Exercising Authority: In His Image

From the beginning, God designed humanity to exercise authority on the earth. The first chapter of Genesis explains that design simply: God made man in His image, gave him dominion, and gave him seed. Understanding these three elements of God’s design reveals how He intends for believers to function in the world.

People generally know that they are made in God’s image, but do not really understand what that means. They do not know how being made in God’s image grants them authority, or how His Word tells them how, when, and where to exercise that authority. However, Scripture reveals God’s design for people to exercise the authority He gave them, and it also shows how the enemy has tried to sabotage this design along the way.

God’s biblical plan for human authority begins in Genesis 1:26-29, when He makes man in His image. Technically, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Why is God using plural pronouns here? You can answer this question two ways.

First, you can look for biblical evidence of who was present at the moment God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:2 says “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, and He was present at creation. John 1:1-3 says the Word was with God, was God, and made things, and John 1:14 identifies the Word as Jesus, the Son of God and God the Son. So, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were all present when They created man in Their image. That means that man is a spirit (in the image of the Holy Spirit), who lives in a body (in the image of the Son), and has a mind (or soul) that communes with both of them (in the image of the Father).

However, you can also answer this question by looking at a person and seeing whose image and likeness he bears. This goes beyond physical appearance, and includes the full range of human communication, emotion, intellect, reasoning, and a host of other attributes that distinguish humanity from the animals. When you consider the whole counsel of Scripture and your observation of people, it is again evident that people are made in the image of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

When God made people in His image, He also gave them authority, another attribute that distinguishes people from animals. God wants you to use the authority He gave you to advance His kingdom and accomplish His purposes. To use it effectively, you must understand where it applies and how it works. God followed up His creation of man by giving him dominion on the earth, and that is where He wants you to exercise your authority.