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Volume 33   Number 40 Oct 4, 2009

        Last week we talked about "GOD IS WRITING A NEW HISTORY FOR YOU." This was the theme of the conference in Londrina, Brazil. Do you want a new history? Do you want more? Are you hungry for God to move in your life and for your life to make a difference?
        Let's look at the Apostle Paul's response in Philippians 3:10-16: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained or am already perfected (or fully mature), but (I follow after) I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. In other words, I want to apprehend the thing that has apprehended me.
        Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead (those things in the unseen realms, those things of God in the realms of the Holy Spirit, those things that have not manifested themselves yet), I press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling or upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
        Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. To whatever degree or depth of experience and revelation you have already received and learned, then live by it and walk it out in your life.
        What do you need to do to come into more of God's Divine Purpose for your life? Following are five steps to moving on in God.
        (1) Humility and a Repentant Heart. Spiritual pride will stop your spiritual growth and development. James 4:6 says: ..."God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble."
        (2) Honesty and Integrity. Are you where you want to be in the Lord? The Apostle Paul said, "Brothers, I do not count myself to have apprehended..." Acts 6:3 speaks of men of honor: "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business..." Proverbs 11:3a: The integrity of the upright will guide them.
        (3) Power of Choice. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Do you choose to forget those things which are behind you? Remember that the past can be the enemy of the future. Turn loose! Forgive! Forget! If you do not choose to press on, then what is behind you will press on you.
        (4) Receive Spiritual Vision. See what is before you; see what is coming. Proverbs 29:18: Where there is no vision (purpose or revelation), the people perish (go without, are broken down and are being destroyed).
        There are all kinds of vision today, but what is it you are envisioning? Do you have vision for yourself? Remember, if you have a pulse, you have a purpose. Are you being conformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29)?
        (5) Pursue What You See In The Spirit and what you see by faith. It is time to press into it and press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God. This vision is more than just a good job, material things, or financial blessings. This is a vision of seeing yourself in HIS IMAGE. The upward call is reaching into the eternal realm of God's Holy Spirit and reaching forward to what lies before you. Luke 16:16: "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time, the kingdom of God has been preached and everyone is pressing into it." Matthew 11:12: "And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force." Press in and take by force what belongs to you. Press in and take by force what God's high calling is for you. The word "press" means: to bear down, to push steadily against, to compel, to force, to insist on urgently.
        Look at the story of Elisha. He was plowing one day when "Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him" (1 Kings 19:19). This action symbolically manifested God's plan to bestow the prophetic powers of Elijah upon Elisha. Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah (1 Kings 19:20).
        Elijah insisted of Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit" (2 Kings 2:9). He did receive and ..."the same Holy Spirit Elijah had is now resting on Elisha" (2 Kings 2:15). This is the same Holy Spirit spoken of concerning John the Baptist.
        Did Elisha receive a double portion? The following will tell you that he did. Elisha parted the Jordan River. He made bad water wholesome, and he provided a widow with an abundance of valuable oil to save her children from slavery. He made a poisonous soup edible. He fed a hundred men by multiplying limited resources, and miraculously provided water for thirsting armies. Elisha made an iron axe head float (2 Kings 6:5-7). God's power through him raised a boy from the dead (2 Kings 4:8-37).
        Elisha's power did not end at death, for when a dead man was thrown into Elisha's grave and touched his bones, "he revived and stood up on his feet" (2 Kings 13:21). He was powerful enough to perform miracles and appoint kings, yet sensitive enough to weep over the fate of Israel (2 Kings 8:11-12). There is no question that from the day that Elisha met Elijah, he was in pursuit of his Divine Portion of God's purpose.
        What about you? The pursuit of your Divine Purpose will only be fully revealed and attainable when you—
        (1) Set yourself to know the Lord–not just knowing about Him–but knowing Him personally for yourself. All of this is based on being hungry for more of God.
        (2) Experience the power of the Holy Spirit for yourself and apprehend that which has apprehended you. Allow the Holy Spirit to come forth in your life.
        (3) Choose to forget the past, anger, hurts, failures, and disappointments. Get them under the blood, and leave them there. Stop looking back.
        (4) Choose to reach forth unto those things which are before you, reaching by faith into that which is not yet visible.
        (5) Choose to press on in hot pursuit after God's purpose, His glory, and His likeness. Press urgently into the things of the Kingdom of God, and be conformed into His image.
        Then you will come to the place where you want your Divine Portion of God's purpose for your life more than anything else.

WHAT ARE YOU IN PURSUIT OF?
WHAT IS IT YOU LIVE FOR?
I WANT MORE LORD!