The truth is each of us needs to be filled up.

While growing up, we’re being filled with the opinions of man, which I’m illustrating with ping pong balls today. When our lives – represented by the jar – are filled with man’s opinions, there’s just no space for God.

But when you make a habit of letting the presence of God in every day of the week and not just on Sunday, it’ll not be long before the opinions of people and the things that overwhelm your life will begin to lift.

When you spend time in the presence of God – represented by this jug of water – nothing might seem to move at first. And even on the second or third pour. 

But time with God is never wasted.  You just need to allow the voice of God to have priority over your life. Then the voices that used to dominate our lives will begin to give way to what God’s Word says, just like how the ping pong balls will fall out. 

If your life is too crowded, or if you’re so distracted and wondering where you can fit God in, lay all those things down for a moment. Tell God: “I need You to fill me.”

He will fill your life when you give Him room and when you live a life of obedience.

SEEK HIM TO OBEY

When you’re reading the Word of God and spending time with Him in the secret place, seek Him with the intention of obedience.

Don’t go through the motions in your walk with God and miss out on what God is saying to you. Seeking God has way more to do with your heart and what He’s asking of you – rather than what you can receive from God.

I’m glad about what you’re not doing but what is God calling you to do?

Maybe it’s your attitude, maybe they’re areas of life that He spoke to you about, maybe it’s things that He has spoken to you but you haven’t done anything about.

Surrender is a choice.

You’ve got to surrender the way you spoke to someone, or surrender your finances and say: “God, now that I’ve got a promotion, I’m going to surrender this over to you again.”

SURRENDER IS NOT A ONCE-OFF EVENT

Some of us ran down the front in tears years ago at a youth camp, and thought that’s it – we don’t need to surrender again.

But when you wake up tomorrow morning, guess what? You’re going to have to surrender areas of your life to God again.

Look on the inside and search your heart. God might hold out in areas of your life to work in you so that he can release something better than you dreamed or asked for.

God’s waiting for you, I promise. If you dig into the Word, He’s already there waiting for you. Give God the best part of your day. Surrender it not to Netflix but to God, so that you can grow in your maturity.

When you read the Word, allow the Word to read you too.

Set aside a specific time for prayer and get alone with God in a secret place so you can hear from Him. You need to find a place where you can shut a door. Because the Father is found in that secret place.

This article is adapted from a keynote that Pastor Jesse Winchester delivered at Victory Family Centre’s Kingdom Life Conference in March 2019.