Living Water #549

LIVING WATER EPISODE 549 || 05TH  DECEMBER, 2025

By Solomon Uwumbolibe Mensah

THE PEOPLE WHO DWELL ON THE HEIGHTS

Isaiah 33:15

Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder  and shut their eyes against contemplating evil’

Isaiah gives us a powerful picture of the kind of person God elevates and protects. The prophet describes people who live with a distinct holiness, separating themselves from the corruption around them. Everyone desires divine elevation — to “dwell on the heights,” a place of God’s protection, favor, and spiritual authority — but Isaiah teaches that such a place is reserved for those who choose a righteous walk. God is calling His people to live differently, speak differently, think differently, and act differently. This passage shows that character, not connections, is what brings a believer into divine elevation.

1. Walking Righteously:
“To walk righteously” means living in a way that reflects God’s nature in daily life. It is not about perfection, but about the consistent direction of the heart. A righteous walk is visible; in choices, behavior, relationships, and daily conduct. People can see righteousness in how you do business, how you treat others, and how you handle pressure. Walking righteously means submitting your steps to God’s word and allowing His Spirit to govern your decisions. It is a lifestyle that says, “I belong to God,” not only in prayer but in action. Such a walk attracts God’s favor because God always lifts those who honor Him with their lifestyle.

2. Speaking What Is Right:
Isaiah adds that these elevated people “speak what is right,” reminding us that our words are spiritual instruments. The tongue carries influence — shaping atmosphere, relationships, and even future outcomes. Speaking what is right means speaking truth, speaking life, speaking purity, and speaking faith. God cannot elevate someone whose mouth contradicts His will. Words filled with bitterness, lies, slander, or gossip disqualify a person from spiritual heights. When your tongue aligns with God, heaven can trust you with authority because your speech builds rather than destroys. Righteous speech is one of the marks of spiritual maturity.

3. Rejecting Corrupt Gain:
Isaiah describes a person who “rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hands from accepting bribes.” This is a person of integrity, someone who refuses to profit through dishonesty or injustice. In a world where corruption seems normal, God still requires His children to be different. The righteous reject every form of unethical advantage — cheating, bribery, exploitation, and manipulation. They refuse to bend their values for success. Integrity may cost something in the short term, but God honors those who honor Him. The hands that refuse bribes are the same hands God can bless. When you keep your heart and actions pure, you position yourself for divine elevation.

4. Guarding the Ears and Eyes:
Isaiah continues, describing people who “stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil.” This speaks of guarding the gates — the ear gate and the eye gate. What you listen to eventually shapes your inner world. What you continually look at influences your desires. The righteous refuse to listen to conversations filled with destruction, gossip, wicked suggestions, or anything that corrupts the soul. Similarly, they intentionally shut their eyes from images, environments, and influences that draw the heart toward evil. A holy life is impossible without guarded gates. The person who wants to dwell on the heights must train their eyes to avoid evil and their ears to reject ungodly influences.

God is calling His people to a higher life — a life of righteousness, clean speech, integrity, and purity. When we live this way, we position ourselves for the heights God has prepared for us. Today, let us renew our desire to live in a way that pleases God in every area.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us to walk righteously, speak what is right, and keep our hearts pure before You. Guard our eyes, our ears, and our actions, and give us the strength to reject every form of corruption and evil. Lift us to the heights You have prepared for Your people, and be our refuge and fortress always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.