What does it mean to be domesticated?
To be domesticated means "to take from the wild and tame." We train what we tame and most of the time we correlate taming with animals, but what does it mean for us to domesticate our Christian walk?
At times we have all been guilty of domesticating our Christian walk. Whether it's the subtle complacencies stealing from the place of personal devotion to creating a system that governs our relationships. We have all had things that we have allowed to steal the zeal of true and pure religion before the Lord.
What happened to the wilderness? What happened to forging faith that results from the place of pressing or the place less desired?
It seems that today we have gotten away from things that test our faith and we have turned to things that sooth our conscience. We have taken comfort and made it mandatory to our version of faith. Now don't get me wrong on this thought, I don't believe this is some form of "punishment holiness" where you don't think you are living right without suffering. That's not what I'm talking about. What I am talking about is the thinking that the promise doesn't come without the process or that transformation comes without transition. We ALL love and want the transformation. But how many of us are willing to embrace the transitions that carry us to the place of transformation? Once again, I'm not talking about salvation. That transformation occurs the moment we say, "YES," to the sacrifice for our sins. What I'm talking about is living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I'm talking about the pioneer spirit that was birthed in The Upper Room in Acts 2. These people didn't have a format or blueprint to how it was going to work out. The only thing they had was the blueprint of prayer and repentance that positioned them to release revival. There was no "church growth guru," and "no program coordinator" coaching them toward success. There was only a desire to surrender and be filled with the paraclete (helper, advocate, intercessor, The Holy Spirit).
Today, I believe we have leaned so heavily on the price paid by others, that we have neglected to advance beyond their sacrifice. We have forgotten what a nation of revival looks like. Revival indicates that there is "new life," not business as usual. Revival means that you have a new expectation, a fresh outlook, a new joy toward what's in front of you. The expectation of the upper room culture wasn't one where they knew what was going to happen, it was an anticipation of "what's possible?" When was the last time you as a believer asked The Father, "what's possible today?"
I believe this is the mentality of the pioneer, the plowman, and the miner. When you look at these as occupations, you may lose the wonder of the assignment. But, when you look at what they represent then you realize how much they forge into new possibilities.
The Pioneer presses into lands unfamiliar hoping to discover places of great value or influence. This nation was built on the backs of pioneers. These are those willing to press the boundaries of limitation and possibilities. Today we need pioneers to go beyond what is expected and go to what's possible. The pioneer goes into new territory with no thought of cost.
"With God all things are possible" - Matthew 19:26
The Plowman prepares land gained or given. They are willing to dig up the surface to prepare for the seed being planted. If you don't have a plowman, the harvest will be limited or hindered. His/her job is to go out in the field and prepare the unseen. If we don't recognize the need for "the plow" in today's church, then we will have no right to complain about the lack of harvest in the pews. The plow is prayer. Nothing in the kingdom is prepared or purposed without prayer. Where are those willing to plow through the dirt of repentance, intercession and daily devotion?
The Miner goes underground to dig in the darkness. There is nothing of value when looking from the surface, but when you go underground you are looking for the hidden value. This should be the constant view we, as believers, have when we see a lost world. We should see the value under the surface of every individual. A miner does a dirty, thankless job. From the underground search of the miner, so many benefits surface to the believer. In fact, in the 1700-1800's there were a company of people called Circuit Riders that left the shores of convenience and refused domesticated christianity. One of West Virginia's early Circuit Riders said;
I believe it's going to take a reevaluation of our current condition as a people, a willingness to reform what we have allowed to become apathetic, and to invest into what is unseen. I believe it's a reestablishing of the modern day Nazarite. A covenant people who have it in their heart to ask God what they should give verses asking God what they can keep. In today's streamlined, well defined, convenient, demanding society I believe we need to ask God for the undomesticated view. We must be willing to go where no one has gone to do what few desire to do to bring in a harvest that is waiting. There is a frontier within our domesticated view of christianity. We must be willing to confront that which isn't baring lasting fruit and constantly prune what is. We must be a people who embrace wilderness for the sake of obtaining victory through it. I declare we must seek beyond seeking and press beyond pressing. There is always more in the heart of the Father than what we see, so our yes must be our obedience.
I challenge each and every reader to examine your walk with Jesus. Ask yourself if there is an area that has become tame? Is there a daily newness and expectation? If there are some places that you have stopped adventuring with God, you can turn that current reality by asking God, "where can I pioneer?, "what needs plowed?" and "what needs mined out?"
You are saved not just to go to Heaven, but to cause Heaven to be known on the Earth. You are made from the wilderness! You are made for more! Have a "YES" in your heart, and "MOVE" in your mentality!
Use this verse to target your prayer;
"Turn away my eyes from looking at the worthless things, revive me in Your way."
Psalm 119:37
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