Day 22
He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. Luke 1:53
Yesterday we touched a little bit on how to respond when we don't have what you desire, today we will touch a little bit on the opposite end. How do you respond when you experience success or get the answers to your prayers?
I noticed while reading through the book of Kings that there was a pattern when some kings get what they want, they get carried away with the wealth, riches and power and lose sight of the God who made all those things possible. Let’s take King Solomon as an example, the richest king in all of history and a man that loved God who unfortunately got dragged away from God because of the wealth he had and the many wives he acquired.
Sometimes we get satisfied, satisfied with what we have, satisfied with what we have tasted of Jesus, with the gifts He has given me. When we get satisfied and stop feeding from Him, we start to rot inside. The things of this world overshadow our spirit as we spend more time away from God and the enemy comes to plant weeds in our fertile ground. But we must desire to remain aware of our poor spirit, for the poor in spirit are those who inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Shortly after I got married, I got really comfortable. I was so happy in my little cocoon with my husband that little by little I stopped checking in with my Father, I stopped spending quality time at His feet and God prompted me with a dream that led me to Luke 14:16-24. I couldn't understand it so I kept thinking about the verses until I finally got clarity. God was inviting me to His banquet and I had been turning Him down because I was very occupied with the gifts He had given me and He was showing me that if I kept on doing that, I would miss out on the banquet. I immediately repented and got back into the habit of spending time with Him. We need to have the heart’s posture of “the poor and crippled and blind and lame” and hungry so that we would never forget our desperate need for Him.
Here are some ways that have help me when i get too full with the wrong things:
Remember who is truly responsible for the gift/success, seek Him constantly and consistently Prov 3:5-6
Use the success for God and His purpose. It is a trust to be managed for His glory and Kingdom 1 Cor 10:26
Don’t become ‘strong’, rejoice in your weakness 2 Cor 12:9
Remember that pride is what led satan to fall: realize that in yourself you are nothing
Periodically fast
Join me to always respond when He calls because we know that only in Him is there satisfaction. The more we eat of Him, the more we hunger for Him. If we come full of ourselves, we get nothing because there’s no room to put more. If we come hungry, God is able to fill us with all good things.