Dominion and Glory

Casey Doss preached recently that the book of Revelation makes clear that God has given believers a two-fold assignment on the earth. We are called to be kings and priests. Revelation 1:6 says that Jesus “has made us kings and priests to His God and Father . . . .” This is echoed again in Rev. 5:9, 10: “For You were slain . . . and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Jesus not only washed away our sin and rescued us from hell, but also gave us purpose here on the earth. That purpose is to release both dominion and glory. Kings exercise dominion, and priests release glory. We are both in Christ Jesus.
Understanding this assignment should produce questions in us. It should lead us to ask how we are to release dominion. What exactly does releasing dominion mean? Rev. 1:6 explains not only that we are kings, but also how to fulfill that assignment: “[Jesus] has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” The verse begins by saying that we are kings, those called to exercise dominion. However, it then says to give dominion to God. This contrast helps us to understand that the only way we can ever exercise dominion is by giving God complete dominion. The only way God can ever exercise His authority through us is if He has already exercised His authority in us.
Matthew 8:5-10 emphasizes this principle of dominion. When speaking with Jesus, the centurion says, “For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” The entire reason this centurion is able to tell his soldiers what to do and exercise dominion over them is because he is “a man under authority.” The centurion is able to say, “Go, come, and do this,” because he responds when he is told, “Go, come, and do this.” If we want our words to carry authority and shake the powers of hell, then we must let God’s word carry authority in our lives and shake us. We can only exercise dominion when we give Him dominion.
This same principle applies to glory. We can only release glory to the level that we have received glory in our own lives. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” When we set ourselves to behold the glory of God, then we have our imaged changed into a glorious state, giving us the ability to release glory in the earth.
God has given believers a two-fold assignment: kings and priests. Dominion and glory. At our schools we are called to release the dominion of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We are called to give people an encounter with glory. The only way these assignments can be fulfilled is by receiving dominion and glory in our own lives. If we will set ourselves to be obedient and to gaze at God in the secret place, then God can use us to change the earth.
-Micah Wood
The Ramp