You start off in waters to the ankles and then progress to waters to the knees. Before you go from one level of the Spirit to another there has to be a measurement. The measurement means God judges you before you go deeper.

There is an initial judgment of your personality when you first receive Christ. You have to repent of your ways in the world. When you do the Lord forgives you through the blood of Christ.

As you press forward in the Spirit there is a further judgment. Behavior that was not picked up on previously now comes to your attention. Some of the finer points of holiness and righteousness begin to be emphasized, such as gossip, criticism, talking behind people's back, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger. It sounds like the typical church, doesn't it? Well, all of these little foxes have to go because they ruin the Lord's planting.

If you have made it to the knees the Lord is ready to take you on to water to the hips. The hips are the area of cleansing, fruitfulness, and strength. God examines your motivations, self-love, self-seeking, presumption. This is where Jacob wrestles with the angel.

We go along for awhile in the Lord supposing we are Mister Faithful and True. Then we are brought to the Jabbok. God wants to change our name from the supplanter to "he who wrestles with God." All of our self-seeking and religious preening bursts into flame in the Presence of the Holy One of Israel.

If we have integrity we will come forth victorious, although lame as far as our own strength is concerned.

If you are in your wrestling match with God, don't let go. Are you a phony or for real? There are a lot of slippery characters in the churches, as Jude tells us. In the present hour God is casting about to see who really is part of the Lord Jesus.

It is time for God to give His churches a hot bath with strong lye soap. You know what I mean? Then you will see all the religious mascara come off and the saints will be scrubbed until they are fresh, all the churchy makeup gone from their faces.

What do you say we get real with God? He has great plans for the present hour but he needs men, women, boys, and girls who mean business. God wants the politics out and sincerity in.

We need a revival and we need one badly. Not an increase in ballyhoo but the real stuff.

How about you? Are you willing to seek God until Jacob dies and Israel is born in you? If so you will find yourself in the Spirit of God in a place of fruitfulness and strength you have not known before.

God is going to shake everything before He brings in everlasting righteousness. The Kingdom will be taken by those who are strong in the Lord. The available glory is fantastic!

It's for you but you're going to have to lay everything else aside if you expect to get God's best!