Teaching

I.   What does it mean to “seek God”?

The psalmist well described man’s search for God when he cried, “deep calleth unto deep …” (Psalms 42)

It is the spirit of man longing for fellowship with God.

Psalms 63:1, 6-8; 84:2, 3
Song of Songs 3:1-4
Isaiah 26:9
John 4:23, 24
Romans 1:9
Philippians 3:3

2.  The very purpose of man’s existence is to seek God.  Acts 17:26-28

Failure to seek after God results in spiritual death. Isaiah 5:13 Hosea 4:6

But an impartation of His life through us can be obtained by seeking Him with all our hearts.

Deuteronomy 30:6, 19, 20
Psalms 69:32
Proverbs 8:34, 35; 14:27; 19:23
Amos 5:4, 6, 8
John 14:6

3.  He promises that those who diligently seek him shall find him.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Jeremiah 29:11-14)
1 Chronicles 28:9
Psalms 9:10
Proverbs 8:17
Matthew 7:7 (Luke 11:9-10)
John 6:37
James 4:8

We do not seek Him in vain.

Isaiah 45:19
Malachi 3:13, 14

He promises certain blessings and rewards to those who diligently seek His Face.  Psalms 107:9, Lamentations 3:25, Hebrews 11:6

1.   Joy.  Psalms 70:4; 105:3

2.   Peace and rest.  2 Chronicles 14:7; 15:12-15

3.   Revelation. Jeremiah 33:3

4.   Understanding in the ways of God.  Proverbs 28:5

5.   Strength. 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalms 105:4, Isaiah 40:31; 41:1

6.  Prosperity and provision. 2 Chronicles 26:5, Psalms 34:9, 10, Matthew 6:33

7.  Security.  Psalm 27:4, 5

4.   God requires an immediate response on our part to the beckoning of the Spirit. Psalms 27:8

The Lord, like a timid deer, is withdrawn.

Song of Songs 2:9

We must not delay when He calls  (Song of Songs 5:2-6),
but seek the Lord “while He may be found”   (Isaiah 55:6).

Continued delay to the call of the Spirit may result in the hardening of our hearts (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15), and cause that the consciousness of His Presence be withheld from us.

2 Chronicles 32:31
Song of Songs 5:2-6, esp. v. 6
Hosea 5:15

5. God seeks those who will seek Him.

2 Chronicles 16:9
Psalms 14:2; 53:2
John 4:23

A.   “Continually.”

1 Chronicles 16:11

B.  Whole-heartedly.

2 Chronicles 15:12
Psalms 119:2, 10
Jeremiah 29:13
Hebrews 10:22

C.   “Diligently.”

Psalms 63:1
Proverbs 8:17
Isaiah 26:9

D.  Above all else.

Psalms 27:4; 73:25-26
Matthew 6:33

Fellowship:  Genesis 3:8; Jeremiah 3:19-22

To save the lost: Ezekiel  34:16; Luke 19:10

Men after His own heart: 1 Samuel 13:14

Worshipers: John 4:23

Intercessors: Ezekiel 22:30

SEEKING GOD – EVOKING MANIFOLD BLESSINGS

God’s presence:Psalms 9:10

God’s grace: 2 Chronicles 30:18-20

God’s goodness: Lamentations 3:25

God’s provision: Psalms 34:10

God’s answer: Psalms 34:4

Life: Amos 5:4-6

Righteousness: Psalm 24:5

Understanding: Proverbs 28:5

Peace: 2 Chronicles 14:7

Success: 2 Chronicles 17:3-5;26:5,31:21

God said:

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD…. these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” – Isaiah 56: 6 – 7. Jesus reinforced this:

“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’” – Matthew 21: 13

Christ’s life was saturated in prayer and He stated that we also ought to pray unceasingly (see Luke 18: 1 – 8). A lifestyle of personal prayer yields the following benefits:

Strength against temptation

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” – Mark 14:38

Fortified to overcome challenges

“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray” – Matthew 26:36

Sharpened discernment in decision making

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles”

– Luke 6:12-13

Personal spiritual transformation

“Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white” – Luke 9:28-29

Strength to overcome suffering and Power over disease

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray… Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him… And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” – James 5:13-14

Releasing God’s forgiveness for your loved ones

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life — to those who commit sins that do not lead to death”

– 1 John 5:16

Equipped to defeat satanic influences

“…. his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” – Mark 9:28-29

Fan the flames of intensified personal prayer and change your world.

