High Places are Traps

Lately, there has been an intense desire to Concecrate my life more fully to God. A confirmation to this was attending the Concecrate Conference last week in Sarasota, Florida. I am welcoming the Holy Spirit's purging the chaff that does not belong in my life. While there are some things that the Lord has asked me to give to him, like consecrating my time, there are other things that are not evil but he has asked me to separate from.

It's actually somewhat complicated because consecrating my time means that I have to think about what I'm doing with my time and which activities fill up that time. When I think about how much time I really give to God just to minister to him and listen to his voice in relationship to the amount of hours in a day, which is 24, I begin to realize how little I have truly consecrated my time. I'm not talking about how much time I am at church, worship practice, working in the office at church, preparing for a word, etc. I'm talking about how much time I truly set aside to worship and listen to my heavenly father speak.

I think the importance of personal sanctification and consecration is the key to knowing the truth on our inward parts. It says in Psalms that the Lord desires truth on her inward parts. The Bible also says that it's difficult to know one's heart.

But then we also see that were telling us that out of the heart the mouth speaks. I can expound on that literally and then ask myself to consider my conversations with people and my posts on Facebook. What I do in my home and outside of my home, do they line up with the word of God. We hear the saying actions speak louder than words, and that is why I am making this correlation today.

I only write these words to get you thinking and asking the Lord what his speaking to you. The Lord wants us to take down all of the high places in our hearts (see the scripture below). 

We have to be looking for these high places. I think someone looking on the outside of my life more easily see some of the high places that are in my heart. I think that's because when were so close to a situation we really can't see objectively. Again, this is why we truly need to spend time listening to God and consecrating our lives. We also need to willing to run this race with people who are in authority over us, will live a godly life, and are able to speak into our lives for correction etc. 

This is not a wimpy Christians. This is for Christians that truly want to make a difference in this earth and be a change maker.

The high places in our heart keep us from doing what the Lord wants us to do; or one could look at it like this, if I spend time placating to the high places in my life, I will be less of an influence, follower, and co-laborer with God the people around me. I will be less effective. I will not be a history changer for the King of Kings and Lord of lords!

If you're all in, then you're all into taking down the high places in your life. What is a high place? I Highplace is a person, place, or thing that has been placed in a position above God. It's idolatry folks. This can be anything-sin or not, such as pornography, video games, disobedience, covetousness, worldly music, etc.

 If you think this looks like a list of legalism, you've missed the entire point. If it's a sin, you should not engage in it and it should not have power over you. Some people allow sin or self  to be exalted above God. Regarding things that are not sin, if you are spending an exuberant amount of time fostering these person, places, or things and they have been elevated in your own heart is higher than God, then you have a high place. Can your service to God become a high place? Absolutely!

All high places must come down. Of course, you can choose to hold on to these high places. You can choose to be unwilling to allow the Holy Spirit to purge your heart. You can choose to walk in rebellion and pursue whatever it is that you want to pursue. But you can also be willing to face your high places and become truly free. High places are often obsessions. Our only obsession should be Christ. This is not the only reason why we need to take down our high places.

Holding onto high places is allowing an open space for the enemy to come in. If you have not dealt with high places, then you have allowed an open place for the enemy to come in. If you're unaware of high places in your heart, they still may exist. The bottom line is you would not know about these high places unless you spent time with God and allowed him to take a look and read your life and your heart.

Friends, my job used to be a high place where I put a ridiculous amount of time into beyond what was required,  expected, and or needed. I was driven and compelled to pour myself into a cause. Yes, I was a Christian, lover, and follower of God, but I was unaware of the high places in my heart. Until I became aware of this Highplace, I was doing very well in my comfort zone. I have had to make a decision about what I will pursue and do. God had a lot of other things for me to do, but I was too busy to listen and know what He was saying. And isn't this the truth of most of the people weather in the church or in the world? Running around like busy bees and busy beavers doing the list that we have for the day, never asking God what He wants to do with our time. Since God is the keeper of our time, I think it's important I ask him how I spend it. He knows exactly how much time I have on this earth and he knows exactly what he has asked me to do. 

All of what I do must be consecrated before God. I must seek him and ask him about what he wants me to do with my time. I am not saying that I should slack off on my responsibilities at work. I am making the point that it was more important for me to perform well at work for praise then desiring the praise of God and hearing those words well done my good and faithful servant. I was more interested than that and hearing a daily word from God and asking him what to do with my time. 

I am a teacher and an advocate for education. The job is not a ten-month job;  it is year-round, due to the fact of preparing for the next year etc. But I do not have to spend most of my time pouring myself into these things. I must discipline myself and be willing to consecrate my time and life before God.

This is the only way that the high places can come down in my life. High places are traps that the enemy knows that you will fall into. Even holding on to a high place but not fellowshipping with it is still having high place, and it is still not dealing with it. What about you? What are your thoughts and comments? Are you ready to start digging for high places that need to come down? 

1 Kings 22:43

New International Version (NIV)

43 In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.[a] (from Biblegateway.com)

Please enjoy the song Victors Crown. I am reminded of the lyrics in the song that state every Highplace must come down!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g84C902JFYM