“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6
In this Laodicean Age, it’s hard to keep yourself hungry for God because there are so many options to satisfy the flesh. When the Children of Israel arrived in the Promised Land, Joshua warned them to be careful when they became established and to not forget the Lord. When they had a need, they leaned into God but when their needs were met, they weren’t hungry for Him anymore. It can also be true for us today.
I have found that we need to keep ourselves hungry for God every day and not pamper the flesh all the time. Its when we are spiritually minded that life and peace become our portion, but when we are carnally minded, it always comes back to bite us. I remember reading once about an American Indian who was asked how he managed to remain such a strong Christian. He said there were 2 dogs inside of him, a good one and a bad one. The one that wins is the one he feeds the most. What are we feeding? Our Spirits or our flesh? Paul said that he kept his body under;
“Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand aside.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
Do you hunger and thirst for God? Do you want God so much that it hurts? Do you thirst for it so much that you’d rearrange your life to accommodate your hunger? It amazes me how Christians can be distracted by so many little trivialities that crop up in their lives.
We would love to see a move of God in these days, but are we hungry enough? We want God but its always on our own terms. We don’t want to re arrange our lives to fit God in, as it always has to be on our terms. It’s amazing how we can sort things out in other ways when an emergency arises. Have you ever had a loved one sick in hospital? It’s funny how you can change your life around to fit in the visitations. In times like that you don’t care what’s on television, you don’t even care about what you eat or how much sleep you get anymore as they all take second place. All that matters is the health of your loved one. Jesus said that where your treasure is there will your heart be also.
“Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” Luke 18:35-43
Notice that blind Bartimaeus wanted his healing so bad that even when he was told to shut up, he ignored them and cried all the louder. Desperate people do desperate things. Blind Bartimaeus shouted loudly so that Jesus would hear him above the crowd when He passed by.
Pharisees and religious folk always criticise desperate people. Look at the Pharisees and their reaction to the desperate cripple and his friends in Luke 5:17-21.
“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Luke 5:17-21
Notice that the presence of God was there to heal everyone but the only one healed was the desperate man who didn’t care what others thought. They wanted it so bad they even opened up the roof to get close to Jesus. All the Pharisees could do was ‘nit pick’. Which category do you fit in to?
Look at all these promises for those who are hungry for God?
“And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:7-8
“And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.” Luke 11:5-8
I remember when we were in Zimbabwe and how I had to queue with all the poor African people for water during the drought at a Fire Engine. It was a humiliating experience for me, but I wanted water far more than my pride. I also had to queue for a loaf of bread when there was a shortage. If you didn’t queue you didn’t eat. I also remember in the army digging for water in a muddy dried up riverbed and only finding some horrible dirty stuff. I drank it after putting in some pills and boiling it, for desperate people do desperate things.
Are you desperate? Desperate people also believe that a handkerchief can carry a healing anointing from a Man or Woman of God and are healed through their faith. Pharisees would have all sorts of theological arguments as to why you shouldn’t do that and even say it’s of the Devil.
Blind Bartimaeus didn’t get upset when it seemed like Jesus had ignored him, but cried out all the louder and all the more. What are you doing right now? Are you desperately calling out to God as He passes by in these days of visitation? Are you missing a meal to spend time with God instead of feeling sorry for yourself and feeding your flesh?
For me one of the most effective ways to keep myself hungry for God is to fast a meal and spend that time feeding my spirit by reading the word (especially Gods promises to me) or by praying in tongues. God promise that He will bless those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Don’t give up.