Inquiring of the Lord – Secret to Success
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [ in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.” [Psalm 27.4]
Most of us are acquainted with the idea that God knows everything. Yet, realizing that the Lord is willing to share His divine knowledge with us can be an entirely different matter.
A persistent mindset that often tries to loom in the background is that, as humans, we aren’t supposed to know what God knows. While it is true that there are certain things for which we have no need to know – it is also true that we not only have the right but also the responsibility to seek and to understand the Will and plan of God, especially where it concerns our life.
God’s intent is not to keep His Will and His insight a mystery to us. He wants us to seek and inquire after Him concerning our life and what we do. Inquiring of the Lord was the secret to success for many believers in times past, and it is still the secret to success for us today.
There are certain requisites for inquiring of the Lord. It is important that we understand how to inquire of the Lord, and that we follow His prescribed directions, so that we can receive the benefits of inquiring of Him.
THE PRIVILEGE OF INQUIRING
Inquiring of the Lord is a sacred privilege afforded to those whose hearts are faithful to Him. Those who have not made the Lord their trust, those who look to other things as their “god” do not have access to inquire of the Lord. Ezekiel 14 declares that those who set up idols in their heart and are bent on practicing that which they know is opposed to God’s ways, are denied access to inquire of Him.
The Lord is merciful to every sinner who calls upon Him and turns from their sins to His righteousness. But to those who insist on going their own way – yet think they can still have God’s help also – the Lord will not listen to their prayers (Jeremiah 11.10-11).
Idolaters cannot inquire of the Lord. What is idolatry? Idolatry occurs whenever we allow anyone or anything to take precedence over God in our life. If we are preoccupied with other things or if we depend on someone or something else for help and guidance in our life rather than the Lord, we have entered into idolatry. Once we have recognized our error, we can and should repent from putting other gods before Almighty God. Then, we can put our trust in the Lord and enter into the privilege of inquiring of Him.
If we need financial counsel or solutions for our health, our relationships, or anything else – we should inquire, first of all, of the Lord.
He has all the answers, all the solutions, all the strategies, all the directions we need. Earthly humans and methods cannot provide the specific solutions to the things we face in life – but God can and God does provide detailed, definitive directions for every situation to those who inquire of Him.
People can help us, give us wise counsel, and we can learn valuable things from them. The Lord can give us direction or bring an answer to us through people – and often times He will do so. All the while, we must know that it is the Lord – not anyone or anything else – who holds the answers for our life. Even when we refer to helpful insight or consult the expertise of others, we should always inquire of the Lord and trust Him to guide and confirm which information is right for our situation. When we inquire of the Lord, He can be trusted to show us the way that leads to success.
TO INQUIRE OR NOT TO INQUIRE
We have seen that inquiring of the Lord has its requirements and that it is a privilege available only to those who depend on Him alone. For the one who has met the requirements and is in position to inquire of the Lord, there is a choice to make: Shall I inquire of the Lord or shall I not inquire? This may seem like an absurd question, but it is a crucial inquiry nonetheless. With numerous decisions every day we each have before us to make – ranging from major decisions to trivial choices – it may be surprising how many things are done without even the thought of consulting the Lord about them.
It may seem a little ridiculous to ask the Lord about everything one does – but there again, how many mistakes could be avoided if we had just inquired of the Lord about the big and little choices we have made? Inquiring of the Lord is our choice – we can inquire or not inquire. We must also understand that not inquiring can have deadly consequences. By purposely not inquiring of the Lord, we commit another type of idolatry – we look to our own intellect as our god.
King Saul entered into this form of idolatry early in his reign as king. Unlike some other kings of Israel, Saul did not embrace the worship of pagan gods. As a young man, he was a devout follower of the Lord. When Israel demanded to have a human king, God personally selected Saul to reign over His people. The Spirit of God came upon him, anointing him to lead Israel in the way of the Lord and to deliver them from their enemies. The Lord was with him and worked great things through him. But soon Saul began to stray from his devotion to the Lord.
Saul was zealous for the things of God, yet he repeatedly sought to fulfill God’s ordinances according to his own reasoning and not according to God’s commandments. When things weren’t moving along as quickly as he wanted, Saul took matters into his own hands, offering a burnt sacrifice which was lawful only for a priest of God to offer (I Samuel 13). Later, he was swayed again by his own thinking when he obeyed part, but not all of God’s commandment, to completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions. Saul’s reasoning led him to save the best spoils to “sacrifice to the Lord” – instead of destroying it all as God had specifically said to do. His refusal to inquire of the Lord and obey Him eventually brought Saul to complete destruction. Instead of his kingdom being established over Israel forever, the Lord turned it over to another man.
