Impossible height! Waoh, that sounds too high. Heights are like mountains which paint the picture of magnificence and resilience in the mind of anyone. Mountains sound and look so high to us because in their nature, they appear intimidating, challenging, insurmountable and enduring. But the good news is that these physical mountains have been surmounted and climbed. Spiritual and psychological mountains are even easier to surmount, if God is with you.
The reason why we are commanded to study or learn is to improve and to increase in our level of knowledge and understanding. Certain truths are needed to be known if we must move from where we are now to the next level. In real life, there are levels, both spiritual and physical. In whichever realm you may want to climb, chances are that you can make it. Those who desire to attain a great height in their life are those who take risks and follow some proven steps. These are some of the steps one can follow in order to reach the next level.
1. Get It Right - Getting it right is to settle the matter of doing or not doing, right within you. Do you have what it takes to make it to finish line? Eric J. Horst, an accomplished mountain climber and a teacher of climbing performance, recognized globally for his innovative strength and mental techniques, in one of his lectures on "Building Mental Muscles" wrote: "Consider that everything you are and will become is a direct function of your thoughts. Thoughts are precursors to almost every significant action you make... For instance, when you recognize negative fearful thinking, you can immediately supplant such thoughts with positive imagery and productive self-talk. When you identify growing physical tension, you can engage in slow, deep breathing and redirect your thinking to a calming topic." He went on, "the impact of improving the quality of your thinking can't be overstated both in terms of immediate results and long term improvement. The goal is to modify your thinking in ways that will help you solve problems - instead of wallowing in them, challenge them...and compel intelligent action toward your goal - instead of backpedaling at the first sign of adversity," he concluded. Apart from having confidence in your ability to succeed, the Bible tells us that spiritual energy is also very important: "Righteousness brings exaltation" (Proverbs 14:34). Righteousness distinguished Jesus Christ and made Him have favour than all His fellows.
2. Be Positive - Positive confession is another activation energy you may need to surmount your ugly situations in life. The words you speak have a way of influencing what happens in your life. Speaking includes speaking uprightly and scripturally. Your attitude to situations determines whether you'll be triumphant or trodden down, by them. This gives credence to the saying that "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going". You don't need to shrink at the face of adversity or challenges (Proverbs 24: 10). Sometimes, out of fear, your mind or thoughts create a picture bigger than the problem you are really facing. But when you gather yourself together, trying to control your thoughts, you will begin to confess positively. At this point, you are already half way through to your victory! Talk about feelings? Of course at times your feelings motivate and encourage you but at other times, they pull you down; so your feelings should not be the sole basis of your actions.
3. In Your Wisdom, Add Faith - To add faith in your wisdom is to be wiser than the learned men and women of this world. You have Jesus Christ "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). You have better principles and surer paths to victory, and to flying above your mountains and staying atop your challenges in life. Adding faith in your actions and decisions is to base your entire life and actions on Christ and all He accomplished for you at Calvary. This is the life of a Christian; a life of Faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). A life of faith in Christ will not always be easy but it is the only life that surely offers you victory in all circumstances (Hebrews 11:1). Faith believes what God says in His word though you have no visible or immediate proof, other than that God has said it. You received Christ by faith, were forgiven of your sins by faith, led by the Spirit by faith, and even healed by faith. Likewise overcoming your challenges in life is by faith; it is no different.
