What Was Lost (5/23/11)

Shalom,

 

    Please begin by reading Luke 19:10.

 

    In most commentaries, and even in some translations, this verse is used to say that Jesus came to save men like Zacchaeus.  But the word translated as "what" or "that" or "he" is only an impersonal pronoun.  It's not necessarily referring to men directly.  It's more likely to be talking about a thing.  What I'm presenting isn't dogmatic, but should be taken with an inquiring mind and looked at as a possibility.

    I want us to consider that the thing mentioned is the dominion of the earth.  Gen 1:28 says, "Elohim blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature."  To subdue is to bring under control, and to rule is to have dominion.  Adam gave all this away when he sinned.  This task of having dominion was clearly placed on the shoulders of Adam, the first Adam.  Jesus, the second Adam, took that dominion back through his life, death, and resurrection.

    Through a sovereign act, Yahweh chose to give imperfect human beings dominion over the earth.  Within the rules of that dominion, he gave us the right to make our own choices and live with the consequences.  Yahweh's perfect will often gets missed or overruled by our free will.  This doesn't mean he's any less sovereign.  He's always fully in control of what happens.  Nothing happens without his involvement, either his direct hand or his allowance of the event.

    C. Peter Wagner teaches about moving from Despair to Dominion.  Dominion means your sphere of control and influence, even supreme authority.  In the past the general theological position has been dispensationalism.  Men like Darby and Scofield established a timeline stating the world will continue to get worse until the end of the age.  Their major focus was escaping the evil to come.  See how Despair has been the primary issue with many who believe and follow this scenario.

    The new thought is that the Body of Christ is to take dominion of society.  Our influence is to be growing and expanding, not diminishing and disappearing.  The first Adam was given dominion of the earth and its creatures, but handed it over to Satan by sinning.  The second Adam, Jesus, took back the dominion of the earth.  Not as completely as we'd like, because it's still in the hands of folks with free will.  We're not talking about Kingdom Now, but about turning the majority of influence back to godly people.  We don't have to let the world get worse to hasten the return of Jesus.  There are plenty of people in our world working toward the one world government prophesied in the Book of Revelation.

 

    1 John 3:8 tells us how Jesus came to return things to the way they're supposed to be.  "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."  Jesus, the second and last Adam, came to set things back in order.  Part of his assignment was to return dominion to the hands of the followers of Yahweh.  Now it's in our hands.

    Dominion is a topic many people talk about, but few really possess.  Dominion in its simplest form is power, proper authority or control over something or someone.  It's the ability to request or command and expect a fulfillment of what we've asked.  For all saints in the Body of Christ, understanding dominion is crucial to our ability to walk in holiness and godliness.  We don't have a free hand in this, that would be like giving power tools to toddlers.

    Spiritual dominion isn't just being in charge or in control, as many think today.  It's not necessarily about being able to go around commanding or demanding whatever we want or desire, even though spiritual authority can be used in this way at times.  It's definitely not about brow-beating people into submission to get our whims and irrational desires met.  Spiritual dominion comes from Yahweh to us.  It's only effective when we're submitted to Yahweh's plan and will and purpose.  We must be obedient servants first.  The amount of power givne to us will grow as we responsibly handle whatever we're given to do by the hand of our Lord.

    Dominion is very much about knowing who we are in Christ.  It's understanding that in us, through the power Jesus gives us, we can lay hold of the promises of Yahweh and possess them until the day Jesus returns in glory.  Dominion is understanding that we can do what Yahweh says we can.  We can have what Yahweh says we can.  We can be what he says regardless of what any other person or demon thinks.  Dominion is very much about being fully submitted to our Lord and walking in obedience to his Word.

 

    Think about how Yahweh establishes covenants with humans.  The covenants always are initiated by Yahweh.  We can't manipulate him into covenanting with us.  We can't offer him a counter proposal.  Yahweh sets the boundaries, and we're responsible to operate within them.  The covenant he made with Abraham was upheld only by him.  He alone pledged and secured the pledge while Abraham watched.  Jesus alone upholds the covenant when we're saved.  It's only by his grace we can remain in him.

