Transforming Territories: The Saint's Divine Responsibility

Every place the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours...” Deut. 11: 24 The bible clearly states that wherever place the believer goes is conquered territory. The place could be as near as a believer's community or as far away as Europe, Russia, or China. It doesn’t matter. The territory is already conquered by the power of God within you.

Conquered territory includes the geography of all of God's earth. You can live in the city or in the country; you can live in the mountains or in the valleys; or you can live in the desert or in the woods; it does not matter. You are walking on conquered territory.

Therefore, whatever environment a believer enters, fear must not be an option. All things are ours. The promises of God are clear “There shall no person be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the inhabitants of the land that you shall tread upon...” Deut. 11: 25

A Dangerous Environment

The environments of the world are becoming increasingly dangerous. Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes can strike without warning, resulting in massive destruction and loss of lives.

Crime and violence across the world and within our neighborhoods take captive our safety and security, making us prisoners within our own homes. The echo of wars (both foreign and domestic) leaves millions wondering if the world is heading toward a catastrophic end.

For example, uprisings in the Middle East and the struggles of the world economies are causing massive fear and uncertainty among the nations of the world. However, for the believers-the saints of God-the opportunity has come to demonstrate divine dominion upon the earth.

The responsibility of the believer is to display the glory and authority of God in order to transform territories within his or her proximity or wherever those territories are located.

Denying God’s Power

However, the failure of the saints to demonstrate God’s dominion against circumstances that threaten their immediate environments is outright disobedient. The scriptures make this clear in many instances.

For example, the world of God tells us to be fruitful and multiply and take dominion over all the earth. God’s word also gives us an undeniable promise: “My people will live in peaceable habitation, sure dwellings and quiet resting places.” Is 32: 18 these two powerful nuggets of truth alone give us glimpses into who we really are and where we supposed to be in terms of exercising God’s authority?

When we neglect the state of the environment, we fall victim to circumstances and deny the power of God. We are making a mockery of our maker-God-who created the heavens as well as the earth and the things within it.

Men Who Displayed God’s Glory

The scriptures are full of mighty men of God who took dominion over territories and displayed the glory of God, including such righteous men as Job, Moses and Joshua. In the book of Job, we see a man who demonstrated astonishing dominion throughout the city.

Job possessed a sense of dominion so powerful that when he went out into the environment, people feared him. The status of the people didn’t make a difference. The most successful men in the environment stopped what they were doing and gave job their utmost attention.

The scripture states that young men and teenagers feared him. When he spoke to them they listened. This magnitude of respect could have never occurred if job didn’t possess as sense of dominion over conquered territory.

Moses possessed a sense of dominion over conquered territory while leading the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Because of his sense of dominion, he was given the power to bring judgment after judgment upon the land of Egypt until the people of Israel were set free.

When the people of Israel were pursued in the desert by the powerful Pharaoh’s army, Moses, by exercising the power of God, held Pharaoh's entire army at bay by a pillar of fire by night and a massive cloud by day.

By the power of God, he parted the red sea and led the children of Israel to permanent freedom, giving them the opportunity to enter into the promise land. Moses knew that even though the promise land was occupied by great giants, the land was still conquered territory.

Joshua possessed a sense of dominion over conquered territory. He led the children of Israel into the Promised Land. God gave Joshua a magnificent promise that stands true for every believer in the body of Christ today.

According to scripture, Joshua was told that every piece of ground that he stepped upon was conquered territory. God told him not to fear anything person, place or thing. Joshua was ordered to take be courageous and take authority over the land. That same authority has also been given to believers in this present time.

Therefore every believer must take dominion over environments and territories that surround him in order to demonstrate the glory of God within the earth. We are no different from the great men in scripture. The same power and demand placed upon them, God has also placed upon today’s believers.

Revealing God’s Glory

The saints of God must seize conquered territory. One reason for this is to reveal God’s glory. Revealing God’s glory is to display His triumphant power and authority over the forces of darkness in the midst of the most trying circumstances imaginable.

