This post is from the revelatory teaching notes that Dr. Aikens taught in a Bootcamp. Posted by Rev. Jane Babich after attending the Bootcamp.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (amp)

“Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the leader and the source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just think of him who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.”

We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who we have seen that God has ordered their steps.

Psalms 37:23-24 (amp)

“The steps of a good man are ordered, directed and established by the LORD when he delights in his way; and he busies himself with his every step. Though he falls he shall not be utterly cast down. For the LORD grasps his hand in support and upholds him.”

But just think, if we but take the time to acknowledge God as being not only the actual author and orderer of our steps but also understand that God personally busies Himself with working out of all things together where they’re concerned, then a very powerful combination of spiritual applications are revealed.

We find that literally, ordered by God means:
God establishes, fixes, prepares, and then oversee the actual application of each step.
Figuratively when God orders it means:
He also not only appoints the steps we’re to take but puts everything in place that is necessary to render what He has ordered as completely capable of being “sure”.

Again, Psalms 34:23 says that the steps of a good man are ordered, directed, and established by the LORD when? When He delights in his way. Whose way? Man’s way; well what does delight mean?

Psalms 34:23b-24 says, He busies Himself with his every step.  Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down.  For the LORD, “grasps” his hand in support and ” upholds” him. Know this, what the enemy hates is when we’ve really begun to bend our will towards “delighting” in the Lord.

Ephesians 6:13-18 (amp)

“In conclusion, be strong in the LORD [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, and having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).”

This study is designed to shed light on the lengths God has already gone to in the “working all things together” for us and of the word He sends to affect us. 

Consider this complex series of thoughts!

I believe that as we move further and further into God ordered steps, we’ll find more and more that many of the people and places God assigns us to not just encounter but actually dwell among but to tabernacle with and establish a covenant with.

As we participate in their rescue and bring them unto promised places of reconciliation, spiritual restoration, and even reconstruction, we will wonder about the cost. Those of us who are the catalysts used to bring about these purposes of God can feel that our ordered steps in what promised to be pivotal times as we obediently yielded to a God assignment have become so personally perilous.
But listen, though we know and love God and His Word, we’ll also begin to feel that surely He has somehow missed, or lost it this time!
I know someone out there may be yelling, “blasphemy, blasphemy” right through here.
If so, brother or sister then this teaching probably was never meant to speak to you.
However, if just my opening statement made your spirit man sit up, take notice, and say finally someone has heard my cry. Then let’s go on.
But please be prepared to pray for me. You see the stoning of all the spiritual opposition to this word has been horrendous. I have been withstood from every quarter from the very moment God began to pour this word into my spirit. But I have a determination.

Now we good men and women of God can move to the next level of understanding where we know we can stand “sure”. We can stand sure knowing God’s ensured that each of our ordered steps will not only work properly but will be well able to lead us unto an actual accomplishing of what He pleases. We can also stand “sure” and keep on moving “surely” in Him, for His Glory, and our good. Just know that God has already made every one of our ordered steps to be beautiful in its time. 

Now I’m sure all this has been quite a spiritual mouthful to swallow, even though it all sounds good. But let me just add a second powerful little nugget of information so we can truly understand that according to all God has already done, our ordered steps are “sure” and can never fail us or God.

Now that we are armed with all this information … let’s put it together with our foundational scripture so we can appreciate it more as we see it in a different light.

Psalms 37:23-24 (amp)

The steps of a good man are ordered, directed and established by the LORD when he delights in his way and he busies himself with his every step. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down.  Why? For the LORD grasps his hand in support and upholds him. This brings us to the next point for us to consider in our series.

If all God does is so “sure” in His ordering then why is it we can so often still find ourselves overwhelmed with discouragement and feeling so much shame because we’ve messed up in the midst of God’s ordering and even failure when our steps have been ordered? Well the first thing we need to ask ourselves based on what we know about God is.

Have we really delighted ourselves in God the way we must in order for Him to find the delight in our way that Psalms 37 refers to? This means we need to take a deeper look at “delight”.

Delight, desire, favor, be (well) pleased, have pleasure, is to become so favorably disposed, or inclined towards; in this case God; to the extent where we become willing and determine to bend our will, toward his.

Now if these steps are not just ordered but directed and established by God when He delights in our way and He also busies himself or is personally concerned and watches over every step, then we need to understand that when we think to step out into an obedient walking out of the ordered thing because we want to delight the LORD; then remember this means even to the point of bending our will towards him when flesh doesn’t want to go much less pay the exorbitant personal price the unquestioning obedience of delighting demands. We are actually locked into it because we go bound in the spirit.

If we’re one of those God has assigned to do the exploits required of the high calling then you find yourself locked into the ordered step no matter where it leads you because you go bound in the spirit. Calling we’ll ask ourselves over and over, did we hear God right? Is he still there? Did I get off track in the darkness? Have I lost it, or has he lost me?

We’ll find that the very people we are assigned to seem hell-bent not only on self-destructing but as the case is with any drowning man who sees his rescuer coming his thrashing and panic can be so powerfully overpowering. Listen, that if we are not careful, that same one we were assigned to go get, will take us under in the process of the time it takes to effect a rescue.

And yet there’s not very much we can do about it except know our God and keep on moving into what we believe we know to be the ordered step. To us that inadvertently must encounter the perilous yet pivotal times, we’re living in make it imperative that we seek to clearly understand all the power and Godly authority God has already assigned to continually work with and enable us to accomplish what He pleases.

In the process of following His ordered steps for you, when you find yourself overwhelmed, He will always, lead us to the Rock, Jesus.

If we want to move into powerful personal participation in what he has said, then we have to know, that we know, we know that every part of His work is and remains true. The hard part of this knowledge is when God expects us to hold to our ordered course even when experience has revealed very little corroborating evidence that says God can or has, much less he will.

There are some truly hard times ahead! Many of us whom God has called to step out into the forefront of things in days ahead are experiencing some extremely dark, dry, and truly rough places.

Now granted, those of us who’ve studied the word know these are things we all know we’ll encounter any time we think to step out of the ordinary into the super extraordinary of walking with God.  

Psalms 23 has certainly done a good job of telling us who the LORD is as our shepherd.  We’ve learned he’s there to guide and shield us and to make sure we know no lack.  He’s there to even make us lie down not so much where we think we should but in places we’ll find are fresh tender and green in the end.  He’ll even lead us beside the still and restful waters we so long for. 

David says these are promised to be times and places where we’ll not only experience the LORD bringing us into times of refreshing as well as restoration. But these will be times and places in which ordered steps take us on paths which lead us into a heightened awareness of having a right standing with Him that enables us to walk uprightly in our lives.

In places of letting us know that we don’t have to fear or even dread any evil for the LORD is not only there with us but his rod to protect us and his staff to guide us are also present therefore they are able to comfort us.  

Besides all this, David said the LORD prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies and even uses what the enemy meant for evil as an opportunity to further anoint us even to the point where we can actually fill our cups running over.

For when we walk in God’s ordered steps, know that He has provided everything you will need, before you need it. Selah!

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