DOMINION, DISCIPLINE, RESPONSIBILITY

For, behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines – Judges 13: 5

Dominion entails Power, sometimes raw power; and power can be intoxicating. God has designed it that with a measure of dominion rights within your reach, there is always an equal and balancing measure of Responsibility and Discipline. Spiritual power is not cheap; hence, God does not toy, trifle, or tempt us with His powers. With Him, Responsibility always balances Authority. Dominion always demands discipline. When God gives a person a specific responsibility, He makes adequate authority available, and vice-versa. Titles do not ascribe dominion; but dominion enthrones and often bestows titles.

The Lord Jesus sent out the disciples with specific authority and commensurate instructions of responsibility, and these were undoubtedly confirmed (Lk.10:1-9, 18-19). God granted such a phenomenal dimension of dominion to Joshua that at his command, the Sun stood still upon Gideon and the Moon, in the valley of Ajalon (Jos.10:12-13). This was commensurate with the very high responsibility committed to his hands (Jos.1:4). In God’s agenda, responsibility undergirds any divine display, demonstration, or ‘show’ of power. God does not waste His power! He does not display power for fun.

An unfortunate case of dominion devoid of discipline was that of Samson, the Nazarite judge (Jud.13-16). Though his birth was prophesied and his destiny defined by an angel, through indiscipline and obsession with strange women, Samson fell to enticement and deception, and ended up in regression and ridicule. His God-given mission of dominion and deliverance of Israel was truncated by indiscipline, power intoxication, irresponsibility, misbehaviour, and an uncontrolled ego. He lived like one who bore no responsibilities alongside his right to such unprecedented anointing, until his very last moments.

Divine Dominion is never about personal ego trips, but for the establishment of God’s Kingdom, starting with in your own life – the life of the Dominion Carrier. It is Responsibility that secures dominion. Discipline is the valve, the ‘control’, the check on the release of dominion. Dominion therefore thrives and finds full release in the place of Commitment, Discipline, Service, and Responsibility. An irresponsible believer is more likely to be deprived of the demonstration of dominion rights, because there is nothing he or she wants to exercise such authority on. Go for discipline; and dominion will abide with you!