Please contact Pastor Ken Birks for any questions or comments at: ken@straitarrow.net
The Upwards Destiny Climb to the Summit.
The Base of the Mountainor the Initial Step is Humility.
Before we can begin this spiritual journey to the summit, we must be conscious of our need for God and His strength to sustain us. We have to realize that in ourselves we can't do it.
Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Second Step is Repentance and Mourning for our Sin.
To mourn implies a sadness and humble realization and regret for one's sins. Mourning has to do with the ability to repent and being forgiven, which enables you to enjoy the freedom that it brings.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
The Third Step is Meekness, the Mark of a New Spirit.
When meekness begins to appear this is a sure sign that you have humbled yourself and repented with Godly sorrow, for now God's true characteristics are beginning to take root in your life.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The Fourth Step Is A Spiritual Appetite of Hungering and Thirsting for More of God.
Because we have come to the place where we are dependent upon God's sufficiency, we need more than natural food to keep us going. We begin to develop a real hunger for God's word and His righteousness. This is a sign of significant growth and maturity.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirstfor righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Hungering and thirsting involves hungering and thirsting for a deeper walk in faith, as righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. It takes going from one level of faith to another to move up the mountain.
Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
The Fifth Step Is Mercifulness Indicating Further Advance.
Mercifulness is an attribute that indicates further advancement. We are no longer consumed with our own journey, but now we have been given more of a deposit of God's divine nature and we are concerned about helping those who are journeying with us.
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
The Sixth Step Is Heart Purity, the Attainment of Higher Altitudes.
Heart purity marks the attainment of higher altitudes. We are able to perceive the vision of God. We are able to see more clearly where we are going and where we have been.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
This does not necessarily have to do with a heart without sin, though there will be a turning from all known sin. The deeper meaning is one "without guile". Being pure and without guile means coming to the place where you can be completely open and honest with God and others.
The Seventh Step is Peacemaking - Calming the Storms of Life.
More of the Divine nature of Christ has been imparted into your spirit and you now have a Christ-like influence that is able to calm the storms of life. Peace makers are people who are at peace with God ‘the author of peace’; and who show that they are truly children of God by striving to use every opportunity open to them to effect reconciliation between others who are at variance.
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
The Eighth Step Is The Summit.
The Summit represents suffering for Christ. You are now standing beside the prophets and martyrs. You had to endure a lot to get here.
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake suffer because they uphold God's standards of truth, justice and purity, and refuse to compromise with the world or bow to the idols that men tend to erect as substitutes for God. As Paul reminded Timothy, ‘all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution’.
Now that you have reached the summit, what's next? "Is the journey over?" Not really, you have just reached that point to where you can be released to mount up on the wings of an eagle and to go and minister all over God’s mountain with the authority of a son of God. (Isaiah 40:31). You are a mature son of God who is able to be led by the Spirit to do God's work. (Romans 8:14).
