No matter where we are in our Christian walk, sometimes we realize our lack of hunger for God. The fire we once had might have become very dim.
What if that could change today?
We might have gotten too occupied by our daily routines and the busyness of work, friends, and family.
Or maybe we are caught up in bad habits or even worse: caught up in sin.
But maybe you are just realizing that there is more in God. That you recognize He has so much more in store for you and you just want to know how to tap into it.
How can we get into that Hunger for God?
Well, first we have to know what manifestations there are of a true Appetite for God.
For now, we are looking at three areas:
. Being generally hungry for God and how to get there
. Becoming hungry for God’s Word, daily
. What does it mean to be hungry for God’s presence?
How To Have A Hunger For God
Usually, we don’t think of Hunger in the context of God and a “Christian lifestyle”.
But I think you can illustrate my point with the example of fire.
First, to get the fire going, you light it up with a spark that starts the fire. Now, it needs to be “fed” right away in order to maintain and grow.
(Are you thinking of smores and steak already…?)
If you don’t feed the fire with more burning material it will go down and eventually die.
One could say that the fire is hungry. Hungry for more!
The same way it is with us and God.
We get on fire for Jesus. We fill ourselves with more of Him. And the more we get the more hunger for God we have.
I have put together 6 tips for you on how to become more hungry for God.
Go check it out, so you know how to apply the next points a little better.
I also found a good sermon on this topic by Bill Johnson that could be a blessing to you:
Having A Hunger For God & His Word On A Daily Basis
Being hungry for God is always connected to wanting to read and study God’s Word.
I guess we can all agree that we as Christians most of the time don’t read the Word of God enough.
It’s often a form of laziness towards reading in general.
We have to stop being lazy with reading God’s Word and developing a passion for it on a daily basis!
We have to be aware that the Bible is not just a book about faith, but it is the very Word from God!
The scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit! It’s God-given. People being moved by the Holy Spirit, writing down what God gave them to tell us!
Paul says in 2 Peter 1:20-21
“20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
NKJV
He is referring here to the Old Testament! Not the “so spirit-filled” New Testament!
The Word of God is not only God’s love letter to us but also a revelation of God Himself!
Through it, he reveals everything we know and will know about Him!
His Word is eternal!
It is truth. – Not some truth…
THE truth!
It is the living truth that builds our faith. In fact, it’s the foundation of our faith.
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
God wants to reveal so much about himself to you through His Word. Strengthen you in faith and fan the flame of your passion for Him.
Believe it or not, He has that passion for you!
If you would only take the time to sit down and read His Word, study it, ask questions about it, receive answers and get to know him!
Maybe you say, that you don’t understand it or that it is so dry…
I can relate…
I felt like that at a season in my life. But once I completely surrendered to God and was filled with the Holy Spirit the Word of God became alive!
It became the living Word of life for me!
I started seeing signs, wonders, and miracles in front of my eyes as described in the Bible!
I experienced how God spoke to me through His Word in a very simple but very personal and real way!
The Bible states fittingly in Matthew 4:4
“But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “
NKJV
Let me be honest with you here.
I do struggle as well to keep a steady Bible reading routine.
But I know whenever I sit down to let God’s Word really sink in, He always speaks to me.
He gives me answers to questions for life, he convicts me and renews my thoughts and thought processes.
Several times he already showed me key things out of His Word that would prepare me for upcoming and following events, how I discovered in retrospect.
Examples are my time when I had cancer e.g. God showed me a lot about healing in the Bible, even before I knew I was sick already.
Or He would reveal truths about marriage before I got married to prepare me for the coming time.
He literally prepared me!
God wants to use His Word to prepare you too!
For simple things and for big things.
His Word is alive and working, it will not return void, but will always accomplish for what it was sent out for! (Isaiah 55:11)
People say the B.I.B.l.E. is the Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.
Well… in a way it’s true.
Only through the Word of God, we know where we are going.
God has uncountable nuggets hidden in His Word just waiting to be discovered by you!
How many times have we read a certain verse and then the 100th time it hit us like a semi-truck.
Take your time to read God’s Word.
Do it daily.
At least that’s what I would recommend.
Remember: God doesn’t have a checklist. So don’t let guilt and shame sneak in about missing a day.
It’s about building a relationship with Jesus!
But don’t let laziness or something silly like social media or Netflix be a hindrance either!
What It Means To Have A Hunger For God & His Presence
Being hungry for God’s Presence is nothing fancy or super charismatic.
By “Presence” I mean God himself.
Just enjoying him in and through worship and prayer!
Through an encounter receiving healing, deliverance, restoration, salvation, conviction, and His Holy Spirit.
Look at Jesus for example:
In His busy ministering schedule He would take time at night, or sometimes very early in the morning, and sometimes even praying through the whole night to just seek God, the Father.
Check this out:
“23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.“
Matthew 14:23 (NKJV)
“12Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
Luke 6:12 (NKJV)
“35Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.“
Mark 1:35 (NKJV)
“16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.”
Luke 5:16 (NKJV)
Those Verses just express a longing for nearness with God, but also the urgency for the importance of that time.
Even for Moses, it was so important to be with God that he would not let all the people of Israel move forward without God.
“15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”
Exodus 33:15 (NKJV)
Wow…! That’s just bold, determined, and hungry!
How important is it for us to have God’s presence with us?
I found a Youtube video fitting to this point (disclaimer: I don’t know this guy and yes he gets emotional, but I think what he says sums it up very well!) :
See, God’s presence is not a fancy tingling or loaded emotion (only).
It’s God’s Kingdom, God’s Glory coming to earth wanting to touch you, set you free, and transform you into His image.
Remember what happened when the Apostles prayed for God’s Presence (Holy Spirit) to come in Acts 2 and Acts 4?
Revival broke out that literally changed the whole world!
The fact that Christianity is spread all over the world nowadays, is a result of a hand full of people seeking God in unity with hungry Hearts.
If you haven’t read my 6 Tips How To Become More Hungry For God you should give it a go. It could really help you applying the points mentioned here a little deeper!
Conclusion
To have a deeper hunger for God we have to seek God sincerely and consistently, maybe even making sacrifices like turning off social media, TV, etc., and spending some extra time in the morning or at night. Lay your own desires, wishes, dreams, and basically your “self” down and ask God to give you a desire for His presence. This will fan the flame for Jesus and make you want more of God. It’s like pouring oil on a fire. You will develop a desire to enter into His presence and have a real, life-changing encounter with Jesus through prayer and worship. You need to know that God wants to be near you because He loves you!
What changes do you want to make to grow in your hunger for God?
