We all aspire to reach great heights, whether in the spiritual or worldly realms. We pray to God for the strength to attain these peaks, which can manifest as a job promotion, financial prosperity, or spiritual growth etc. Achieving such heights is often challenging, demanding considerable hard work, dedication, and determination. Nevertheless, people are drawn to success and seek admiration from others. While God may assist us in reaching these heights, there is a concern about the devil leading us to them.
As stated in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” It is therefore challenging to believe that the devil would guide us to heights for our benefit. When the devil elevates us, it is not with good intentions but for a different purpose. Let’s explore the sinister motives behind the devil’s actions in taking us to these heights.
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Mathew 4:5,6
In this verse, Jesus is tested by the devil, who is a tempter. Temptation involves pressuring someone to choose the wrong option. Therefore, the devil must present a choice or option to tempt someone. At times, we pray to God to open doors for us, but on occasion, the devil may open two doors for us, one of which leads to death, forcing us to choose that path. The initial temptation faced by Eve was also presented as a choice—to either eat the forbidden apple or abstain from it. Similarly, the first temptation Jesus encountered was to turn stones into bread due to his hunger.
Remember, the initial test that the devil subjects us to often arises from our own circumstances. In Jesus’s case, He experienced hunger during His fast. It’s a straightforward reality that people become hungry when they don’t eat. The crucial question is how he would use his strength to resist the temptation to eat. Job, too, faced an initial test where everything he possessed was destroyed to observe his reaction. Having successfully navigated that trial, the devil sought permission to subject him to further tests. If you find yourself undergoing more challenging trials, take solace in the notion that you’ve already overcome some previous tests in your life, which is why more demanding trials are coming your way.
Returning to our verse, we observe that Jesus is taken to the highest point of the temple, only to be tempted to jump down. The devil’s primary intent in taking us to such heights is to lure us into making foolish decisions that could lead to our complete destruction. In this instance, Jesus is elevated to the very pinnacle of the temple. Temple may symbolize spiritual life. While we may experience significant growth in our spiritual journey and operate in various gifts, there’s a possibility that it could be a setup (or it becomes a reason) for our downfall.
You might question how the devil could facilitate growth in our spiritual life. The answer lies in the devil temporarily ceasing resistance, allowing us to grow only to thwart us later. Consider the example of the girl with the spirit who followed Paul and Silas, proclaiming, “These men are servants of the Most High God who are telling you the way to be saved.” In a sense, she appeared to be assisting Paul and Silas in sharing the Gospel. But Paul being troubled understood the spirit and commanded it to come out. Therefore, the devil may attempt to promote our ministry only to bring trouble, ensnare us in the traps of pride, or compel us to make unwise decisions fuelled by pride.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Mathew 4:8,9
In this verse, we see the devil once again taking Jesus to a high place to showcase the splendour of the Kingdoms of the world. His ultimate goal is to persuade Jesus to bow before him. Similarly, the devil may elevate us to high places to expose us to splendours that might remain unseen from a lower vantage point. Hence, to show and lure us into turning a blind eye to some of the basic principles of God, the devil takes us to high points.
You will encounter wealth and fame when you associate with specific kinds of people. The devil, in this context, may assist you in connecting with such individuals. If you were in a lower position, you might be entirely unaware of these people. However, by elevating you to a higher point, the devil seizes the opportunity to reveal them to you and entice you towards him.
The third reason why the devil attempts to bring you to a high point is to witness you causing harm to others. Similar to Balak bringing Balaam to high mountains to reveal the camps of Israel and prompt him to curse his enemies, the devil may grant you powers and authority to harm those you harbour grudges against. When elevated to high points, you might be tempted to inflict harm upon others.
An example is King Saul, who was elevated to the highest points beyond the imagination of anyone in his tribe. However, when he witnessed David excelling in everything, he tried to bring harm to him, going to great lengths to destroy him. If Saul had never been chosen as king, he likely would never have considered harming David or any other person.
But when God calls you to the highest points, it is for a different purpose: to separate you from the public, to entrust you with great responsibilities, and to reveal insights. Why did Moses ascend the mountains? He went there to confirm his calling, receiving the Ten Commandments. And Elijah, why did you climb the mountain for forty days and forty nights? To receive the responsibility of anointing three people for God. Hence, when God calls us to high points, it is for Him to communicate with us, ensuring that we fulfil His will while being in His presence.
Hence, we need to be careful when we reach the heights, for the devil sees these elevated moments as opportunities to destroy us. He views high points as occasions for us to make foolish decisions and as opportunities to showcase the splendours of the world. The devil likes to see us reach heights and harm others. What would you do when you reach the high points of your life?
God favours arrows that reach heights but never miss the target. These arrows are what God desires to gather in the QUIVER OF GOD.
May God bless you all…