It is relatively easy to run around searching for irrelevant resources to solve human solutions because of limited spiritual understanding. Insight into spiritual living is very vital to resource appropriately in our calling.
David was definitive about his source of assistance and said, “I will lift my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help! My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2).
Many Christians are yet to realize the efficacy of our faith and the authenticity of the Lord we serve. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9).”
We can only trust what we know. Do we know our identity? If we know, our Names are called sons and daughters of God, a chosen generation, God’s people to declare the glory of Him who transformed us from darkness into His marvelous light. You will be above only, not beneath. He who keeps us does not slumber, not sleeps.
While the nation Israel was on their journey to the promised land were approaching another country to invade and possess the land. The King of Moab, Balak, thought He could turn things around by using a prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites and change God’s plan regarding Israel’s victory.
Balak tried all he could to curse Israel, but the outcome was the message of blessings to the nation .
When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we immediately become God’s favorite. There are many optimistic promises in the Bible concerning us as heirs of the Kingdom, here on earth, and when we get to heaven. As we read the scripture regularly, we develop more insight into our inheritance in Christ Jesus. The more we know our place as children of God, our faith increases, and we become bold to turn our eyes on Him for help in our time of need.
Hindrances to Looking Up—Sin, Unbelief.
The issue of possessing our possessions depends on us. Adam and Eve hid their faces from God because they broke the law of God. We become ashamed of Him with sin in our lives, and it sends us farther away from God. “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Psalm 24:3-5).”
As we read the scriptures from the book of Genesis, we learn living outside of the Almighty ‘s mandate results in severing ourselves from His promises. God’s mandate is precise, “if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the food of the land.”; “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (Isaiah 1:19; John 15:7).
As readers of the Bible, we can recollect from the old testament the acts of the chosen children of God, the Israelites. Their lives’ story and action narrate they were God’s choice, and His relationship with them portrays God’s love, favor, defense, embrace, opportunity, pampering, and faithfulness. Unfortunately, the children of Israel were unable to enjoy the open resources of the Almighty to the fullest. After all, they were not willing to comply with the requirements of God because they lacked confidence in the Almighty. This race of God’s favorites experienced the seasons of distress, defeat, famine, and various losses because they contravened the law of God.
The Lord started with the Israelites through deliverance from the Egyptian slavery with a mighty hand. He set them out for a journey to the promised land with His great hands of signs and wonders of provision, making a path where there was no way, and appeared to them. They were first-hand witnesses to the acts of God but remained egotistical and in unbelief. In the end, their attitude resulted in the loss of many lives within the group and a prolonged time to complete their voyage.
The children of Israel exhibited the sin of unbelief, disobedience within their period of transition, even with God around them. They were unable to understand God and focus on Him. When we disobey God and live out the enemy’s devices, sin pushes us farther away from Him, as we learned about Adam and Eve. With iniquity in our lives, we cannot enjoy our kingdom right “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2).
When we put off the flame of the Holy Spirit out of our lives through sin and disobedience, we cut off the channel of communication or relationship with Him; we feel miserable and abandoned because we grieve, quench, or extinguish the Holy Spirit. We are far away from God and start groping around for the wrong help. We lose the boldness of the Holy Spirit and cannot lookup.
King Saul ended up a victim of sin. He disobeyed the Lord’s instruction a few times, never understood the act of repentance and obedience; the Spirit of the Lord left Him. He could no longer relate with God; when he craved direction about issues in his life, the man who once had the spirit of God resolved to consult mediums/witchcraft.
What do We Need to Know or Do to Look Up?
We are to live forgiven, born again, and alive in the Holy Spirit.
As born-again children of God, we experience seasons of distress and dryness, and likewise the Church of God.
Our dry seasons are not to maim us or make God irrelevant. The unfavorable seasons are to draw our attention closer to God. As God was with the children of Israel during the Exodus, likewise Jesus reigns in our lives, the Holy Spirit indwells us. Our temptations are not defeated or denial of the presence of God. Jesus did not promise a life on the bed of roses, but He encouraged us to be of good cheer because He has overcome.
The book of James tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let, not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (Chapter 1:2-8).
We are to wait on the Lord during our dry moments, and our lives should impart other lives as we look up and observe all the Christian routines, such as prayer, fasting, enquire from the Lord reason for the dryness through reading the Word, meditation, and worship. Waiting on the Lord during dry moments results in a spark of revival to the individual Christian, the Church, or the one seeking for the Savior.
The Benefits of Looking Up
The Lord answers His children, and He gives the solution. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15).
The Lord refreshes His children, strengthens, and revives them. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalm 42:11).
The Lord gives us joy and refills our mouths with praises. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted. To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes. The oil of joy for mourning. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Conclusion
Living a life in the Holy Spirit is worth our full attention. Paul said, do not quench the Holy Spirit of God with which we are sealed.
The Holy Spirit activation is dependent on our obedience to the things of God, mostly living out the Word of God.
Life in the Holy Spirit keeps us alert to relate with God and look up in the time of trouble.
When we walk in the Holy Spirit, we become sensitive to our identity in God. Communication with the heavens becomes automatic, and it is easy to look up just as we read Jesus consulted with His Father every moment of His living.
The first thing David craved after confessing and requesting mercy for his sin of adultery was the restoration of the Holy Spirit.
Like David, we should look up. “I will lift my eyes unto the hills. (Psalm 121).
“What time I’m afraid I’ll trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).
We are blessed when we focus on Him.
David said,” Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalm 42:11).