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Moving by the Spirit

Rev. Janice Davis Steele • Holy Spirit
So often we become complacent and content in a particular place. Then, the Spirit of God starts working on the inside, beckoning us to move to another place. That place may be another realm of ministry, a new job assignment, a new place to live, a new place to worship, a new type of attitude, etc. The possibilities are endless. As God moves on the inside of us by His Spirit, beckoning us to move with Him to another level, we are faced with a decision: do we stay in the place of supposed contentment and complacency, or do we move with the Holy Spirit? Depending upon our decision, the results can either be glorious or disastrous. Discover the importance of moving with the Spirit of God in this eye-opening study.

 


 


 


 


                


 


Move With the Spirit to Your Place Called Ziph!


 


 


So often we become complacent and content in a particular place.  Then, the Spirit of God starts working on the inside, beckoning us to move to another place.  That place may be another realm of ministry, a new job assignment, a new place to live, a new place to worship, a new type of attitude, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  What we do know is that God is working in us, placing within us a will and desire to do His good pleasure.  Phil. 2:13.


 


As God moves on the inside of us by His Spirit, beckoning us to move with Him to another level, we are faced with a decision:  do we stay in the place of supposed contentment and complacency, or do we move with the Holy Spirit?  Depending upon our decision, the results can either be glorious or disastrous.


 


Take the case of Jonathan, for example.  The Bible says of Jonathan that he was "swifter than the eagle" and "stronger than the lion."  II Sam. 1:23.  Jonathan possessed extraordinary courage as well.  In I Samuel 14, we see where Jonathan went to the camp of the Philistines (who had surrounded the Israeli army) with only his armor bearer and slew an entire Philistine troop. Jonathan did not care that he was severely outnumbered.  He said, "There is no restraint for the Lord to save by many or by few."  I Sam. 14:6.  It is obvious that the hand of God was with Jonathan.  Even though it was just Jonathan and his armor bearer going against the Philistines, the Lord God sent an earthquake to supernaturally destroy and confuse the Philistine troops.
I Sam. 14:14. Jonathan was a tough, valiant, courageous man, without question.


 


The Bible says about that same Jonathan that his "soul was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."  I Sam. 18:1.  Jonathan knew that David would replace his father on the throne; Jonathan knew he would not follow his father Saul and ascend to the throne.  In fact, Jonathan stripped himself of his princely garments and placed them on David.  I Sam. 18:4.  Though he did this as a show of his love and devotion toward David, it also served as notice that David would take over from Saul, and not Jonathan.


 


Jonathan also knew that his place was to be David's right hand man.  He even prophesied this to David, saying, "Fear not:  for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee:  and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee:  and that also Saul my father knoweth."  I Sam. 23:17.


 


Yet, although Jonathan knew he was to be David's right hand man, you could never find him at David's right hand.  In fact, the very next verse says, "And they two made a covenant before the Lord:  and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house."  I Sam. 23:18.  If Jonathan knew that God had ordained for him to be right next to David, why did he go back to his house?


 


Jonathan returned to the luxury of his earthly inheritance.  His house represents that which is man-made, or flesh driven.  Jonathan's father Saul was the people's choice, not God's choice.  Jonathan was reaping the benefits of being Saul's son even though he knew that his father Saul was in the grips of disobedience and rebellion.


 


Jonathan knew God had chosen David to ascend to the throne.  He knew that God had selected David as his successor because of his father's constant disobedience - his failure to follow the Lord's instructions as revealed by the prophet Samuel.


 


Jonathan also knew that his father Saul tried to change the plan of God.  Saul approached Jonathan and said to him, "Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou has chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?  For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou [Jonathan] shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom.  Wherefore now send and fetch him [David] unto me, for he shall surely die."  I Sam. 20:30-32.  Saul thought that by killing David he could undo the plan of God and keep his lineage on the throne.  Jonathan understood Saul's objectives as well as his tactics.  Jonathan also had the revelation from the Lord that his place was at David's right hand.  Why, then, did Jonathan refuse to move with God into his God-ordained place?  Why did Jonathan remain by Saul's side rather than David's?


