Eph 4:11-15 – 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (KJV)
I. Who are Sons of God?
A. Adam: Luke 3:38 – 38. Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. (KJV)
B. Angels:
1. Gen 6:2-4 – 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (KJV)
2. Job 1:6-7 – 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. KJV
3. Job 2:1 – 1. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. KJV
4. Job 38:7 – 7. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? KJV
C. Jesus: 1 Jn 3:8 – 8. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. KJV
D. Christians:
1. 1 John 3:1-3 – 1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
2. Phil 2:15-16 – 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16. Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. (KJV)
3. Rom 8:18-21 – 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (KJV)
4. John 1:12 – 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (KJV)
II. What Position Do Sons of God Occupy?
A. A position of Dominion:
1. Gen 1:26-28 – 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion (#7287) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion (#7287) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (KJV)
a. What is “dominion”?
i. Strong’s #7287 radah (raw-daw’); to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off: translated in the KJV as: (to make to) have dominion, to prevail against, reign, (bear, to make to) rule over, take.
ii. Brown/Driver/Brigg’s #7287 radah- 1)to rule, to have dominion, to dominate, to tread down –a) to have dominion, to rule, to subjugate –b) to cause to dominate.
2. Ps 8:4-8 – 4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6. Thou madest him to have dominion (#4910) over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (KJV)
a. Strong’s #4910 mashal (maw-shal’); to rule: translated in the KJV as: (have, make to have) dominion, governor, reign, (to cause to have) rule, have power.
b. Brown/Driver/Brigg’s #4910 mashal – to rule, to have dominion, to reign; to rule, to have dominion 1) to cause to rule, 2) to exercise dominion.
B. A position of Authority – As one with authority – over diseases, sicknesses, devils.
1. Isa 45:11 – 11. Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. (KJV)
2. Matt 7:28-29 (referring to Jesus) – 28. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (KJV)
3. Matt 28:18-20 (referring to Jesus and Man) – 18. And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (KJV)
4. Mark 6:7 (referring to man) – 7. And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; (KJV)
5. Matt 9:37-10:1(referring to man) – 37. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (KJV)
C. A position of Responsibility / Duty – A position of servant to all but master to devils.
1. Mark 10:44-45 – 44. And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. KJV
2. Matt 7:12 – 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. KJV
3. Luke 17:10 – 10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. KJV
4. James 4:17 – 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. KJV
III. What Does A Son of God Act Like?
A. The attributes of Jesus:
1. The Fruit of the Spirit: Gal 5:22-25 – 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
2. The Gifts of the Spirit: 1 Cor 12:8-10 – 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9. To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits’ to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
3. Does what please the Father: John 8:29 – And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
4. Speaks the words of The Father: John 3:34 - For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
5. Does the works of The Father: See John 8:29 (above)
6. Destroys the works of the devil: 1 John 3:8 – He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
a. Acts 10:38 – 38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
b. John 10:10 – 10. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. KJV
7. Seeks those that are lost: Luke 19:10 – For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
B. In the area of Spiritual Dominion, we need only see a few things clearly to change our lives AND the lives of all we meet forever. If you will earnestly seek to have the truths that I am about to share with you, engrafted into your heart, you will walk upon this earth like Jesus, as God intends you to.
1. Truth #1 – God intended MAN to have and walk in dominion ON THE EARTH.
2. Truth #2 – Man forfeited that position of dominion by acting on Satan’s word instead of God’s word.
3. Truth #3 – When man forfeited his position of dominion, he also forfeited his position of fellowship and communion. (Fellowship, Communion, and Dominion are not different positions, they are all one in the same.)
4. Truth #4 – God wanted man in a position of fellowship/dominion so much that He was willing to sacrifice Jesus to return man to his original position.
5. Truth #5 – Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil –By His life He showed us how to live on earth as a man walking in dominion. He was the second Adam. Jesus walked like a man without sin, in a sinful world.
6. Truth #6 – Jesus did His part. If we are not back into our original position before God, then Jesus’ sacrifice was not as good as Adam’s sin was bad.
7. Truth #7 – We, being the body of Christ, are to walk as Jesus upon the earth, being for others what Jesus was and is for us. We are to be deliverers of those who are bound by Satan, as Jesus did. Jesus showed us how. By having fellowship and communion with our Heavenly Father, and freely giving what we have freely received.
IV. Examples of Dominion given to man:
A. Freedom to heal anyone.
1. Matt 10:7-8 – 7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (KJV)
2. Luke 9:1-2 – 1. Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. 2. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. KJV
3. Luke 9:4-6 – 4. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. 5. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. 6. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. KJV
4. Luke 10:8-9 – 8. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9. And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. KJV
B. Freedom to pray for anything within the parameters of a Christian life.
1. Matt 16:19 – 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (KJV)
2. Matt 21:21-22 – 21. Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (KJV)
C. Freedom to say what you want and get it. Mark 11:23-24 – 23. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (KJV)