The New International bible version interprets Colossians 1:13 in this manner, “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”

The word “dominion” in English is from a Latin word meaning “lord” or “master”. That would mean in this verse that darkness rules; it is master or lord over mankind. The scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says the god of this world (note the little “g”) has blinded the minds of men. Darkness has dominion or rule over them. That is not the original purpose of God. He gave dominion to Mankind, but it was not so they could be subservient to a renegade spirit. In the Greek language of the New Testament, the word translated as dominion here is exesti which means “it is lawful, it is permitted, it is possible.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “But even if our gospel (or good news) is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel (or good news) of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.“

I’m stirred by the word dominion. The New International bible version is just one of maybe two or three versions that translate the verse in this manner. Other Bible translations use power, authority, or domain here, but the word dominion speaks to me as more assertive, more definitive than power, authority, and domain. The word dominion expresses a state of complete domination and control. It has more impact than the other words. It infers total, unequivocal, ruling supremacy and perhaps a bit of action. It does not seem at all passive.

Luke 4:5-7 “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

This passage in Luke does indeed speak of dominion over all things. We know the devil is a liar, but Jesus’s response to him in the moment indicated that He understood the devil’s statement to be true. Jesus does not dispute what he says, that the authority over all kingdoms had been delivered to him. It was a fact. The devil is literally offering the Son of God a shortcut to taking dominion over the earth, which was the reason Jesus was here to begin with. If He had bowed to Satan, it was over. The devil knew who He was and why He was here.

Jesus’s response is recorded in Luke 4:8… “And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Other words for dominion are supremacy, ascendancy, dominance, domination, superiority, predominance, preeminence, hegemony, authority, mastery, control, command, power, sway, rule, government, jurisdiction, sovereignty, suzerainty.

The word dominion is also used in most versions of Genesis 1:26. There we read “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, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’” This mandate is repeated in Genesis 1:28. (The Hebrew word used here means to have dominion, rule, dominate.)

God gives a promise in Genesis 9:2, “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.”

Psalm 8:6 speaking of Mankind says, “You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,“

Since Jesus came and died for us, the New Testament says He has now ”…raised us up together and  made us sit together with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…Ephesians  2:6. And according to Ephesians 1:20-21, God has “raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that  is named, not only in this age but in the one to come,” which means we are also seated spiritually with Him, far above all the aforementioned powers.

The born again people of God who are “in Him” have now been given back the dominion spoken of at creation. Jesus came and lived his life as a perfect man, taking our sins upon Himself, so that we could live in the light and the truth of God. He is the “last Adam,” as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:45. He has now been given all authority and dominion. If we are “in Him,” that means we have it too. The restoration of all things is in process. Jesus has restored to His people the dominion, the authority, and the power that Adam gave away to the devil. That is an awesome place to be in. The devil is doing everything he can to stop it, but he can only hinder it. He cannot stop it. We don’t yet see everything under Jesus’s authority. People must make the choice to submit to His authority, but we are well on our way to seeing His kingdom visibly established here on the earth. Scripture even says we can “hasten the coming of the Lord.”

2 Peter 3:11-12…“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,…”

So now that we have regained this position of dominion that was originally assigned to Mankind, what do we do now? Well, we have to learn how to use it properly. God will teach us and train us. Prayer is how we use it. There are also works “prepared beforehand that you should walk in them” as Ephesians 2:10 speaks of that are required also. It’s a partnership with God, just like Adam had. Jesus is the head over the church, which is His Body. The body is expected to take orders from the Head. We have a training manual, which is the bible. It’s not just stories; it’s a record of how imperfect people of God used their faith and their authority to have victory and accomplish the will of God in the earth. The government of God is coming to earth. Get ready!

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”