======================================================================== PERSONAL HUNGER FOR GOD by Gbile Akanni ======================================================================== Summary: Gbile Akanni emphasizes the vital importance of cultivating a deep, personal hunger for God, modeled by David's passionate pursuit of the Lord despite life's challenges and failures. Duration: 51:24 Topics: "Personal Devotion", "Spiritual Hunger" Scripture References: Psalm 27:1-5, Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1-5, 1 Samuel 13:14, 1 Samuel 16, 1 Samuel 17, 2 Samuel 5, 2 Samuel 11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In this devotional sermon, Gbile Akanni explores the profound spiritual hunger exemplified by King David, encouraging believers to cultivate a passionate and personal desire for God. Drawing from Psalms and the life of David, Akanni highlights the importance of continual prayer, repentance, and dependence on God even through trials and failures. The message challenges listeners to rekindle their zeal for God and remain steadfast in their walk with Him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Living Seed Media brings to you God's Word, which is his comprehensive equipment for changing lives. May the Lord impact your heart as you encounter his Word. For further enquiry or counsel, contact Peace House, PO Box 971, Boko, Benue State, Nigeria. Telephone numbers 0703 03636 59, 0703 76811 98. Email address lsmedia at livingseed.org or visit our website at www.livingseed.org. Let us sit back and listen as the servant of God brings forth the Word of Life. One thing we need to look at today as people the Lord has raised for himself. God will not depend on animals to prepare a church for himself. He is not going to depend on angels that will come from above to prepare the church for himself. God is depending on people he has called and delegated to do this work. And that happens to be you and me. The greatest call any man can receive on earth is to serve the Lord. And so we do not take it for granted that what we are. And we also do not feel that we are the most qualified. When our father in the Lord was saying something yesterday. I say Lord I remember that even himself has money to go to secondary school. And maybe tertiary institution as it may be. But there are those of us to pay to primary six was a problem. That we have to go and serve a master in order to finish primary six. Because I know I couldn't go beyond primary four. And that was a story. And I consider myself the least of all that will stand before the people of God. Because somebody who doesn't have opportunity. Somebody who is not known anywhere. I said those some people here who know me very well. Know where I came from. And they know that in our place. In my compound. In my village. If you ask them any poor person to show you the home of a poor person. They will point to my house. That is where you can find the poorest of the poor. But the Lord is not just that he is turning the poverty to something. But out of that place God lifted me. When I don't know him. And I am talking this morning about a man. That look like in some way like had a story like myself. And that man will look at and see the kind of heart he has for God. And that man is David. And I like us to take few scriptures quickly. One from the Psalm of David. Number 27. Psalm 27. We just like to read verses 1 to 5. We have to run and read of other few verses you know we don't have much time this morning. Psalm 27 I like to read verses 1 to 5. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh. My enemies and foes. They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me. My heart shall not fear. Though the war may rise against me. In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord. That will I seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord. All the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord. And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble. He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the secret place of His tabernacle. He shall hide me. And He shall set me high upon a rock. Quickly look at Psalm number 42. Psalm 42, just look at verses 1 and 2. As the deer pants for the water brooks. So pants my soul for you O God. My soul pants for God. For the living God. When shall I come and appear before God. And finally Psalm 63. Psalm 63 verses 1 to 5. 