    This pattern is clearly set forth throughout the Bible.  The promises of Yahweh's purpose and plan for mankind are set forth.  He created us in his image.  He expects fruitfulness in the physical and spiritual.  He expects us to subdue the earth and have dominion over it.  He expects us to accept his direction and leading in our use of the resources provided.  Good stewardship of the earth and all its creatures should be the natural, or should I say supernatural, way we operate.  Earth muffines and tree huggers should have nothing on good Christians when it comes to being concerned for the preservation of nature.

    Our dominance on the earth is set forth in the covenants Yahweh has made with humans.  But when we look around we see that our dominance hasn't been properly restrained and directed by the will of our Father.  Proper dominion means we don't strip forest clear.  We don't pollute and ruin as we gather the raw materials from the ground.  We care for and respect the animals at the same time we use them for food and clothing and labor.  It also means we don't allow our greed to overcome common sense or our responsibility to share with all the other humans on the planet.

    The Word of God also speaks about our portion, our inheritance, not only in the spiritual sense but also in the physical sense.  Matt 6:33 says, "Seek first the Father's Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  This means we should be receiving spiritual and material blessings from the hand of our Father.  Too many Christians live with a self-imposed poverty mindset that says, "As long as I have God that's enough."  Don't miss out on something good from your Father's hand by never asking or being too pious and refusing it.

    Now don't go thinking you can demand material riches or blessings from Yahweh, but do understand that he wants to give us many things we never stop to consider.  It's true that Yahweh is enough, but sometimes he says, "I have this 400 acres for you and MY Kingdom purposes."  Maybe he says, "You have a great talent and I want you to go to school to enhance it.  Here's a scholarship or grant opportunity."  Maybe he says, "It's OK for you to be rich in material goods because I want you to provide for Kingdom ministries."  Our loving Father isn't into having a bunch of pitifully poor and weak children.  He wants us to be able to expand his Kingdom and fulfill his purposes on this earth.

    Then we have a choice.  If we choose to continue saying Yahweh is all I need, and that we don't need those other things, then we're being disobedient.  We're not accepting our covenant position with him, and we're not taking dominion over all he's placed in our hands.  This isn't prosperity teaching.  We're not seeking the 400 acres or the education or the money, Yahweh is placing them in our hands to build HIS Kingdom.  Prosperity teaching is about me and mine.  Kingdom teaching is about Yahweh and his children.

 

    We must take dominion, and be in proper control of what Yahweh has placed in our hands.  We need to stop bowing to things we don't have to bow to, and stop accepting things we shouldn't be accepting.  Yes, in America we need tp pay our taxes and obey the laws.  But we don't have to do things the way the unsaved masses do.  We can bring our bodies, our minds, and our spirits under proper control and dominion.  We can overcome the influences of the world system which stands against Yahweh and his Kingdom.

    Much of this means having a change in attitude.  Yahweh says wonderful things about us, and we need to agree with him.  Don't just use "positive thinking."  We need to be thinking, really thinking positively in the light of what the Bible say about the saints of Yahweh.  We can be mighty warriors doing battle for our King.  We can influence our world for good.  We can proclaim truth.  We can stand against the corrupt thinking that dominates our news media and political leaders.

    There's a lot we can do as the children of our Holy God.  We can stand strong for righteousness.  People should know us as people who love what's good and right.  We can worship with a committed heart.  People should know how much we love our Lord.  We can rejoice in the midst of our troubles.  People should know that we have a hope above and beyond that sustains us even in the midst of bad things.  We can stand for holiness and purity.  People should know that biblical standards are still valid and not out-dated.  We can stand and act in true spiritual authority.  People should know that there's a higher power who is truly active in our world.

    Remember Phil 4:13.  "I can do everythinng through Jesus who gives me strength."  We can be ready for anything because of the power of Jesus within us.  We can be self-sufficient because of the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.  Let Yahweh establish you and prove himself through you.  The devil isn't our master.  The Great God of Creation is our Lord and Master.  We can walk with dominion even in the midst of a fallen world.  We just have to make sure we're walking with our Lord and trusting in his power and authority to work through us.  "For thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory forever and ever.  Amen."

 

    Blessings & Peace,    Mike