What Is Involved In Seeking God?

We have been looking this week at an amazing story in 2 Chronicles 20 where King Jehoshaphat is confronted by three armies that have united to try to destroy him and his people. We have discovered that God orchestrates every event in our lives to cause us to seek Him.

Though Jehoshaphat was terrified by the surrounding enemies, he knew exactly what to do: “Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord...” (verse 3). When we say that we should seek God, sometimes it is a pretty vague term. But Jehoshaphat's prayer provides us with five things that are involved in seeking God:

1. Transparency (verse 9). When we are confronted by things that we can not handle by ourselves, we lay aside our religious facades and openly admit our weakness to God. 
2. Sacrifice (verse 4). Jehoshaphat declared a fast among the people. Our willingness to sacrifice reveals the depth of our need.
3. Listening (verses 13-15). When we begin to earnestly seek the Lord, we need to listen for a "Thus saith the Lord." He will speak and His words will provide hope, encouragement, and strength.
4. Trust (verses 15, 17). There are times in life when we don't have all the details, we don't know exactly how God is going to work through a situation, and, truthfully, we don't need to know. We just need to trust him and do what he says. We need to know that every event in our lives is designed to cause us to seek God.
5. Praise and Worship (verses 18, 19). The people fell to their faces in worship and they stood to their feet in praise. This is how we seek God. Here's what I want you to consider. If the only time you engage in praise or worship is on Sunday when the band is playing and the words are on the screen, you're not doing it enough. Praise and worship needs to be a part of your daily life,  a part of your private life. If you want to get serious about seeking God, make it a point to spend time alone each day, bowing before him in worship, standing before him in praise.

Jehoshaphat took the right steps when trouble appeared on the horizon. He set himself to seek God. He prayed, he fasted, he listened, he trusted, he worshipped. If you could summarize these five words in one word, I guess it would be surrender. Jehoshaphat surrendered himself to God so he wouldn't have to surrender his nation to the enemy.

It will work the same for you. Surrender yourself to God, so that you don't have to surrender your family to the enemy. Surrender yourself to God, so that you don't have to surrender your finances to the enemy. Surrender yourself to God, so that you don't have to surrender your future to the enemy. God is ready to lead you into victory, if you'll take the first step of seeking him with your whole heart.