Draw Near to God That He May Be Glorified
The deep desire of many Christians today is to see God glorified in their lives, families and communities like never before. The Giver of Life is beyond description in His glory, supernatural love, holiness, and zeal for His wonderful eternal purposes for the universe and for humanity. For the sake of the honor of His name and for the flourishing of humanity, Christians today yearn to draw close to Him and please Him in every way.
It’s certainly the case that if a zealous culture of seeking God wholeheartedly can be stirred and sustained in our hearts, then God will increasingly respond to the collective cry and will pour out His Spirit for salvations, holiness, devotion, blessing, hope, joy, healings, deliverances and miracles, with the realization of course, that opposition and persecutions may also come as well.
There’s no need for Christians to wait for increasing problems in our lives or communities to return to Him with all our hearts. In past times of revival, large numbers of Christians returned to Him even apart from any looming catastrophe. He’s always willing to return to us when we return to Him, but this usually requires a dramatic shift in mindset and lifestyle. Instead of thinking God exists primarily to meet our own desires, our mindset must shift so that we believe and live the opposite. That is, He’s created humanity to please and honor Him, therefore it’s our responsibility to search Him out, draw close to Him and to discover what honors Him. As the prescribed way of life comes into view, we are to make the needed changes in our lives, no matter how big or how small, so that we are pleasing to Him in every way.
For in depth video teaching on this subject, including opportunities to commit to even stronger spiritualities (Shepherd or Pauline spiritualities), see
Three Main Areas
The following sections explain God’s ways, so that it’s clear what it means to love Him and others with our whole minds, souls, hearts and strength.
- Hungering for God Himself
God’s desire is that we center our hearts on He Himself and not teachings and practices per se, even though they may help us center our hearts.
- The Seven Principles of a Seeking God Lifestyle
This part explains the many Biblical passages about what God means by seeking Him wholeheartedly. Remarkably, an historian of early Christianity, Professor Robert Wilken of the University of Virginia, has identified Psalm 105:3, and 4 as summarizing the heart and mindset of the church for the first four hundred years. The verses state:, “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
- Essential Spiritual Practices
The third section of Essential Spiritual Practices summarizes the spiritual architecture, or pattern of faithfulness needed to fulfill the Seven Principles of the Seeking God Lifestyle. Organizing one’s life around God in this way is a departure from much of so-called normal Christianity in the West, but it’s the “normal” Christianity of today which is insufficient for the hour. By conforming ourselves to His commandments, and drawing close to Him we gain life and supernatural joy. As Jesus states in John 15, verses ten and eleven, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Pledging to a specific spirituality helps Christians please God by giving them a framework for faithful consistency in their ministry and devotion to Him, and helping strengthen them for a vibrant walk with Him, including fillings of the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis.
1. Hungering for God Himself
We seek life transformation through seeking God wholeheartedly, and while it includes what for many is increased discipline in spiritual practices, the heart is an eagerness to hunger for God Himself, thereby having one’s life totally transformed and led by God. It’s not less than a lifestyle of strong spiritual practices, but it’s much more. It’s an attitude of wanting God to be exalted in every way. It means learning to feast on God Himself. God desires that primarily we live as “Mary’s” over “Martha’s” and that we sit at His feet, getting to know Him and His ways. There’s certainly “Martha” type work to be done in life, but Jesus told Mary that she chose the better option because sitting at Jesus’ feet comes first.
Psalm 42:1 – “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”
Psalm 81:10 – “I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”
Luke 10:41, 42 – But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
2. Seven Principles of the Seeking God Lifestyle
As a Christian, and therefore as one who’s willingly and eagerly submitting to God’s authority, it’s essential to take steps to draw close to Him and to know Him better. To hunger after God and to love Him is to seek Him wholeheartedly with great energy. The following seven principles comprise the seeking God lifestyle. Principles are listed along with exemplary Bible passages.
Psalm 105:3, 4 – “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
1. Humbling Oneself with the Help of Fasting – Humbling oneself before God brings spiritual strength, which is aided by the practice of fasting. Fasting is going without food for a period of time for spiritual purposes, and is expected of Christians since it’s a tool to deepen humility.
Ezra 8:21 – “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.”
2. Frequent and Fervent Prayer – Frequent and Fervent prayer is part of what it means to be Christian. God expects to hear from us and for us to listen to Him as we walk with Him.
