Staying on the Mountaintop
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain (Isaiah 40:4).
There is something so beautiful and majestic when viewing mountains 10,000 to 14,000 feet in height. It is a wonderful experience to hike in them and there is something so exhilarating when reaching the top. Once there, you can see for miles and the beauty is so breath taking that you do not want to leave. Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias (Matthew 17:4).
Judy and I have experienced most of our mountaintop adventures while on vacation. The problem with vacations is that they have to end. We have experienced some mountaintop experiences in revival as well. Sad to say, this also has a point of ending. The key in both reveals around the word “CONTINUE.” We may not be able to continue on vacation forever, but we can continue to experience the presence and the leading of the Lord in our lives. In I Kings 28, the Syrians learned that God is both the LORD of the hills and of the valleys.
Peter failed to understand the significance of his experience at the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter recognized that they had climbed to the most magnificent spiritual heights and he did not want it to end. Revival is like that, as many of God’s people reach spiritual highs not experienced since that moment of salvation. There was one church in Michigan where the people were on the mountaintop spiritually. Their spiritual lives became very attractive to the community around them. The church grew well beyond their physical capacity and they ended up building a huge new facility. The excitement level continued and the church continued to grow until the main industry in the city closed its doors. Suddenly, that mountaintop experience turned into the doldrums as many people began to move away to find work. The church ended up with fewer people than they had prior to the revival with a huge debt over their heads.
The disciples came down from the mountain to face a problem. Are not all our problems supposed to be resolved after reaching spiritual highs? When you study Christian history, we champion those who have had great successes in their lives spiritually and in their ministries. Who has not been blessed by the testimonies of people like Martin Luther, John Huss, John Newton, William Carey, John Bunyan, Corrie ten Boom. Joni Eareckson Tada, Elizabeth Eliot and so many others. Yet how many of us would want to experience the valleys they went through in order to have those experiences?
When Jesus, James, Peter and John came down from the mountaintop, the other disciples were there totally frustrated because they could not cast out a demon-possessed individual brought to them. It was like a mountain they could not move. Jesus rebuked the devil, which then departed from the boy, and the disciples were stunned. Why could not we cast him out (Matthew 17:19)? Jesus told them it was because of their unbelief. Then He said to them, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:20, 21). Based on the attendance in the prayer meetings of the average church today, how many mountains do you think will be removed?
The psalmist wrote, Before the MOUNTAINS were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God (Psalm 90:2). As you read through the Word of God, you begin to see the various titles and names of God that should remind all of us that there is no valley too low that God cannot meet our needs or no mountain too high that cannot be reached.
Note I Corinthians 1:3-4 — it refers to God as the Father of Mercies and the God of all comfort. In I Thessalonians 5:23, He is the God of Peace and in I Peter 5:10 He is the God of all grace. In Psalm 59:10, He is spoken of as being a God full of compassion and gracious, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth. It gets even better when you personalize these, as did the psalmist. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God MY EXCEEDING JOY, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O GOD, MY GOD (Psalm 43:4). In case you missed it – the psalmist is on the mountaintop! In Psalm 71:5 he refers to God as MY HOPE and MY TRUST.
Think about this: Should not we be on the mountaintop spiritually more often than we are? Can you imagine what church attendance would be like if we were? Can you imagine the offerings, the new buildings built, the souls saved, and the number of friends and relatives who would be coming to the church to see what is taking place, the number of members sent to the mission field, and on and on it goes.
Here is a good starting place – KEEP LOOKING UP!! or, as Dr. Bob Jones used to say, KEEP ON KEEPING ON (Continuous action or obedience). The Psalmist says, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help comes from the Lord, which made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2). Paul the Apostle – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth (Colossians 3:1-2). Keep on looking and keep on seeking that which is above. We need to recognize that when the mountains shall depart, and the hills are removed, God will still be God and all that He has promised us in Christ Jesus will endure forever (Isaiah 54:10). God is so very good, so why is it we are not on the mountaintops more?
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.
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