How do you view yourself? How do you think that God views you? You may not know it, but God made you a ruler.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

-Genesis 1:26

This is an incredible verse. God is a ruler,  and He made us rulers under Him. Just because man fell, does not mean that God changed His mind about man. He just needed to provide a way of redemption (restoration) for man, and He did that through Jesus Christ.

Though this present world is evil, those who believe on Jesus do not have to be ruled by it. Romans 5:17 says that we can “reign in life by Christ Jesus.” Things that rule fallen men do not have to rule over us. We can, for instance, live free of drugs, depression, envy, and lust by learning to walk after the nature of Christ. We can live for God, and not for self. We can fulfill all of God’s purpose for our lives. This is the victorious life in Christ, and is living as a ruler for God. God has always wanted to rule through us. This is actually the goal of the kingdom of God coming to Earth.

God does not see you as a pitiful project, He sees you victorious in Christ. God doesn’t offer you a  beggar’s staff; He offers you a scepter of righteousness through Christ, that empowers you to live for Him and glorify Him. If you are accustomed to seeing yourself as a lowlife with little standing in God, then meditate in Genesis chapter 1 and 2 until you get God’s picture of you. This is God’s original view of you, and He hasn’t changed His mind!

For more on this subject, read our article The Dominion Mandate.