Note: This is the sixth chapter of The Power of His Might. Please click here to read the introduction and first five chapters.
Faith Comes by Hearing – Time alone with God
“… As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…” (Psalms 42:1-2 ESV)
“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalms 27:4 ESV)
‘You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” ‘ (Psalms 27:8 ESV)
It had been my intention to spend the next few chapters elaborating on the Word of God. However, the Spirit has strongly impressed me to first discuss regular time alone with God as a prerequisite to hearing Him.
Please take a moment right now and ask the Lord to speak to you, then re-read the verses quoted above and meditate on what they are saying.
I believe that this subject is nearer and dearer to God’s heart than any other regarding our Christian walk.
Jesus’ life is our best example.
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 ESV)
“And after he had taken leave of them, he (Jesus) went up on the mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46 ESV)
“And after he (Jesus) had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,” (Matthew 14:23 ESV)
“In these days he (Jesus) went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12 ESV)
Our Lord Jesus Christ held quiet communion alone with the Father as a high priority. For although He was God the Son, come in the flesh, full of Grace and Truth, yet He needed and desired time alone with God the Father. Even though His communication with the Father was continual (John 14:10-11), yet it was time alone with God that Jesus cherished most, whether it was all night long or early in the morning before the sun came up, getting alone with the Father came first.
As the first two chapters dealt with the operation of grace through faith as it relates to being born again (salvation), so chapter 3 starts a new portion of the book looking at grace working through faith as it relates to our spiritual walk with Jesus as we follow Him for the rest of our lives.