What is Man? – Chapter 7: World Domination or Dominion?
True authority doesn’t raise its voice. It abides.
T. Austin-Sparks draws our attention to the world’s obsession with power and domination. Whether in the form of dictators or subtle societal structures, there’s an undercurrent of self-glory and soul-force pressing against God’s eternal plan. Sparks lays out a stark contrast: while the spirit of antichrist seeks to exalt man through domination, the dominion of Christ—the rightful Heir—comes through humility, obedience, and spiritual authority. The ultimate question is not just about who will rule the world, but how that rule is exercised: by domination through soul-force, or dominion through union with the risen Christ.
Personal Journal – The Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
I have shown you what true authority looks like. You were never called to control, but to bear My image. My dominion is not seized by force; it is given by the Father to the Son, and shared with those who abide in Me. I did not come to be served, but to serve, and I laid down My life so you could walk free from the tyranny of self-exaltation. Let this same mind be in you that was in Me—I emptied Myself, took on the form of a servant, humbled Myself to the point of death, and therefore I have been highly exalted.
The rulers of this world seek titles, credentials, and applause. But I look for those who tremble at My word, who desire no spotlight, but who carry My fragrance quietly through the world. They are My Body, the one new man in whom I will display the fullness of My Son. This Church has no place for ego, no room for the spirit of antichrist. Her power flows not from prestige, but from union with Me. The measure that matters is not your influence, your recognition, or your performance—it is the measure of Christ formed in you.
You’ve seen it before—how soul-force masquerades as spiritual power, how charisma and crowd-control are mistaken for anointing. But I remind you: only what is born of the Spirit has dominion in the kingdom. All else will fade. Let your soul bow to your spirit, and let your spirit abide in Me. In this place, My dominion flows—not through domination, but through love.
Scriptures woven throughout: Philippians 2:5–11; Matthew 20:28; 2 Corinthians 2:14–15; Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 2:15–16; Galatians 4:19; John 3:6; Zechariah 9:10; Revelation 1:6.
Everyday Analogy
Think of someone walking into a room filled with people all trying to talk over one another. Everyone’s raising their voice to be heard, each trying to command attention. But then, someone enters who doesn’t try to out-shout the others. They simply speak softly, but with deep calm and clarity—and the room stills to hear them. It’s not volume that silenced the chaos; it was presence. In the same way, spiritual authority isn’t about power plays or projection—it’s about Christ’s presence within, quietly yet undeniably commanding attention by peace, not pressure.
Prayer
Father, thank You that in Christ I am not called to dominate but to share in Your dominion by union with Him. You have already given all authority to Your Son and made me part of His Body. I don’t need to grasp or strive or assert myself to have value or influence—I only need to abide. May my life be marked by the quiet power of Your Spirit, not the noisy striving of the soul. Let the measure of Christ increase in me and in Your Church. Amen.
Devotional Source: What is Man? by T. Austin-Sparks
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