YOUR NEXT LEVEL

What's up? 

What's happening?

So much pressure lately

Temptations, struggles within and without

Questions. Doubts.

Almost like climbing a hill backwards...

Hazy, fuzzy thoughts.....

Mark 4:35-41

We believers in Jesus Christ need to be conscious of how much the devil resists our attempts at forward movement and advancement of any kind. We must realize that satan would rather we remained within our comfort zones and not venture beyond the comfortable and familiar in terms of progress and achievements.

Jesus in V. 35 announced to His disciples His intention for them to advance, to change location by moving away from where they had been for a while. 'The other side' represents something fresh, new, different and unfamiliar. 

It is about walking away from the known and usual with the aim of exploring newer and better territories. It is about terminating stagnation and daring the untried and untested. And this is what life should be all about. We need to constantly and periodically evaluate where we are at on the journey of life with the aim of knowing whether we are becoming too comfortable and rustic by refusing to take steps that will lead us further.

In other words there will always be a next level on this side of eternity. 

This is because God is always doing new things.

Isaiah 42:9

9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

Well then back to the story. 

So as soon as Jesus announced His intention to go further, all hell broke loose! In verse 37 of Mark 4, it says 

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

 No sooner did Jesus declare that He was changing levels than the devil moved into operation unleashing some of the favourite weapons in his arsenal: distraction, harassment, intimidation and fear. All aimed at stopping Jesus from making progress thereby stagnating Him.

The old serpent has not changed in his ways. He continues to employ the same weapons today against us each time he senses that we are determined to advance. Be it in our walk with God, character, career, relationships, attitude or whatever. As long as we are stepping up and wanting to change location positively, he will be lurking around the corner waiting to whip up a storm aimed at keeping us on the same spot for fear of the unknown or fear that we may not make it. 

Friend maybe you have been experiencing storm after storm in recent times. Or perhaps you sense a lot of resistance in the realm of the spirit as you attempt to take steps forward.

Maybe there is pressure on every side.

Temptations, struggles within and without

Questions. Doubts.

And perhaps advancing seems almost like climbing a hill backwards.

It could even be bombardments of your mind with thoughts of fear, doubt, inadequacy and what have you.

Wake up friend. Do you know what's happening? 

The devil is afraid of your next level! 

That is what is happening.

Your next level in destiny and glory is what is at stake and the devil is jittery about it. 

He wants you to remain fixated in your present circumstances, whereas God has greater things in store for you. 

He does not want you to change levels, but the call of the Spirit of God to you is to 'come UP hither...' Rev. 4:1.

So what do you do? How do you respond to the storms raging all around you? 

…to be continued tomorrow