Daniel 9:3 – “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.”
3. Massive Intake of the Scriptures – Reading, listening to, memorizing and studying the Bible builds one’s understanding of God and His ways. It takes time to plumb the depths of the riches of the greatest and most influential book ever written, and this is because it’s the very word of God to humanity. A good goal is reading 5-10 chapters per day.
2 Chronicles 31:21 – “And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.”
4. Deep and Ongoing Repentance – Repenting of one’s sins and putting faith in God begins a relationship with Him, but also maintains and develops one’s on-going relationship. Examining oneself daily ensures there’s nothing displeasing to Him. If there is, you can repent, and He will forgive.
Psalm 78:34 – “When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.”
5. Faithful Obedience – The intention of God’s gospel has always been to bring people into faithful obedience to Him, therefore the Christian’s life is different from others’ lives because the Christian seeks to obey God’s commandments, not finding them burdensome, but a joy to fulfill.
Isaiah 51:1 – “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.”
6. Strong Community – Seeking God with family, friends, and one’s church adds richness and enjoyment to the Christian life. Whether participating in spiritual practices as described below, developing Christian friendships for mutual encouragement, or benefiting from the spiritual gifts of others, God provides many of His most consequential blessings through other people.
2 Chronicles 11:16 – “And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers.”
7. Relentless Perseverance – As you persevere in the six principles listed above, your closeness to God will steadily increase. Even as a Christian, life can have its ups and downs, and God desires that you develop patient diligence in drawing close to Him.
Proverbs 8:17 – “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”
3. Essential Spiritual Practices – A Biblical Pattern for Success
After deciding to hunger after God Himself, and to seek Him wholeheartedly, finding a disciplined way to fulfill these desires is needed. Putting effort into one’s Christian life honors God and ensures growth in Him, so that we increasingly please Him, and become all the more able to fulfill His destiny for our lives. Christians are urged to imitate athletes by training, working hard and struggling:
1 Timothy 4:7-11 – “Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.”
2 Timothy 2:1-7 – You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Working hard spiritually brings Christians closer to God and brings His many blessings. The apostle Paul acknowledged the benefits of working hard, even while thanking God, knowing that he succeeded only by God’s grace.
1 Corinthians 15:10 – “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.”
The following require effort and self-discipline in order to receive increased grace to live a holy and pleasing life to God. Self-discipline is a virtue to be cultivated in the life of the man or woman who loves and fears God. It’s the Christian’s joy to seek God wholeheartedly through the following regular spiritual practices, confessing all sins and living fully surrendered to Him.
It can be seen in the Scriptures, it’s always been God’s intention for believers to follow an established pattern of honoring Him through devotional faithfulness.
Genesis 1:14 – “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night. And let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.’” (NIV)
Jewish commentators have interpreted Genesis 1:14 as God’s revelation that patterns for drawing near to Him are woven into creation itself, inscribed in the earth’s rotation and orbit.
1 Chronicles 23:30-31 – “And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening, and whenever burnt offerings were offered to the LORD on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days, according to the number required of them, regularly before the LORD.”
The following may be fulfilled through one’s local church, on one’s own, with a group of family or friends, or a combination of all of these.
1. Morning and Evening Devotions – Draw close to God for thirty to sixty minutes mornings and evenings through Christian devotions. Listen to praise music, repent of sins, read and memorize the Bible, learn to listen to God and pray. Perhaps some days the time would be spent all at once instead of split between morning and evening, but twice daily is the ideal. This can be practiced alone, although is often more rewarding when accompanied by friends, family, or one’s church community. Some families establish a “family altar” which is a fixed time and place to pray as a family mornings and evenings. The goal is to be faithful to this commitment for at least four of the six days per week.
1 Timothy 5:5, 6 – “She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
2. Sunday Church Attendance with Increased Devotion – Spend Sundays (or another day as a Sabbath) attending church, resting and participating in other activities to grow in God. Some churches offer more than one service on Sunday, so attending both can be of aid in Christian growth and strengthening. The minimum time commitment entails one to two hours for church and the same amount of time in the evening. The goal is to be faithful to this commitment for at least three of the four or five Sundays per month. For the evening one to two hours, churches may offer evening services, or something more informal online like a zoom prayer meeting. Of course, this commitment could also be met with one’s family, friends, on one’s own or some other way.
