The dynamics of love, respect, protection and honour are more than just keys to a successful marriage and intimate relationship. They are timeless principles with the ability to restore something crucial lost by both males and females—the power of dominion. Notice I did not say domination. Domination is the perversion of God’s gift of strength and authority.
Dominion is first defined as ruling power, authority, or control. It describes an area of influence. The ultimate pattern was established in Genesis when God placed the man and the woman over the earth and charged them to subdue, multiply and replenish it.
“And God blessed them and told them, ‘Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals’ …then God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every way.” (Gen 1:28-31 TLB).
I love this version of the blessing. God blessed them together and called it excellent in every way. Each and every aspect was perfect. Notice there was only one thing they did not have dominion over . . . each other.
Doing life together
This first couple had it all. Adam began the process when he assigned names and established placement in creation. With everything named and in its place, it was time for Eve, who came on the scene and brought her gift of relationship. Without Eve, Adam had abundant food but no one to savour it with, vision but no one to share his dream and give it life. Without Eve, Adam was limited. She expanded his life on every front.
Oh, but the Fall messed up so many areas. Our God-given dominion morphed into domination, the beauty of order changed to chaotic disorder and our power to multiply fragmented into division. We began to use our domains and dominion against each other. But think of it! If in fact redemption was powerful enough to restore us to our heavenly Father, then certainly it is compelling enough to restore the man to the woman and the woman to the man. What might this look like?
Healthy authority is for provision, protection and direction. Man is not the boss with the woman doing it for him. He is the leader who does life with her. Actually, if he is wise he will tell her repeatedly that he can’t do it without her. I love it when my husband tells me he needs me. I feel uniquely empowered to meet whatever need he lacks. God wants to restore dominion, which is the power of two with one heart.
Allies, not enemies
Take note of these two Scriptures: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” (Jn 10:10). “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).
This does not sound like surviving until we get to heaven; it sounds like abundance and recovery in the present. I recently heard a leader challenge business people to explore this concept. As I listened my heart leapt . . . men and women can live as one again! There is the potential for restoration in every relationship that has suffered loss. This means we can experience this healing in our marriages now!
Restoration begins as we submit to the truth of God’s Word and consciously choose to do it his way. Can we dare to believe husbands can again love their wives and wives will again respect their husbands? Yes, we can, but not without the healing restoration of God.
I have a passion to see every marriage restored to a union of passion and a legacy of dominion. The wellbeing of the earth is intimately tied to both love and the healthy dominion of man and woman. Couples should truly join their lives and discover, in Christ, they are allies, not enemies . . . joint heirs, not unrelated divisions. Let us begin to speak and think as such and watch in awe as God restores the power of dominion.
By Lisa Bevere | Website
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