God’s Image.

Last week we talked about how God created us so we can rule and reign in life. God gave us authority to subdue the earth.

Genesis 1:26-28 in the Passion Translation says, “Then God said, “Let us make a man and a woman in our image to be like us.  Let them reign over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the livestock, over the creatures that creep along the ground, and over the wild animals.” So God created man and woman and shaped them with his image inside them. In his own beautiful image, he created his masterpiece. Yes, male and female he created them. And God blessed them in his love, saying, “Reproduce and be fruitful! Populate the earth and subdue it!  Reign over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every creature that lives on earth.””

I was listening to a podcast recently and I heard someone talk about how men have authority, but women do not. They phrased it in the context of women preaching or teaching in church that oh yes, women can preach and teach but they do not have authority. It made me stop and think, how many women out there are living under the oppression of the enemy because they have believed the lie that they do not have any authority?

Genesis 1:26-28 is very clear that God did not just create a man, He created a woman too. Male and female He created them. When God created Adam, Eve was on the inside of him. Adam, when first created, was male and female. When it came time to separate them, God put Adam to sleep and took Eve out of Adam’s rib, which is the Hebrew word, tsêlâʻ.

Sometimes we take that word literally but rib in context means side. Men are not all missing one rib. Which makes sense when Adam then says in Genesis 2:23, “At last! One like me! Her bones were formed from my bones, and her flesh from my flesh! This one will be called ‘Woman,’ for she was taken from man.” Eve had been taken from Adam’s side.

Then we take it one step further, when people become married, the Bible says the two become one flesh, see Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:8. This is because that is how we were created. As one.

So when God gave us authority in the garden, that power and authority was given not just to men but to women too. This is very important for all my girlies out there to know. The enemy has worked hard since the garden to try make women feel like they were an afterthought to God. To make us feel inferior, less than. No. That is not biblical. God created us at the same time as He created man. And God created us in His image as much as men are made in His image.

There is no part of God that is weak, defeated or less than. Physically men and women have different strengths and weaknesses but spiritually we have all been given dominion and power to reign over the works of the enemy. So don’t you ever let the devil make you believe you do not have power and authority. It was given to us, both male and female, in the garden. There was a kerfuffle in the middle and we lost it for a while, but it was restored to us by the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

So, go into your week empowered and if the devil tries to make you some kinda way, remind him of him place… under your feet.

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.