To inquire of the Lord and depend upon Him for every choice we make is not a “step down” but a step up in our maturity and self-worth. It is the immature and the foolishly arrogant who try to make decisions on their own. The truly mature in the Lord are the ones who base everything they do upon the counsel and direction of the Lord.
THE BENEFITS OF INQUIRING
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me as a vital necessity and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” [Jeremiah 29.11-13 AMP].
Those who seek and inquire of the Lord receive answers, guidance, deliverance, and favour. The Scriptures reveal many such examples of those who inquired:
Those who are tender and humble before God, and inquire of Him, are heard by Him and honoured.
Our level of success in every endeavour is dependent upon our level of inquiring of the Lord. Seeking His counsel in every thing gives us inside information and the edge on every situation. However much we inquire, or whether we inquire at all, is our choice to make – but to inquire of Him is certainly the best way to go.
King David exclaimed, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and insistently require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [ in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple” [Psalm 27.4].
Seeking and receiving God’s counsel, guidance, and help can be a daily, moment-by-moment experience. You can live a life of victory, satisfaction, and divine favour… a life of miracles… when you inquire of the Lord and follow Him in all you do.
Inquiring of the Lord is your secret to success.
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [ in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple.” [Psalm 27.4]
Most of us are acquainted with the idea that God knows everything. Yet, realizing that the Lord is willing to share His divine knowledge with us can be an entirely different matter.
A persistent mindset that often tries to loom in the background is that, as humans, we aren’t supposed to know what God knows. While it is true that there are certain things for which we have no need to know – it is also true that we not only have the right but also the responsibility to seek and to understand the Will and plan of God, especially where it concerns our life.
God’s intent is not to keep His Will and His insight a mystery to us. He wants us to seek and inquire after Him concerning our life and what we do. Inquiring of the Lord was the secret to success for many believers in times past, and it is still the secret to success for us today.
There are certain requisites for inquiring of the Lord. It is important that we understand how to inquire of the Lord, and that we follow His prescribed directions, so that we can receive the benefits of inquiring of Him.
THE PRIVILEGE OF INQUIRING
Inquiring of the Lord is a sacred privilege afforded to those whose hearts are faithful to Him. Those who have not made the Lord their trust, those who look to other things as their “god” do not have access to inquire of the Lord. Ezekiel 14 declares that those who set up idols in their heart and are bent on practicing that which they know is opposed to God’s ways, are denied access to inquire of Him.
The Lord is merciful to every sinner who calls upon Him and turns from their sins to His righteousness. But to those who insist on going their own way – yet think they can still have God’s help also – the Lord will not listen to their prayers (Jeremiah 11.10-11).
Idolaters cannot inquire of the Lord. What is idolatry? Idolatry occurs whenever we allow anyone or anything to take precedence over God in our life. If we are preoccupied with other things or if we depend on someone or something else for help and guidance in our life rather than the Lord, we have entered into idolatry. Once we have recognized our error, we can and should repent from putting other gods before Almighty God. Then, we can put our trust in the Lord and enter into the privilege of inquiring of Him.
If we need financial counsel or solutions for our health, our relationships, or anything else – we should inquire, first of all, of the Lord.
He has all the answers, all the solutions, all the strategies, all the directions we need. Earthly humans and methods cannot provide the specific solutions to the things we face in life – but God can and God does provide detailed, definitive directions for every situation to those who inquire of Him.
People can help us, give us wise counsel, and we can learn valuable things from them. The Lord can give us direction or bring an answer to us through people – and often times He will do so. All the while, we must know that it is the Lord – not anyone or anything else – who holds the answers for our life. Even when we refer to helpful insight or consult the expertise of others, we should always inquire of the Lord and trust Him to guide and confirm which information is right for our situation. When we inquire of the Lord, He can be trusted to show us the way that leads to success.
TO INQUIRE OR NOT TO INQUIRE
We have seen that inquiring of the Lord has its requirements and that it is a privilege available only to those who depend on Him alone. For the one who has met the requirements and is in position to inquire of the Lord, there is a choice to make: Shall I inquire of the Lord or shall I not inquire? This may seem like an absurd question, but it is a crucial inquiry nonetheless. With numerous decisions every day we each have before us to make – ranging from major decisions to trivial choices – it may be surprising how many things are done without even the thought of consulting the Lord about them.
