Are we listening, hearing, and discerning what God is saying to us as members of His family and as members of His body of responders? God has a purpose for us in the Earth and after we die.
God’s design for our earthly journey includes a renewing richness we can know day by day! If we are not continually learning and growing, we can miss some of the benefits of our salvation.
With that being said – did you know that God has more for us to know and experience when we die and leave this natural realm? (a) [see endnotes for Scriptures] He invites us to know and experience some of the elevated perceptions and concepts that provide more of an eternal quality of life, while we live in this world. God invites us to come up higher – He has more for us!
Delivered To Live Free
When God delivered ancient Israel out of slavery, He led them into a wilderness for a time of uncertainty. (b) The two year short journey was to help them realize He was with them as their guide and to help them become confident in His guidance.
God gave them time to accept the new concepts of freedom under His instruction. The delivered people needed to ‘let go’ of the perceptions they learned under the enslaving care of overlords. Deliverance was just a beginning that was intended to lead them into a productive life.
After experiencing two years of God’s enlightening insight and miraculous care, the war-less security of enslavement still appeared to be valued. Rather than rising to the challenges ahead and entering the blessings of the new life, they considered returning to a life of servitude. (c)
Since they were not willing to press into the abundant provision that was theirs for the taking, the delivered people lived the rest of their lives in an unproductive wilderness. Failing to enter the provisions God offered, they died in their fruitless lifestyle, void of the available abundance. (d)
Yes, deliverance was great and God continued to bless and supply their natural needs during their reluctance, (e) but there was so much more available! The salvation God provides is more than a one-step or one time response. Our initial deliverance gives us an opportunity to live free of this world’s restricting perceptions and controls.
The salvation God provides is more than a one-step or one time response.
Waiting or Growing?
Are we maintaining the first ideas we were taught about God and this life? Have the teachings of educators who were taught by their elders, settled into being our own perceptions. Can old views be holding us captive and keeping us from arising into the richness God is revealing for our day?
When we first believe and accept God-in-Christ, we are encouraged to simply acknowledge Him. A few changes in attitude and outlook began to happen and give life greater meaning. However, deliverance is intended to help us transform our perceptions and elevate our experience. (f)
Eventually we are told Jesus will 
come in a future time, to change our circumstance and make us more like him, as if we are to be satisfied with our unproductive wilderness and remain inactive. One verse appears to confirm such: “They that ‘wait’ upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (g) However, the Hebrew word translated ‘wait’ actually means “to bind.”
This verse is really declaring that all who are tightly bound to God renew their strength; they mount up as eagles and do not get weary or faint. Our close communion with God produces an enduring strength so we can continue to arise and move forward. While we don’t want to proceed without God, (h) we do not want to settle for waiting and miss what He is providing.
When we are new to life under God’s influencing governance, we tend to speak as a child. (i) After following Jesus for three years, the disciples were told there was more, but they were not ready to hear. Their earlier ideas of the ways of God and His Kingdom were still complicating their ability to perceive more. (j) The improving quality of life God offers can require that we let go of some of our early perceptions.
Following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus out of natural sight, the disciples began to see Jesus as a Spirit presence of God that immerses us in the Holy Spirit. (k) As they became more spiritually sensitive they were able to perceive and receive what they were not able to previously hear.
A few years later, Paul, who was actively committed to the faith of his fathers, heard the voice of Jesus. (l) Paul then began to see and declare insights that Peter did not yet see. (m) We do not want to settle for where we are and be like the Israelites of old – unable to see and receive more.
Our close communion with God produces an enduring strength so we can continue to rise and move forward.
God Has More
God still has more to say to each of us in and for our day. We do not want to settle for what was revealed to the last generation, during the season of revivals and miracles, or for what we already know. While everything God has revealed in the past was good, He has more to say for our day!
Deliverance brings opportunity and a responsibility to grow in our perceptions and experience with God. We are invited to intimately know God-in-Christ, entertain His presence, and receive an ever-increasing quality of life in our day. (n) A more abundant life is ours for the taking!
“I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” (o)
“As Christ was raised from the dead…so we too might walk in newness of life.” (p)
God desires that we walk in newness of life today and not wait for a someday in the future. We can arise into new perceptions and understandings for our day. “For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead (our inactivity), and Christ will shine on you.’” (q)
Christ is the anointing of God that comes to deliver us from our deathly sleep (inactivity). “Arise, shine; for your light has come…the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (r)
Rather than ‘wait’, our conscious soul’s mind, will and emotions can “lay aside the old self and be renewed… and put on the new self.” (s) We can experience enlightening moments that “makes us alive… and seats us in heavenly places.” (t) We can even soar “as eagles.” (u)
Are we tightly connected to God? Do we find our strength is renewed and we mount up as eagles each day?
Let us be open to the process of arising into all that God’s governing Kingdom influence desires for us. You can believe it; God has more for us in our times, in this day!
While everything God has revealed in the past was good, He has more to say for our day!
a) 1 Corinthians 16:9; b) Exodus 13:17; c) Numbers 14:1-4; Exodus 16:2-3; d) Deuteronomy 8:2-5; e) Deuteronomy 5:5-6; Joshua 5:11-12; f) Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:18; g) Isaiah 40:31; h) Numbers 14:39-45; i) 1 Corinthians 13:11; j) John 16:12; k) Acts 2:33; John 14:18, 23; l) Acts 9:5; 22:8; 26:15; m) Acts 11:2-18; n) John 17:3;o) John 10:10; p) Romans 6:4; q) Ephesians 5:14; r) Isaiah 60:1; s) Ephesians 4:20-24; (t) Ephesians 2:4-6; 1:3; u) Isaiah 40:31
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author