An Exhortation to Advance
October 1, 2021An Exhortation to Advance
During Worship at church I had a vision of myself standing on top of a mountain. I took a deep breath; the air was crisp, fresh, and clean. I looked straight ahead, smiling. I looked around and there were tall mountains all around the mountain that I was standing on. I had no fear of being that high or standing on top of the mountain peak (Ordinarily I would avoid heights). I could see clearly and felt much joy. I was excited to be there and felt the presence of God with me. I asked the Lord what this means; Lord what should I do with this. How did I get all the way up here? The Holy Spirit said, “I placed you on top of the mountain, Open your mouth and Speak”. I began to speak out to the other mountains. As I spoke, my voice was as if I were speaking into a microphone. The other mountains responded as if coming awake, agreeing, preparing/shifting, moving, and advancing.
Enter His Presence
“The mountain top is a place to be in God’s Presence…. Jesus often went up the mountain to pray. The Bible also mentions times when Jesus went alone to pray……Your life is a life of prayer. That is why you often pray alone. When you start praying, you go up the mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain and enter in His presence, the words flow easier than at the bottom. (Retrieved 9/28/2021 from https://rethagroenewald.com/jesus-mountain-teach-beatitudes/)”
Mountains
A Mountain is a natural elevation of the earth’s surface, but mountains can also represent insurmountable or impossible looking obstacles in our daily life. We all have mountains to contend with and overcome but when we have Jesus we also have the power of the Holy Spirit to get us on top of the mountain. On top of the mountain means Victory.
The Bible talks a lot about mountains. Jesus would often go to the mountains to pray or teach on the mountain top. When Jesus did this, things happened, people changed, miracles occurred, and there was advancement of the Kingdom. I want to talk to you about your mountains or mountain top areas and your prayer life. Mountains -or areas of influence that we have in our daily lives are areas we need to advance in.
Advance
- to move forward in a purposeful way, proceed
- to make or cause to make progress, increase
- a development or improvement
- sent or supplied beforehand
- a forward movement
- to proceed and advancing army
You Advance through Prayer!
Advance the Kingdom of God in every facet of your life. It begins with praying and partnering with the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We should have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. A Kingdom mindset. Jesus taught the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the realm where God reigns and Jesus Christ is the King. We are citizens of the Kingdom. Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”.
A Kingdom mindset is a way of thinking where your thoughts, decision, and actions align with Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul said, For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 4:17). “So the simplest way to understand the Kingdom of God is the realm where Jesus Christ reigns as King and God’s authority is supreme. This Kingdom exists here and now (in part) in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, as well as in perfection and fullness in the future.” (The Gospel of the Kingdom, George Eldon Ladd./Google.com)
Advance the Kingdom
Advancing requires All Hands on Deck. All Hands on Deck meaning: All available people need to come to help, especially in an emergency. In a storm or other emergency, the captain might yell all hands on deck. This is a command for all the sailors (Believers) to come to the deck of the boat to help navigate the storm. All hands on deck is a command ordering everyone around to join in to accomplish a goal. (Google.com). Back to the basics. Faith in God. God as Sovereign, Supreme, Ultimate, Final Authority. Remember advancing the Kingdom of God starts with the way you think, your mindset. Are you thinking Kingdom? Are you Advancing?
Your Mountain of Influence
Look at the following areas, systems, or mountains of influence and see how can you advance the Kingdom of God in these areas. In the vision as I stood on top of the mountain there was no fear of the tall height of the mountain, no fear of being alone on top of the mountain, no fear of moving around as I looked at the surrounding mountains from all angles. I want you to look at these areas from all angles. No fear, No limitations! Enlarge your view and Expand your Kingdom influence. Open your mouth and Speak over these areas. Maintain Kingdom Agenda as your prayer focus for these systems:
1) Education-Whether formal school system, informal, childhood or adult, professional or nonprofessional, involved or not involved, studying Bible at home or church, learning, and increasing your understanding. Advance the Kingdom of God in Education!
2) Religion-Traditions of Man, or Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tear down false religious man-made traditions and Build up the reality of Relationship with God. Advance the Kingdom of God.
