(Day 11) Seeking God Through His Word, Prayer, and Fasting

St. Matthew 6:1-18 & Colossians 3:1-17

There is a secrecy to your life and all that God has in mind for you. Our Lord, in His grace, doesn't fully unload all of the details of our lives all at once, and for good reason; it would overwhelm us. Instead, He gradually unveils His plans concerning us, giving us glimpses and flashes as we seek Him in His Word and through much prayer and fasting. These disciplines condition our heart and spirit to hear from Him and builds us up in phases and stages, to be able to handle the level we're on and to be prepared for where He's taking us. God gives us just enough information to guide us in our "now" and a little insight to prepare us for what's to come.

This is why we have great incentive to be in pursuit of Him and His purpose for our lives. In pursuing the presence of God, He prepares us; in seeking Him, He situates us. There are things that God wants to disclose to us and daily bread He wants to feed us, that can only be realized when we seek after God. The apostle Paul writes, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). The things that we should be seeking, where are they according to this verse? Paul says that they are above, where Christ is seated in His position of power and authority.

We must elevate our thoughts and desires to target things above. Paul goes on to say, Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2). We need God to give us an ASCENDING ASPIRATION that would challenge us to greater service to the Lord, and give us an acute focus that would help our faith to soar. It is through our praying that we are lifted into the presence of God. During times of prayer, we meet with God and He allows us to experience measures of His glory. Jesus said, But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (St. Matthew 6:6).

God literally wants to be shut in with you. Special, precious time, just God and you, where He can begin to communicate with your heart and mind, developing your inner ear to be able to hear His voice. Seeking God means death for our old nature, the old ways that we thought and did things. Seeking God helps to bring an end to us so that the will of God can be done through us. In the presence of God, I must discard my plans and agenda, and submit to the majesty of His might. Paul says, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:3-4).

Our very lives are safely tucked away in the heart of God. All that He desires for us to do and be, is concealed in the counsels of God, awaiting us to enquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4). It is there in His presence, through His Word, prayer, and fasting, that we receive revelation, restoration, and elevation. We are blessed there and we are safe in His presence; For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock (Psalm 27:5).

From the heart and hand of Pastor Reginald Reaves