authority over to satan in Genesis 3:6-7. God gave the work of His hands over to mankind, so it was no longer His to rule, but was Adam's domain. This might sound absurd to some, but God is Just and Truth. When God delivered this earth and the authority over this earth into Adam's hands, it was a legal transaction, upheld in the Courts of Justice in God's Kingdom. God Himself transferred this authority over and wouldn't transgress His Own authority.
This planet was under control of the god of this world, for thousands of years, according to 2Corinthians 4:4 (Amplified), which says, "For the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever's minds that they should not discern the Truth, preventing them from seeing the Illuminating Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God." This Image and Likeness of God, is the same Image and Likeness God created mankind after in the beginning, in Genesis 1:26. Through Jesus, we've been restored back into God's Original Intent for His family.
God gave Adam authority and dominion over the earth and everything that creeps upon it. This includes authority over satan and his lies that "He is in charge." God's Original Mandate of authority was delivered to Jesus the Last Adam Who was without sin, in Luke 10:17-21 (Amplified). Thus, we read, "The seventy [Jesus sent out] returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name. And He said to them, I saw satan falling like a lightning flash from Heaven. Behold, I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and physical and mental strength and ability over all the power that the enemy possesses; and nothing shall in any way harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are enrolled in Heaven. In that same hour [Jesus] rejoiced and Glorified in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things relating to salvation from the wise and understanding and learned, and revealed them to babes (the childish, unskilled, and untaught). Yes, Father, for such was Your Gracious will and choice and Good pleasure."
The will and Good pleasure of God, was the restoration of the God-given authority and dominion over the works of His hands in the beginning. Through the Last Adam Jesus, the mandate God intended for His family in the beginning, has been restored again to all who will believe. Colossi ans 2:13-15 (Amplified) tells us, "And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality of your sinful carnal nature), God brought Life together with Christ having freely forgiven us all our transgressions Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the hand writing of the note (bond) with it legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This note with its regulations, decrees and demands ((The Law of Moses), He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to His Cross. God completely disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it (the cross)."
This "triumph and display" was the return of the authority God gave to His family in the beginning, by being heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. We've been created new creatures, through the Last Adam Jesus, into God's Original Intent for His family, but "The god of this world has blinded men's minds to this Truth," according to 2Corinthians 4:4. He isn't the God of the Kingdom or the earth, but is the little g, god of this world. Satan still rules over those whose minds are blinded to the Truth, including the carnal realm of the earth and the world system. The only ability satan has left over believers, is lying and deceiving and continually reminding us of who we were before Jesus. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 (Amplified), "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy." Jesus gives "The Parable of the Sower" in Mark 4:14 (Amplified), saying, "The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown in their hearts, but when they hear, satan comes at once and by force takes away the Message which is sown in them." Once satan has stole the Word, then and only then, can he steal and kill and destroy.
The authority over all the earth and everything that creeps on it, has been returned to us, by Jesus and the Power of His Name. Jesus gave us the Power of Attorney, to use His Name. Jesus told His followers, "All Power has been given Him, both in Heaven and in earth, now go in My Name," in Matthew 28:18-19 (Amplified)
Our minds have been blinded by satan's lies, for nearly two-thousand years. Satan will surely come to steal away the Word, even now, but God's Word tells us in James 4:7 (Amplified), "Submit yourselves unto God, and resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Resisting means to stand our ground on God's Word and not yielding to satan's lies. Satan cannot take anything that we won't turn loose of.
Jesus withstood the devil in Luke 4:1-3, by knowing Who He was. We have the same weapons of warfare to stand like Jesus did, when we know what God's Word says about us. We read about the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:17 (Amplified), which tells us that only offensive weapon we have, is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The rest of the Armor is defensive, not offensive. If we don't know God's Word, then we don't have a weapon to resist satan with. When we know who God has created us to be in Jesus, we can use this weapon to protect our identity in Christ and stand our ground.
Satan used this lie against the First Adam in the Garden, questioning Adam about his identity and saying, "IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD." This was the very question satan presented Jesus with. Satan told Jesus, "If you eat, you will be as God." Adam and Eve had already been made in the Image and Likeness of God, but he caused them to question it. We must not allow satan to make us question what Jesus died to create us to be, by His Sacrifice.
Coloss ians 2:9-10 (Amplified) says, "For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the God Head), continues to dwell in bodily form, giving complete expression for the Divine nature. And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of Life, in Christ you too are filled with the God Head (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)- and reach full Spiritual stature. And He is the Head of all rule and authority, of every angelic principality and power."
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