4. Pray Without Ceasing - Another weapon that could help to surmount your mountain is the weapon of prayer. You increase your faith through prayer and also exercise your faith in prayer. When you prayerfully make your confession of faith, any problem that may be standing before you like a mountain must surely give way to your success (Zechariah 4:7). What is that mountain before you? Is it that of unsaved husband, wayward children, difficult in-laws, family members, childlessness, joblessness even as a graduate, unfavourable government policies, double taxation on the part of the government, lack of patronage, financial crisis, troublesome neighbours, incurable or chronic sickness so-called, demonic attacks and oppressions, failure in almost all you lay your hand to do, crisis in the family, constant denial of your rights because of your faith in Christ? When you pray, you'll discover that the word of authority to that your ugly situation (mountain) is that it shall become a plain (Mark 11:22, 23). Prayer and faith go together. Exercise your authority in prayers and believe what you have decreed. Prayer means pouring your heart before God Who alone can help you. How we need to pray! When you pray, you create things and bring them to being. The authority has been given; use it. Learn to take everything to God in prayer, no matter how big or little. Hold hands with your believing friend or partner in agreement and make a decree... It shall be rooted out in Jesus' name.
5. Praise God In Your Situation - In their own time, Paul and Silas did not only pray, but also sang praises unto God (Acts 16:25-26). Beloved, you are to offer the sacrifices of praise unto God no matter the surrounding circumstances; in joy or pain. Prayers ask, but praises receive. If all else fail, try praise! Praise works wonders. When you praise God, you move Him to do the impossible. Some people only praise God when the going is good. It ought not so to be. Do you know that some challenges in your life are for God to show forth His power and omnipotence through them? Have you forgotten Job? Did he ever know that God was trying to prove a point to the devil? Beloved, as a child of God, who is faithful in all his ways, God will never leave you in that situation but he wants to work out His glory in your life. When Paul and Silas prayed and praised God and ALL the doors were opened. The whole prison and prisoners felt and witnessed the power of God. There and then souls were converted to Christ. Friend, no mountain is too high for you. Keep on praising God after speaking to your mountains. He knows what you are passing through. He may want to use your condition to reach out to others too and to perfect His praise. So, why not praise Him? The Bible says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Will you stop grumbling and start to praise God today? The path to victory is simply this: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). Whosoever sings prays twice.
6. Treasure God's Word - The Bible the word of God is a mine of treasure. Wonderful and sure promises of God assuring us of His help and grace in times of need are replete therein. We only need to appropriate these promises to ourselves and our situations. But the question is: how can we claim these promises when we don't study the word of God to know them? The Bible says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom... This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Colossians 3:16; Joshua 1:8). All you need to make it in life is in the Bible! No wonder the devil has closed the Bible of so many Christians and chocked their desire to hear the word of God. Jesus, when He was tempted by the devil overcame him with the written word of God (Matthew 4:4). How often do you attend Bible studies in the Church to fortify yourself? When you attend, do you go as a serious seeker of the kingdom of God in these evil days? This brings in the issue of your quiet time with God. Is it still a time of hearing from God through His word? What about the family altar? All these will help to build your faith and trust in God, give you victory all day, and draw you closer to Him that has promised you victory. They also open the doors of blessings into your life and family as you start and end the day with God, feeding on His word. Do not seek for help elsewhere; no matter the kind of storm that is raging or however high the mountain may seem (Isaiah 30:1). The word is the only light that will tell you when you are being wrongly counseled. It is a light to your path. How you need to love the word of God. Worry and anxiety are not characteristic of the life of a godly child of God. You have God's unfailing grace to see you through (John 14:1, 27).
7. Remain Calm And Peaceful - In the face of any mountain, peace! That is your secret to victory. Remember that Jesus cares for you more than you do for yourself. After all, it was for you He bled and died. So, what else can He not do for you? Lean on Him now and trust His love. Don't worry; for this is but the night. The morning of joy will soon overtake your sorrows. The Bible says, "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). Beloved, I want you to understand that God will never allow any temptation greater than you to come your way (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is indeed why no mountain will be too high for you to scale through. Sometimes the challenge you face is part of the cross you have to bear as a Christian or a follower of Christ (Matthew 16:24). As you press on the upward way, the more you climb, the greater your challenges may be, but the greater the grace will be also; for "to him/her more is given more is expected". These seeming difficult circumstances or mountains challenge your faith and tend to ask you, "where is your God? Do you still believe Him?" This should draw you closer to God as you depend on His Omnipotence to strengthen your faith. Remember, without trials, there would be no testimonies. Without crosses, there would be no crowns. For one to enjoy the Rose, he/she must battle with thorns. What are you facing? What is that scary mountain? You can go through! You can scale it! (Psalm 46:5).