 


Jonathan was lured by the comfort of Saul's house. Jonathan was pulled by the strong ties he had to his father and to the power of his privileged position.  To Jonathan, there was no comparison.  David was hiding out in caves, strongholds, and woods with about 400 men who were distressed, in debt, and discontent.  I Sam. 22:1-2.  How could Jonathan give up the comfort and prestige of being in Saul's house to align himself with David and his motley crew?  Since he knew he was to be David's right hand man anyway, he thought he could wait for his opportunity while staying at Saul's house.


 


What Jonathan did not recognize is that wherever the Lord has commanded you to be is the best place possible for you.  You cannot be in any better place than the center of God's will for you.  Even if that place looks undesirable, like a cave, a  stronghold or woods, the designated place is the place where the Lord has commanded the blessing.  Elijah understood this, and went to Zarephath, in the midst of a severe famine, to the house of a widow woman who seemed to have nothing, for that was the place where God had commanded the blessing.  I Kings 17.


 


David was hiding in the wilderness of Ziph.  I Sam. 23:14.  The word "Ziph" means "flowing" or "a thick pouring."  David was in the place where the anointing of God was flowing.  The Lord was pouring out His anointing thickly upon David.  That is why Saul could never kill David.  When you are in "Ziph," the place where the anointing of God is flowing, no demon in hell can stop you!  Oh, it may not look like the plushest place at first.  You may not see that place as a desirable location.


 


Your Ziph may involve yielding to one with authority over you.  Your Ziph may be that attitude the Lord is instructing you to adjust.  Your Ziph may be that small church that is just starting out.  Your Ziph may be that new position that you really don't want to take.  Your Ziph may be the place where God is relocating you geographically.  Your Ziph may be that place that is away from certain long-time friends.  But never forget that Ziph is where God is abundantly pouring out His anointing.  Ziph is the place where deliverance and prosperity are assured.


 


Unfortunately, although Jonathan knew his place was next to David, he refused to go there.  He decided to leave David in Ziph and go back to Saul's house.  When he did that, he took himself out of the place of anointing, prosperity and blessing, and exposed himself to enemy infiltration.  Friend, it is essential that you move on with God or you will miss out on the greatest that God has for you.  In addition, you will expose yourself to the onslaughts of the enemy.


 


Jonathan decided to stay with Saul, and in I Sam. 31 we see that when Saul fell to his death in battle, Jonathan fell right along with him.  Jonathan saw the plan of God and knew where he was supposed to be.  However, he refused to stay in the God-ordained place.  He preferred the comfort of the old and refused to leave.  He refused to leave the familiar place.  You can refuse to leave old attitudes, old mindsets, old friendships God wants you to disconnect from, old positions, or any other place the Spirit is prompting you to leave.  But, dear one, when you refuse move on with the Spirit of God, you will be just like Jonathan, who saw the plan of God for his life, but never received it.


 


Jonathan correctly prophesied to David concerning David's future.  In II Samuel 5 David was made king over Israel as well as Judah.  In II Samuel 7:1, the Bible says, "And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, … the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies…."  David ascended to the throne just as Jonathan had prophesied, and was in a place of contentment and rest, but where was Jonathan?  He was to have been David's right hand man, but where was he?  Dead.  Also notice that when David spoke of his mighty men in II Samuel 23, one name was conspicuously absent:  Jonathan.


 


Loved one, do not miss your ability to ascend to the place the Lord wants you simply because you are content with where you are.  When you sense a move of the Spirit in your life, move with Him.  If He is challenging you to adopt a new attitude, yield yourself to His moving.  Don't use the lame excuse that you have been "this way" all your life.  God is doing a new thing!  There is a new move of the Spirit!  If He is moving you into a new position (at work, church, or wherever) do not long for the comfort of the existing position.  He is taking you from glory to glory!  Hallelujah!


 


Do not allow the Jonathan type of disobedience to open a devastating door for the enemy to enter.  Decide now that you will not live your life like Jonathan, knowing where the Lord is directing you, but refusing to go there.  When you determine to remain in your Ziph, despite what it may temporarily look like in the natural, your blessing is guaranteed!


 


For more information on Triumph in Christ please feel free to contact us at 1-877-560-1344 or on the web at www.jdsministries.org.


 


 


 


 


 


 

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