LIGHT FOR THE LIFTED LIFE

“The Lord your GOD will SET YOU ON HIGH ABOVE all nations of the earth” – Deuteronomy 28:1b

God’s Covenant Word eminently shines LIGHT for the LIFTED LIFE: “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your GOD will SET YOU ON HIGH ABOVE all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God” (1 Cor.1: 4-5). The Lifted Life is a key manifestation of the Blessed Life, and both are covenant-connected and obedience-propelled. To be lifted is to be buoyed up, elevated, promoted, raised, or uplifted to a higher position or level. This is God’s Will for all of His covenant people.

By faith, every Believer has been raised up in Christ: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and RAISED US UP together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph.2: 4-6). Salvation cannot be earned by being obedient to the Law; we’re saved by faith alone (Rom. 7:6; 8:3).  Also, by our faith alone we’re blessed to be part of Abraham’s family and God’s adopted children: “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Gal. 3:9). However, some blessings are based upon both faith and conduct.

Light from God’s Word shows that though conduct is not a test for salvation, conduct can be a test for certain kinds of spiritual blessings, such as the conditional blessings in the beatitudes (Mt.5: 3-11). The Old Testament also contains conditional blessings. The Lifted Life is akin to such. Here are few of several scriptures that radiate Light for the Lifted Life:

“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who LIFTS UP MY HEAD” (Psa.3:3).

“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me; He shall SET ME HIGH UPON a ROCK. And now my head shall be LIFTED UP ABOVE my enemies all around me...” (Psa.27:5-6a).

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and SET MY FEET UPON a ROCK, and established my steps” (Psa.40: 1-2).

“HE RAISES UP the POOR out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that He may seat him with princes – with the princes of His people” (Psa.113:7).

“HE RAISES the poor from the dust and LIFTS the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory...” (1 Sam.2:8a).