‘Gain Kingdom focus from a higher vantage point’ — Louis Els

Last year God gave Pastor Louis Els the phrase “a higher vantage point” as a focus for 2015.

This year, Els says God has laid it on his heart that to live from a higher vantage point, not being pulled down into the valleys, is not just an occasional or seasonal word, but is a prophetic declaring of the end from the beginning, because the body of Christ will go through difficulties.

“God has said that if we do not live life from His vantage point, from a Kingdom perspective, tribulations will depress us and our eyes will lie to us,” explains Els.

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God’s perspective, from his vantage point, is very different from the world’s point of view, which is material, finite, and temporary, whereas we are called to walk and see in the Spirit, for God is Spirit and His perspective is unrestricted, infinite and everlasting.

Eyes of faith
We are called to see through eyes of faith that trust in the Lord, no matter what circumstances they see around them. We are called on to only pay attention to God’s Word, not men’s opinion.

“This year God has not only called on us to see from His perspective, but to focus,” says Els, who will bring the Word of God to the Saturday-night session of the Karoo Mighty Men Conference 2016 (KMMC 2016).

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“We are called on to live and pray with a focussed heart.

“The word focus means to concentrate or to give attention to something specific. When we focus we bring our mind, our will, our emotions and our hearts in line with God’s will and purpose for our life.

“When we focus we align with God. Alignment also means agreement with God and the Bible says whenever two of you agree, there God will command a blessing, so agreement releases power.

“I felt that God said to me, ‘When you pray and live from a higher vantage point you are focussed on a central purpose in accord with others living from that higher vantage point’,” says Els.

Distraction
He warns that one of the greatest weapons of the enemy is distraction.

“When Jesus called Peter out to walk on the water, the enemy tried to distract Peter by the storms of life. Likewise, we have so many storms, voices and circumstances around us that could distract us from focussing on Jesus and seeing the true answer,” explains Els.

“What happens is that people start living life from the valley of their problems, circumstances and what they think people are doing that is wrong, which results in praying from a platform of crisis, bitterness, and unforgiveness.

“God is saying you cannot operate from the depths of those valleys, but from the heights of His vantage point and perspective that allows you to focus and not waste energy, words or resources.”

Els refers to Luke 9:51 “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

“Jesus had lived the first part of His ministry, had done everything His Father had told Him to do, and He came to a place that He realised the time had come to join His Father in heaven, to secure everything concerning our salvation and for the purpose of the future of the Kingdom.

Focussed
“He was so focussed on where He was supposed to go that nothing could distract Him.

“Luke 9:52-53 goes on to say ‘. . . and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem’.

“Jesus was focussed on His destiny, what He had to do to advance the Kingdom to secure our salvation and our liberty, to overthrow Satan and his forces.

“Likewise, if we love God and care about this beautiful nation and its people, then we are going to have to live a focussed life uninfluenced by the circumstances and nonsense that we see around us.

“While we should be aware of what is happening in the world, we must live life from our higher vantage point with a focussed heart, focussed attitude, and a focussed prayer life, because Satan will do anything to distract us and cause us to say things, do things and live in such a way as to miss the mark and not play our part in God’s Will being done,” says Els.

He emphasises that when we live a focussed life it brings about clarity and stimulates awareness and alertness among people.

Ready-for-action
“Focussed people have energy and a ready-for-action attitude. People that live a focussed life have a high-work ethic; when you live a focussed life you do not have time to waste energy or an instant on nonsense.

“Focussed people are inspirational, contagious, and motivational; they are positive and live with a sense of fearlessness concerning the opposition, because they are so focussed on accomplishing God’s Will that they are not distracted or manipulated by the negative circumstances around them.

“Lastly, focussed people bring a determination to persevere, to last until the end and encourage others to do so.

“If we want to see God do something through our nation, it is going to require people that: firstly, live life out of a strength gained from the perspective of a vantage point that is not based on the world’s circumstances, but on the Word of God; and secondly, pray with such focus that it brings clarity to the family that God is not finished with us or our circumstances.

“We are called to encourage people by making them aware that regardless of what they see with the natural eye: if we can focus on what we see through the Spirit of God, prophetically declaring over this nation, our families, and economy; and pray with determination and humility, making sure we are not distracted by the enemy’s deceitful strategies; then there is hope for us,” says Els.

For information about KMMC 2016 contact Ruthi van der Merwe at (M) 082 857 7839, e-mail: info@karoommc.co.za website: www.karoommc.co.za