Topic: Divine Lifting
Text: Job 22:23-29
Minister: Pst. Otonye Davies

The desire to be lifted is a human activity. Every man and woman aspires to go higher and higher. As a matter of fact, one can safely sumarize all of our struggles as efforts intended that we be lifted up, above where we are. Why do we go to work? it is simply to earn money so that we can meet our needs. Why do we pray? we pray because we want God to intervene in our situations; when he does intervene, we go from a bad to a better situation. Why do we marry? We marry because we want to be lifted. Why do we do business? So, man is in a continous struggle to be lifted.

The lifting wwe are talking about can be in different aspect of our lives. Someone can be financially lifted, another can be lifted in terms of the kind of marriage they have because they have moved from being single person to being married and they have received the blessings of the Lord. Somebody can be lifted in his business, someone else in career, and some in their ministry. For us as chidren of God, every lifting begins with the spiritual.

Lifting can be limited, it can also be continous. A lifting can be partial, it can also be total. I pray that you lifitng will be total in Jesus name. We look for lifting in both spiritual things and material things; the material things will emcompass everything that is not spiritual that we struggle for: Money, employment, wealth, business, etc. It is also important to know that somebody can be lifted for a while and later be reversed from being lifted. It is also important to note that if a lifting is obtained by an ungodly means, you would need ungodly principles to maintain the lifting. If a lifting is obtained through divine means, you will need divine principles to maintain that lifting.

As children of God, we do not desire lifting that are ungodly and not divine. So, our focus this morning will be essentially how we can approach and sustain divine lifting.

What does it mean to be lifted?

• It could be to be taking to a higher and better position than one has previously been
• It could be to rise above a previous limitation
• It could be to move upwards in a hierachy
• It could also be to obtain a better and higher experience.
• It could be to bestowed with greater honour and responsibility

Lifting takes a process. The result may seems to appear instantly, but every lifting takes a process. Everyone external in a lifting may only see the announcement of the lifting; but the people the process will understand that there are stages, line upon line. In this study, I will use the analogy of an aircraft to explain some of the principles of divine lifting. What is the relationship we see in the principle of the rising and stabilizing of an aicraft to the principles of the rising and stability of a child of God.

1. When an aircraft begins to take off from the ground, the pilot will have an idea of the height at which he or she can fly comfortably; but the aircraft doesn’t just get to that height, it goes through a process. It glides and goes through process.
2. Secondly, as the aircraft moves to that height, it goes through some form of turbulence. This is because, without going through those things, it won’t be able to attain the aspired height. The flying experience has similarities with divine lifting. As there is turbulence in flying, divine lifting also has turbulence on the way.
3. For an aircraft to sustain its altitude, it requires stability of its engine. If the engine is not stable, that aircraft cannot sustain its level. The engine of a christian is our heart. For us to rise and as well maintain our stability, our heart must be in a good condition. Psalm 24:3-4
4. To maintain a good height, the fuel supply of the aicraft must be of a right quality and quantity. The fuel of a christian is the mixture of the word of God, prayer, worship, fasting and the unhindered work of the holy spirit, and as many things that the lord will speak to us. This is the fuel we need to be on the uprise, and we need then in a good qquantity.
5. The pilot must be in constant concentration and be vigilant. To attain divine lifting, the Christian must be vigilant. The bible admonishes us that we should not be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. Matt. 13:25 “”
6. The control panel of the aircraft must be in good condition to pick up signals and then send alerts to the pilot. While the pilot must be alert to monitor the signals and as well respond to it. The christian control panel is powered by the holy spirit. It is expressed in the ability to sense things in the spiritual realm. It is the ability to know the spiritual interface that is going on in an environment. When a christian control panel is not well calibrated, things can happen around them and they will not be aware. I pray that every calibration you need on your control equipment, the Lord will do it for you in Jesus name.
7. The aircraft cannot fly in an unconducive weather. Thus, the christian cannot experience lifting in an unconducive or nagative environment. You must domesticate your environment in your favour. You must learn how to run from the things that can kill you. Rom. 12:2

How to experience divine lifting?

1. Return to God. Job 22:21-30, Zech. 1:3, Hosea 12:6
2. Put iniquity far from you. Holiness must be your lifestyle. 2 Timothy 2:19
3. Continually aquaint yourself with the word of God. 2 Tim. 2:15
4. Be a doer of the word of God. James 1:22-25
5. Live in peace with all men. Heb. 12:14-16
6. Never cease to praise the Lord in all circumstances.
7. Win souls for God
8. Never cease to pray.

Prayer Points:

• My Father, my father, please build me up in righteousness
• Oh Lord, help me to stay away from iniquity, that my lifting will not be affected negatively.
• Oh Lord, be my defense against the wiles of the enemy.
• Oh Lord, according to your word, please hear my prayers whenever I pray, and honour your word in my life.