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DOWN AND UP
'Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:'
1 Peter 5:6(KJV)
The journey of divine destiny really starts when a person or people humbly come in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ to receive Him as personal Lord and Saviour(Matt.11:28-30;John 1:12-13).
Thereafter the journey continues as a daily and seemingly uphill walk with the Lord!
By personal discovery of divine destiny revealed by the Holy Spirit(1 Cor.2:9-10),the pilgrim spies the glorious top of the mountain(Acts 26:16-18)!
Yet in pursuit of divine destiny,the traveler finds the path to appear rugged and dangerous!
In fact,this mountain has defied all who seek to climb it using their wisdom,strength,or riches(Jer.9:23-24;Zech.4:6)!!!
To get to the mountain top has always been the riddle of the ages!
'He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.'
1 Sam.2:8(KJV)
'Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.'
Psalm 89:13(KJV)
The only One who can solve this riddle is our Maker-the One who designed individual and corporate destiny!
The solution is revealed in His written word(the bible) by His Spirit!
The Lord Himself is revealed to us as the Solution (Eph.1:17-19)!
He is revealed as the Most High God(Gen.14:18,19,20,22)!!!
He therefore is positioned on high which is the only vantage point from where there is help for any pilgrim to climb and get to the mountain top!
He also revealed Himself as the Almighty God(Gen.17:1)!
This clearly indicates that He has more than enough strength (Isa.26:4) to help each and every pilgrim throughout the journey!
He even revealed Himself to be willing (Isa.41:10) to help according to the grace and mercy of His everlasting love (Jer.31:3)!
'Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up'
James 4:10(KJV)
Every pilgrim has complete access to God always.
Each pilgrim has to humbly receive by faith God's help in time of need (Heb.4:16)!
This Christ-like humility is the key for the pilgrim to be enabled to advance upwards securely on the narrow path!
'Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'
James 4:7(KJV)
'Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.'
Luke 10:19(KJV)
This vital key releases awesome power to resist the unseen enemy (Eph.6:12;1 Pet.5:8) who always seeks ways to hinder any and every pilgrim.
This involves the pilgrim as a warrior humbly putting and keeping on the whole armour of God (Eph.6:10-17).
Every pilgrim has to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim.6:12).
Under the authority of God,His warriors are always overcomers (1 John 5:4)!!!
'Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,'
2 Sam.23:1(KJV)
King David was a classic example of such a pilgrim in the Old Testament times (Psalm 18),even without the better promises of the New Covenant!
God Himself testified to this (2 Sam.7:8-9)!!
'And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.'
Philippians 2:8(KJV)
'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:'
Philippians 2:9(KJV)
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the best example today for every present and future pilgrim.
He offers Himself to mentor each pilgrim directly by the indwelling Spirit (John 14:26),and indirectly through human mentors (1 Cor.3:22).
He helps each pilgrim to handle wisely the affairs of life[entanglement with legitimate ones is evidenced by anxiety; while entrapment with illicit ones is proved by covetousness (Matt.13:22)!] so as not to be entangled therewith(2 Tim.2:3,4).
The journey of divine destiny is like a long climb on a narrow path (Prov.4:18)through different levels at different times set by God!
At each new level,the pilgrim is prepared (Philippians 2:13) for the next higher level.
During each preparation,humility should be demonstrated patiently (Job 14:14)!
Even if any pilgrim falls at any level,there is lifting up (Job 22:29)!
'In the kingdom of God,the way down under God is the way up through Him!!!'
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