"Tell My people that I want them to come up higher!" I had been asking God what He wanted me to speak to the people this Sunday morning, and I heard those words.
My mind quickly jumped into high gear as I thought of some verses. I remembered that the Word says that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Yes, I thought. We need to come up higher in intimacy and authority with Him. That will be a great sermon.
Then, I remembered that in the book of Revelation, there was a door that was open, and John was told to come up. That's it! We need to come up higher in revelation.
Then, I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Would you just stop and let Me tell you what I want to say?"
I stopped and just listened as the Lord dropped a Bible story into my spirit, along with the message that He wanted to speak.
In Mark 2, there is a fascinating account of four men climbing on top of a roof, untiling it, and lowering their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Those men went higher in the natural - on top of a roof - but the Lord wanted to use that illustration for how He wants us to come up higher in the spiritual.
I love all the things that happen in the four walls of the church. I love the prophetic ministry, and I love to be touched by the Holy Spirit. I'm convinced that God loves it, too, but He longs for us to "come up higher" in ways that connect the lost and suffering to Himself.
"I want my people to come up higher in boldness and risk-taking," I heard the Lord say. Can you believe the boldness that it would take for those men to untile a roof and drop someone through the ceiling to where Jesus was? They couldn't get in because of the crowd of people, but they were not going to be detoured from their plan.
I'm sure they wondered if the owner of the home would be angry with them. And what about Jesus? They would be interrupting His meeting. However, they did it anyway with great boldness.
The Lord is looking for a people who are bold enough to touch lives. He is looking for those who will pray, prophesy, and minister to those who are in desperate need of Him.
"I want My people to come up higher in faith." Jesus said in the account of the paralyzed man being healed that He saw the faith of the four men who lowered him from the roof. Jesus moved in accordance to their faith.
God longs for us to grow quickly in faith so that those who need Him can receive.
"I want my people to come up higher in miracles." Now, that is good news! God wants us to go higher in miracles.He wants it more than we do. He loves people so much more than we can understand.
He wants US, each of us, to minister His healing power and His Word to others.
Then, I heard the Lord come to the main point. He said, "I want my people to come up higher in compassion!"
You see, it was compassion that caused the four friends to take the risk that they took. It was compassion that caused them to boldly untile a roof and lower down their paralyzed friend.
There is something about deep compassion that will make you BOLD. If you are a parent, you understand how bold you become if someone is mistreating your child. Love and boldness go together. In fact, the Word says that "perfect love casts out fear."
Deep compassion fuels your FAITH. "Faith works by love," the Word says. No longer will you be passive about suffering people. You will be greatly motivated to develop faith for their breakthrough.
When you have COMPASSION, BOLDNESS, AND FAITH, you have the makings of a MIRACLE!
Compassion is not just feeling sorry for someone. Compassion will want to get down with them and help them out of their messy situation.
Jesus always moved with compassion. He broke the cultural norms of the day without regard to His own safety and well-being.
He broke religious rules when He healed on the Sabbath. He broke religious norms when He healed people that "they" would have believed were in that condition because of sin - lepers, blind men, and others.
He broke racial parameters when He went out of His way to minister to the Samaritan woman. If there was a person that would have been looked down upon in that region, it was her. Not only was she a Samaritan, but she had also been divorced five times. On top of that, she was living with a man who was not her husband.
However, Jesus knew her "thirst, " and He went out of His way to meet that "thirst." Oh, how she wanted to be loved and accepted. Jesus told her that she would never "thirst" in that way again, if she would drink from what HE provided.
He broke political rules when He went to Zacchaeus's home after He saw him in a tree. Zacchaues was a TAX-COLLECTOR. Not only did he cheat the people monetarily, but he worked for ROME. Many Jews of that day believed that they should revolt against Rome, but this Jesus was socializing with their political enemy! Again, Jesus saw the hunger in this man to know Him, and hunger always draws God.
He broke gender roles. On one occasion, He was in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Martha was busy serving - her role in that time. But this, Mary - she was in with the MEN sitting at the feet of Jesus! She was learning as a disciple. Women of that time did not do that. Martha became angry and complained to Jesus, but Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the better part, and He would not take that away from her.
In all those situations, Jesus subjected Himself to criticism, but His compassion was so great that He was not influenced by that. His compassion caused Him to touch lives no matter what it cost Him.
Compassion is powerful. With compassion, you will be bold. With compassion, your faith will grow, and with compassion, miracles will increase.
We can't work up compassion. His grace provides what we need. As we spend time with Him, we will become like Him. As we see ourselves one with Him, we will walk in who we really are.
Pray along with me: Lord, fill me with Your love and compassion for those who are suffering and for those who are lost. I desire to COME UP HIGHER! In Jesus' name, amen
Sherry Evans