5 Outrageously Simple Ways To Go To The Next Level

‘You have got to be kidding me!’ was most often Jeremiah’s thought and the expression which moved across his face, when God was speaking to him. It was a distinctive relationship God and Jeremiah had with one another and God believed in Jeremiah more than Jeremiah believed in himself. As I have considered and meditated on the life of the man Jeremiah, I have really come to like the guy. He was willing, regardless of the personal cost to himself, to live outside of the box in obedience to his God.

You and I have a number of things in common with this remarkable man. You are thinking to yourself right now, ‘She has got to be kidding me!’ ‘Jeremiah is known as the crying prophet’, you say. Yes, he was and there are times in ministry life when there is absolutely nothing else you can do but sit with God and have a good cry. I have done so many times myself.

But on the happy side, here are five outrageously simple ways to go to the next level that we have in common with Jeremiah.

God States His Ownership

1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified (consecrated) you (to Myself as My own; made you exclusively Mine); I ordained (appointed) you a prophet (My spokesperson) to the nations.

This verse would have to be one of my favourite scriptures  – let’s dissect what God says together.

There are two ‘before’s : Before I formed you in the womb - Before you were born.

There are four ‘I’s :             I formed you in the womb - I knew you – I made you My own - I ordained you a prophet.

God also states His ownership of you. Now, I ask for you to picture in your mind God speaking directly and personally to you. He says, ‘My daughter, before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart for Myself, I made you exclusively Mine and I ordained your purpose’.

 God Puts Aside Objection

1:7     ‘Do not say, I am a youth, I am too young’.

God puts aside all of our objections and excuses, our but’s and our I cant’s, our ‘I’m too young’ or ‘I’m too old’, our ‘I have young children’ or ‘I’m single’, our ‘not now God’, our fears and our insecurities.

One objection I repeatedly hear is, ‘I am only’.  I am only a pastor’s wife, I am only a stay at home mum, I am only a volunteer’.  You are never an ‘I am only’ anything. You are a daughter of the living God, bought with the price of His Son, Holy Spirit sealed, and destined for a life of productive fruitfulness.

It is our choice whether to be a Moses who made so many excuses why he couldn’t do that which God had asked him, or to be a Mary who said, ‘I am your maidservant, let it be to me according to your word’?

God sees the bigger picture and He sees your future. He has every confidence in you and He trusts you.

God Equips

1:9  Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth’.

You may not have had formal training for ministry, you may not have been to Bible College but you do have more than you give yourself credit for.

You have gifting and talents, passions that inspire you, the blessing of education, skills you have developed, life experience that has matured you, an attitude of teach ability, the love of God which flows to you and through you, plus your God who is only a thought or prayer away to answer your request for help.

 God Tests

1:11-13            ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’

God tests Jeremiah’s ability, clarity and accuracy to see in the Spirit.

No one would ever drive a train filled to capacity with people over a bridge that had not passed numerous weight testing procedures. God will purposefully place you in, or arrange for you, specific situations and circumstances in order to test that which He is endeavouring to work in your life.

This testing is to develop and build confidence in yourself, either with a ‘wow, I actually did that’, or an ‘oh my goodness that didn’t go well, I will learn from my mistake and do it differently next time.’ It also builds confidence and trust in God that He is with you and will come through for you.

God Releases

1:17-19           ‘Prepare yourself and arise’ – ‘For I am with you,’ says the Lord

I love it how God said to many Bible characters, or divine mentors (as Wayne Cordeiro calls them in his book by the same name), ‘I am with you’. Joshua, Mary, Paul and others all moved forward to the next level in what God had asked them to do with the knowledge burning deep within that God was right there with them.

Step into each day with the full assurance of God’s promise to never leave you. He says, ‘Daughter, I am with you’.

In summary : Acknowledge without a shadow of doubt that God knows you intimately, has made you exclusively His and has an adventure planned with you and for you to fulfil His purposes.

Put aside all your objections and excuses and embrace the plan of God for your life. He is both with you and for you.