Rise Above in Action

Faith in Action is how we Rise Above.

Rise Above.

These are words that our Father is calling us to this year of 2023.

Our Father is one who rises above, so we do not have to rise above alone. He is with us and we will rise above.

Colossians 3:1–4 NASB95

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

This is one of the scriptures as a guide for our year.

We are to keep our gaze above all the messiness of our lives and focus on Him and what He is up to.

The other part that pops out to me is “Set your mind on things above”.

There is a war going on to get our attention and to influence our mind.

It is so easy to get sucked into all kinds of distracting patterns and messages.

We have seen this a lot during the lockdowns, but it was happening plenty before then.

Things of the earth:

News

Politics

Destruction of people and places

Predictions that did not come from God

Lies that bombard your mind about you or ones you know

Things from Above:

Miracles and testimonies

Sound bites that are what God is saying. Jordan Peterson, Bill Johnson.

The Truth Jesus is speaking to your heart about Himself, about you and about others.

Seeing people come alive in God.

We have been raised already in Christ Jesus.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, we to have risen from the dead.

This also means we have died with Him.

James 2:14 NASB95

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

Can faith alone make you whole? no

You could also say could works alone make you whole? no

Can faith alone help us Rise Above? no

It is faith and action that will help us Rise Above.

Faith in Jesus followed with action will cause us to rise above.

Taking action because of our trust in Him will cause us to Rise Above.

If you are doing works to prove you are a good person then you will not see the supernatural partner with your efforts.

If you believe and trust Jesus but dont show that love and trust with action you will not see miracles or his grace at work.

It is another partnership.

A partnership of faith and action.

Challenge:

Do you have an area in your life Jesus is challenging you to Rise Above in?

What is it that you know is true about Jesus in that area?

What action is He guiding you to take?

James 2:14–26 NASB95

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Colossians 2:12 NASB95

12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Romans 6:5 NASB95

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

Ephesians 2:6 NASB95

6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,