Going to the next level Part 4 Qualifying to go higher

Going to the next level Part 4

Qualifying to go higher

Psalms 26:2

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Qualifying is a Kingdom Principle; passing tests that God sets for us is part of the advancement process of God’s Kingdom.

The Nation of Israel in the wilderness continued to cover the same ground going round the mountain again and again. They did not pass the tests God set for them. A whole generation died in the wilderness, these people were Gods people saved by the Passover sacrifice they came to Mt Sinai speaking of the Pentecostal experience, however this is where they stayed and died.

1 Corinthians 10:1	Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2	And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3	And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4	And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5	But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6	Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
11	Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

God knows what tests you need

Every commitment we make to the Lord has to be tested: Abraham was sorely tried on his allegiance to God to such an extent that he was able to pass one of the most difficult tests of all. God wanted to know that Abraham could trust the word God gave him, if Abraham was to become the father of the faith, God needed to test his faith to the limit.  God said to Abraham, I will give you a son; the test that this word would set up in his life was very formidable,

Genesis 12:2

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

 Abrahams son was the key to the promises being fulfilled.

The test needed in order for this promise to be fulfilled was seemingly the life of Isaac.

Genesis 22:1	And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2	And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

When it was all over God said this about Abraham

Genesis 22:11	And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12	And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Abraham had to qualify by passing the tests

Obedience to God’s word is the Issue

God requires the absolute surrender of our lives in order to take us higher. Many Christians never come to this point and die like the Israelites of old in a spiritual wilderness not really knowing God.

The surrender of our live to God requires the surrender of our will to God; this requires a real death on our behalf and unusually is accomplished in stages. God will take us through a series of tests in the area of laying down our own will. This can be a painful process but it is a necessary process. Not our will but Gods will be done is a difficult journey to take. There are levels of consecration and each level achieved takes us further in God. Many pass a few tests but not all the tests of obedience to God, many go so far and remain at that level.

2 Timothy 2:20	But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
21	If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

The outer court of the tabernacle of Moses was a large area, many people could fit n into this enclosure, this is the level of Wood and Earth. The Holy Place was a lot smaller and all the utensils in there were of Sliver less people made it in here, however the Most Holy Place was only furnished in Gold, it was there that the high priest fellowshipped with God Face to face. Only vessels of God make into this place.

The level of your surrender to God determines the level in which you are at right now.

In the offerings that the children of Israel had to bring to God were on three levels with each successive level being more costly than the one before.

There is a very interesting scripture in Lev 9

Leviticus 9:6

Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you."

What were they commanded to do?  Bring an offering

Leviticus 1:2	Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
3	If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

There were three levels of offerings

1)      A Turtle Dove v14

2)      A sheep  v 10

3)      A Bullock V 5

Each successive offering was more costly than the one before. The least representing the Outer Court the second the Holy Place and the last and most costly offering the bullock representing the Holiest of all.

2 Timothy 2:20

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Waiting on God starts off this process

As we take the time to seek the Lord and to wait upon Him God will eventually draw near to us and speak with us, obedience to His voice starts this qualifying process, which will continue until the Lord is able to bring us into the Holiest of all. This will not happen overnight but it will happen and your progress involves a little more dying to self each time.

God needs to know, to prove you in the area of; does God come first in your life, whose will is uppermost, yours or God’s. This is a not an easy process and often we stall at a level because we are not willing to pay the price of a greater level of surrender. The famous preacher Andrew Murray was asked, “What is the most important thing for a Christian” he replied “Absolute Surrender”

The King of Syria understood absolute surrender

1 Kings 20:1	And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
2	And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
3	Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
4	And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

Friends the way in to really knowing the Lord starts with absolute surrender and it involves giving God your time, waiting on God is not an option if you want to go to the next level, it is mandatory.

Jeremiah 29:13

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

God Bless youN Johnson © November 16th 2006