Prophetic Teaching: God is Raising the Bar!

In a charismatic church I attended a couple of weeks ago, the pastor asked this question: "Be completely honest. How many of you read your Bible on a daily basis?" Fewer than 5 hands went up. 

Alarmed, I decided to ask the same question in a second church where I preached the following Sunday. Again, the same response - just 6 or 7 hands this time. I was amazed. 

Not coincidentally, the same week I received Lifeway's "Facts and Trends" magazine in the mail. One of the articles contained this statistic: 66% of Christians (including Evangelical, Mainline and Black Protestant churches) believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life." Among Catholics, that statistic jumps to 79%.* 

The Bible teaches that Jesus is "the way, the truth and the life. " (John 14:6) No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. For a Christian, then, this belief in many roads leading to heaven is, quite simply, untenable. How did we get here?
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Raise the Bar!
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Several weeks prior to these unsettling events, God awakened me in the middle of the night with a word concerning - of all things - weightlifting. God often speaks to me with analogies or illustrations from everyday life, and this was no exception. Here is what I heard Him say: 

When you are unsure what to do, it is My word that guides you. When you lack the strength to carry something out, it is My Spirit who enables you. Think of it this way: My Word sets the bar, while My Spirit does the heavy lifting! They are “power twins” when used in tandem.

You may think the bar is set too high, when in actuality it is designed to make you stronger. I am seeking someone who will “step up to the bar,” accept the task of lifting not just any easy weight, but the more difficult (heavier) ones. Why? Because without the “power lifters” in the Kingdom, no one would realize what true fitness (for Kingdom work) really is! 
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I was challenged to "raise the bar" just recently in my own spiritual life. What I hadn't realized was how many believers have "joined the gym," so to speak: they've accepted Christ and go to church, yet rarely, if ever, do any personal spiritual training.

Despite the freedom of speech and the availability of the Bible in literally hundreds of easy-to-read formats, very few people have even a basic quiet time. Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high. This saddens me.
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For more information on how to overcome Bible illiteracy, click here. 
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Why Work Out?

Why should we invest time in Bible reading, prayer, or fasting? Are these disciplines truly helpful or are they obsolete? 

If we want to abide in Christ, we must spend regular time in His Word somehow. Here's more of what the Lord spoke to me that morning: 

The entrance of My words gives light. Seek therefore to bring light into every circumstance, for without My words you will surely perish. Critical times require critical doses of My word, which has the power to save and heal. 

We obviously have a critical need for believers to know what the Bible says, to protect them from deceptions like the one stated above by Lifeway. But beyond that, we are called to bring hope to a critically hopeless world, and without the life-giving words of God embedded in our spirits, we will not save, heal, or deliver those who are perishing. 

It is not that God is limited; He is all-powerful and can intervene with miracles anytime He wills. Yet as a general rule, He chooses to work through us, His followers. If we as followers are flabby, not fit, we will not be able to bear the heavier burdens that afflict people on a daily basis - nor will we make it through our own spiritual "workouts." 

The Holy Spirit has promised to assist us with the heavy lifting, and He does. But he is requiring believers to engage and submit to His personal training, to develop greater spiritual fitness. Paul states it this way in Hebrews 5:11-14:

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. (NLT)

Centuries ago, Paul struggled with the same issues we face today: those who should be healing and raising the dead are instead languishing in learning the basic principles of faith, not making much progress. How much more urgent now, in the last days of history, is God's call for us to step up to His bar, His standard, and become spiritually fit?

The Lord continued speaking to me: 

Fear not the setting of the bar at a higher height or deeper level than you are accustomed to. Approach it, rather, as a divine opportunity for untested growth and maturity in My Kingdom, growth that will both benefit you and inspire those around you for My glory.

I don't know about you, but I want God to be able to use me for greater things! It requires discipline and training on my part, but there is joy, too. Why would I not submit to the "Father of my Spirit" and live? (See Hebrews 12:9.)

Commit Yourself to Spiritual Fitness

Ephesians 4 reminds us that the Body of Christ functions as every part does its work. Every joint and ligament supplies a measure of strength, balance, and fitness to the overall process of Kingdom-building. When one part is unfit, the entire Body suffers. 

Those of you who read this blog are already a step ahead of so many believers I know. Let's not be among those who slow the Body down with laziness or apathy! I urge you to commit yourself to being spiritually fit - not just because it will help your church and the Kingdom at large, but because it may make the difference for you personally when the enemy next attacks your faith, your family, or your future. 

Here's the final part of the word the Lord shared with me that early morning, one I hope you will take to heart:

You must put into use everything that you know and have learned about life in the Kingdom in order to succeed in heavy warfare. For it is not just a question of whether you can lift the bar once, but whether you have the perseverance and stamina to lift it ten times in succession. It's not about simply fasting for a day, but eating (healthily) as a lifestyle. Do you truly prepare yourself for ongoing spiritual conquest, or are you lax until the moment arrives when a “lift” is needed on someone’s behalf? The latter will not do. I require ONGOING champions who are fit for any battle, any time. For this, you need one essential element, and that is discipline.

Yet here, dear one, is the problem: discipline cannot come only from within yourself. You do not have the perspective you need (of an outsider) to see what you lack, but only the pride to see your current gains! One part of your (spiritual) body may be fit and toned, while another lacks conditioning. One type of “stretch” may be easier for you than another, which strains you or does not yield immediate results. I speak in physical imagery yet it illustrates a greater spiritual principle: you MUST have training as well as discipline to make it. 

Therefore, seek out the mentors, seek out the ones who have gone before, and apply yourself to their proven methods. As you do so, My Spirit will enable you to both see and perceive what is needed or lacking in your current spiritual “schedule.” In this way, you will supplement what you know with the extra boosts you need spiritually.

Friends, the Holy Spirit is your personal trainer. He is ready and waiting for you to step up to the bar. There is so much to be gained by your obedience! As John Ortberg says, "Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training wisely." 

The same Paul who was frustrated by the Hebrews' lack of maturity also wrote to Timothy: "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and the life to come." (1 Tim 4:4, NLT). And to the Corinthians: "Everyone who competes in athletic games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Cor 9:25, NIV)

May the Lord show you what you have not done that you should be doing. May God give you understanding of the "bar" He has set for you, and the call He has on your life. And may the Holy Spirit enable you to lift every weight that encumbers you or those around you, in the strength of HIS might! Amen. 

© Deborah Perkins / www.HisInscriptions.com 
*Facts and Trends Magazine, Vol. 64, #3, Summer 2018. Published by LifeWay.com, Nashville, TN 37234.
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Reflect on This:

1. Assess yourself honestly: What level of spiritual fitness are you at right now? Do you have a plan for growth, or are you following a course of training through your church, a Bible Study group, or from the Lord personally? 

2. Jesus is the Word of God. (John 1.) To abide in Christ is to be saturated with the Word. Are you reading or listening to the Bible on a daily basis? Why or why not? What steps can you take to ensure that staying in the Word is a priority for you? List possible ideas in a journal or notebook, then commit to one! All spiritual gifts and fruits spring from knowing the Word! 

3. Read Ephesians 3:16-20 in the Passion Translation. (Access it online if needed). What do you notice about the work of the Holy Spirit in you? How does He empower the believer? 

Build Spiritual Muscle! Read another article by Deborah here. 
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About Deborah Perkins

Deborah is looking for "Beta Readers" of her newest book, Why Pray? Reasons to Reach for God. If you would like to read a free digital copy of this book in exchange for submitting a review on Amazon or Goodreads, please contact Deborah here. Online reviews help boost our book's exposure to a larger audience & are greatly valued!
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