Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we discovered from scriptures our authority on earth. We saw that from the beginning, according to Gen.1:26, God gave us authority on earth but Adam gave it up through sin. Jesus came and restored greater authority to man through forgiveness of sins and restoration of Kingdom authority and power in Luke10:19. Jesus delegated His authority over the power of the devil on earth to us (believers). The devil has no power or influence over any circumstances in our lives than the one we have given him. We simply give him this power when we don’t exercise our authority.

Today, we shall be studying how to reign as kings on earth through the authority given to us by Christ.

     
1) What is Reigning? Rom.5:17 (NKJA)

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

“For if by the trespasses of the one, death reigned as king through the one, much more shall they who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign as kings in the realm of life.” Weymouth’s translation.

It is true that we’ll reign with Jesus during the Millennium according to Rev.20:6. But our reigning with Christ actually starts from earth. We are to reign in the here-and-now.
The Weymouth’s translation uses the word “king”. The very notion of reigning carries with it the idea of ruling, of dominion, and of having authority. If believers don’t know that we have the authority to rule and reign on earth then Satan is often able to reign, or rule, in the life of Christians and people around them. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . . .”

Notice that Romans 5:17 doesn’t say, “Jesus Christ will reign through you.” No! It says, “…THEY [that’s us] which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” This verse says that you and I will reign. Of course, it’s by, or because of, Jesus Christ that we have this authority, but He has given us the authority to rule and reign!

2) What We Received; Rom.5:17

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.).”

Romans 5:17 mentions two things we have received: abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. It’s receiving the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness that enables us to reign. If you don’t know what we received, we’ll be hindered in reigning.

Eph.2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Our salvation is by the grace of God and it is a gift from God which we did not work to get. Grace is God's kindness and patience and love given to us when we deserve the opposite.

We’ve also received the “gift of righteousness.” What does the “gift of righteousness” mean? First, it’s a gift, which means we didn’t do anything to earn or deserve it. Second, it means we have been made right with God. It means we have right-standing with God.

2 Cor.5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”   The truth is, we can’t grow in righteousness. In other words, we can’t have any more right-standing with God than we have right now. Even when we get to Heaven, we won’t have any better standing with God than we have right now.

Unlike the sacrificial blood of animals in the Old Testament, the blood of Jesus Christ does not cover our sins. The blood of Jesus washes away our sins (Rev. 1:5). We’re not a “covered creature”; we’re a new creature! 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

The combination of grace and righteousness also give us the privilege to escape Satan’s condemnation when we sin. If I sin and lose my sense of righteousness, I quickly turn to God and say, “Dear Lord, I’ve sinned. I’ve failed. I didn’t want to, but I missed it. Forgive me.” Then Jesus goes to the Throne Room of God and says, “I took his place. I shed My blood for him.” And, Hallelujah, God sees Jesus instead of me! God sees what Jesus did to wash away sin, and He counts me righteous because of Jesus.

First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins . . . .” When I sinned, I lost my sense of righteousness. When I confessed my sin, God forgave me. But if that’s all that God did, I’d still have a “spiritual inferiority complex.” I’d still be ashamed to come into His Presence. I’d still lack boldness in approaching Him. But 1 John 1:9 goes on to say God is “. . . faithful and just to forgive us our sins, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” God cleanses me from all unrighteousness! If I’m cleansed from my unrighteousness, that means I’m righteous. I can start ruling and reigning.

3) What Do We Reign Over? Luke 10:19
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

We have the authority to rule and reign and have dominion here and now. God's plan for us is that we rule and reign in life as kings: to rule and reign over circumstances, poverty, disease, and everything else that would hinder us. We reign because we have authority. We reign by Jesus Christ.

This was the original mandate given to Adam from the beginning in Gen.1:26-28                           

“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, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

We are to rule over the sphere of influence God gave us. We should not fold our hands and allow the enemy to keep on doing what is contrary to the will of God for our lives and families.

Conclusion.
You can be saved and still continue to be ruled by the devil; by sin, sickness, poverty, fear, and bondage. God doesn’t want us to go through life struggling and barely make it into Heaven. God want us to use our authority to put our enemy in his place and enjoy life to the full according to His divine plans for our lives.

                  Part of this study is from chapter five of The Believers’ Authority by Kenneth E. Hagin.