63. O God, you are my God. Early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you. In a dry and thirsty land. Where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary. To see your power and your glory. Because your loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise you. Thus I will bless you while I live. I will lift up my hands in your name. My soul shall be satisfied with the marrow and fatness. And my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips. Praise the Lord. This morning we will look at. How we can desire like David said. I desire one thing. In this one thing how we can cry to God. Have a personal hunger. For the Lord God Almighty. Personal hunger. For him who has called us. I know that the only person who doesn't hunger or feel thirst. Is a dead person. The only one who does not hunger or thirst. Is somebody who is no longer breathing. But at times we also discover. That there comes a time in the life of a man. In the life of a child of God. In the life of a pastor. That there could be a time of. Not his starving. Not that his fasting. But he has lost the sense of having hunger. And no hunger for food. Nor thirst for water. But hunger for the Lord. Hunger for him who calls him. So we have come first and foremost. To look at our personal lives. How will I appear before the Lord? Who I am before the Lord? How am I pursuing the Lord as he used to be? David. Throughout his lifetime we cannot even finish in this retreat talking about him. As a person. But one thing we know. About him first is that he was a king. But that he was a king is not where he started. David came to limelight. When there was a need for a change. In the leadership in Israel. When the first king disappointed God. When Saul could no longer work with God. When he abandoned what God instructed of the Lord. And wanted to satisfy the people. He was abandoned. He was rejected. God. In 1 Samuel 13 verse 14. God Samuel. When he told Samuel you don't need to weep for Saul again. That's in chapter 16. I have gotten for myself. Somebody. Who my heart desires. Who will work with me. Who will work according to my word. I have gotten for myself a man. And in 13 verse 14. Samuel said David. Was a man after God's own heart. So it is there we know who David was. It means this young man. Maybe the youngest of Jesse's children. Was serving the Lord unnoticed by men. He was in the field. With the sheep of his father. Jesse. When this change. Was to happen. He was not there with his brothers. Who were perhaps with their father. He was in the bush. He was taking care of his father's sheep. When desolation came. Nobody remembered him. He was not remembered. Those who were tall. Huge. And very stout men. Came out for selection. They were not selected. I don't know. You know the church has one. The process. In some of our denomination. The process of selecting who they would train. They call it selection conference. Isn't it? In some places. Where we went. Where we were. We call it selection conference. And it is not everybody that came for exam. That eventually is selected. So they were not selected. Until someone said. Have they all finished? Is there no other person? Jesse said well. There was the youngest. But he's taking care of the sheep. He said that's the one. Call him. We will not sit down until he comes. There was a time. Heaven was standing. Until you were chosen. Heaven said we don't know any other man. Except you. The man we can send. The man we are bringing up. To be the representative of God among the congregation. Is you. Until you are selected. Nobody has been selected. And you became what you were. God brought you up. You know the experiences. As some of us did. We know the experiences. The day I went for selection conference. I reluctantly went. Because for me. I was living something I thought. Would give my family. You know something. Financially. I thought I was already getting something. For me now to live it. To go into this call. Several people have already told me. This thing. A lot of people are saying go. But some others say. Even went to my parents and said. The thing we thought is coming. It is no longer going to come. Now he is going to beg. My mother said I have only one word. If he says God called him. Let him go. That is the only word I have. And so. We knew all that we did. All that happened. And we came. And we were selected. And we were trained. And God gave us platform. The church. To raise men and women for him. For the kingdom. Brethren we started with fire. Everywhere. The day I read one book. I almost left theological college. I said we are here doing nothing. The day I read passion for souls. I made it a second book. After reading it I read my bible. I go back. I called my brother. I said we are here wasting our time. The souls are perishing. And we are here talking. What I don't understand. And. I knew without seeing. We all went to the field. They didn't went without seeing. He had already known the Lord. How did I know that he had already known the Lord? When they were looking for somebody to be helping King Saul. In his sanity. He said look for somebody. The servants said we know somebody again. We knew somebody in Jesus house. There is one boy there. He is very skilful. He is a very trusted person. God is with him. He can play. And they said one of the things is that God is with him. And he came and did the job. And through the somebody he was coming to take over. God was promoting him. And how again did I know that he knew the Lord? When he was sent to go and bring food. To his brothers who were fighting in the battle. Where Goliath was the only problem. He came. And saw what the people of God were passing through. He was not happy. It's like this man. You don't know who you are. But somebody has come. He said what will happen to somebody who will kill this man. But that's not where the story is. When he was being challenged. That he