To Subdue Means You Must First Be Subdued

God created you in his image, which means he created you to lead by following his word. The first command God gave to Adam and Eve was to “…Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28. The Hebrew word kabash, means to subdue, to make submissive. It assumes hostility and has in it the understanding of resistance.

This word is used in Joshua 18:1 describing the Promised Land after Joshua and the army had fought to subdue it. It is also used in 2 Samuel 8:11 describing how David conquered the lands around Israel. Again, it carries in it the meaning of a victorious fight. God knew that Adam and Eve would be challenged and so gave them what they needed before they needed it; the powerful blessing and authority of his word. Being a leader means being prepared for resistance, because there will be resistance and a fight.

The first step in being prepared and learning to subdue is to first be subdued under the mighty word and operation of God. Another way to say this is to stay humble before God. Humility is recognizing God’s greatness over you and the powerful authority of his word to you, through you, and for you to proclaim. Humility is seeing and operating under a greater power than you are, freely, willingly, and victoriously, which assumes resistance.

Adam and Eve were given the blessing and power of God’s word to bring all of creation under the operation of his word. Wow, what a blessing! But in order to fulfill this command they had to first bring themselves under the operation of God’s word. Only when they were subdued under God’s powerful blessing would they become the powerful blessing to the rest of creation, and so fulfill the command to subdue.

The same is true for you; you are blessed by God in order to be a blessing of God. But before you can bless (lead), you must first be blessed (be led) by God under his mighty word. The powerful authority of God works in you before it becomes operational through you and as you. When you submit (humble) yourself under God’s mighty blessing, you become a powerful blessing for good, which overcomes evil.

Notice as you read and pray the psalms each day how much resistance God’s people must face and overcome. Take note of the expressions of praise (humility) in the face of opposition and the victory it brings. Memorize Psalm 29:11 and declare it today as the victorious leader that you are becoming under God.