8. Relax And Laugh Out Loud - You may be asking why you should begin to celebrate at this point, and I say, it's because you're an overcomer! Do you know what happens when one attains a height, whether spiritual or physical, i.e., gaining a greater measure in a number of spiritual experiences, in personal relationship, wisdom, knowledge, awareness, etc? Sure! He sees and handles situations, circumstances from a better view or perspective (2 Kings 6:13-17). Now, when you discover that authority has been given to you to speak to your mountain and watch it move, you should have cause to rejoice and have a little rest. Jesus said you can move your mountain but you shall not be moved. There is hope for you then. That means, you will surely come out triumphant - that the storms of life will not swallow you (Psalm 27:5). What more good news do you want to hear? When you discover that God has set you upon a sure ground, upon a rock, it calls for celebration. You have been crawling round and scratching the mountain as you groan in pain without making progress, but now you have heard from God Himself that you must not stay at the valley or bottom of that mountain, one more minute. Oh, praise God! There is a lifting! (Job 22:29). Celebrating yourself and having some kind of refreshment, makes you want to go up higher than expected.
9. Don't Break The Bridge - People fall back flat to square zero because of their stingy attitude to life. Friend, all God's promises are for those who can keep the rules. Those, who know the God of heaven, believe in the atoning blood of Jesus and have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour and those who are living a holy life that is pleasing to God, are those who continue in His goodness. When you maintain your integrity as a child of God, He keeps the steady flow of His blessing in your life (Job 22:30). More difficult situations may come in your present height, far greater than what you experienced at the bottom, forcing you to try to close up the way for others to come up higher, as you have done. As usual, you must bear in mind that no mountain will defy you. If you have already laid your hands on the bridge to break it, withdraw it fast, for your enemy is at the door. Then confess your sins to God and invite Jesus Christ again into your life. It is only sin that prevent God's hand and power from being manifested in our lives (Isaiah 59:1-2). If you have been having "alternative solutions" to any of your life problems, you must repent of it and desist from such henceforth.
10. Keep the Legacy - Keeping the legacy means keeping the status quo. Whosoever that reaches a progressive height would not like to come down to poverty any more. He approaches life issues with caution, selects words while speaking to others, because he judges situations properly before doing anything (2 Corinthians 2:9-10). In other words, he is calm, quiet in spirit, bold, fearless and commands authority and is in control in the midst of apparent danger, challenges, or other threatening situations which are usually there as he attempts to continue in prosperity (Mark 4:35-40; Exodus 14:10-16; Acts 21:10-14). A person that has attained a height is not afraid because he knows what is on ground and knows what is beyond (2 Corinthians 5:1-11; Philippians 1:20-25). He is the master in every situation (Philippians 4:10-15). He is not living in murmuring and complaining because of enough and greater awareness that he possesses; and so cannot live in presumption (Psalms 17:7- 14; Hebrews 9:27). He takes his time, explores every situation and makes the best out of them (2 Cor.4:8-18; Rom.8:18-25, 31-39). He is skillful and maximizes every opportunity as they unfold (Gen.18:1-14; Isa.33:16). People that have attained a height are mindful to keep or obey certain rules and principles through which they experienced success. When certain rules and principles are observed correctly, benefits follow.
Vitus Ejiogu is a writer and publisher with the Fire-Brand Int"l Ministries, a media ministry that is based in Nigeria.
He is the editor of FOUNDATION SATELLITE magazine also published by the ministry. He pastors a Church in Bauchi and is married with two children.
You can reach him at: firebrandhq@yahoo.com or, 234 802 8181 829.
Website: http://tinyurl.com/ye2vosf
or http://www.firebrandhq.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitus_Ejiogu
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