UP: LEVELING UP – DYLAN JAHNIG
Scriptures:
Zechariah 2: 1 – 5
Galatians 5: 25
Mark 11: 23
Matthew 3: 11
2 Tim 1: 6 – 8
Points:
1. WITHOUT MEASURE
2. WALLS COME DOWN
3. FAN THE FLAME
“Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.” While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’” Zechariah 2:1-5 NIV
Like hanging a frame on the wall, sometimes what looks level to the eye isn’t level – and you have to trust your instincts to make it right. Levelling up with God is no different.
God sees differently; man sees in statistics and metrics. God sees in Spirit.
Zechariah gets a prophetic picture of God’s people returning to Jerusalem, the holy city, after their exile. It’s here that God says “I will not be defined by human hands”.
The invitation: Put away the measuring line. Lean into faith.
- WITHOUT MEASURE
We’re not bound by human understanding or traditional statistics. Your life is boundary-less; it is an eternal story, not assessed within a finite period.
“Im not a statistic, I’m a SON.”
“I’m not a star sign, I’m a SPIRIT MAN.”
How often are we making decisions in the flesh (based on stats, facts, fear)?
Fear is a great motivator but a poor builder.
Zechariah suggests that God will not be defined by human hands or statistics. God is the God of the universe, and statistics bow down to the Son of God, the king of Heaven.
In the kingdom, it’s not one plus one equals two; it’s me plus faith equals anything.
We don’t live for metric after metric, but by miracle after miracle.
Galatians 5:25 – “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Put away the measuring line, and take up faith in its place.
- 2. WALLS COME DOWN
“I will be myself the wall of fire around it.”
We put walls up all the time to protect ourselves. But God says through Zechariah, “My city, the way I build, will be without walls. She will not need to build walls to protect herself; I will be a wall of fire around her. I will protect what is precious and pure to my sons and daughters. I will protect what is precious and pure to my Gospel and the Church.”
Limiting beliefs:
“I cant…”
“I will never (have)…”
“It’s impossible”
“That’s how it’s always been.”
How often have we tried to preserve / protect what was at the expense of what could be?
Mark 11:23 – not: what you believe is possible, but: do I believe nothing is impossible for God?
Where have you built a wall where God wants to UNLOCK MORE?
- 3. FAN THE FLAME
“…And I myself will be a wall of fire around her.”
All throughout Scripture God shows up as fire:
– Old Testament – pillar of fire (destiny)
– Pentecost (to break the borders of Jerusalem / Israel)
– Matthew 3 (“Holy Spirit and fire”)
In Leviticus 6 in the instructions for Temple worship, God says, “I will sustain the fire, but the priest must put on wood.” In other words, the flame will never go out; it’ll have a flicker forever. The responsibility of the priesthood is to add wood, to foster the burn.
If we talk about a city without walls, with God as the fire around it, it suggests that the burn becomes the boundary. Where I’m burning becomes my new boundary.
Our momentum as a church is not in our brilliance, but in our BURN.
Zechariah 2:1-5 – if the flame is burning the future is secure.
Discussion Questions
1. Without Measure: How often do you find yourself making decisions based on statistics, facts, or fear rather than leaning into faith?
Share a moment when you realized that you are not defined by statistics or human understanding but are a part of an eternal story.
2. Walls Come Down: Discuss the concept of God being the wall of fire around His city. How does this challenge the conventional idea of building walls for protection? Are there limiting beliefs in your life that you’ve identified, such as “I can’t,” “It’s impossible,” or “That’s how it’s always been”? How can recognizing these beliefs help in tearing down walls?
3. Fan the Flame: Reflect on the symbolism of God appearing as fire throughout Scripture. How does the image of fire convey destiny, breaking borders, and sustaining the spiritual flame? In your personal journey, how have you contributed to sustaining the fire, and where can you add “wood” to foster the burn in your life? Consider the idea that the burn becomes the boundary in a city without walls. How can allowing God to ignite a flame within you redefine your boundaries and influence?
4. How can you practically put away the “measuring line” in your life and replace it with faith? How can we collectively embrace and foster this burn in our community?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for revealing your Word to us. Help us embrace a life without measure, breaking free from human understanding and fear. We surrender our self-imposed walls and trust in your protective wall of fire. Ignite the flame within us, sustaining it as we stir up our passion for You. May our lives be defined by this burn, and may our church be known for this fire. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
** Catch “The Wrap”: post-service conversation on our Youtube channel now!
THE LINC COLLECTIVE 
Leave a comment