has not been trained. He has not been commissioned. He has not gone through liturgies. He has never won cassock. He has not done this. Theological colleges where people are trained and fashioned and matured. He has not gone there. How will he go and preach? And win this great soul? And King Goliath. He said look. I've been a shepherd. Hallelujah. I've been a shepherd in the field. I have fought even something that could kill Goliath. Lion and bear. When they came to snatch my sheep. I have killed this. I have killed that. And Goliath is going to be like one of them. Praise the Lord. So he knew the Lord. And when actually you know the story. In 1 Samuel 17. When the battle set. When Goliath was thinking this is a dog. How could you fight me? He said yes you are coming to me. With all that you have. All the javelins, all the spears, all the rest. But I come to you. In the name of the Lord God of Israel. That's the one I'm coming on to. So David knew the Lord. He was walking with God. Brethren. There was a time. The only thing you know. Is how to serve this Lord. How you go to him in prayer for everything. There was nothing you did. Without going to your closet. There was a time your closet was on fire. Every day. When men come to see you. Before you come out. You must be sweating. When coming out from the prayer place. Not because you have a good place. Some of us don't even have. I know the first place. Some of the places I stayed first. What said to me. Good morning. Every morning was this millipede. The big ones. They will stand at the frame of the door. If you happen to be a visitor. Before we open the door in the morning. You will see it just at the door. Sometimes we station somebody by the door. In the afternoon. To be sweeping them out. But the Lord was with us. That was a place God dismantled a lot of things. We saw God. Myself. My wife. We saw God. Actually working with us. It wasn't about a beautiful house. It wasn't about so much good accommodation. It wasn't about good food. It was about God. There is something he wants us to do. David was not thinking of palace. David was not thinking of king. He was thinking of what we honor the God Almighty. Before whom he was standing. I will tell you something that led to some of the things we read in the scripture. This man was growing. Until he became the king. He never did anything. Without inquiring from the Lord. He never did one thing. In. First Samuel. Second Samuel chapter five. We see that. Everything this man did. Even when war came. He was already a king. He inquired of the Lord. He both would meet on two occasions. First instance. Fighting with the people at the valley of Ephraim. He, the Philistines who came for the battle. He was there. He asked the Lord. Should I go? Will you be with me? The Lord said go. And he actually routed them. He finished them. He won victory. But the people after some time came back to the same place. For me there was no need of prayer again. That place where I defeated you, I'm coming again. But this man went back to God and said. Should I go again? God said don't go the way you went before. There's another strategy. I will go before you. When you hear the noise on the mulberry tree. Know that I have gone. Then you can come circle them and you finish them. So he did nothing. Without asking of the Lord. Brother there was a time. Even sometimes to eat. We asked the Lord. Fastings, prayers. Before you appear before the congregation. You know what you have gone through. Just to make sure you bring the word of God. This is the man after God's own hand. But a time came. When David wandered in the wilderness. Both spiritual wilderness and physical wilderness. What brings a man of God down? Brethren is nothing but sin. When Brabile was talking of secret sin. Yesterday. I said there was a time it was my problem. And thank God for his help. It is something that kills the life of a man of God. Kills his ministry. You will be standing. You will be doing everything. But the Lord will say I'm not interested. I'm not even in that. There was a time we will be sitting at the seat of the clergy. But it is not actually the seat of authority we are occupying. We are occupying ceremonial seats. Because there was something. That was against God. Something against God. Something that was happening. Something that is between you and God. The communication line has been cut. You are no longer where you used to be. Prayer life becomes wobbly. Sleepy. Why? I know there was a time. When this thing happened. If I kneel down to pray. After praying I don't know what to pray. My sleep will take over. I will sleep on my knees. When I wake up I will be dreaming. It will no longer be I. But there was a cry that God always listens to. Cry from the heart. Because there is nothing that I will hide from my wife. And one thing is that. When I am not in tune with God. My wife knows. She knows. After crying to God. She will now talk to me. And I will say. This is it. I want help. And we pray. And we cry. And we shed tears. And I say God. One thing I know. You didn't bring me here to destroy me. You would have left me where I was. In this ministry you didn't call me to