DOMINION

Dominion- An Eight Letter Word
by Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

When some people hear the word dominion, flags go way up. I have seen fire come out of some who have heard the word preached. I can understand this, because there are various interpretations of what this word means as a believer in Christ, and His Kingdom. Agenda filled paradigms make this an eight letter cuss word in some circles.
 
I wanted to briefly share my view of dominion in light of the Kingdom of God. Dominion is in the bible. Stewardship and godly influence are in the bible. The ability to carry His love, His presence, and watch atmospheres and hearts change for His glory, are all in the bible. When Christian or non-Christian men are after their own desires, the dominion they operate under is a very ugly word. Greed, domination, and control, are some characteristics that come to mind. Ultimately, power, while putting others in bondage is the fruit of ugly dominionist mindsets.
 
Father's love for the world and allowing us to be His ambassadors of love, is the foundation of His dominion plan. He has always desired His people to steward the earth as led by Him. By walking in His presence, in His plan, and with His heart, dominion is inevitably going to happen. It is His very nature. It is His very plan from the before the genesis of creation. The Lord stewards people, and His people steward His stuff.
 
We must remember that Jesus said His Kingdom is not of this world. So if what we are building looks like, smells like, tastes like, the kingdoms of this world, we probably are operating outside of His blueprints for the thing. I am not interested in building an earthly kingdom, but I am interested in building His heavenly Kingdom on earth for His glory.
 
How do we get there? We die. Baptism is supposed to symbolize are commitment to death of self, and our new birth and life in Jesus. Our journey is supposed to be increasing death, while revealing His increasing life flowing out from within us. If we do not live, move, and have our being in Him, then it is probable that we may be building an earthly replica of His true Kingdom. When we do not use the keys of His Kingdom, we build a product that does not represent Him or His Kingdom. Binding and loosing in a sea of humanity opposes the Lord’s Prayer of “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”.
 
We must hear His voice and begin to declare His will and purposes for our life and for the things He has called us to. We must have His revelation, His vision, and His mission for our life. The world is looking on and they are seeing self seeking church, a church seeking after a sign rather than delivering a sign and a wonder by His mandate, and His authority.
 
My friend David VanCronkhite says often, “If the Kingdom of God is anything, and it is everything, it is relational, supernaturally relational”. Anything that we do must have relationship and love as the foundation. When we desire to do good to others, which should be always, we put them first. We take on the role of servant. What happened to the “greatest among you must be your servant” concept? It has fallen way to agenda’s, mammon, control, etc. These are the things of anti-Kingdom building. These have no part in the Kingdom Jesus was talking about, and this is not the dominion Jesus is talking about. Hear Ye Him!
 
The Kingdom of God desires to serve, influence, transform, deconstruct, reconstruct, shake up, wake up, and glorify Him in all things, in all spheres, throughout the planet. If you want to call this dominion, and the bible calls it such, then we can call it such. I do not understand all of it, but it is unfolding to me, almost daily, and sometimes moment to moment. So if you want to throw stones at those believing in dominion, make sure you are certain of what brand they are speaking of, and oh yeah, check again and see if the Father is calling you to stone anyone. (I would suppose not).