TAKE DOMINION

   Victoria took a long look at the woman staring back at her from the large mirror in her bedroom and smiled broadly. She was grateful to God for how things had turned out for her at last. In retrospect, she knew that things would have either remained the way they were or taken a very tragic dimension if God hadn't terribly intervened at the time He did. She had been married for eight years without a child. Within those years, she had had five miscarriages. Every time she took in, something inexplicable would happen and the pregnancy would be lost. It became so frequent and she grew so tired of it that in her subconscious, she never really did expect the pregnancy to develop again anytime she took in. When the situation defied solution after visiting various gynecologists in different hospitals across the country, she eventually resigned to fate, believing that barrenness was her cross.

   Even though her husband showed considerable love, care and understanding throughout what was a trying period for them, she never had it easy with her in-laws. They blamed her for her childlessness and even threatened to get a second wife for her husband whom they claimed shouldn't have married her in the first place if he had listened to them. There were days when Victoria would cry through the night after having some painful encounters with her in-laws, especially Bosede, her husband's elder sister, who became a thorn in her flesh.

   But Victoria's story changed for the better one red-letter day. She was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen that Monday evening when she heard the voice of a popular preacher on the transistor radio playing in the living room. She washed her hands clean, walked to the living room, picked up the radio and returned to the kitchen. She placed the radio on a raised wall shelf in the the kitchen so she could listen clearly to all the preacher was saying.

   The preacher was teaching on the subject, "The Authority of the Believer." As he taught, he quoted extensively from the Scriptures but one particular Bible reference sunk deep into Victoria's mind because the preacher kept referring to it and emphasizing that the Lord Jesus Christ has given Christians dominion over all the powers of the enemy as though he wanted to stamp it upon her heart. It was Luke 10:19: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." As Victoria worked in the kitchen, she kept reciting the verse aloud and suddenly, as if a light had been lit in her spirit, she screamed with delight: "I have authority!" As she said this, she jumped up in the kitchen in excitement. Although she had read the verse several times in the past, it never made the kind of impression it made in her that day.

   At night, on that memorable Monday, rather than cry, she prayed like she never done----it was a prayer of faith and authority. She took dominion over her life, career and family. She recommitted her life to God and took her position in Christ. She prayed against every stronghold operating in her life and family. She prayed and prevailed in prayer that night. Everyone who saw Victoria after that night instantly knew that something grand had taken place in her. The gait in her walk, the wide smile constantly on her lips and the peace written all over her face all testified to this. And indeed, something miraculous did happen because a year later, she and her husband had a baby boy whom they christened Daniel.

   The reality of our present human existence on earth is that every human being will either experience dominion or slavery in their lifetime. You either have dominion or be under dominion; you can't stay neutral. But the original intention of God was that man should live in freedom under the leadership of God Himself. Accept God's love into your life today thought His Son Jesus Christ and flee sin and live a life of dominion thought Christ redemptive power.

God bless you.