Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Ascending in Your Heart and Life by John Belt

This encouraging word from John Belt was posted on The Elijah List recently.

John Belt2 Samuel 22:34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.
A Priceless Vantage Point
Reaching the heights of the summit gives us the awesome privilege of looking down below with a priceless vantage point, beholding things previously hidden from our view. How great it is to have the invitation and allowance to ascend up to the summit of the mountain of God. God loves to take us on adventures. I remember reading the book "Hinds' Feet on High Places" the longest time ago. In a nutshell, it is about the journey we take ascending to the top of the mountain.
Isaiah 40:9 O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, you who bring good tidings, lift up your voice with strength...
On our journey we have all kinds of encounters and tests. When we understand our challenges are all part of the process, we can learn much quicker and participate with the procedure instead of being discouraged by it.
Going For Gold!
Settling for less is compromising God's fullness and best. In the journey of our lives we are tempted to relinquish that what God promises to us. The Lord actually brings us to these points to see how we will respond. Will we respond without compromise in our faith moving forward, or will we abandon ship? We know He enjoys those who draw near to Him with hearts believing. (Photo via Pixabay)

Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
Jesus told us that it really does not take much to move a mountain, only a mustard seed of faith (see Matthew 17:20). God will send tests our way. He will intentionally allow our faith to be tested. This is normal for a life that follows after God. When we pass the test, He is immensely pleased. Stand, believe, contend, and rest in His promises.
Find The Course, Keep The Course
A life with holy habits yielded to the Spirit will produce wondrous fruit to God. With the temptation to back away is the corresponding glitch of getting off course. Keeping your focus is an art in itself. We have to make a deliberate and conscious effort to stay on the path that God has laid before us. That is why it does take a life that is disciplined and yielded to assure that we lay hold of all God has destined for our lives personally.

We see exemplified in the verses below the distinct awareness of God's purpose and plan in lives. Hear the heart of faithfulness, devotion, and knowing in these Scriptures.

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work."
John 17:6-7 I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You.
Acts 13:25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, "Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose."
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Hebrews 12:1-3 ...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith...
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

The Secret Code Is Your DNA
In this journey God is really wanting to get our hearts, our dedication, and awareness of purpose. He does not want us to try to be someone else. He does not want us being cast to and fro by the winds of varied teachings and doctrines. There is so much replicated spirituality today that many have lost their identity. There is only one you. You have your own DNA. Nobody else can be you. God really wants you! He does have a plan for you, a course for you to run.(Photo via Pixabay)

Psalm 139:13-18 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand…

The "secret code" of access to the summit is discovering and enjoying the person that He has made you to be. You are an original. God does not want you to be a carbon-copy of someone else. This is not a difficult test, the secret of who you are in Him. But it is a test that only you can take; no one else can take it for you. Discovering and valuing how God made you to be in your own personality is big. Your identity is found in Christ alone, not titles, positions, or what you have (see Philippians 3:8).

How He expresses Himself in you and through you is original and eternally valuable. Many people don't believe they have identity issues. Yet when superficial things that added value to their lives are taken away they are left lost. Your identity is found in His presence. In that place He reveals the course you are destined to run.
Access Granted
Christ in you is the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27). As your eyes are opened to this reality, a sound of intimacy is awakened in your spirit. This takes you ascending up the mountain to the summit of God's glory and presence in your heart. Not only that, this reality translates into your natural life in His overwhelming favor and blessing. (Photo via Pixabay)

All that is requisite now is to ascend because He has been awakened within your life. The spirit of worship comes without labor because of your revelation of divine grace, love, and intimate connection with Him. He has removed all confinement, welcoming us to the coveted place before Him. Stay the course and remove all diversion that would keep you from the summit of His presence.
His overflow for your life,

John and Brandi Belt
Overflow Global Ministries

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