destroy me. You called me to be a hand for you. To be a voice for you. If it is to destroy me. You would have destroyed me somewhere else. Not here. But Lord help me. And I believe there are people God is going to help today. Amongst us. God has been wanting to hear your cry. Then we committed sin. At the time of relaxation. Relaxation. At the time he had arrived. At the time he can take wife anyhow he wants. You know there are things you wouldn't do before. But you have come to a level. What you wanted. You have taken. If it is church money. You wanted it. You know there are places. People respect us. As men. Who their words cannot be challenged. The pastor has said. And that is final. Some of them will say. Let it be between him and his God. Just do what he says. The time of taking money. That God never placed in your hand. May be a time of relaxation. When you see. I heard a story last. Somebody was telling that story. Where we went. He said. They went for a burial. There was a senior pastor. There was a junior pastor. Whether assistant or not. But one was senior. And when they came for a burial. And saw the type of people that attended the burial. Money was coming. At offering plates. You know you see. You see money in India. In India great number. Money came. The senior pastor had a struggle. What am I going to do? He then gave instruction to the junior pastor. He said. All this money. This ones. Instructed him on the one he will bring out. For him. And said. He is going. When he finishes. He will bring it. The junior pastor did. And then had his own temptation. How am I going to take all this money to our God? He also removed his own. And took the rest to him. And he said. But this is not the. I saw the money. Where is the money? He said. That is what I saw. He said. But that's not it. How near is it? And eventually said. As you want to. You cheated God. I have also cheated you. You have taken from what is not your own. I have also taken from what is not my own. So. It's no problem. When the time of realization. When the time you can have the thing you want to have. Is when the enemy will come. Is when he catches it. The Bible says. When it was time in 2 Samuel chapter 11. The time that king should go to war. David has sent all his commanders. To the war front. And he sat at home. It was sitting and moving around the palace. That his eyes went to where he shouldn't have gone. And of course he had the power to command that. A lady be brought. And in order to cover sin. He also committed another sin. But that's not where we are going for. Are going to. Where we are going to is his heart cried. That was the time. God did not leave him. God said. What you have done in secret. Will be done in the open. Somebody will do it. Even from your own house. You know the story of how his son. Absalom drove him out from the. From the place where he was as a king of Israel. And took over from him. Sometimes I see Absalom. As an agent. To chastise David his father. To show him. That God is not to be joked with. You don't take God for granted. Whatever God has made you. Don't take it for granted. After all he made you king for Israel. He made you pastor for the people. He made you pastor to serve him for the people. And so he wandered in the wilderness. It was while in the wilderness. That David remembered. You read Psalm. 51. He cried to God. He cried. And said to God. It is time to restore me. Hallelujah. Restore to me. Don't take your spirit. Away from me. Give me back the joy of salvation. I've lost the joy of salvation. I have lost your spirits. I have lost out. From the palace. I know when I lost out. And if you speak the truth to yourself. You know where you are. You know where when you lost out in the family. You know one thing. Any day. I do what I ought not to do as a pastor. The first person it affects is my wife. And my children. It will affect them. They will see children behaving anyhow. I will not say it is their own fault. I will go on my knees and say it is my sin. It is my fault. God is my fault. I have wandered in the wilderness of sin. I have wandered in the wilderness of Kedeshbania. I have walked in those places. But one thing that God did. Out of clean heart and a clear conscience I called on him. Lord deliver me. Or else I die. I don't know how many are going to cry to God today. You know what is already happening in your life. You know what is already happening in your ministry. You know where God took you. Your quiet time is no longer what it used to be. I had a problem that time with my quiet time. I called myself. I looked at myself. I said this quiet time was the only time. The only time I used in hearing God every day. How do you feel when you don't hear God in the morning? Devil remembered that he used to hear God in the morning. In the afternoon. If you read Psalm 53. If you read 119, 147. If you read all those places. He will say. He will cry to God in the morning. God will order his walk from morning. How is your quiet time? If you don't have quiet time. Do you expect church members to have quiet time? If God is not talking to you. Do you expect church members to be hearing from God? If God is not