Somebody needs to tell your neighbor: I’m going somewhere I’m in transition.
This river speaks of progression
Tell your neighbor: I’m making progress.
I’m not everything I want to be but I’m making progress, I’m not where I want to be but thank God I’m not where I used to be.
I’m not at z yet, but I’m not at a either (I’m somewhere in between) But I’m on my way.
This river went from ankle deep, to knee deep, to waist deep, to a river that you could not cross over, waters you had to swim in.
I just stopped by to tell somebody: You ain’t seen nothing yet, (I’m on my way) you can sit around on the bank, or you can splash around in ankle deep water, but I’ve already made up my mind if there is more I want it.
I just want to tell somebody right now, you are going to make it, you may have hit a rough spot, and it may seem like you’re going to drown, but I came to tell you, you’re not going down, you’re not going under.
God has invested too much in you to let you throw in the towel or to let you drown.
I’m prophesying to somebody right now who is in a hard place, and the devils telling you it’s not worth it, you’re not going to make it.
But I came to tell you (it’s going to get better) sometimes on your way to the honey you will get stung a few times, but it’s worth it.
There are some things that you are struggling with right now (in a little while you’re going to look back and say, I can’t believe that was ever an issue with me)
Tell your neighbor: I’m going somewhere
The ankles speak of an end to the old, but not really anything new happening yet.
Or we could say: Saved but still wrestling with sinful desires, saved but not too sanctified, saved but still selfish, (everything is about me)
In the water (but just barely)
In the water (but still in control)
In the water (but still got a bad temper)
In the water (but still have issues with anger and unforgiveness)
In the water but still watching things that feed the old nature
In the water but still listening to music that stirs the old desires
In the water but still living by the desires of the flesh
You can tell folk who are stuck in ankle deep water, the water is always muddy around them) because they’re always stirring something up.
They’re always murmmering and complaining about something.
It’s too cold, It’s too hot, it’s too loud, It’s too bright, it’s not bright enough, the seats are too hard, the seats are too close together.
The preacher is too long winded, The communion juice is too sour.
People who are stuck in ankle deep water get jealous when other people get blessed or promoted.
someone gets promoted in the church and instead of being happy for them, they form a stay at home committee.
then they come walking in sunday morning with (I bet you missed me attitude)
No we didn’t miss you with that attitude because you just muddy up the waters every where you go.
Tell your neighbor: You better (Take another Step)
The next level is the Knees: The knees speak of worship, prayer, humility.
Here the attention begins to shift from self to Jesus, no longer worshipping the dictates of the flesh, now seeking to please God.
The important thing to note is: The deeper you go in the river, the less flesh you see.
The deeper you go in the river the less control you have
The deeper you go in the river, the stronger the influence of the rivers current becomes.
The deeper you get in the river, the farther you get from the shore.
The deeper you get in the river the less pull and influence the things of this world has on you.
Go ahead and (Take another Step)
The third level the river reaches the waist:
In other words he progressed to waist deep water
The waist (the loins) Speaks of the reproductive powers, it speaks to the fact that as the children of God we should go beyond just being saved, and even worshiping God, we should also be reproducing ourselves, (In other words, Jesus reproduced himself in 12 disciples, we also are to reproduce the Christ life that is in us, in others.
I believe that every child of God,should progress to the point that they are mentoring others in the faith.
Notice Ezekial was being led into this progressive revelation and experience of the Spirit of God.
With this in mind you realize that it was Ezekials choice.
Ezekial had to take steps to move into deeper waters.
To go on, he had to leave where he was at.
Heb 6:1 Therefore (leaving) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, (let us go on) unto
perfection;
This is what keeps many of Gods people from making any real spiritual progress.
They don’t want to grow up, they don’t want to become responsible and dependable.
They don’t want to leave the comfortable, the familiar, (they would rather stand flat footed in ankle deep water where God has been) Than to have to swim into the unknown where God is doing something new.
This river originates from under the altar:
This river symbolizes the life of the spirit for the believer,
The life of God for the believer begins in prayer is maintained through prayer, and is increased through prayer.
There is no progress in God without a life of prayer
You will never be greater than your prayer life.
Note: He measured again (The man with the line in his hand went forth)
This is speaking of the word of God
The line is the teaching and the preaching of the Gospel
You will never progress spiritually beyond your knowledge of the word of God, Prayer is great, the anointing is great but knowledge must lead us to the next step.
If you want to go deeper with God, you must go deeper in the word.
Touch 3 people and tell them: I’m going deeper, you can stay here if you want but I’m going deeper.
It is the responsibility of our preachers and teachers to stretch us, to expand our thinking.
