No, we aren't the Son of God, preexisting in heaven as eternal spiritual personalities. Jesus had that power, it was self existent within him already as God incarnate.
"For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18"No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
Besides, if Jesus didn't mean what he said, he could have easily said it the way you guys
want him to say it and it would have still been a profound, miraculous statement.