TOPIC : DON’T LIFT UP YOUR SOUL TO VANITY.
TEXT: Psalms 24:4 _He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully”
MEMORY VERSE* _Habakkuk 2:4
Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
FOCUS: Today, we are going to be looking at another criteria to ascend to the hill of the Lord. Who will ascend to the hill of signs and wonders? Yesterday we said he that have a clean hand, but today we want to talk about he who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity.
What does it mean to lift up one soul unto vanity? It means to trust in uncertain riches, it means to believe in things that do not edify, it means to live a life that is not meaningful, that is what it means.
Signs and wonders are only meant for those who will not trust in uncertain riches, Paul was writing to Timothy and said ” Charge them that are rich in this world that they don’t trust in uncertain riches” Why was he warning them? so they don’t lift up their soul unto vanity. There’s a tendency for man naturally to lift up his soul unto vanity.
Vanity is anything that has no eternal value, many people are just living with vanity in mind, they lift up their soul to vanity everyday, because they don’t understand that God has created these things to serve them and not them serving the material things, so when you see a man who constantly dwells on material things he’s going to be controlled by them, God doesn’t want anything to control us, God wants us to be in control of things that’s why Dominion is strategy.
You retain Dominion by strategy, if you don’t strategically retain your dominion the things God is blessing you with will eventually distract you, they will become a thing of attention, it will shift your attention From God and then you may begin to follow after vain things , things that had no eternal value and God doesn’t want us to live like that.
Don’t forget that one way you can become a sign and a wonder is when you don’t lift up your soul unto vanity.
LESSON
Acts 12v 21-23 “And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost”
We will be looking at, How do I become a sign and a wonder by not lifting up my soul unto vanity? Act 12v 21-23, we are going to be looking at a man who lifted up his soul unto vanity and the result of his action ” And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them
[22] And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. [23] And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost”
This is how someone’s soul can lift up to vanity- He refused to give the Glory to God.
How do you identify a man who had lifted up his soul into vanity?
They don’t return to give God glory. Glory is not in their understanding, they always acclaim the glory that is due unto God, the people said “this is the voice of God and not of man” what would have made a mere man formed out of the dust to sound like a God, it is not possible, but because he has lifted up his soul beyond the measure given to a man, he has no other portion than to crash.
God does not want us to live a useless life. God wants us to live a life that acknowledges and appreciates him for all that he is doing in our lives, but when a man begins to acclaim the Glory that is meant for God, God will not have any option than to destroy him.
Today, we are learning two major lessons
- That each time you lift up your soul , your possession becomes your destruction
- When you lift up your soul without giving God the Glory, that person will automatically be destroyed
God Bless You.
Don’t forget that until you practice what you read you’ve not learnt it. The only prove that learning has taken place is when there is a corresponding action.
If you have been doing it before ask God for mercy, if you have never done it, as you become a sign and wonder, I want you to return the Glory back to God because he is the doer of all things.
God bless you, Amen.
PERSONAL CONFESSION I receive grace NOT to lift up my soul unto vanity in the mighty name of Jesus.
PRAYER FOCUS : Father deliver me from spiritual arrogance and pride in Jesus mighty Name
NOTE Once your soul is lifted up ,your life automatically becomes a dunghill .
FOOD FOR THOUGHT : Until you take pleasure in Christ, your soul will always be lifted up.
Nothing is worth your soul. BEWARE.