Doing the Extraordinary
Today’s Verse:
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. ~Proverbs 21:22
Sir Edmund Hillary is considered the most famous mountain climber in history. On May 29, 1953 at 11:30am, he and his counterpart, Tenzing Norgay, became the first men to reach the 29,028-foot summit of Mount Everest. This accomplishment has inspired countless thousands to replicate this extraordinary feat. Sir. Hillary said, “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” Our devotion this morning is about how to do the extraordinary.
We see a man and his craving.
The man who does the extraordinary considers what is called “the city of the mighty.” It is a city with high walls. It is a city guarded by sentries on the wall. It is a city with many valiant soldiers. It is a city never before conquered. This man has a dream, vision, and craving to overcome this city. Extraordinary people have an ambition to do something that others will not. He dreams, thinks, and prays about doing the extraordinary. He won’t rest in his spirit until the desire is accomplished.
We see a man and his competence.
We see a wise man. “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom” (Proverbs 18:1). No extraordinary feat is accomplished at random. It requires study, question and answer, understanding the risks, carefully surveying the landscape, evaluating the needs, and considering the cost. Jesus said that no man goeth forward without first considering the cost. A true leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. He must have a strategic plan about how he will accomplish his goal and what it will take to do it.
We see a man and his confidence.
He is a man of faith. It requires faith to do the extraordinary. He has faith in God. Faith is asking God to do what we cannot do. Faith is trusting God to do the impossible. It is God enabling us to run through hoops and leap over walls. It is God opening a Red Sea. It is God preserving us in the fiery furnace. It is believing that God will overthrow governments. He has faith that the city of the mighty can be scaled and soundly defeated.
We see a man and his climbing.
He scales the city of the mighty. He exerts the strength to make the ascent. He does what no one before him has done. He climbs with the intention of taking the enemy by surprise. The great things in life are attained by climbing. Climbing requires strength, courage, and effort. You might have arrows shot at you. You might cut your hands and injure yourself. He defies the odds and climbs, in spite of the risks. Joshua took Jericho. Caleb claimed his mountain. We do the extraordinary when we scale the city of the mighty.
We see a man and his conquering.
He has conquered the walls and the city when he “casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.” He breaches the walls, takes the mighty by surprise, throws down the guards, opens the gates, and advances to claim the city. He has brought this city captive to his obedience. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, the flesh, and Satan. Success is only attained when we exercise faith and cast down the strength of the confidence thereof. Just like this man, you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ. Find a city that needs the spiritual strongholds cast down. Do something extraordinary today!
Have a conquering God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Exodus 16-18