There will be times you hear things that challenge your present beliefs, Your spiritual progress will largely be determined by your ability and your willingness to let go of present beliefs to grasp greater truth.
Many good Christians have died of sickness and disease because they either were not taught the part of the gospel that generated faith for their healing or they simply refused to let go of their traditions that sickness is Gods will, that God uses sickness to chasten his children, and that God is glorified by his children suffering sicknesses.
As well many of Gods people have lived a life of poverty and lack struggeling financially all their lives, because they refused to let go of the traditions in the church that taught them that poverty is The mark of humility, and that prosperity is evil and money will make you a bad person.
And that having money is selfish, carnal and worldly.
Many of Gods people have spent their lives in ankle deep waters because they were not willing to go on to receive the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost and power.
They have even gone so far as to say, that tongues are of the devil and that the gifts of the spirit passed away with the last apostle.
Some are stuck in the ankle deep waters of traditional ways of doing things:
They can’t worship God unless you sing out of a songbook.
Some are stuck in ankle deep waters because they believe that dancing in the church is worldly and ungodly.
Still others have adjusted to the idea that dancing may be allowed but only when the Holy Spirit makes you do it. ( This they call being in the spirit)
If you happen to open your eyes to make sure you don’t run over somebody or run into the wall (then you’re in the flesh)
Tell your neighbor: Why don’t you take another step
Tell your other neighbor: Neighbor, I love you, and neighbor you can just splash around in ankle deep water if you want to (But I’m going Swimming).
I’m getting ready to close but look at this:
After Ezekial had reached the swimming waters, after he came to the place that was uncross able, so big, so vast, so deep, so fast,
He was brought back to the bank where there were many trees..
Once God has liberated you from the bondage of religion, and tradition, and once you have realized that God is bigger than your traditions, bigger than your church, bigger than your organization, bigger than your opinions.
Once you have reached a place where you admit that you don’t know it all, and your willing to say there may be more than what I have.
Then you have reached the place where God can use you, and you become qualified to show others the way out.
Who was it that led Ezekial out? You may be tempted to say an angel
But the bible says it was a man.
Tell somebody: I’m that man
Prophesy to them and tell them: I’m here to help you
I haven’t been all the way, but I’ve been quite a ways
I haven’t gone everywhere, but I’ve gone somewhere
I don’t know it all, but I know something
Tell your neighbor: lets go swimming
Look at somebody and tell them, (it’s time to go deeper) Take another step
For somebody today: this next step is going to change your life, this next step means a whole new dimension, this next step means the end of some old stuff, some of the battles you’ve fought you are not going to have to fight anymore.
For somebody this next step is going to break you out of some traditions that have robbed you and limited your experience and held you back.
I’ve just got to prophesy right here: Somebody’s getting ready to fly ( somebody’s been in the caterpillar stage, and you knew that something was changing, but you just couldn’t seem to break loose into the next level), but today is your day.
Today your getting wings.
Prophesy to somebody and tell them: This next step is taking me out of some stuff.
This next step is taking me out of some drama,
This next step is taking me out of some misery
This next step is taking me out of the mud, I’ve been stuck in the mud but today I’m coming out.
I’m trying to close but I feel something pushing me this way:
The Holy Ghost is saying to somebody today: The struggle is over, You’ve been pushing, and you’ve been fighting the good fight of faith.
But the Holy Ghost said: Tell you your getting ready to step into a place with God where difficult things become easy.
The Holy Ghost said: He’s going to take the sweat out of it, (Your getting ready to step into a current of the anointing that is going to lift you to places you could never get on your own.
And Your getting ready to step into a current of the anointing that is going to accelerate your progress, Your getting ready to pass some people that have gotten comfortable and satisfied,
Your getting ready to pass some people that got stuck in tradition and philosophies of man.
Tell your neighbor: Take another step
Your one step away from a glory you’ve never seen before, your one step away from an anointing you’ve never experienced before.
Your one step away from the realm of the miraculous
Your one step away from joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Tell your neighbor: Lets go swimming.
Take another step
I know somebody I’m talking to is feeling the pull of the current of the spirit to go deeper,
Somebody is feeling a rushing around you, and you know you can’t stay at that level anymore.
To stay at that level would grieve the Holy Spirit, to stay at that level would frustrate your faith, to stay at that level is to choose stagnation,
I know there are a lot of believers who are satisfied in ankle deep waters
And others have progressed to to their knees and they’re satisfied there.
Still others have got up to their waist, and they’re satisfied there.
But there are those rare, and distinct individuals who want everything God has for them, these are the ones who have already decided, I’m going with the river.
I’m going with the flow of the Holy Ghost.
I’m going deeper.
I’m going to the next level
I’m going to take another step