3) Family-Immediate, extended, related, unrelated, biological, nonbiological, adopted, blended, etc. Advance the Kingdom of God in family relationships!
4) Business/Work/Career-In day-to-day practices in the marketplace Advance the Kingdom of God!
5) Government/Military-In politics, economics, law, justice, policies, rules, regulations, standards of conduct. Advance the Kingdom of God!
6) Arts/Entertainment-Advance the Kingdom of God!
7) Media-All types of media. Advance the Kingdom of God!
8) Health and Wellness/Medical/Science/Technology-Advance the Kingdom of God!
The Holy Spirit Within You
You may think, How can I, an ordinary person advance the Kingdom? Throughout the Bible God used common, ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things for the Kingdom. Think about the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews and think about the great Cloud of Witnesses. God used their natural abilities and produced the supernatural. When a Believer enters an institution (or mountain of influence), the Kingdom of God is at hand in that system. We Advance the Kingdom through love and the power of the Holy Spirit. We are the answer! The sons and daughters of God use our kingdom mindset in every area of life. When we go to work, the Kingdom of God shows up at that place. When we engage in business activities, the Kingdom of God is present in the marketplace.
You are a valued and participating member of the family of God. All hands on deck—-let’s get souls saved, pray, witness and demonstrate the Kingdom of God in our mountains or areas of influence. Partner with the Holy Spirit to stand. Stand on these mountains and Speak. Pray. Intercede. Speak Life over these mountains: Family, the church, law, politics, economics, education, science, medicine, mass media, military. The world needs your authenticity exactly what you bring to the table. Without your advancement, the puzzle is incomplete.
Your piece is significant and necessary. The Team needs You! Return to your rightful position. All hands on deck, back to basics of Faith in God. Genesis 1 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
You have dominion now Multiply. Multiply your reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. Increase your flow, your flow of faith not fear, your flow of trust, your flow of streams of income, streams of provision, your flow of influence, your flow of praying in the Spirit. A continuous flow of the Holy Spirit in you. A flowing river of life, living waters flowing from you as you advance.
Advance the Kingdom through The Power of the Holy Spirit
In Matthew 6: Jesus said, 9 Pray like this: ‘Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn. 10 Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is in heaven. Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said this concerning Jesus, 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Pray in the Spirit. Connect on a deeper level of intimacy with God. Minister unto God and Worship Him in spirit and in truth. We operate and advance through the power of the Holy Spirit. Advance the purposes of God.
The Authority of the Believer. When you received Jesus Christ as Savior you also received power (the power of the Holy Spirit), John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (NKJV) or But as many as received him, to them gave he power (Holy Ghost power) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (KJV).
Demonstrate the Kingdom
Advance the Kingdom of God by peace or by war, but do the Father’s work. Work from victory to victory and from glory to glory. Stand on top of the mountain and Speak. Jesus spoke Deliverance in the Mountains and demonstrated the Kingdom. Mark 16: 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
A Demon-Possessed Man Healed
Mark chapter 5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Jesus cast out the demon and healed the man.Top of Form
As You Advance: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Acts chapter one, 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Jesus is the prize!
Closing Exhortation
As you stand on the promises of God, Allow the Holy Spirit to take you to the top of the mountain. Open your mouth and Speak. Speak in faith with your Believers authority. Speak and Rejoice! You will Advance.
Advance the Kingdom of God Within You:
Advance your personal Relationship with Jesus
Advance your understanding of the Holy Spirit
Advance in the fruit of the Spirit
Advance in your spiritual gifts
Advance in Learning the Father’s character and nature
Advance in Praying all kinds of prayers (Ephesians 6)
Advance in Loving others
Advance in spending quality time alone with God
Advance in your ability to hear the voice of God
Advance in seeking God seriously; as a priority; intentionally
Advance in Wisdom from God
Advance your Spiritual Awareness of Jesus Christ (Not your intellect)
Advance in praying in the Spirit
Advance in Worship to Jesus; Worship in spirit and in truth
Advance in studying the Word of GodBottom of Form
Advance in applying the Word to your life
Advance in Speaking the Word over your life
The Great Commission of Jesus Christ
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Advance
God Loves You-Are you Saved? Yes—Great Grow. No—Please Get Saved. Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