Exodus 20:8-11 – “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
3. Fasting Wednesdays and Fridays – As was practiced by the early church for hundreds of years and still practiced by many Christians worldwide, fast by refraining from all food up until at least 4:00pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Fasting helps Christians humble themselves, draw closer to God and experience more of His presence. The goal is to be faithful to this commitment at least the majority of the seven to ten fasting days per month. There may be circumstances that would require switching a fasting day to another day during the week, and there also may be circumstances necessitating a refraining from fasting because of family, medical or mental health concerns.
Luke 5:35 – “The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
4. Once-a-Month All-Day Devotion – Once a month devote an entire Saturday or other day to strengthening one’s relationship with God with one’s church family, alone or with friends and family by drawing close to God by praying, building strong relationships, reading the Bible, repenting of sins, listening to Christian messages and worshiping. Eight to twelve hours of the day should be dedicated to this pursuit. The goal is to be faithful to this commitment for at least eight of the twelve months per year. For additional teaching and training for success, see Taking a Day with God.
Sample schedules can be provided for those seeking to construct their own.
Ezekiel 46:6 – On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish.
5. Twice-a-Year Christian Conferences – Approximately every six months attend a Christian conference up to a week-long (minimum 2-3 days) with great teaching, worship, repentance, prayer, fellowship and encouragement. This renews one’s love for God, brings honor to Him, likely facilitates a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and strengthens Christians for effective service. The goal is to be faithful to this commitment approximately every six months, spending a minimum of eight to twelve hours each day drawing close to Him. This can be fulfilled through a church conference, or on one’s own or with another ministry.
Exodus 23:14-17 – “Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. 16 You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. 17 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God.
6. Periodic Extraordinary Efforts – Periodically, God calls individuals and groups to more extraordinary efforts in seeking Him. For example, He may have you fast and pray for three days for an important decision. He may have you pray all night, like Jesus did, to draw closer to Him. God may ask you with others to set in motion a 24-hour prayer chain for a season or indefinitely, like the Moravians for 100 years. He may have you seek Him in prayer, fasting and repentance for 10 days like Jeremiah, 21 days like Daniel or 40 days like Moses. He may have you read the Bible once to four times in a year, or have you memorize chapters or a whole book of the Bible. As part of God’s international, dynamic movement of expanding and deepening the Kingdom of God, He will have you follow His direction for seasons of extraordinary efforts in seeking Him. As you grow in Christ, He will give you the desire and strength to participate in these types of exceptional efforts. The goal is to participate in at least once such effort per year. You may do something God individually calls you to, or you may participate with a larger group of people such as an extended fast sponsored by your church. Zealously participating in these helps Christians draw close to the face of God.
Esther 4:15-17 – Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Stronger Levels: Shepherd and Pauline Spiritualities
Shepherd
For those serving in Christian leadership roles such as elders or other types of ministry leadership, it’s recommended to commit to a Shepherd Spirituality which is the same as the Daniel Spirituality except for the following. Morning and evening devotions are 60-120 minutes in length instead of 30-60 minutes, and there’s the expectation to attend a minimum of 4-5 days at a Christian conference every 6 months instead of 2-3 day minimum.
Pauline
For those serving as ministers seeking the spiritual strength to call other Christians to devout and holy lives, then the Pauline Spirituality is recommended which includes 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening seeking God, as well as 5-7 days at a minimum at a Christian conference every 6 months.
Perspective
Diligently seeking God is an expression of faith facilitating the renewing of one’s mind and a filling of the Holy Spirit. It takes time and effort to rearrange priorities so that God is first and foremost, but is extraordinarily important so that growth is not hindered and one doesn’t neglect one’s responsibility to God. It becomes incredibly rewarding to deepen friendship with God and love for Him, especially when persevering week after week, month after month, year after year.
When striving to seek God with one’s whole heart as He requires, legalism is to be assiduously avoided. Legalism is the misunderstanding that one’s efforts seeking God through spiritual practices merits or earns God’s favor. This is clearly false because everything from God is a gift, yet it is also false that it’s not needed or not valuable to expend effort in seeking God, because He plainly states that He draws near to us when we draw near to Him (James 4:6). Legalism has to do with earning; seeking God has to do with effort. If you believe you are earning God’s blessing when seeking Him as He requires then you will periodically be frustrated with Him when difficulties arise in your life because you think that He owes you something specific. When you remember that He promises you blessings out of His grace, then your disappointment and frustration are much less when blessings are delayed or not forthcoming, because you remember that you were never owed anything.