It may seem a little ridiculous to ask the Lord about everything one does – but there again, how many mistakes could be avoided if we had just inquired of the Lord about the big and little choices we have made? Inquiring of the Lord is our choice – we can inquire or not inquire. We must also understand that not inquiring can have deadly consequences. By purposely not inquiring of the Lord, we commit another type of idolatry – we look to our own intellect as our god.
King Saul entered into this form of idolatry early in his reign as king. Unlike some other kings of Israel, Saul did not embrace the worship of pagan gods. As a young man, he was a devout follower of the Lord. When Israel demanded to have a human king, God personally selected Saul to reign over His people. The Spirit of God came upon him, anointing him to lead Israel in the way of the Lord and to deliver them from their enemies. The Lord was with him and worked great things through him. But soon Saul began to stray from his devotion to the Lord.
Saul was zealous for the things of God, yet he repeatedly sought to fulfill God’s ordinances according to his own reasoning and not according to God’s commandments. When things weren’t moving along as quickly as he wanted, Saul took matters into his own hands, offering a burnt sacrifice which was lawful only for a priest of God to offer (I Samuel 13). Later, he was swayed again by his own thinking when he obeyed part, but not all of God’s commandment, to completely destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions. Saul’s reasoning led him to save the best spoils to “sacrifice to the Lord” – instead of destroying it all as God had specifically said to do. His refusal to inquire of the Lord and obey Him eventually brought Saul to complete destruction. Instead of his kingdom being established over Israel forever, the Lord turned it over to another man.
To inquire of the Lord and depend upon Him for every choice we make is not a “step down” but a step up in our maturity and self-worth. It is the immature and the foolishly arrogant who try to make decisions on their own. The truly mature in the Lord are the ones who base everything they do upon the counsel and direction of the Lord.
THE BENEFITS OF INQUIRING
“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me as a vital necessity and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” [Jeremiah 29.11-13 AMP].
Those who seek and inquire of the Lord receive answers, guidance, deliverance, and favour. The Scriptures reveal many such examples of those who inquired:
- Rebekah (the wife of Isaac, and mother of Jacob and Esau) received God’s answer concerning her situation:
- David (King of Israel, and a man after God’s own heart) had a lifestyle of inquiring of the Lord. On one occasion, it was reported to David that the Philistines were raiding Keilah and looting the grain. So David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go and attack these Philistines? And the Lord said, Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah. But David’s men said, We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines? Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand. David and his men went to Keilah and fought the Philistines with a great slaughter, scattered their cattle, and saved the people of Keilah. Word reached Saul that David was at Keilah. Realizing that David was in a walled city with locked gates and could be easily trapped, Saul sent his troops to lay siege to David and his men. David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him, so he inquired again of the Lord: O Lord God of Israel…will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? And the Lord said, He will come down. Then David asked, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hands? The Lord said, They will deliver you up. Then David and his men, about 600, arose and left Keilah. When Saul learned that David had escaped from Keilah, he haulted the expedition (I Samuel 23.1-13).
- When King Josiah heard what was written in the Book of the Law of the Lord which had been found, and he realized that his ancestors in Israel had not obeyed any of the instructions that God had given in His Word, he tore his clothes and wept. Then Josiah inquired of the Lord what he and the remnant of Israel and Judah should do in response to what was written in the Book of the Lord, concerning His wrath due for their ancestors’ disobedience. In reply to Josiah’s inquiry, the word of the Lord came forth saying that the calamity and curses foretold in the Book of the Lord would come upon that place and its inhabitants because they had forsaken the Lord and worshipped other gods. But to Josiah the Lord said, As for the king of Judah who inquired of the Lord… thus says the Lord God of Israel…Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His word against this place and its people, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me in repentance, So I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. I will not send the promised disaster against this city and its people until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this place (II Chronicles 34.14-28).
Those who are tender and humble before God, and inquire of Him, are heard by Him and honoured.
Our level of success in every endeavour is dependent upon our level of inquiring of the Lord. Seeking His counsel in every thing gives us inside information and the edge on every situation. However much we inquire, or whether we inquire at all, is our choice to make – but to inquire of Him is certainly the best way to go.
King David exclaimed, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and insistently require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [ in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple” [Psalm 27.4].
Seeking and receiving God’s counsel, guidance, and help can be a daily, moment-by-moment experience. You can live a life of victory, satisfaction, and divine favour… a life of miracles… when you inquire of the Lord and follow Him in all you do.
Inquiring of the Lord is your secret to success.
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved