Dharius Daniels - Level Up

I want to give you the topic of tonight’s teaching; the topic is simple and captured in two words. I believe it’s our marching orders. The words are «level up.» For those of you, depending on the demographic, who may be unaware of the phrase «level up,» it is an urban colloquialism that refers to the idea of making moves for the purpose of bettering or benefiting one’s life. It is, in fact, two words that insinuate an individual is taking the initiative not to wait for something to happen but to make something happen. It is an individual who understands that things don’t move because the clock moves. Things don’t move because the calendar moves, but things move because I make moves. Somebody say «level up.» It is a phrase intended to push us toward our potential, to create a burden for our best, and to create an appetite for achievement. It is a statement for those who refuse to settle and meander throughout the maze of mediocrity but want to experience the fullness of God’s best for their lives. It is for those who have the resolve and resilience to say this next year will not be like the previous year because more than the year, I am making some changes. It’s time to level up. And family, I don’t know if you are aware of the religious implications of these two words because our God is a God of levels. By that, I mean He progressively exposes and unveils aspects of Himself to us in ways that He had not done before. God introduces us to aspects of Himself that we have not seen before, but God also introduces us to aspects of ourselves that we hadn’t seen before because only the Creator of a thing knows what that thing is capable of. The Creator creates the capacity of a thing, and your Creator knows what’s on you, knows what’s in you, and if He says you can do it, it can be done. If He says you can handle it, you can handle it. If He says you are competent, adequate, and capable, you are competent, adequate, and capable because the Creator of the thing knows the capacity of a thing. I want to tell you that there’s a you you haven’t met yet, and God wants to introduce you to that you. That you is calling for you. That you is behind bars, about to break out. That you has been trapped and ensnared in inadequacy, insecurity, condemnation, and shame, but that you is getting ready to break out this year, and that you is going to surprise even you. The old you is going to look at the new you and say, «I didn’t even know you were in me.» Somebody say, «level up.» But in order to experience this, there’s something we must understand, family. When I say «level up,» I’m assuming most people are thinking elevation, but when I say «level up,» I’m referring to evolution. I’m not referring to becoming a better version of the whole thing; I’m talking about becoming a superior version of a new thing—that’s evolution. I’m not talking about becoming a faster caterpillar; I’m talking about becoming a butterfly. And when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the caterpillar moves differently. I want to know, is there anybody seated in this sacred space that’s saying, «In the coming year, I’m getting ready to move differently. I’m getting ready to fly to places I used to crawl to.» Because you’re missing the revelation: when the caterpillar undergoes an evolution, it automatically experiences elevation. Instead of the caterpillar trying to fly, the caterpillar becomes a butterfly. By virtue of the fact that the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the evolution produces elevation, meaning there are some things that can only be done by people who become someone. So you can spend another year trying to do certain things, or you can spend this year becoming someone because certain things are only done by certain kinds of people. Bold things are done by bold people. Witty things are done by witty people. Strong things are done by strong people. And so instead of attempting to act in a way that is inconsistent with your nature, why don’t you evolve into the best version of yourself and change your nature? What other people have to do with intentionality, you’ll be able to do automatically and organically because you experienced an evolution. So you can try to read more and see how that works for you, or you can become a reader. You can try to run more and see how that works for you, or you can become a runner. You can try to tell the truth more and see how that works for you, or you can become an honest person because evolution produces elevation. Certain kinds of things are only done by certain kinds of people. Am I making sense? And could it be, family, that there are some things that you haven’t been able to do because they can only be done when you become the kind of person that does them? Could it be that there are some things that God is not changing because those things won’t need to change when you do? Could it be that God isn’t fixing them because He’s fixing you, and when He fixes you, you’ll be able to handle it? Somebody say «evolution.» Here’s the question—the critical question, the quintessential question: as people of faith, do you believe evolution is possible? Listen for you; why would you ask that? I’m asking that because it’s possible to be a caterpillar so long that you think that’s what you are.