The Higher Life

Many people have different analogies and metaphors for life. Here are just a few.
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.
Life is like a jar of jalapenos (a personal favorite), what you do today may burn your butt tomorrow.
Life is like a carousel, there are times your up and times your down.
Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once.

You get the point, but no matter what we can compare life to there are a few things about life i've determined. One is that my life has a purpose. A purpose that supersedes anything I may determine as important. A purpose to know God, to be known by Him, to make Him known, and a purpose or assignment that God has made specifically for me. Another thing is that life is too short to waste time.

I remember someone telling me once "we have to be accountable to our anointing". As I think about that statement I want to say we have to make a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, decision to hold ourselves accountable to our assignment that God has given us.

Life is many different things, it will have many trials, it will have highs lows, successes and failures, but no matter the circumstances or situation we should remember the promises and vision God has given us and remain accountable and faithful to that assignment.

The best example I can give is two specific assignments God has given me and the choice I made to remain accountable to those assignments.
When I was 16 years old I was praying alone in the sanctuary of the church I attended. God spoke to me and said Jessika you will stand behind a pulpit with a crowd larger than this to share the gospel.
I was only 16 and I thought the Lord was CRAZY... however I knew I heard Him, and I trusted Him. So what did I do? If I was supposed to share the gospel I began to dive into the Word like never before. I read the Bible through twice in the year that followed that. I wrote sermons in my spare time. I began writing devotions. I did everything I thought that someone who preached the gospel should be doing. Everyday I prayed for boldness and opportunity to fulfill the assignment I felt God had called me to. Did you know that this assignment didn't come until almost 5 years later when I spoke to a crowd of around 500!!! But for 5 years I held myself accountable to what I knew God had called me to do. I stood firm on His Word, I studied and I prayed to be prepared for the time that it came forth.

The second time was my first call to missions/Africa. I won't restate the whole amazing story because i've already told it so many times in this blog, but I will say I was 18 years old with no desire to go on the mission field and then God spoke to me and told me I'd go to Africa. The very next day I was on the internet searching missions teams and trips. I was researching Africa and what type of missions were done there (I really knew nothing at all about africa or missions). I began to pray daily multiple times a day for God to open a door for me to go, for God to move on the continent (at that time I didn't feel called to any particular country), I prayed for finances to support my trip. This went on for another 2 years until I took my first trip to Africa!

Perhaps you're young and haven't heard God tell you something specific like these two things. Begin to ask God what your assignment is. Ask Him what are some things He wants you to do with your life. But also remember that we all have one calling, many various assignments, but one calling. We are all called to win souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. Never let a day go by that you aren't growing deeper in your relationship with Christ by time in worship, prayer, intercession, and Bible study. Don't let a day go by that you aren't sharing the love of Christ to another person, loving others as Christ has loved us.

The enemy loves to get Christians distracted from their God given assignments. Many times we can get so focused on what we've chosen to do that we forget that God has things for us to do. We can be so wrapped up in class, work, eating, resting, shopping, driving, etc. that we don't listen the Holy Spirit as He tries to guide and lead us to do things for the Kingdom.

We talk a lot about the fact that God will never leave us nor forsake us. And it’s true, He is always with us. But we have to admit, His power is not always in manifestation. In Jesus’ life, however, God’s power was constantly in manifestation. Every moment of every hour of every day, Jesus walked in the measureless, manifested power and presence of God because He always did those things that pleased the Father.

I long to live that life of obedience that Christ had. He knew His assignment, He knew why He was on earth, and His lifestyle showed that. His life was not His own, it was all about the Father's will. The things of this world were of no concern to Him.

If you could see what God has for you in the higher life, you would immediately let go of the mundane things of the world. You would drop that junk so fast you wouldn’t even know which way it went. But you’re not going to be able to see it and then make your decision. You have to step into that higher life by faith. You have to lay down your life because the Word says to do it. Then and only then will you discover the wonders that are waiting on the other side of your obedience.

A life that is accountable to it's assignment. Help me Lord.

Be Blessed,
J. Tate