But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 KJV)

To seek according to Merriam-Webster means to search for someone or something; it means to ask for help; and it can mean to try to get or achieve. Lately, I’ve been asking myself what does seeking God really look like? Also, what is the motive behind truly seeking God? Is it because of what he can give us or because of who he is? Lately, I’ve been disheartened when I see especially on social media things like I prophesy to you that in 30 days you will receive that financial breakthrough. Receive it in Jesus name. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that God can’t or won’t bless us financially. Its just that it should not be all that we seek God for. There are benefits to seeking God’s kingdom that goes way past financial blessings. These are the benefits that build you up in him. Money, houses, cars and other material possessions is fleeting. God knows that we have need of these things. That is why he promises. That he shall supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19) but today I want to talk to you about the spiritual benefits of seeking God’s kingdom. Matthew 6 tells us that when we first seek God and his kingdom. Everything else will be added to us. Now-a-days we have it backwards. We seek everything else first and then we ask God to bless it. However, when we put God first the blessings follow.

(13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (14) And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. (Jeremiah 29:13-14 KJV)

One of the benefits of when we seek God. Is that we will find him. Remember one of the definitions of seek means to search for someone or something. So for us the purpose for seeking God. Is that so we may find him. The good news for us. Is that in this scripture it lets us know. That when we search for him with our whole heart. Which means with a true desire to see him and to get to know and walk in his ways. Then scripture says that we will find him. There is also a freedom and a release when we find him. In verse 14 scripture tells us and I will turn your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations where I have driven you. Captivity is the condition of being imprisoned or confined. So the Lord is saying that not only will you find me, but that he will also free you (us) from that which has us imprisoned. In Isaiah 61:1 the word tells us to proclaim liberty (freedom) to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Finding God is finding freedom to those things that once had you bound. Now Isaiah 61 was a prophesy of what Jesus came to do and fulfill. The word also tells us that he will bring us back to the place where we was taken captive. He does not take us back there to torture us, but rather its a place where he restores us. Its the place where he recovers to us all that was stolen. Whether it was your joy, your peace, your faith. Whatever it was that was lost or stolen. He will restore it to you.

Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. (Psalm 105:4 KJV)

When we seek for God we also seek for his strength. If we live in this world long enough. There will be times when we will need God’s strength a long this christian journey. In fact I’ve learned that God was my strength. When I had no strength. Left to my own devices without the Lord on my side. I would have died out a long time ago, but when we seek God he gives us his strength to face the hard things. One of the ways that we are strengthened. Is through his word. How many times have we found strength in God’s word when going through a trial? I believe that this is one of the things that we take for granted. Until we find ourselves in need of God’s strength. It came to me a few days ago, why I became so disheartened at the thought of just seeking God for material possessions and why I started to see why they had to be more. Last year, at this very time I was so depressed and suicidal. No, this had nothing to do with coronovirus. I was battling this long before we ever entered into this pandemic. I was to the point where I couldn’t go to the bathroom without envisioning drowning myself in the tub. If I would of had a gun. I would have blown my brains out. It was in that season of my life. When I didn’t need a financial miracle. Or even what I spent years seeking God for. A spouse. I needed a Saviour. I needed God’s strength because I didn’t have it on my own. So understand. That I am not teaching you something that I haven’t had to walk through myself, because of what I had to walk through and my testimony. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he gives us his strength. He also brought me out with a new perception of him. I’ve come to understand that there is more to seeking God than any material possessions. It’s about seeking those who is lost. Those who is hurting both in the church and out. Its about bringing souls to Christ. For me it became about introducing people to the one who saved my life. In more ways than one to those who have been hurt, rejected, used and abused. So that they too may find their strength in him.

If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will i hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.(2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)

When we seek God’s face. We will find both healing and forgiveness. This became a popular scripture after covid 19. We would see this scripture every where. The part of this scripture that stood out to me was that it says. If my people which are called by name. So it wasn’t just any person who could ask for the land to be healed. It is those who are called by his name. God says MY PEOPLE! In other words those that he called. This verse also tells us that if we humble ourselves and pray, seek his face and turn from our wicked ways. He will forgive our sins and heal the land. So seeking God’s face brings about healing and forgiveness, but in this one. There is somethings that we must also do. First, we must humble ourselves before him. Which means to lower ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We must also pray and here’s that word again SEEK his face and last we have to turn from our wicked ways. There is something about when we begin to sincerely seek God’s face that we begin to humble our lives before him. We seek him more in prayer and fasting. Its something about seeking his face that makes us want to turn away from a wicked lifestyle. It’s in this place where healing takes place. Its in this place forgiveness is given. Do you know that when we don’t think that God has forgiven us. That it causes us not to walk into what he has called us to. When we seek God’s face. We find forgiveness and his grace and mercy.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Now here is the one that most people will shout for joy over. God is a rewarder to those who diligently seek him. Diligently means that they make a conscious effort in seeking him. That they take the time to seek his face. It takes faith to seek him and his goodness. The word tells us. That he that comes to God must believe that he is. Meaning that we must believe that he is who he says that he is. We as humans don’t tend to seek after things that we don’t believe is real or attainable. Here is where the faith part comes from and why it pleases God. God says i will reward your faithfulness in seeking my face. It is not always easy seeking after God, but the benefits pay off after a while. We find God when we seek for him. He gives us his strength. He heals us and forgives us. He rewards those who seek after him. Those are just a few of the things that I named. Here is some of the things that I didn’t mention. We are not forsaken (Psalm 9:10). We find shelter (Zephaniah 2:3). We lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). Plus many many more.

Matthew 6:33 tells us that when we seek after God and his kingdom. That all we may need will be added to us, but we first must put God and his kingdom first. The rest will follow. Here is something that I learned in my journey in seeking God. Some of the things that I thought was important (having a spouse). In the grand scheme of things was not. Some where a long the way of seeking God. He will give you new and godly desires. I hope that this post encourages you to seek God in a more intimate way.

God’s blessings,

Aqua.