“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect”

Hebrews 12:22-23

 

 

Mount Zion, according to Hebrews 12, is called the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Mount Zion can also be called an altar of sacrifice, an altar of prayer, or an altar of worship. The Scripture we just read describes it as a general assembly and the church of the first born that are registered in heaven. So we can see from this description that when we appear in Zion, we do not just come to an altar to fulfill all righteousness, but to worship.  

 

 

Jesus said, where two or three are gathered, where two or three come together in my name, I am there in their midst. So on the altar of Zion there is a fellowship of spirits. The Bible describes it as innumerable company of spiritual beings (angels) and the Lord Himself is willing to fellowship with such a people.

 

 

The Scripture says in Obadiah 1:17 "But on mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions." This Scripture describes the character and posture of a man who must appear in Zion, who must appear at the altar. It says holiness; talking about the consecration of a man, a people, a ministry and a nation who must appear at Zion. Without this criteria and requirements met, there shall be no deliverance, and if there is no deliverance, you cannot possess your possessions. Have you been trusting God for elevations, and promotions in the spirit? Here the Scripture says holiness is an important factor. Not by pride, not by malice, not by hypocrisy, not by envy, not by secret sin, not by gratifying self and doing the works of the flesh, it is not even by religion, but by holiness and then you can possess your possession.

 

 

Now verse 18 depicts exactly what can what will happen when a man appears in Zion with the right posture. It says: He shall be a flame of fire. So have you wondered why you are not burning in ministry rather, you are burning out? Check your consecration. What is your posture? Have you been offering strange fire at the altar in Zion? Are your sacrifices like that of Cain? Is it characterized with mediocrity and lack of reverence to the Lord? Do you come with your head bowed and your hands lifted in reverence to your Savior and King? Or you come with your heart lifted and your spirit hardened? Holiness! Be yea holy just as I am holy, be perfect just as I am perfect, says the Lord.

 

 

But as much as Zion has all these good to offer to those who appear before it, Amos 6:1 says Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, So apart from unholy lifestyles, "ease" can also make a people not to possess and obtain what is prepared for them in Christ. It is possible that a Jacob will see a ladder reaching unto heaven, see angels ascending and descending and still not have a change of name, but he wrestled, he travailed, and he prevailed. This is the reason why so many of us are in the church yet nothing significant has changed about our lives, we wear a form of godliness, we appear holy but we lack the power to travail. The Scripture says as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children - deliverance and possessing of possessions.  

 

 

It is possible that a people may appear in Zion and lose touch with what God is supposed to do in their lives. If you don't travail in Zion, even though you are in Zion you won't get what Zion has to offer. Beware of mediocrity and complacency. Beware of conformity. Minds are meant to be transformed in Zion.

 

 

Hannah was waiting on the Lord and Eli the priest called it drunkenness, he was not aware that the waiting woman was praying for the conception of a prophet, a prophet that will alter the line of priesthood of his entire generation. Never mock a waiting man or woman.  Job waited on the Lord when he said "though he may slay me yet will I trust Him, yet will I continue to hold on to Him" ( Job 13:15), and his later days was better than the beginning. God gave him double for his trouble because he was bent on waiting on God.

 

 

 If you will possess your possession, if you must get your deliverance, then you must worship God in truth and in spirit for such people the Father seek. Why? Because the Father is a Spirit. Now Hannah prayed in Zion without considering what people would say. No wonder she had a song to sing afterwards. The Bible says her lips were moving but the words were not coming out, she groaned. If you must sing your own song of victory, then you should wait. Until Moses and the children of Israel waited, the red sea did not part. God told them be still, don't rush, don't panic. There is something I am about to do, and they came out with a song.  Until the 120 disciples of Jesus tarried in the upper room for 40 days, they were not endued with the power from on high. Jesus knew and understood the principle of waiting so He said to them, "tarry here."

 

 

It is in waiting that you know the Lord. It is your posture in Zion that will determine if you will provoke unusual results in life and in ministry or in any endeavour of life. Mere men who waited in Zion with Christ became extraordinary men doing extraordinary miracles. Making of men is done on the altar in Zion. The Bible says those who know their God shall be strong and they shall do great exploits. You meet and know God when you appear with the right posture on the altar in Zion. And when you know God, exploits is inevitable, the exploits are tied to purpose and purpose discovery is connected to how much you know and encounter God in Zion.  

 

 

Psalms 75:5 says “do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.” This verse talks about horn, the way you speak and the flexibility. The head carries the horn but the neck carries the head. So if the neck is not bent, the horn and the head stand tall. The root of pride must be located and stamped out. Do not speak with a stiff neck; talks about boasting. So pride can be expressed in any of these forms. If your neck can't be bent then you are disobedient and rebellious, this is also a form of pride.  So a horn is a symbol of strength and pride. When you observe animals with horns, they believe the horn is their weapon for warfare. The Lord speaking in that Scripture said, "do not lift up your horn." So this means that you should not use your own strength neither should you pride in your skills and capabilities.

 

 

If the Lord says we should not lift up our own horns, it is the same thing as saying do not use your own strength. So, what is the right posture of a believer who appears in Zion? The Bible says humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. So your horn should be bent, broken and hidden inside the Mighty hand of God. If the Scripture says "Mighty", it means there is a strength higher which you must partner with. It is in the Mighty hand of God.

 

 

The prophet speaking to Zerubabel saying "it is not by power nor by might but by my spirit", it is not by raising up your horn, you cannot prevail that way, strength is supplied by my spirit. They go from strength to strength, you don't just wait anywhere, there is a right place to wait, and there is a proper posture to take while waiting. Strength and graces are supplied to those who wait in Zion. A man that is waiting in Zion is never tired and is never in a hurry. What you will get in a short time of waiting on God is more than a life time achievement of those who never pursued purpose.

 

 

The world is on a fast lane now scrambling for balloon success, which will inflate today and break apart tomorrow. The Scripture is amazing in the way it explains certain truths to us. It says "those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength." So strength is renewed as you wait! Elijah told Ahab to be going, just like the way it seems as if others are leaving you behind now, and it seems as if God is not aware that we must be running too. He went to tarry in God's presence, got the answer to his prayer for rain and then obtained a grace for speed that outran a royal chariot.

 

 

A short time in waiting can cover a decade of struggles. The Scripture says "they shall renew their strength" and then begin to soar; not like pigeon or dove but like an eagle. The farther you will go in life, the longer you will need to wait and stay in God’s presence. There is no man that waits in God’s presence and won't notice a significant change. Moses was in the presence of the Lord for 40 days and night and his face shone. In Luke 19, when Jesus tarried in God’s presence, His countenance was altered and His face shone, including His cloth.

 

 

Waiting is not done in pride but in humility and in the quest to know more of God. Now Mount Zion is a place of waiting and obtaining grace, a place where the sons of Jacob possess their possession and a place of deliverance. But your posture determines it all. What then is the posture? Apostle Paul said "what was gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ." I am determined to know Christ, I am determined to know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, I am determined to conform to His death so that I might by all means attain to the resurrection from the dead.

 

 

Are you in Zion, do you appear at the altar? What is your posture? Don't be complacent, don't be at ease, do not rely on your own strength, do not be in a haste, be willing to wait and tarry as long as it takes, and I pray the Lord helps us in Jesus name.

 

 

Amen.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!

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