giving you direction. Every day. On how to go. Do you think you are leading right? Some of us think. I am already a pastor. Is it not to give them Holy Communion. Do baptism. Visit them and pray. That's the thing. But you don't know where God is asking you to be. And not only this. Devil cry. And God heard him. He remembered. While he was in the desert. He remembered how he used to be in the tabernacle. Of the Lord. How he was. Singing and praising God with others. How he was leading the people. Even though as a king. How he was leading. In the praises of God. Brethren do you still find joy. In what you are doing now. Not happiness for money. Not happiness for mansions. Not happiness. Let me share one thing with you. Before we pray. I went as a bishop to a place. Where there was nothing called bishop's house. Or what we call bishop's court. We are living in a rented place. And leaking roof everywhere. We cry to God. For the bishop's house. It was built. Within a little given time. God just brought brethren. Who started working from the beginning. From the first day to the last day. When it was dedicated. They say it was the best. I say I am not looking for the best. I am just looking for something. But do you know. That was a time I sat there relaxing. I had good beds. I have everything. I have stayed in a condition. It was a time. I will not observe correct time of prayer. It was a time. I will still. I stay before the television. And listen to all manner of news. And then before I finish. We pray. And then you can remember. My prayer time will no longer last up to ten minutes. I think. The Lord. Just times me. Even my children know. They say. It is time. For us to live here. Not that they are talking to me. Not that they are suspecting me for anything. They say it is time for us to live. I ask them where are we living? They say anywhere. Anywhere. We have stayed here for too long. I say God. You have heard. So. God even confirmed my movement for my children and everybody. And we moved. Even though we moved. Where we moved. When people came. Who knew where I was moving from. They came there crying. And say. Where can a bishop live here? I cried. But I said. I have taken. God you told me. Now when God started speaking to me in a new way. I said God. Don't take me out of this place now. I want to be here. So that I can be properly put in shape. There are some of us. What we look for. The best of houses. If you are asked to stay where you will see God. You will not see. Even if. You are in the wilderness. In the physical sense. Don't be in the wilderness. In the spiritual sense. But even if you are. There is opportunity for all this money to cry to the God of heaven. I say it is time to restore my soul. It is time to restore my ministry. My life first. If your life is not first restored. If you don't know the joy of salvation. If you. Your despotic spirit has been taken away. You are there. You will just be there. Nothing happens. When I know. Whether the church. Whether the Lord is with me. Is when my family. And the church. Is experiencing some spiritual changes. But if everything. Seems to be scattered. It means that I am. I as a man of God. My life is scattered. I should look into my life. And find out what is wrong with me. It's not wrong with the congregation. It's not something wrong with anybody. It's something wrong with me. That's what happened to David's family. Everywhere scattered. There was incest. There was killing. There was everything. Because the man at the head. His life was scattered. But he knew how to go back to God. We are going to cry one cry. One thing I desire. Is to be in the presence of the almighty God. Is to come back to Him. One thing I desire this day. Is the Lord. No matter where I am. Is to come back to you. Let my life be what it should be. My prayer life. I don't do anything without. Going hours in prayer. Fasting has become. Even a foreign thing to some of us. Walking. I walk now. According to the direction of man. I went there and preached. The first sermon I preached. They said ah. The man who brought us here. He's been saying that we are all drunkards. And I never said that. They say he has said us. That we don't drink alcohol here. What kind of man is he? Somebody call me from US. And say they say my people are complaining. They say. The notable man he said. The notable man are complaining. They say that you are someone. When I come back. I say when you come back you see me. The Lord say. So long as you are there. And preach what I ask you to preach. I am with you. And that's where my strength is. And do what I ask you to do. Not just to preach. And live the way I want you to live. So long as you do it. This year he said to me. Walk before me. And be blameless. When last did you hear from God? Where you are going now? Who asked you? Who is pointing you to that place you are going now? Who is the person you confide in? When you are distressed out. Who is the person you complain to? And you know one thing. When you are deciding a thing. You don't give up until you receive it. Jesus said. Whoever dies. In John 7.37-39. Let him come. And drink. Isaiah said. Don't go and spend your