Come Up!

A compilation

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You’re charging [ahead] with at least one major problem (probably several) eating away at your nerves.

What do you do?

It’s better to face your problems than to run from them. Everyone knows that.

But for those of us [who believe that] the supernatural favor of God is working toour advantage for His glory, might I suggest … there’s a third, and infinitely better, option:

Make the Spirit-led decision to elevate above your problem before you deal with it at all. Whatever you have to deal with today, first determine to access the perspective shaped by the promises and presence of Christ.

Now you’re ready to deal with your issue from the highest level—the very altitude and airspace of God. Your doubts and worries won’t loom so large from up there.

If you stand toe to toe with your issue, addiction, deficit, fear, or temptation, you’ll be intimidated by what you see and shut down before you get the chance to fight.

But if you get up above the issue, and refuse to wrestle around with it in the mud of self-centered thinking and faithless strategy, everything about your approach will change.

I love how, in the book of Revelation, in the midst of unbearable persecution and mind-boggling uncertainty, Jesus gave John a simple first step: “Come up here…”1

See, Jesus knew something about John that is just as pertinent to you and me:

If we get up where Jesus is, we’ll see what He sees.

When we see what He sees, we’ll know what He knows…

And we’ll be empowered to do whatever He calls us to do.

When we take our seats in heavenly places with Christ by focusing on Him, surrendering to Him, and trusting in Him, it positions us to descend on our problems with a divine confidence.

Lots of times, our main problem isn’t our problem. Our biggest problem is our perspective on our problem.

Get up above the domain of hand-to-hand combat today. You’re not strong enough to take much ground grappling like that.

Instead, take it to the Lord in prayer. And launch an aerial assault on the devil that will blow him back 10,000 miles away from the plans God has for you.—Pastor Steven Furtick

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Rising above means that things which seem they would be a certain way don’t haveto be that way; you’re not held back or held down by physical circumstances; your surround­ings or even the situation you’re in doesn’t dictate your reactions, your victory, your fruit, your anointing, or your happiness.

Of course, there are rough moments. There are times when you’re affected by your circumstances, or you feel the press or the strain of the situation that you’re in. That’s human and normal. But you always have the choice to rise above. You always have that option, because I’ve made it available to you. There’s never a time when you’re destined to be bound to the things of the earth, because you have the power to always overcome.

You always have the choice to look up and let the connection that we share pull you up.

You have to choose to look up to My face. You have to choose to take your eyes off of the circumstances and conditions, even though they might be demanding, depressing, worrisome, or are begging you to give them your attention. You have to choose to look past it all, up to Me. When you do that, we share a powerful connection.

Your decision to look past it all, to look up to Me in faith, makes our connection strong. Even if you don’t feel the faith, your obedience to look to Me is a step of faith or a statement of faith, and then I am able to lift you up, to join your spirit with Mine so that you see things more as I see them, feel things more as I feel them, and in a greater way have My heart and My Spirit within you. This gives you greater faith, greater anointing, a broader perspective, and the peace and trust that you need.

The fact of the matter is, if you could see things more like I see them, you’d have so much less cause for worry and concern. You would joy in My perfect plan. You would rejoice at each new step that I bring into your path. You would rest securely in My care and foresight and protection. The way to keep that attitude of faith and realism—seeing things the way they truly are in the spiritual realm—is to keep rising above.

There will always be things surrounding you that are difficult to bear. There will always be things that the Enemy tries to distract you with. There will always be things that I allow in order to keep you humble and desperate with Me. But you’re not to stay down in them, wallow in them, or be held down by them. You’re to rise above them! In so doing, you’ll find that you’re even stronger than before.—Jesus, speaking in prophecy2

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Let the Divine Mind flow through your own mind, and you will be happier. I have found the greatest power in the world is the power of prayer. There is no shadow of doubt of that. I speak from my own experience.—Cecil B. DeMille

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The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.—Al Neuharth3

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Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene.—Arthur Christopher Benson

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Life's battles are fought in the Secret Place,
Where we meet with the Saviour face to face—
Where the stubborn will is by Love subdued,
And our lagging faith by His pow’r renewed.

Life's vict’ries are won in the Secret Place,
When we cease from struggling and trust His grace:
When for our own weakness, His strength we claim,
And go forth to conquer in His blest name.

Oh the glory that waits in the Secret Place,
Where our pleading cries become hymns of praise—
Where we learn the wonder of being still,
And yielding all to His blessed will!

Oh keep me, Lord, in the Secret Place!
Oh keep my eyes on Thy blest face!
Oh keep me looking alone to Thee
For grace and power and victory.
—Avis B. Christiansen

Published on Anchor November 2012. Read by Simon Gregg.
Music by Daniel Sozzi.






1 Revelation 4:1.

2 Originally published November 2001.

3 American Publisher/Columnist/Founder of USA Today.