Worship
Scripture
“A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'” -Isaiah 40:3-5, ESV
“As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'” -Luke 3:4-6, ESV
Biblical Preparation
“Any work of God begins with great preparation.” -David Guzik, Isaish 40 commentary
All week long, the words, “make straight paths” has been sitting in my mind and in my spirit. Can you just envision John the Baptist, in all of his radical surrender, preceded by the radical surrender of Mary and Joseph, declaring the ancient words of Isaiah? He was embodying the very words of God as his life was leveling the ground for a grand entrance of the extravagant love of God for humanity—precious Jesus. Someone would have to make straight paths across the spiritual landscape of Earth. And several in this opening scene raised their hands!
“We are never more fully alive than when we are walking in our divine assignment, producing things for His glory.” -Bill Johnson
John the Baptist: A Biblical Model of Preparation
Can you imagine how these people, who had just endured 400 years of silence from God, were desperately needing level paths to an encounter with Jesus? John essentially says with his life, “I will live a radical demonstration of worship and surrender to usher in the very person of Jesus. I will remove obstacles so you can receive Him and experience the extravagant love of God through Jesus. I will not silence my voice, but I will walk on narrow roads of righteousness so that you have an easy onramp into the arms of Jesus. My life will be an invitation to Jesus, not an obstacle.” Peace accompanies straight paths. John was a “person of peace” to his region and his generation. Although that Scripture was fulfilled in John, it is a now word for us who will prepare the ground for the coming of Jesus!
Modern Applications of Biblical Preparation
Many months ago, Peggy Ike, a dear friend of mine and a part of the East-West family, who has also traveled with me to many places, invited a team of women to come to Vancouver, Washington. She has lived there for many years, and God has given her a heart for her city. Her invitation and preparations both in the natural and spiritual made straight paths for us to walk on to bring Jesus to Vancouver. Peggy is quiet and peaceful and exudes love, but that woman stood as a gatekeeper to her city and opened wide the gate that the King of Glory would come in. I honor her life of radical surrender and fierce boldness. She is our “John” in Vancouver.
Kristin Hill, Julie Shaw, Julie Helton, and Keith Brown have been positioned by the Lord in Waco, Texas. They are passionate about Jesus coming to Waco and the Bride of Christ arising in this hour with fire and focus. They are standing at the gates of their city so that Jesus can come. Our four women of peace have invited teams several times, and Jesus will come as they have asked! These are just a few who are raising their hands to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
Although John was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, his declaration and plea still resounds for us right now. It’s time to level the ground in our hearts, remove the mountains, and make straight paths so that Jesus in all of His extravagance is encountered through our lives!
The Higher Call of Scripture
Is my life bringing forth straight paths so that the extravagant love of God walks right out of me, displaying His love for the world He died for?
“In all your ways, submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:6
“I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.” -Proverbs 4:11
“The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.” -Proverbs 11:5
“You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.” -Psalm 18:36
“… for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” -Psalm 26:3
He does all the work as we can see by these verses, but it requires our surrender and submission to the process. Will you give Him your yes this morning to do whatever He desires to do to make these straight paths in your life and through your life for His purposes and His glory?
Broad, straight paths lead to the coming of the Lord to us and through us. It puts His glory on display through our very surrender to Him! And then He invites us to come up higher to the mountain tops!
“Now you are ready, my bride, to come with me as we climb the highest peaks together. Come with me through the archway of trust. We will look down from the crest of the glistening mounts and from the summit of our sublime sanctuary, from the lion’s den and the leopard’s lair.
“For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless—I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart. I am held hostage by your love and by the graces of righteousness shining upon you.” -Song of Songs 4:8-9, TPT
“I find it mesmerizing that the most effective position for releasing His heart into the earth is where we have ascended the mountain of our intimacy and trust. High above the distractions of this natural world, we are positioned to wage war on the enemy. We ascend the mountain of the Lord to conquer the mountains of the earth. What an incredibly beautiful picture of ease and strength. You were never meant to wage spiritual warfare from the ground; it was always meant to be done from the high place of intimacy with Jesus.” -Christy Johnson, “Releasing Prophetic Solutions”
A Prayer for Spiritual Preparation
Beloved, He is taking us up higher in this hour. We have got to view the events of the world from Heaven’s perspective. We have to see what He sees and pray what Jesus is praying. We can be discerning from sitting with Him in higher places (Ephesians 2:6). Our intimacy with Him soars to new heights and deeper depths as He consecrates us unto Himself. It’s sacred, and it’s eternal. And as you climb the highest peaks with the Lord, He will give you mantles (your authority and calling when God comes on you in glory) for your life. It’s time, sisters, to go to the higher places with Him so that you can walk out the rest of our days in confidence, protection, authority, and anointing!
I bless you today with an understanding and experience of paths being straightened in your heart and life. I bless you to get ready to summit peaks, hand in hand with Jesus. Tell Him you are ready, and get positioned to go!
A Few Key Notes
- Join us for a virtual Q&A with Dr. Alexandria Watkins as she talks about COVID-19 on September 13 at 4 p.m. CT.Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349635216
Meeting ID: 833 4963 5216
- It’s not too late to join us for a 40-day devotional and fast! Purchase my new book “Revivalist Arise” on Amazon, and then sign up to join the devotional series. You can also click this link to join the Zoom meeting each Friday.
Please invite other women to join you! - Join us October 1 at the Hope Center to hear from speaker and author Christina McCracken. The cost to attend will go toward launching new Arise cities as the Lord brings them on. You can RSVP today! If you are interested in hosting a six-person table for $125, please contact Stacy Riddick at [email protected] or 214.514.3351.
- Women and young ladies, you’re invited to Mountain Tops Weekend on Saturday, October 9. We’ll enjoy a time of worship, prayer, and ministering to each other. You can RSVP now!
Date: October 9
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: Freedom Church, 2435 E. Hebron Parkway, Carrollton, TX
Cost: $20 - Join us October 22-23 in Midland, Texas, as we share the hope of the gospel for Harvest Day. Email me at [email protected] for more details.
- Arise is looking for women to lead initiatives in 70 cities. If you would like to start an Arise chapter in your city, email me at [email protected].
- Do you want to be equipped in sharing the gospel? Email me at [email protected] for details on trainings.
