The Bible tells us, “Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always” (1 Chronicles 16:11). As Christians, we know that the all-powerful God of the universe loves us and wants to talk with us, but it doesn’t always seem that way. When we can’t hear His voice, we begin to ask ourselves why prayer is so hard at times and why some of our prayers go unanswered. Strengthening our faith is an ongoing process. There will be high points on our faith journey, and there will also be low points on our journey. When you feel like your relationship is growing more distant from God, or you’re feeling a sense of brokenness on your faith walk, it’s important that you seek God who has the power to restore all things. Joel 2:25 reminds us that God can restore what is broken and change it into something amazing. All we need is faith. Growing in your relationship with God begins with getting closer to the Bible. Here are five ways to unlock the Scriptures each day.
Submit to God
As Christians, we want to be great stewards in God’s Word. We also want to prevail in spiritual battle. The Bible tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). We want power in our prayers and we want to see results. We have dreams and desires we want to see fulfilled. However, at times our prayers may feel like they’re bouncing off the ceiling or going unanswered. It’s important to remember in these moments that God sometimes delays the breakthrough so He can prepare us to steward the gift or opportunity He’s about to entrust to us. Sometimes, He makes us wait because He’s making us ready. But other times, we’re our own hindrance for our unanswered prayers. Our choices are often the biggest roadblocks. Prayer is ultimately about becoming who you are meant to be in Christ. When we submit to God, we not only hear what God is saying to us, but we also discover who God wants us to be.
Make the Bible the Center of Your Life
Do you want to see impact, life transformation and blessing that you never thought possible? Do you want to receive God-sized, Kingdom-level answers to your prayers? There’s no better place to turn than the pages of God’s incredible, inspired and anointed prayer book. The Bible tells us, “Every word of God is pure He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). Commit right now to make your Bible the center of your life. Make the declaration that no matter what you’re facing right now, you can turn to Scripture and discover that God is writing a bigger story with your life, and your circumstances will not have the last say.
Live in the Reality of God’s Love
Are you rooted and established in love? You may not always feel like or believe that you are but because you are in Christ, you are established in Him. The goal is to walk in, talk in, and live in the reality of God’s love, a love that grounds us and establishes us regardless of the storms we face. The Bible tells us, “God is love and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them” (John 4:16). God is not in the least bit surprised or taken off guard by the storms you are facing today; His love is bigger than anything you’re going through. To be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God, and to be filled with the all-surpassing love of Christ is to be transformed from the inside out. It’s to dare to come boldly into God’s great presence and ask Him for the impossible, unachievable and inconceivable.
Refuse to Leave God Alone
Give God the desire of His heart. He wants to be with you and spend time with you. Be so committed that the habit of communicating with God takes a permanent hold on your life. Talk to the Lord about your desire to be with Him. By verbalizing your commitment, you remind yourself to have a fruitful walk with God. Find devoted time to be in fellowship with Him. Miraculous things will begin to happen when we refuse to leave God alone. If you commit yourself to reading the Bible, you will see the abundant life that comes from a powerful Scripture-filled life.
Base Your Faith in God’s Word and Sovereignty
The Bible promises that “He who began a good work in You will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Because of this, we have to base our faith on God’s sovereignty – what He has done and is doing in our lives rather than on our feelings. Scripture also says, “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). Even if your faith is fading, God remains faithful toward you. His commitment to you never changes. This also doesn’t mean that we should completely ignore our feelings. Sometimes our feelings are a pretty good indication of where we are spiritually.
God invites us to an intimate relationship with Him. When we spend more time reading the Bible, we can begin to experience change in our live and know His overwhelming joy, power and peace. Unlock the power of Scripture and begin to be experience God’s presence as He strengthens your faith, encourages your heart and shifts your perspective.
