My Word for 2019

A new year makes for an opportune moment to hear from God and adjust your direction and priorities to be in sync with His Will and plans for your life. Of course, we should be continually seeking and making any course adjustments as the Spirit leads and the Scripture commands. I have personally known for a couple of months that 2019 was going to be a critical year of transition and change in my life and ministry. (You can read previous recent blog’s for that update). However, as I was meditating upon the Scripture today and allowing my mind to be renewed to the Spirit’s application of the Word, I kept sensing that the word, “pursuit”, was being impressed upon my heart and spirit.

Our era is filled with an entitled generation. Entitlement is not simply a worldly concept, but has become an attitude of American Christianity as well. There is a spirit of entitlement with many when it comes to God, the Church, ministry, and blessing. It is not only a millennial virus, but boomers have been infected too. There is this feeling that spiritual virtues and blessing are much like a trust fund which was simply given because of your parents hard work or fortune, instead of your own. Don’t misunderstand this opening point. I believe the Gospel and the Grace of God provide incredible unmerited blessings and favor attached to it. I believe (and the Scripture teaches) that God can and does do miraculous and amazing things for His people not based upon their performance, but rather the relationship. We can all say, “Praise the Lord”, for such benevolence on His part.

The point I sense the Spirit underscoring is that we have in great measure ceased pursuing those things which would not only help in our growth and character, but would also release a greater measure of God’s favor and anointing to do His work and purpose. We have allowed the familiarity of the Gospel and our relationship with Christ to entrench us in a type of spiritual apathy and lethargy. We may believe right things about Who God is and what He can do, but it never translates into any spiritual passion or pursuit. Our knowledge never ignites our heart to lay hold of all that is available for our benefit and His glory.

A quick look at Scripture teaches us that pursuit is a part of our spiritual discipline. We are, for example, to pursue…

Love (I Corinthians 14:1)
Spiritual Gifts (I Corinthians 14:1)
Peace (Psalm 34:14; Hebrews 12:14)
Holiness (Hebrews 12:14)
Righteousness (Proverbs 15:9)
Godliness, Faith, Perseverance, Gentleness (I Timothy 6:11)

And there are more examples.

We are most literally to passionately pursue these qualities in our life. They do not “just” happen. They are not necessarily imparted as you sleep with your Bible under your pillow at night. These are virtues which will demand your prayer, your attention, and your implementation in your journey with the Lord.

But I also was quickened to remembrance that there is an appropriate pursuit of people that demonstrate an anointing or quality from the Lord that you may desire. It’s not an evil thing to see a servant of the Lord moving in great power or character and desiring that quality to be made manifest in your life. I remember on one occasion as a young minster of the Gospel being in a prayer meeting with a senior minister who was pastoring in the town I was visiting. When he prayed, it was as if he had a direct private line to the Almighty and his intercession was powerful. I thought to myself, “That’s what I want. I want to be able to intercede and pray like that man prays.” It was a great and appropriate desire to aspire to a prayer life like this senior minister demonstrated. The key is, few people know how that happens. Sadder still, is when one knows how that happens and refuses to apprehend it.

This is where “pursuit” enters the picture. There are some things you will never be given until you pursue them. I certainly believe in unmerited favor and gifts without performance. However, the Bible also teaches apprehending those things which you may desire. It happens by pursuit.

I am reminded that Elisha, upon hearing of the last journey of Elijah, refusing to remain seated as Elijah travels from city to city (2 Kings 2:1-15). In fact, the entire school which Elijah oversaw and mentored listened to their master’s words to remain and decided to sit at Jericho when their master was walking on. However, Elisha refused to be denied of his desire and kept attached to Elijah to the very end. It was there upon Elijah’s translation that the mantle fell to Elisha and he carried that “double-portion” anointing into his ministry. Elisha apprehended that mantle because he “pursued” Elijah. The same might be said of the 400 mighty men who pursued David into the caves of Adullam. They were a group of highly dysfunctional individuals, but because of their pursuit, they became the foundation for a Kingdom which would be the illustration for the coming Messianic Kingdom.

Let’s be clear lest people assume I am teaching something I am not. I understand fully that any pursuit of man is parsed to recognize that whatever one is desiring to receive from that man is actually from the Lord and not the man himself. If I am pursuing a person, it is because I see a work of the Lord or an anointing of the Lord which transcends their humanity. They are carriers of God’s blessing and my service to them and willingness to receive from them is actually as unto the Lord.

Can a person not apprehend a greater measure of favor and anointing from pursuing God Himself alone? Of course! And I might add a believer should make that a personal priority. However, there is no doubt that the Bible also teaches the spiritual transfer of important virtues and anointing through the relational connection of another. Some call that person a mentor. Others might call them a “spiritual father” or “father in the faith”. Many times these people are pastors whom we connect with through our local church. Whatever the case, this too is an important feature of “pursuit”.

What will you be “pursuing” in 2019?

You are owed nothing.

You need to shake the entitlement mentality.

Perhaps equally important, WHO will you be pursuing?

I am confident many, if not all, who are reading this will say, “The Lord, of course!” Very good, but what does that look like? Could it be that your pursuit of the Lord would include what He is doing in the life of one who is demonstrating the qualities of a powerful Christian walk?

I’m going to be exploring this concept because I sense the word for 2019 for me and perhaps others might revolve around “pursuit”. I believe the Lord wants us all to apprehend some important things this year. Let’s get up and get started…