For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive God’s overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS [putting them into right standing with Himself] REIGN AS KINGS IN LIFE through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”  (Romans 5:17 AMPC)

From the foundation of time, God has already ordained us to subdue the earth.  In the beginning it has already been spoken and established that we were created according to His image and likeness.  As He is, so are we in this world.  Because God is a God Whose power no foe can come against, what makes us think that the enemy can defeat us? Victory is our destiny for He promised that He ALWAYS causes us TO TRIUMPH in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Here is the prophecy in the Book of Daniel through a dream that I got so blessed with while meditating on it.

 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.   He was given AUTHORITY, GLORY and SOVEREIGN POWER; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. HIS DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

When we come to know Jesus as the King of kings and the Lord of lords and His kingdom that knows no bounds, and that we are IN HIM and HE IN US, no amount of the enemy’s lies can devour us.  Our victorious destiny is in our identity.

I love what unfolded in Daniel’s dream.  There was a war going on but the Son of Man was given dominion over all and such was extended to those who are called to Himself.

“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things:  ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth.   But the holy people of the Most High will RECEIVE the kingdom and WILL POSSESS IT FOREVER—yes, for ever and ever.’ (Daniel 7:17-18)

“As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment IN FAVOR of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they POSSESSED the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:21-22)

‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.   Then the SOVEREIGNTY, POWER and GREATNESS of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’ (Daniel 7:26-27)

Don’t be alarmed by the word “holy people”!  Holy people are you and I, who believe in Jesus Christ.  It is by the power of His blood that cleansed us and made us right before His eyes and the infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives that made us holy.  Holiness is not about how we dress and behave.  These are by-products of being holy and of being whose we are.

Holiness is ownership.  God chose, hand-picked us by name and set us apart for His use.  Once set apart, our lives are no longer our own.  He has put His name on us and labeled us as His own.  He put His very own Holy Spirit in us to abide in us forever.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Do you know why the devil so hates us?  Because we have what he wants. He so wanted to be like God but you and I were born for it.  That’s why he wages war against our identity of being born “like” God, created according to His image and likeness, born to rule and reign in life as kings.  It is but his job to discredit our identity.

Why do you think he told Eve, “Did God really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5)

Why would he say “you will be like God” when in truth Eve was already created according to God’s image and likeness?  Be mindful then when challenges arise.  He is there to convince us that we are on the wrong side like him.  He wants us to be miserable like him. He blinds our eyes with his lies who we are in the eyes of our Daddy God.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it MORE ABUNDANTLY.” (John 10:10)

The actual war that we are facing everyday is about our identity, WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE.  But the power behind our identity can NEVER be independent from our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is only IN HIM where our victories and triumphs are founded, secured and established. It is only IN HIM where we can SURELY be called overcomers and more than conquerors!

Let us be mindful, too, that our breakthroughs may not look like the very way we expect them to be. He causes us to triumph ALWAYS but we need to see beyond the obvious. The overcoming truths may not be seen from the outside, but the victorious reality may be from the inside, from the depths of our hearts, that will eventually be manifested before our very eyes at a designated time. The fruit of our lives are proofs of where our roots are grounded on. His word says, “If the root is holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:16)

When Jesus died at the cross, everyone thought and that included the enemy that it was an absolute deafeat. BUT, little did they know the magnificent and glorious power behind His death. For the JOY that was set before Him, He endured everything just as so He can have us back into Himself where FULLNESS OF PEACE, JOY and LOVE are found. He won it all for us that we may victory in every way.

“I have told you these things, so that IN ME you may have [PERFECT] PEACE and CONFIDENCE.  In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!  For I have overcome the world.  [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”  (John 16:33 AMPC)

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You, for calling us Your own, holding us with Your hand and upholding us with Your righteous right hand that no one can snatch us away from You.  Thank You, Jesus, for being our Lord and Savior.  Your blood established us to be Your holy people whom You have given Your power and authority to reign in our lives as kings.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for guiding us into all truth.  How wonderful it is to know the truth of Who we are and Whose we are, sons and daughters of the Most High God.  Amen!