In the text of the sermon in Genesis 37:8, we can see that the brothers of Joseph recognized what it means to have dominion. With dominion comes kingship, rulership and authority, and for his brothers to say "shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?". This signifies the brothers having a full knowledge of what it takes to dominate.
The father Jacob also understood clearly the meaning of the dream and that was the reason the father rebuked him in Genesis 37:10. The father knew something that Joseph himself does not know. Sometimes as a child of God, God reveals somethings to us in our dreams, but we find it difficult to comprehend or to explain. Even when you share it with someone in the faith, they can mock your dream or perhaps give you a wrong interpretation of dream. Rather than becoming like Zacharias in Luke 1:18 and start giving flimsy excuses or becoming like Peter in Acts 10:14, we should rather say after through prayers for the revelation meaning from God, the same way Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus responded in Luke 1:38 ".... be it unto me according to thy word".
In the bible text we read this morning, we can see clearly that Jacob knew that Joseph must have a Kingdom and become a king before they can bow down to the earth for him as in the custom of greeting a King, but he finds it difficult to comprehend most especially that they are strangers in the land as stated in Genesis 37:1 and stranger can not just come into a land to become a king.
The bible in Habakkuk 2: 2-3 require us to write the vision for it is for an appointed time, but will come to fulfilment when the time comes. So, Jacob believes the dream of his son (Joseph) and the bible says in Genesis 37:11 that his father (Jacob) observes the saying. In Complete Jewish Bible, it says... but his father kept the matter in mind. Meaning Jacob make it plain upon the tables of his mind and keep meditating on it looking for the day the dream will come true.
In order to understand this passage very well, we need to know the meaning of two words clearly. The word "Dominion" means:
· The power or right of governing and controlling Sovereign authority.
· A dominion is also known as "A territory, usually of considerable size, in which a single rulership holds sway.
The word "Kingdom" means:
· A state of government having a King or Queen as its head
· The spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ
· The domain over where the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ extends, whether in heaven or on earth.
From the Webster dictionary as defined above, we can see that there has to be a King. And to be a King, you will either be chosen, elected or appointed by the people. The purpose of a King is to rule and protect the people, protect the sovereignty of domain or kingdom from any internal or external aggression.
When God, the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit decided to make man in their own image to have dominion over all things on the earth according to Genesis 1:26 and in Genesis 1:28, the bible said," And God bless them and told them to be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and have dominion over all things.
So, Adam lost dominion to Satan’s deception in the garden of Eden, then the enemy places strongholds in all areas of life for human kind in order to hinder the Kingdom's mandate given to us to dominate. But thanks be to God who provided us with the last Adam, who is Jesus Christ, the Messiah as written in 1 Corinthians 15:45. This is what God did for mankind through Jesus Christ birth, death and resurrection when Apostle Paul told the Corinthians people in his epistle to them in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 that if any man be in Christ, that man is a new creature and old things are passed away and all things become new. He went further to tell us that God was in Jesus Christ reconciling sinners who forsake his or her sins to Himself.
The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into this world was to use His authority to disarm the enemy and all his demonic forces and powers that took away dominion from Man and made a public show of them openly according to Colossians 2:15.
The question now is "how can we regain our dominion"?
1. If you are still committing sins, you should stop because sin is a reproach. Proverb 14:34.
2. Invite Jesus Christ into your life and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour henceforth and He will destroy whatever the enemy has done in your life that made you lose your dominion. 1 John 3:8
3. Read your bible and meditate the word of God daily. Joshua 1:8
4. Pray with all manners of prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6
5. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians-5:18
6. Sing praises and worship songs regularly and stop listening to worldly music. This will corrupt your spirit man. Ephesians 5:19
7. When situations and challenges come your way, know your weapons very well and make full use of it. There are so many weapons God has given His children. For examples, praise, worship, prayer etc. David in 1 Samuel 17:40 make use of his weapon to challenge the situation.
In conclusion, the scripture says we are ambassadors for Christ, today is the day of your salvation to dominate back what belongs to you. Are you here today and still committing secret sin(s) and you think that after all nobody sees me; I must tell you that you have gave your dominion to Satan? But the good news is that it is never too late to get back your dominion once you still have the breath of life. Or you are here and saying to yourselves, I have been praying and fasting and it seems nothing works out, I am here to tell you that with God nothing shall be impossible. I encourage you again as Jesus Christ encourages Peter in Luke 5: 5-11 to make one more try as Peter did.
Let us Pray!
I pray for you that going forward you will walk and maintain your God given dominion for your destiny in the Name of Jesus. Every area of your life that seems the devil has placed a foothold on is released to you in Jesus Name. The God that remembers Joseph in the enslavement of Satan that does not want his dream of greatness to come into manifestation will show up for you this season and you shall possess what belongs to you in Jesus Name… So shall it be. Amen!
