Satisfied?

Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

Jesus speaking: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

You will finally find lasting satisfaction when your pursue God foremost.   

God desires for you to be blessed and satisfied. Jesus is speaking of the condition of your soul.

Satisfaction refers to contentment. Jesus is comparing pursuing God to hunger and thirst. 

A person who pursues God will be filled in their soul like a person is filled with food in their body.

God's greatest desire for you is for your greatest desire to be Him. 

Jesus is referring to being right and acceptable to God. 

It's about pursuing an intimate relationship with God through Jesus.

Jesus means to hunger for God's rule and intimacy in your life to be your #1 priority.

Matthew 6:33(ESV)

Jesus speaking: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Blessed are the ones who are hungering and thirsting to be and remain right with God.

Jesus uses the example of food and water to communicate to us how desperate we are to remain right with God through Him.

The world has the food sources to feed the entire world, but the problem is in the distribution of the food. 

It is not distributed because of the selfishness of people unwilling to distribute it.  

Scarcity is not the problem, but a human condition is.  We have a selfishness problem.  

We need God to save us from ourselves.  God designed us to cry out for His help.  

Thirst is your body's cry for water.  What does your soul cry for? 

Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV)

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God? 

Does getting and remaining right with God exceed all your other passions? 

Anything that gets between you and your God is an idol which God hates. 

God hates the priority that you have placed on other things in your life.  It robs you of the cry of your heart, which is Him.

John 4:14  (ESV)

Jesus speaking: but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 6:35  (ESV)

Jesus speaking: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 7:38-39  (ESV)

Jesus speaking: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 

Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive...

Revelation 22:17  (ESV)

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Six Questions to ask yourself

1. Am I dissatisfied with my life?

2. Am I dependent on external things for satisfaction?  

3. Do I crave the Word of God?

4. Do I long for the refreshing presence of God's Holy Spirit?

5. Do I willing receive God's correction as much as I receive His comfort?

6. Do I realize that all good gifts are from God, and are a reflection of His character?

God desires for you to be blessed and satisfied; however, these desires of God can only manifest when you long for Him first. 

How do you awaken your appetite for God?

1. Start with confession and seeking God's forgiveness.  

Matthew 5:3-4 (ESV)

Jesus speaking: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Realize you have fallen short of pleasing God.  You are spiritually poor and need His help.

Jesus speaking: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Grieve and confess your short comings to God. 

2. Watch your priorities.  

Don't attempt to satisfy your life with things that won't satisfy.  God made you for Himself.   Only He can satisfy you.  

3. Disciple yourself for devotion.  

Identify one thing that occupies your time, energy, and attention that you can set aside for one week to focus on Jesus Christ.  

The key is not what you're putting away, but exchanging it for the pursuit of Jesus who loved you and gave Himself for you. 

4. Eliminate the competition.  

Is there anything in your heart competing for your pursuit of knowing God through Jesus?

Exodus 20:3(ESV)

God speaking: “You shall have no other gods before me.

Matthew 7:22-23  (ESV)

Jesus speaking: On that day many will say to me), ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

What was Jesus saying?  They had performed miracles and cast of demons.  Jesus said I don't know you. Why?   

They hadn't hungered and thirsted to know Him.  

Satisfaction comes from our struggle for intimacy with God as we become more and more like Him in this world. 

God doesn't intend our relationship with Him to be dull, empty, and powerless. 

  

You'll never find satisfaction in your journey until God becomes the greatest pursuit of your life.  

Isaiah 44:3 (ESV) 

For I (God) will pour water on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
    and my blessing on your descendants.

Memorize this passage, and think about God through out the day. 

Psalm 73:25-26  (ESV)

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,

    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.   

Ask yourself, are there any idols in me? 

Am I more excited by anything more than my relationship with God?

Is my first thought about God, or something else?

There is nothing more important than walking in the awareness of God's presence. 

Tell him: Lord Jesus, take my life.  I give it to you.  Be my Lord and Savior. 

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)

God speaking: You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Darryl Craft, Whitesburg Baptist Church

http://www.whitesburgbaptist.org/sermons/satisfied/