Length: 4 minutes

Ephesians 1:20-21, 2:6 (NKJV) Christ… far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 2:6 …and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…

We sometimes talk about how every believer has authority over all things, and that is so true. We have as much authority over the universe as Jesus does. For that matter, we have as much authority over the universe as the Father does. There is no difference at all. That’s what it means to be seated with Christ above all power and might. That’s what it means to be joint heirs with Jesus. We’ve inherited everything jointly with Jesus!

But here’s a question, “What does it mean to have authority over the universe?“ We have all of this authority, so what do we do with it? And how do we use it? 

First of all, here’s why God has given you authority over all things: So that you can share the life you have with the whole universe around you. God has filled you with his life and power and He desires that you share that life and power with everything around you — healing things, raising things, and making things last forever. That’s the purpose for which God had given you authority over everything — to give life to it. The Bible refers to this process as “reigning in life.“

Romans 5:17 (NKJV) …those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign [over all things] in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

OK, so we now know why God has given us authority over the universe — to give life to it. But how do we use this authority? How do we get the life inside of us to be communicated to the world around us? 

In the minds of most Christians, using the authority God has given them looks like commanding a demon to leave or Jesus rebuking the fig tree. And well prayer is of benefit to us, using our authority is not through prayer (see our material on prayer for more). It’s much simpler than that. The way you use your authority to give life to all things is through knowledge. It. sounds so simple, but the way we utilize our authority over all things, and give life to those things, is simply through knowing Jesus. As you get to know Jesus and what He has put inside of you, that causes the life in you to be expressed outside of you. And that life gets shared with the whole universe – all of creation! 

You can see here that when the life inside you is “revealed“ it gets transferred to creation (the whole universe) around you:

Romans 8:19, 21 (NKJV) For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… 21 …because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

So when we are revealed (within as manifested), creation gets to receive from our freedoms from corruption (our life). When it was manifested it gets shared everything you have authority over.

But how does this life inside of us come out? You guessed it. Through belief. Through knowledge.

John 7:38 (KJV) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV) Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord…

I could fill this article with further verses, but I think these make our point.

What do we have authority over as believers? The whole universe (all of creation). 

Why do we have this authority? So that we can give life to all of creation (reign in life).

How do we use this authority? While there is a purpose to prayer, it’s not through prayer, not through commands, but by simple knowledge of Jesus. 

Through Jesus, you have His everlasting life (power) inside of you and He’s given you the authority to communicate that to the whole universe. When the life of God inside of you is expressed to the things around you, it beautifies things, invigorates things, heals things, and prolongs things for eternity. In short, it makes things look like Heaven. You’ve been given the authority to use it. It all happens with simple understanding of what Jesus has done for you.

Philemon 1:6 (KJV) That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

And mastering the universe is just as simple as that.