And the LORD spake unto me, saying,Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward ~ Deuteronomy 2:2-3.
Introduction:
God takes no pleasure in the stagnation of His people. To condone stagnation is not only frustrating to destiny, it also classifies as a crime of personal injury (Deuteronomy 1:5). It is therefore pertinent for every candidate of excellence to forcefully affix expiry dates to every form of stagnation they encounter in life.
The Bible affirms that constant progress is the inheritance of all God’s covenant people (Proverbs 4:18). Hence, next levels of glory, honor and kingdom accomplishments are great possibilities for God’s people who are called according to His purpose.
I find it imperative at this stage to insistthat God has not yet finished with you.He’s still at work, and your destiny is His work in progress. Life is in phases and glory comes in diverse weights(2Corinthians 3:18; 4:17).
You may not like where you are, but you can still get to where you wish to be if you’re thoroughly dissatisfied with “same-level” identity, charging through wisely and continually aspiring for the next level.
Initiative is the drive to do this! Successful people are always thinking about what they can do to move to the next level, taking the first step and then the next step. The good news here is that initiative is free and available to every normal person; anyone can seize it.
Now, the biblical account in Deuteronomy 1:5-8 confirms that though Israel at that time was no longer in Egypt, she was snailing in her journey to the place she ought to be. So God commanded her to move forward. Getting to the top always calls for constant journeys.
There is always a “next level” in life, and it’s dangerous not to recognize this as a fact. When a destiny stops conceiving “next level”, it starts to inch closely to sure destruction. The place where vision ends is the spot where deterioration begins.
Success is in the journey! The best way to achieve your bible dream of “next level” in life is to engage covenant change through tenacity and persistence(Deuteronomy 1:7).
Meanwhile, no one can cruise (or even crawl) to the next level until he/she has decisively dealt with the limitations of the present level. Life doesn’t always give you what you want, but what you war for(1Timothy 6:12).
We all must skillfully diffuse the light, conquer all limiters and neutralize all satanic embargoes if we hope to truly sing the song of the next level of joy, glory, honor and great kingdom accomplishments on earth.
True to form, you get challenged the most just before the doors to your next levels are opened. Notwithstanding, the place where you are presently, even if it appears obscure, may be because of the famous place you are going to. Obscurity is a stage to pass through, not a place to dwell in forever.
Prominence is your destination, but you must never get bored of progress, no matter the cost. For a kite to fly, it must be rugged as it rises against the noisy wind (Psalm 35:13). If you cannot sacrifice for what you want, what you want becomes the sacrifice.
Making Covenant Room for the Change You Expect
“Next level” describes a platform you don’t see physically, and may not understand presently by human reasoning (1Corinthians 2:9). Hence, you need a repositioning, spiritually, socially and emotionally, to experience it. Excellence in life is about constant change!
Where change is resisted, progress is denied its commensurate motion. The gear of an automobile is functionally related to its speed. If the driver therefore fails to change the gear when necessary, the vehicle would just be full of noise without corresponding speed.
Progress in life is not traditional; it is transitional. In fact, in certain territories, tradition is the regular mother of stagnation.
Meanwhile, a strong covenant sense is pertinent to movement to the next level in life, family, business, career and ministry (John 8:29). When a man is in a strong covenant relationship with God, no matter the negative circumstances that may come his way, he will always recover and triumph again (Genesis 13:2; Exodus 33:12-14).
Covenant is stronger than any climate or circumstances. While others suffer, God’s covenant people can still thrive luxuriantly (Genesis 47:18,27; 3John 1:2). Next level of breakthroughs is never ending for thoroughbred covenant children of God in Christ Jesus.
Refuse to stagnate! Employ every covenant force to ensure you keep moving forward. Let the counsel of God within you react against stagnation, and be progress-conscious in every area of your life.
Prepare adequately for your next level (2Chronicles 27:6). Be disciplined. Develop your potential (Ephesians 3:20). Seek God’s ideals always (2Chronicles26:5). Be prayerful (Luke 18:1). Be bold in faith and, especially, be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 40: 28-31).
For sure, greater power is needed for the responsibilities of the next level. When you are acutely sensitive in the realm of the spirit, you become a carrier of power for the next level.
However, valuable things are very costly,and rare. To obtain real Holy Ghost power requires considerable investmentof obedience and yieldedness. His anointing is precious, and it’s available only to those who are willing to pay the price (Amos 3:3).
There is oil in peanuts, but you must crush and press the nuts before you can get it. You too must be completely yielded to God as a living sacrifice in order to carry a significant weight of thepower of God (Luke 4:14; Romans 12:1-2). Be ready to die to sin and self, daily(John 12:24).
Friends and brethren, please keep in mind that God’s grand plan for His Church and for each new creation man upon the earth today is to continually move us from glory to glory (2Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 1:27).
People may have seen your life in the past, just like they saw the temple in its former glory. But the Bible says, “the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former…” (Haggai 2:9). You are going forward in life, and the next stage when compared with the previous ones will surpass them in alldimensions. Keep on pressing forward by faith!
Those who refuse to press become easily oppressed! Until you press, you don’t progress to the next level. Nothing of value comes out of an apathetic lifestyle. Most things that are precious and highly valued on earth are products of sustained pressure.
Paul became the foremost captain among the apostles because he sustained his pressure of faith with a strong focus on his heavenly vision (Philippians 3:14). You too can win the prize!
Meanwhile, if you’re starting out to get to the next level, associate with people who will keep you motivated and energized, especially believers who will inspire you to achieve your best everyday.
Furthermore, let the success stories of those ahead of you motivate you to keep pressing continually. When you do these, you can’t lose.
The next level of supernatural accomplishment beckons to you. It’s very sweet, but always remember that keeping on the move is what gets you to the top. You will get there! You won’t miss it, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!
____________________
Bishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola
SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987
