Higher Ways by Pastor Carol Vedral

Scripture References: 

Isaiah 55:1-2, John 6:27-29; Matthew 6:33; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:10 AMP

Isaiah 55   

¹ "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money,come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.  ² Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?  Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

Here Isaiah was speaking 700 years before the Cross.  Now listen to the similarity in John 6:27 to 29.  Listen to what Jesus says.

²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." ²⁸Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" ²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

I’m so amazed at God’s faithfulness concerning His Word.  He knows who we are and where we are.  He knows what He wants to do for us and through us and we need His Word to go forward and get there!  He gives us the faith to go forward.

God has been speaking to us through Isaiah.  He’s been saying “My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways.”  He’s also saying, “Find Me, my ways… do things the way I do… get into My Word and begin to think the way I think… I’m trying to get you some place.”

We read last week in Matthew 6:  ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Why is God repeating these things to us?  Because He desperately wants us to get this!

He wants this to go beyond just a teaching and to get into our hearts!  If we begin to see things His way we will begin to do things His way. 

As citizens of the Kingdom of God, having been born again we have two choices.  We can live the Kingdom way which has incredible and unbelievable benefits or we can continue to walk in the way of the world; we’d still be saved and go to be with Jesus but we would not be living with Kingdom blessings and promises.

It’s not enough to believe all of these things but we need to lay hold of them too!  We have to embrace them. 

It’s not enough to believe in our hearts that God is going to protect us, that Jesus is Sovereign, although He is.

If we want to walk under God’s divine protection we have to say, “God, I’m making You the Most High God, my Hiding Place.  I’m taking refuge in You and making You my hiding place.  I plead the Blood of Jesus over me and charge the angels to lift me up in their hands if I should fall into any trouble.”

We need to activate the Word of God.  That’s what faith is all about, acting on the Word of God!

2 Corinthians 2:14 says this, “¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”

This is God’s plan for His children.  He ALWAYS leads us in a triumphal procession.  Jesus' victory over Satan is what we can experience everyday when we are in step with the Holy Spirit. 

This is just one example of the blessings that are supposed to overflow in our lives as His children.  Kingdom living is more than just having your sins forgiven and we go to heaven when we die.  We are His workmanship.  He wants to change our way of thinking so we are in alignment with His ways.  The paths of our lives are already prearranged.  God planned it all out for us since the beginning.  The higher way is His way and He desires for us to walk it.

Here’s a confession we can make based on God’s Word:

“I am God’s own handiwork—a work of art—recreated in Christ  Jesus, born anew, that I may do those good works which God predestined—planned  beforehand for me—taking paths which He prepared ahead of time—that I should walk in them, living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for me to live.” 

Ephesians 2:10 Amplified Bible (personalized)

Let this be your confession and let Him lead you along the Higher Way for your life.  It’s a good life, He planned it out that way!

Permission required to re-use contents or images in print or electronic form.  

Other messages are available in our Archive.

www.fathersheartnyc.com/church