SEEKING & FINDING

"In order to seek we must find first—power through the spirit of GOD."
Jeff Johnson April 2008

Hide-and-seek is a favorite game among children. We all have played it and understand the rules of the game. A group of children gather together, picks someone to be “it,” who then closes their eyes—through split fingers☺, while everyone else in the group hides. The object is to find everyone and tag them before they get to the safe place. However, as we get more experience in playing the game we go just far enough away from the safe place to tempt others to run toward the safe place.

The Bible is clear with many verses on how to seek, places to seek and to avoid (mediums), and assurances on finding. The lessons on seeking, like in hide-and-seek, give us a prompt go to a safe place—GOD’s loving arms so HE can lead us to our destination—our find. For the most part when we are seeking, we need answers to questions whereby we feel hopeless, and vulnerable. But the way to seek is first to find—let me explain.

"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. " LUKE 11:10

The scriptures show us in Matt 6:33 “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.” Mark adds, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Mark 14:38 We need to ‘find’ a strong body first through GOD’s spirit, not our spirit and body. In 2 Tim 1:7 we are told, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power.” So, how much power can the spirit give us? We learn this in Judges, “The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat.” Judges 14:6 I have never needed to do this, but it would be nice to have this much power in my hour of need.

Here are the rules of seeking and finding: The first thing is to find GOD’s spirit with all of HIS power to then immediately seek HIS kingdom in (RIGHT) and (WISDOM) which is righteousness. By doing this we take our eyes off what we are seeking and concentrate on the ‘safe place’ in a powerful manner. “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” ACTS 17:27 The next thing is within the power of GOD’s spirit, we need to knock as if we want the door open so we can sup with HIM. The main point here is GOD’s spirit gives us the power to not only knock, but to want to enter in and sup with HIM—to be close enough to HIM to eat with HIM. The last step is knowing that GOD’s spirit can and will allow us to ‘find’ gives us a powerful hope. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Rom 15:13. There is an additional power in having hope that allows our body to feel different and act anew—with a powerful intrinsic conviction.

In the adult hide-and-seek game GOD’s spirit is walking close enough to us to prompt a run towards the ‘safe place’-- HIS loving arms—to lead us to that which we are seeking.

I believe in you because YOU ARE WORTH IT,
Jeff