New Season of Growth in Wisdom and Stature 1

Matthew 6:26-27

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” NKJV

In the past seasons, something prevalent has been the many people that have allowed the fear and chaos of the world to penetrate their hearts and minds above the truth of God’s Word and His promises. But through this post, God is calling His Bride to grow in wisdom and stature. This means that God is requiring us to become spiritually taller. 

There was a shift at the midnight hour last night that brought this call to grow in wisdom and stature. God is calling us to higher levels of spiritual maturity. This signifies that we’re required to: 

1. Leave behind our immaturity of the last seasons. We will feel nudges in our spirit that He wants us to pay attention to and not ignore when He shows us things that don’t please Him.
2. Show our dependence on God and obey His will for us. Shakings continue to happen to things that were done outside of His will.
3. More intentional application of Proverbs 3:5-7 is necessary. It says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” NLT
4. Submit to God more and to the authorities, He has placed in our lives.

1 Samuel 2:22-26

“Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.” NLT

26 “And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.” NKJV

The prophet Samuel learned from some bad examples that disregard for the authority of God and rebellion instead of submission to Him and the authorities established y Him creates some serious and unwanted consequences. But he (Samuel), learned to be obedient to God, and with the wisdom God gave him at his early age, he understood submission in the right way. The honor of God and proper submission to the authorities are very important to Him. Jesus also gave us this example when He was on the earth.

Luke 2:51-52 shows, 

“51 Then He (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them (Joseph and Mary),...

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Parentheses mine). 

NKJV

Some of you have heard my story of when I was taken up to heaven in 2001. There I saw some of the things we read in the Bible such as the pearly gates, the sea of people, the bright light that comes from the throne, and other things. However, I noticed that everyone around me was head and shoulders taller than me. I got curious about that and asked my heavenly guide why I was shorter than everybody else. And the angelic guide told me that it was because I needed to grow in wisdom and stature. 

Therefore, I too had to learn submission to God and to man according to God’s will for me which granted me favor with God and man, as I was getting spiritually taller. We’re called to reach the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This has to do not only with getting taller in the spirit by submitting to our spiritual and natural authority figures but also causes us to grow in authority, which comes from our total dependence on God in all we do. 

Ephesians 4:13

“till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;” NKJV

Our authority to speak to our mountains or to command the storms to cease as we declare peace can only happen when we gain more knowledge of God and walk in our delegated authority. This comes as a result of our continual communion with Him and our obedience to Him with reverent fear and awe.

Matthew 8:8-9 also says,

“The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it ‘“ NKJV

This call to grow in wisdom and stature is to the church of the third day. This church recognizes that with Christ we are resurrected, but also ascended to heavenly places and operate from there. We’re seated at the right hand of the Father in these heavenly places in Christ, from where we’re called to govern the earth, subdued the things of the enemy, and also co-rule and co-reign with Him. 

Ephesians 1:19-21 tells us,

“and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” NASB

Choosing to be more heavenly-minded and learning to operate from the heavenly places in our everyday life helps us to not give in to fears or the assignments of the enemy that turn out to be only smoke and mirrors when he attempts to keep us from fulfilling God’s will. Also, when He attacks us, if we are conscious of our position in heavenly places with our God, it becomes easier to submit to Him, resist the devil, and watch him flee (James 4:7).

When my son was 14 years old, he got a cellphone. I was not the one who got it for him and watched him become rebellious about his use of the cellphone. He was challenging me because he wanted to do things like his peers. So I warned him that if he would not obey what I asked him to do, I would take the phone away. Well, long story short, I ended up taking his cellphone away.

This happened on a weekend and during that time the Lord asked me to go to a particular church that was not my home church. As I was preparing to go, my son threatened to run away, got dressed, and left. I was able to discern the enemy’s tactic to prevent me from obeying God’s command to go to church.

So instead of running after my son, I told the devil, “devil, I’m going to that church whether you like it, or not.” Two minutes later, my son came back and he didn’t create any more trouble for me about the cellphone. I was able to go and do what God had commanded me to do without worry. 

Other times he has tried to keep me from doing something God had assigned me to do by putting symptoms in my body of pains and aches, or other things, but I always respond the same way. I command him to leave and remind him that he can’t trespass this temple of the Holy Spirit. So I cancel his assignment against me and tell him that I’m going where God sends me and he can’t stop me.

Continually living with a fear of things stunts our spiritual growth, but it leaves us when we operate from the heavenly places, at the right hand of the One who is love. This helps us discern the enemy and his schemes which more likely, come to inflict fear in us. This fear then becomes the root of anger, pride, rage, bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment, offense, and the list goes on. But the Bible says in 1 John 4:16-18,

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” ESV

More in the next post. To God alone be all the glory.*

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