By Tope Banso
“Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim” (2 Samuel 5:17-18 New King James Version).
I don’t really know who, in the body of Christ, first used that phrase, “New levels, new devils” or “New level, new devil”, but it is true. Many people are eager to exit their present levels with their attendant troubles. They desire new levels, thinking things would be better for them there.
A promotion is great! While things may be better at the new levels, there are also new devils to fight. Roses without thorns are rare.
Every level has its devils (troubles) one has to confront and defeat. It is an erroneous impression that once one moves to new levels, having defeated the old devils, one would now be free from devils (troubles) – enjoy paradise on earth devoid of devils! Unlimited enjoyment! New level is not a pleasure boat; it is a factory floor. There’s work to do; there’s war to fight.
You must desire new levels, but not because you think there would be no trouble or there will be fewer challenges there. The challenges may be different, but certainly there will be new challenges. There will be battles to fight. New levels, new devils!
The troubles someone who doesn’t own a car faces are different from those of a car owner. The troubles of a tenant are different from those of a landlord, and the troubles of an entrepreneur and those of an employee are different. The challenges of a married person and a single person are also not the same.
Whenever you desire a promotion, you’re saying you’re prepared to face new devils. Does that mean you shouldn’t desire new level? No. You should, but you must be prepared to face new devils. Every new level has new devils.
It could be Pharaoh, the Red Sea, the Wall of Jericho, Goliath, etc. Have faith in God to defeat any new devil, as you move to your new level. If you trust in God and cry to Him, He will help you in the safe delivery of your destiny or what He has told you to do. “Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. ‘Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?’ says your God” (Isaiah 66:9 New King James Version).
The Israelites wanted to move to a new level – enter the Promised Land, but they were not prepared to fight the new devils there, represented by the Canaanites, despite the fact that God had told them to begin to possess it (Deuteronomy 1:8). They said they were not able to fight the giants – the new devils (Numbers 13:26-33). Because of their lack of faith, they wasted forty years in the wilderness, during which all those who complained against God from twenty years old and above died.
David had faced some devils in the past, and when he was made the king over the entire nation of Israel, at long last, he faced new devils. It was a great day for David when the Word of God concerning him by Prophet Samuel, who has since died, came to pass. David was no longer the king over only the tribe of Judah, which he had ruled for seven and a half years after the death of Saul. He had moved to a new level. But there were new devils to fight him.
2 Samuel 5:17-18 says, “Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim” (New King James Version).
David defeated these devils after he had enquired of the LORD and received His approval to fight them. He eventually ruled over the entire nation of Israel in Jerusalem for thirty-three years (2 Samuel 5:4). There are devils that will oppose you as you move to your new level; they’ll even fight you when you’re there. New levels, new devils!
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:9, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (New King James Version). The adversaries represented the new devils that wanted to hinder him from moving to a new level in his ministry. Moving to a new level requires you to prepare for warfare.
As a child of God, don’t surrender your vision or dream to new devils; you must confront them. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 New King James Version). You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).
In Mark 6, after Jesus had fed 5,000 people miraculously with five loaves and two fishes (verses 30-44), He told His disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida. He sent the multitude away and departed to the mountain to pray.
The disciples were going to the other side for ministry, a new level, but there were new devils to fight to get to the other side. Where he was praying, Jesus noticed that the wind was blowing against the boat of his disciples. He quickly went to rescue them, walking on water. When he entered the boat, the wind ceased (verses 48-51). The devil was defeated.
They landed at Gennesaret and Jesus did a great ministry everywhere in the area, healing the sick. It was because the devil wanted to prevent these miracles from taking place that he wanted to drown the disciples.
There are devils on either sides of the sea! You may have defeated some devils in the past, but new levels, new devils. With faith in God, you’ll overcome. No devil will defeat you in Jesus’ name.
If you’re not born again, repent of your sins today and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Whoever comes to Him, He will by no means cast out.
PRAYER POINT: Every new devil that won’t allow me to move to my new level or succeed there, you are defeated in the name of Jesus.
This is wisdom for living, and it’s worth sharing. Please share.
(For more inspiring messages, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
▪ Banso, an Abuja-based miniter, heads Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria
cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com
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