Mensa Otabil - Made for Dominion (10/02/2025)
We’re talking about fruitfulness this week. We’ve discussed the fact that the earth is made to be fruitful, that God has placed within us the seed, the capacity, and the potential to be fruitful. We’ve talked about the fact that whatever seed God has placed within us produces after its kind; it has the power to do that. Today, we are discussing the fact that God has given us dominion, and that’s a very important thought.
Genesis chapter 1, verse 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, over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.» This is one of the most pivotal verses in the Bible, and I’ve preached so much from this verse because it’s fundamental to the purpose that God has for us here on earth. God created us for dominion—not to dominate one another, but to dominate circumstances and situations.
The word «dominion» carries the idea of contending with something wild, something untamed, and bringing it under control. God created us in such a way that when we confront something that resists His authority, we can bring it under subjection. When we confront something that is coming against us and pushing against us, we can have power over it. The ability to have dominion is at the core of what God has made us to be. This means that no matter what life throws against you, no matter what life confronts you with, you are made to have dominion.
Life can present us with many adversities. People are born with physical limitations; sometimes you are born into deprivation, extreme poverty, or abusive parenting. All kinds of things happen, but because we have been made for dominion, no matter where we are planted or our circumstances in life, God has made us in such a way that we can rise above it. The reason God created us with the seed and the potential is so that we can use the gifts He has given us to rise above every circumstance.
Now, knowing that we must have dominion is good, but we have to understand how to exercise it. To exercise dominion, we must understand that as human beings, we are made of both natural and supernatural elements. There is a part of us that is earthly, of the flesh, and there is a part of us that is from God, that is spiritual and very powerful. For those who don’t know Christ as Lord, they exercise natural dominion, and they can do that to a large extent. Those who know Christ as Lord have an additional dimension of dominion: spiritual dominion.
So not only do they have power over natural forces, but they also have power over spiritual forces. If you only have power over natural forces, you can tame them—whether they are forces of nature on land, in the sea, or in the atmosphere. But if you have Christ in you, then you possess another dimension of dominion: spiritual dominion over demonic forces and entities. When we combine these, our power of dominion becomes formidable.
Therefore, to be fruitful, we must understand that wherever God has planted us, we will be fruitful in it. No matter what comes against us, God has given us the power to rise above it. So much can be thrown against you, so much can be working against you, but you will always come out victorious because that is how God has designed you to be. Just look at human history and observe the people who have overcome so much adversity, things that you think should crush them. You see people emerge from these challenges and excel, whether in sports, science, or other fields. People overcome adversity.
God has designed you for dominion, and don’t allow any situation to put you down and destroy the potential that God has planted in you. Let us pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, You have given me dominion in life. Help me to walk in victory over every situation in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. That’s who you are. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.