"Why, when I came, was there no man? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink because there is no water, and they die of thirst. [The *Servant of God says] The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple." -The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
God wants you to awaken to and with Him in your ear.
He never intended to rely solely upon you to keep the flame burning in your relationship (with Him.)
We pray for love, prosperity, promotion, healing and salvation without question. But how often do you pray for HIM? That is, MORE of a hunger for His Presence?
When you deprive any living thing of water, it dies of thirst.
Isaiah warned in verse 11 of the chapter above: "Behold, all you [enemies of your own selves] who attempt to kindle your own fires [and work out your own plans of salvation], who surround and gird yourselves with momentary sparks, darts, and firebrands that you set aflame! - walk by the light of your self-made fire and of the sparks that you have kindled [for yourself, if you will]! But this shall you have from My hand: you shall lie down in grief and in torment."
Without humbling yourself and constantly asking for a fresh flow, true success and fulfillment is momentary. You may have a famous name, a witty invention, a great name as a leader, preacher, teacher, writer, advocate or a moral reformer; but, if you do not develop a flow or dependency upon Christ (your Creator) it will not last.
No matter how great you become.
The tangible Presence of God is not a self-made fire or river flow. Yet often, we try to manufacture more of Him without asking; WHY? Because we have been taught that if we ask for something more than once, we are not operating in faith.
But that was never intended to apply to something that was designed to increase.
Jesus said in Lk 11-13: "What father among you, if his son asks for *a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, evil as you are, know how to give GOOD GIFTS [gifts *that are to their advantage] to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those WHO ASK and *CONTINUE to ASK Him!
We were never supposed to ask for Him just once.
We were to continue to ask. We were to continue a constant pursuit of (asking for more of) Him.
It is advantageous for us. For out of His Presence flow "rivers" of peace, righteousness, healing, joy, songs, creativity, ideas, solutions and hidden treasure. God has promised not to withhold any good thing from those who walk upright and ask Him.
The Apostle Paul wrote: "That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it - to the praise of His glory." (Eph 1:14)
There is more.
We will one day acquire complete possession of God's Presence depending on how faithful we are over the down payment He has entrusted us with.
Will you bury it in the ground of your toil or increase it in faithfulness?
There is full redemption, full deliverance, full salvation promised.
God wants to pay you in full. He wants to position you for greatness.
But we cannot blame God for what we don't have if we are not prepared for it.
So what are you waiting for?
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Ask Him for more of a hunger and thirst for His Presence and will in your life.
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Ask Him to increase the fire and flow in your life. Every distraction around you is designed to extinguish it, so you must ask Him to flame (or kindle) it.
Why would He ever refuse such a request?
God provides the "good things" we ask of Him.
Today, I release divine authority for you to ask for what is good and advantageous in your life.
I rebuke the request of all that is evil, self-gratifying, greedy, prideful and lustful in your life and pray for the release of a constant desire for Him as you lead.
