A lift before leaps can be explained as help before successes. A Christian youth invited a drug addict to a city-wide crusade. The pastor preached on “Christ’s power to deliver us from sin and Satan.” At the end of the message, he made an altar call, encouraging participants to surrender their lives to Christ and believe in God’s power to heal. The addict surrendered his life to Christ.
As the preacher prayed, he was miraculously delivered from his addiction and all withdrawal symptoms. He later rushed to the altar and excitedly offered his challenging testimony. Hallelujah!
The world-acclaimed authorities were helped before their success came. Alfred Nobel, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and, more recently, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame, were all helped to learn at the elementary school level in their journey toward success. Eventually, they achieved success beyond their wildest dreams. God also expects us to lift up the downcast so that they, too, can experience success and to leap for joy.
Like Peter and John, God has given believers the power to preach, to heal the sick and to deliver the oppressed. And Christ expects us to do greater works than He Himself did. (John 14:12)