Our Tongue will exert constructive influence:

This will take place when we speak the truth Eph 4:15; Mt 5:37; Dt 23:23; Ex 20:16; Pr 12:17

When we make edifying remarks Eph 4:29; Col 3:16; Pro 10:21; Pro 15:4; Pro 15:30

When we communicate blessing  Pro 16:24; Job 16:5; Isa 50:4; Pro 12:25; 1 Cor 4:12

When our speech is to the glory of God  Ps 109:30; Ps 71:15; Ps 35:28; Ps 40:10; Ps 119:172; Ps 66:17

When our words further relationships   Pro 12:18; Pro 12:6; Pro  14:25; Ecc 10:12

God judges the use of the tongue

He knows all our words   Ps 139:4

He knows the heart attitude behind them  Jer 17:10; Ps 139:1-3

Our words will be judged   Mt 12:36 + 37, Ps 64:8

God’s help is needed to bridle the tongue

We are exhorted by the Word of God  Jas 1:26; Ecc 5:2 + 6; Col 3:8)

We are unable to do so in our own strength  Jas 3:8

We need divine assistance     Ps 141:3; Ps 51:15;Ps 120:2)

A godly person controls their  tongue   Job 2:10; Ps 17:3; Pro 15:28

The example of the Lord Jesus

He spoke the truth   John 8:45; 1 Pet 2:22

He spoke with grace   Luke 4:22

He spoke with consideration   John 4:16-18

He spoke with compassion  Luke 7:13

He spoke with gentleness  John 8:10-11; Mark 10:38

He spoke with tenderness   John 21:15-17; Luke 10:41-42

He knew when not to speak   1 Peter 2:23; Matthew 27:14

Thank God He is calling us to “Take hold of what God has taken hold of for us.”

Judges 11:24 NKJ

Galatians 4:1-7 – “What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.”

Obadiah1:17 – “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”

We must take hold of our legitimate possessions in Christ?

• Salvation
• Deliverance
• Healing
• Peace
• Joy
• Prosperity etc

Ignorance is our greatest enemy

Hos.4:6 – “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children .”

Unless you know what God has said in His word concerning you, you would be unable to possess your possession in Christ. The cheapest way for the devil to keep a man in the dark and rob him of God’s blessings is to take away knowledge from him.”

Your oppressor does not need to put chains on your hands and feet, all he has to do is to keep away knowledge from you.

The question is asked how then can we possess what God has possessed for us?

We must rid ourselves of ignorance; get to know what belongs to you and take hold of it!

God will visit you on the basis of His promises that you know.

Joseph – Gen: 50:24 – “Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Gen. 50: 24-25 – “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Then Joseph said to his brothers,“

Gen.50:24-25 (NIV) – “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

Genesis 21:1 -2 : “And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken 2 Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him”
Gen.21:1-2 (NIV) – “Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.”

Let us take hold of God’s promises to us

For Salvation

John 3:16-18 NKJ “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”

John 1:12 NIV– “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God “

For Guidance

Isa.30:21 NIV – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Psa.48:14 NIV – “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.”

For Courage

Isa.43:1 – “But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine”

Jos.1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

For Provision

Psalm 37:25:26 – “ I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.”

Joel.2:26 – “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.”

Against Fear

Isa.41:13 – “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

2 Tim.1:7 – “7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

For Healing

1 Pet.2:24 – “24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been

Psa.107:20 – “He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave “

Fruitfulness

Psa.107:41 – “But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.”

Psa.128:3 – “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.”

Eternal life

1 Jn.5:11 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son

Jn.10:27-28 – “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

What we need to do?

2 Pet.3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”  Every one of us as believers who desires to possess the possessions God has for us must necessity be acquainted with His promises.

If you don’t have His promises, you can not experience His visitation because His promises are the reference points for His acts. They are the anchor for the fulfillment of God’s promises. God will never perform beyond His word.
We can draw on divine promises and possess our possessions through activating them by prayer:

Jer.29:10-12 – “This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

Dan.9:2-3 – “in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.”

It is your declaration of God’s promises in prayers that enables you possess your possessions

This is God’s pattern!

Luke 18:1-8 – “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ’Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ’Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ “6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

We the Body of Christ must stand for our right. We must be willing to contend for the truth and today make up in our mind not to allow the devil to steal from us or rob us of our blessings.