When we face and overcome seemingly impossible situations by placing our faith in God who dwells in the kingdom within us, His glory in revealed in our lives for all to see. When God’s glory is revealed in the open sight of mankind, many people will be persuaded to seek God's goodness and mercy.

However, when the glory of God is not revealed in the earth, the world forgets about God and His perfect plan for mankind. Historically, the full glory of God disappeared from the earth after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden.

Since then God’s glory has been revealed by a number of righteous men throughout history, namely Elijah, Enoch, King David, Joshua, Job, Apostle Paul, John the revealator and many others who are not written in history books. God desires to reveal His glory though courageous men and women who are willing to trust him, even into the jaws of death if necessary.

However, in the kingdom of God there is no death. We are now in that kingdom. Not to morrow; not at the end of the world. But we are citizens of the God’s kingdom here and now. Therefore, we should demonstrate His glory in the earth with all our mind, heart and soul so that people will believe in Him and trust in His Christ-our Lord.

Establishing Peace

Establishing the peace of God within the environment in which we find ourselves is the will of God for our lives. Scripture tells us that we must go about the environment redeeming the times.

To redeem time is to prevent the spread of evil and darkness within our immediate surroundings and environment. Preventing the spread of evil is as much our responsibility as inviting people to accept Christ within their lives.

In fact, the creation of peace within our environment makes the opportunity to witness for Christ much easier because people get to see the goodness of God first hand. People are seemingly more persuaded by what they see then what they hear

When people in the neighborhood see passive churches on nearly every corner in the community, they lose interest within the things of God. When crime and violence entraps our communities despite the presence of these churches, then God’s power to establish peace within the environment is being denied.

Therefore God is disrespected by His own people when darkness is allowed to triumphant within their surroundings.

Exercising Authority

Exercising authority over circumstances and conditions that threaten our well-being as well as the livelihood of our neighbors and friends must be a top priority of all the saints.

Without this awareness, we, as children of God are forsaking our inheritance as kings and priest in God’s kingdom. As new creatures, God commands us not to fear people or conditions under any circumstances.

The believer has been given authority and power over all the power of Satan and his kingdom. When we allow crime and violence, fear and insecurity or conflict and unrest prevail in our neighborhoods in which God has given us to watch over; we are disobeying God and denying his power.

We are submitting conquered territory to the dark side, allowing evil to take dominion, not only within our communities, but also within our lives as well. Therefore, we must readjust our hearts and minds, and take our dominion for the sake of God, our neighbors, friends, homes, workplaces, neighborhoods and communities.

If we acknowledge our responsibility to take our rightful authority over conquered territory, then we will be able to establish a sense of peace and safety not based on the number of security alarms within our house or police officers within our environments.

How Believers can take responsibility

A believer can take dominion over conquered territory by acknowledging and attacking the problems and complications within his neighborhood and community.

In every community there are people with issues and problems waiting to be solved, including sickness and diseases, drug abuse, depression, gangs and violence etc.

Therefore, a believer must exercise the authority and responsibility in which God has given him over the condition of the environment.

If there is crime and violence within the neighborhood, the believer must stop this evil by the power of God, street by street and block by block until evil can triumph no more.

He must command peace upon the neighborhood in the name of Christ. Such affirmation as “ Let peace be upon this street, home or neighborhood in the name of Christ will do wonders if stated with passion and power as many times as possible. This is how we apply the word of God against the conditions that be.

After speaking affirmations and commands upon the situation, we must immediately turn our attention to the inner kingdom in order confirm our connection with the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost.

By doing this we connect with the entire God head body within the bodily temple of every believer. The act of turning to the kingdom of God within us is also a form of communion and trust in God. Once we feel a connection of peace within ourselves, we can be sure that God is on the scene.

Such activity will take faith and patience, but with perseverance in affirming and speaking God’s word, the conditions will certainly change. We have seized conquered territory. Now the entire God-head within us is in charge.