Ever wonder why the enemies greatest temptations with mankind centers around seeing oneself in or from a high position in life? He did this very thing with Jesus taking him to the highest point of the temple, “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.” Here, Satan tempted Jesus to throw himself down and that the angels would catch him and no harm would come to him. Later we read, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.” Here, Satan tempted Jesus to worship him in exchange for the kingdoms.
So, just what are the high places Satan tempted you and I with? Perhaps they are not quite so elevated or grand as these but high places none the less. Further, is it possible that these high places, if yielded to separate us from hearing God’s voice or experiencing his presence and power in our life?
It is being lifted up to these high places in ones heart that caused Lucifer himself to stumble and fall. In Ezekiel 28: 17 we read, “Thine heart was lifted up because of the beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”.
So how does this lesson in humility before Almighty God apply to us mortal men and women? We know that God resists the prowd but gives grace to the humble. We also have read in the Word how God hears the prayers of the sinner who repents but resists the prowd religious man who saw himself as righteous before God. It seems that like in the case of this self-righteous man Satan uses sin induced heart attitudes, stacked up to form these very high places.
The scriptures call these high places by different names: strongholds, vain imaginations, works of the flesh. In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 we read, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
So what about the sins of anxiety, worry, fear, doubt are these also high places the enemy tries to build up in our heart? Yes, they too try to exalt themselves above the knowledge and love of God and are cast down by exalting the Word over them. It will be as is spoken in the book of Isaiah, chapter 40:3-4, “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
So, the glory, the presence and the power of God encamps around those who fear him. The high places are brought low and we walk a straight path in him.