ALWAYS INQUIRE FROM THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JANUARY 20, 2022.

SUBJECT: ALWAYS INQUIRE FROM THE LORD!

Memory verse: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33 vs 3.)

READ: Second Samuel 5 vs 17 - 20; 22 - 25:

5:17: Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 

5:18: The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 

5:19: So David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the Lord said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand." 

5:20: So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there, and he said, "The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water......"

5:22: Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 

5:23: Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, "You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 

5:24: And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines. 

5:25: And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Gerba as far as Gezer.

INTIMATION:

To inquire is to ask, but it is more formal than asking. It entails showing an eagerness to find out or learn. It is to earnestly ask or investigate and receive information. God is ever willing to offer His assistance to His children who earnestly desire it. He said: “"Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds  and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7 vs 7 - 8.) You must make inquiries from Him, if you really desire the way out of your predicament, for all about you is known to Him from the beginning. 

God has instructed us to inquire from Him. Prayers like, "Oh God, come and do it for me" is the prayer of babies in Christ, but, "Lord, what must I do?" Is the prayer of sons. As long as you remain a child in the kingdom, always asking for things to be done for you and crying in the face of every adversity, God’s glory never comes near you. It is sonship that attracts the glory, and responsibility is what makes a son. The Bible in Jeremiah 6 vs 16 says, "Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls...." God desires our commitment to His leading us at all times. Nothing is too little to make inquiry on. 

David was a man of inquiries, always showing his trust and confidence in God’s leading, and God stood firm for him that he never suffered any defeat or injuries as a warrior. He had access to divine instructions by prayer of inquiry, and it made a world of difference in his life. One instruction from heaven can deliver you from a lifetime of struggle. You will no longer suffer injuries in your life in Jesus’ name.

There is what you must do to commit God to listen to you. You must show God that you are dependent on His leading, hence your constantly inquiring from Him. In the passage we read today, David never moved into battle against the Philistines—their enemies, without inquiring from God on what to do. God said, "Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you" (James 4 vs 8). You have your part to play and God has His; He will never play yours for you. He said, It is your drawing near to Him and making inquiries that provoke His drawing near to you with answers and instructions. 

Don't watch your life drag on endlessly. Determine to see the end of that problem—take responsibility. Make inquiries by getting into God's presence, and with your entire spirit approach Him for an answer. Do not be in a hurry, be set to get an answer and take delivery of His higher ways which will put you above whatever situation you are in. In whatever way you are missing it, He will reveal it to you when you go before Him to inquire in determination for an answer. You worship before Him, speak to Him and wait for His response, celebrating in tongues until the answer comes.

We are full of prayers of petition, calling on God to intervene and do something about our situation. But we have, more often than not, ignored the place of inquiries, and taking responsibility which is what gives us access to God's ways; the access to the secret and hidden things of life. The end of all matters are known to Him for the beginning. When you are faced with a dilemma of not knowing what next to do in life or which way to turn—you are at the cross-roads of life—you need to inquire from God in prayers what next to do. God will show up for you, and your responsibility is to put to work what He has revealed to you. 

It is a common practice by many to pray; pouring their hearts out before God, and never conscious of listening and waiting to hear from God. The communication is one way, while it ought to be two ways. When you rush out after laboring in prayers without hearing from God, how do you intend to receive divine instructions or guidance? In your quiet time after prayers, God may speak to you in His usual still small voice.

Prayer: Abba Father, lead me in all my ways, and answer me when I inquire from You; that I may walk in divine guidance, and wisdom, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!