But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day ~ Proverbs 4:18.

Introduction:

Life remains petty, unalluring and insipid until it is beautified with progress. However, pettiness and tastelessness are inconsistent with our status as God’s children. It would be an unusual degree of dissonance for our Father-God to be the Most High God and we, His children, to be left to struggle like the most low on earth. Certainly, it is very ungodly for us to be unlike God.

Progress in life is not what God wants us to beg Him for, but one of those precious gifts He's always ready and willing to give to His covenant children (Deuteronomy 1:5-8). He is never happy seeing our destinies rot or stagnate. Hence, He always seeks to empower us for constant progress in life (Deuteronomy 8:18; Psalms 35:27).

The Bible is replete with passionate prophetic promises, which God made regarding covenant progress, and I am sure that these promises are very much applicable to His people till today (Ezekiel 36:35-36; 3 John 2).

Generally speaking, to progress means to advance, to increase,  and to break forth. Thus, covenant progress signifies gaining higher heights, doing better and getting to the next level of accomplishment by the help of the Lord.

Covenant progress also connotes a sense of excelling increasingly in your life's assignment and soaring to the top by the grace of God (Deuteronomy 28:13). Indeed, it is God’s primordial passion that those who are connected to Him by covenant should grow up and move forward in all ramifications of life and godliness (Malachi 4:2).

We are Christ’s ambassadors on earth, and His end-time agenda for us encloses supernatural enlargement, enviable strides and strange advancements. He delights in presenting us to the world as living testimonies of His redeeming power and love, and He is never done with us, not even when our heads touch the top (Psalm 118:15).

Dress up, Fight On and Keep Moving

You are a great soul of unquestionable dominion, created to matter to your generation (Genesis 1:26-27). You were not designed to be colourless, but to be distinguished, to excel and be majestic in life (Psalm 8:4). You were destined to grow and wax very great (Genesis 26:12-13). Thus, to reject covenant progress is a high spiritual crime of personal injury.

In this regard, it is required of us all to fully cooperate with God in the interests of God’s kingdom and of our own destinies on earth. If you want something badly enough, then quitting is simply not an option. You either find a way or make one, leaving nothing undone till you get it.

Similarly, when you have the true reason to embrace covenant progress, viz, to influence the world for Christ, you won’t let down in believing God for it. You’ll work passionately, praying all prayers until you’re empowered to find it in your trails (Ephesians 6:18).

In his classic book, “The Art of War,” Sun Tzu notes that warriors will fight more ferociously when they believe they are fighting to the death, and that there is no escape route. He also observed they would do otherwise if they believe there are other options or means of escape in case of failure.

Extrapolating this principle, when you find the inescapable heavenly goals that you must achieve in life, you will fully determine to pay the price and cheerfully burn all your get-out-clauses, the bridges, and the escape routes. You will also readily neutralize the excuses, the blame-shifting games, the small-goat mentality, the mediocrity, and the complacency, which easily limit our progress in life.

Friends, we must “cross the rubicon”, intentionally committing ourselves to courses with irreversible consequences to make it impossible for us to return to low-living, and prayerfully gun to reach and stay at the top. That’s the "I can do all things through Christ" mentality that always wins through, and that’s the irreducible minimum for those who will ever become the best that God wants them to be (Philippians 4:13).

The Holy Spirit and Divine Enablement

Satan will always try to contest with you every time you want to move to a new phase. Every time beauty wants to emerge, darkness struggles to fight it. At a point in the history of creation, God wanted to bring beauty out of chaos, and Satan came and introduced darkness (Genesis 1:1-3).

Happily, in spite of the global cast of wickedness, the Holy Ghost is always there with limitless capabilities to help those who desire to make significant progress here on earth, especially those in the purpose of God for their lives (1 John 5:18-19). It is the anointing of the Holy Ghost that brings forth beauty out of ruins, silencing the enemy and restoring dignity, progress and advancement.

Meanwhile, every form or level of advancement is traceable to the quality of information received and the readiness to align or make necessary adjustments. We already have all that’s required for our progress in God’s Word, but it is when we honestly engage them that the anointing is released to open up a floodgate of testimonies of continuous progress to us (Isaiah 14:24).

Undoubtedly, the covenant has settled it for believers in Christ to advance (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:16-17). We are affirmed as Abraham’s seed by our faith position in Christ, and this especially puts us in the spiritual place of covenant progress and all-round increase (Romans 4:13-18; Galatians 3:13-14,16).

However, there are yet some covenant demands that give the traction and keep us moving forward. These include: implicit obedience to God’s Voice (Jeremiah 11:2-5), cheerful kingdom services (Psalms 89:3-4) and a lifestyle of faith (Hebrews 4:1-3).

In conclusion, beloved, please note that progress may sometimes come in phases, but it will certainly come for God’s covenant practitioners. It is not a crime to begin small, but you must always keep in mind that God created you for covenant advancement, and you can still command supernatural strides that will catch the attention of whole nations.

I prophesy that no force from the pits of hell will be able to hold you down any more. Every obstacle on your path, and every discomfort in your life is ending today! God is destroying sicknesses, failure, delays and diseases, and a Holy Ghost rain is washing away the shame of desolation from your life, right now!

No doubt, we are still in the midst of foes, but we also carry the "touch not" anointing (Psalm 105:15). Anyone that wants to arrest your progress must go for it. Your head must touch the top; and when you get to the top, you won’t forget God. You will begin to eat in plenty, as of Eden! You were created great, you shall not die uncelebrated, in Jesus Name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

• Bishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

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