You will be rewarded as you seek Him as the New Testament directs:
Hebrews 11:6 – “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
If you start to experience burnout when seeking the Lord faithfully, it may be that you’re not receiving fresh fillings of the Holy Spirit. This may mean that you need to repent of something or start obeying God in an area where you have not done so. It may also mean that nothing is wrong spiritually, but that God is developing your ability to seek Him faithfully even when it’s difficult. The next time you take a whole day or multiple days with God, focus on ensuring that you receive a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. Often, burnout comes not from spending a lot of time drawing close to God but from spending too much time in ministry or other activities. Remember to pace yourself and to remember that there is only one Savior. He has many servants to fulfill His will and we each have only a small part.
As Christians draw close to God faithfully day after day and month after month, their walk with Him becomes increasingly rewarding, and are given strength to live a devout life that’s pleasing to Him, ascribing to Him the honor He deserves.
Summary
When one reflects on the need to draw close to God, the seven principles of what it means to seek God wholeheartedly, and the patterns of devotions demonstrated in the Scriptures, it can be seen that combining these into a regular lifestyle is nothing less than extraordinary. It’s a lifestyle pleasing to God which allows us to center our lives wholly on Him, and because He’s full of grace, He fills us with joy, and delights of all kinds, and releases His sovereign power and love into the lives of our family members, community members and nation.
By God’s grace and His power, the greatest revival in history will come about, but must be preceded by large numbers of Christians crying out to Him with abandon and seeking Him as He expects and deserves. He is faithful and will draw near as His people draw near to Him. This takes faith and leadership on behalf of all Christians to call others to seek Him diligently.
We are to be people who feast on God, who want Him and His ways more than anything. This means radical, wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ in every aspect, seeing Him as Lord of all, and doing everything He asks in order to attract His presence. The nation is in a very precarious place, and nothing less than full surrender to the living God by His people is sufficient for the hour. This means not just the adoption of stronger spiritual disciplines, but for most, a total life transformation of consecration to Jesus Christ. It’s about changing mindsets, adopting new rhythms, stepping out of comfort zones and being used by God in dramatic ways.
As reminded in Zechariah 8, it’s the privilege and duty of Christians to seek God faithfully, inviting others to join.
Zechariah 8:20-23 – “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Daniel exemplified devout faithfulness to God while serving as a prominent leader and influencer in a spiritually hostile context, having been taken captive from Judah to Babylon in approximately 605 B.C. Serving as the second in command to King Nebuchadnezzar and successive emperors, Daniel was regarded by God as “highly esteemed” because of his character, mindset and lifestyle. He possessed a remarkable spirituality, available to all believers, especially Christians today because of the increased authority and power of the Holy Spirit, made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the teaching of the Scriptures, and the power of the Holy Spirit, this type of faithfulness to God is available to all who desire it, although it requires focus, diligence and perseverance.
Christians today, like Daniel, live in the context of a wicked and perverse generation, and likewise do not have to succumb to it. The benefits of living a devout life are truly wonderful, because Christians living devotedly are promised God’s supernatural joy, His friendship, and power to be true overcomers no matter the circumstances. The dedication required is worth the effort, because Christians will be able to live the type of life God had always intended for them. When a growing number of Christians choose to live wholeheartedly for God, He is more responsive to our prayers, and often pours out His Spirit in much greater measure, radically changing not just our own lives, but the destiny of our families, communities and nation.
Because Christians in the West have drifted so far from historical norms of righteous living, it may initially be surprising when patterns of devotion from the Scriptures and church history are first learned. Without realizing it, Christians have succumbed to complacency, thereby becoming lovers of pleasure and lovers of self. Our current ways of life as Christians often depart radically from Christians in American history, the current international church, and the first century church. As a result, God’s blessings have been steadily withdrawing from the West, with secularism steadily growing in most sectors of society. God is patient and loving, but eventually brings increasing judgment as a means of discipline to highlight the need to return to Him wholeheartedly, but this does not have to happen in order for Christians to return to Him wholeheartedly.