money on what is not food. Come and take. And drink water. And eat food. Free of charge. That is what the Baba is offering us this morning. He said don't run for the things we are running after. Those things will run after you. Come and have. What you did. From me this morning. Free of charge. There was a time. And I'm concluding with it. We are going to pray with that. I was desiring to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. When I heard that somebody can be baptized in the Holy Spirit. After I gave my life to Christ. I said is it possible? They said it's possible. I said Lord I want it. I want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I want it. And the teaching was given about it. I showed no desire in it. We went for a camp meeting. And I was a member of the prayer group. During that prayer I became a little bit. Selfish. When everybody is praying on the camp. And everything. I will be praying for baptism in the Holy Spirit. Prayer topics will be shared. I will be praying I want to be baptized. Throughout the camp. I didn't eat. I was praying for it. Unfortunately I was not baptized. I went home. I said Lord. I said Lord it is not finished until you baptize me. We were five. And the five of us are still alive today. We used to have prayer meeting and evangelism in the streets. That day I was to lead. After the prayer we go after evangelism. As we were praying. It came like as it was in the day of Pentecost. I couldn't know myself. All of us fell to the ground. We are. I started speaking in tongues. What I was speaking I don't know. I want to control myself. I couldn't control myself. When we finished. As I was returning to my house. We couldn't go to evangelism again. Because it took us a long time to recover ourselves. As I was going home I was speaking. I said when people hear me. And what would they say? Would they say I have gone mad? I stayed with my brother in Abba. When we went to pray. The day started again. Everybody was looking at me. I said that is what the Lord did today. It's called speaking in tongues. It's called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have been asking for it. And since then. My brother. I have not taken it for granted. I don't know what you are. One thing you are desiring. I don't know one thing you are desiring. Are you desiring to be promoted? That's not the issue. Are you desiring one thing. You are desiring a car. You are desiring a land. That's not the issue. I desire one thing. To appear in his presence. To be in his presence. To inquire from him. David says to inquire from his house. He remembered when he was inquiring from the Lord. He remembered when he was walking. Without counsel of any man. But the counsel of God. He returned those things back. Of course it was restored. Praise the Lord. You are going to be restored this morning. In the name of Jesus Christ. Shall we rise up. And pray. One thing. One good thing that will happen to us in this place. Is a realization that for us. To bring up a people. As a bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. That the first thing. The first focus. Is our personal life. Is who you are before the Lord. That is the first focus. Do you remember from where you are coming? Do you remember what you used to be? Where have all these days. Where are they now? Where you started. Everybody was coming to you. Man of God. Man of prayer. Man that can lead us. Where are you now? It is time to cry to him. It is time to ask him. Do it again Lord. Do it again Lord. I am here to present myself to you. Present my life to you. Present all to you. It is time to help me. I want to return to my base. I want to return to where I belong. I know I was coming from somewhere. I was called by you. And not by any man. Even if I faltered. Lord this is a promise. This is a place of restoration. This is a place to renew me. This is a place to come back. I am returning from the wilderness. Where I cannot find rest. I can only find rest in you. I can only find satisfaction in you. I can only find life in you. You are the God of mercy. Your mercy endures forever. You who restored Bishop Ezra. You can restore me. You who brought David back. You can bring me back. You who find favor with David. You can find favor with me. Lord I am returning. I am returning. My personal life is very important to you this morning. Oh God of heaven. I ask you in the name of the Lord. Help me Lord. I will not go. If nothing happens to my life. You will touch me again. You will touch me again. I desire nothing. I do not desire food. I do not desire to go anywhere. I do not desire to have one of these or the other. I desire only to have the Lord God Almighty. I desire to know you. I desire to come to your presence. I want to be where you are. I want to follow where you are leading. I want to understand you Lord. You have called me. Not to destroy me. But to make me what you want. In Jesus Christ name we pray. Our Father we thank you. For this great reminder. That we need to be in your presence. We must thirst. And hunger for you. We must make you. Our first priority. Seeking you. Inquiring of you. And taking instructions from you. We pray Father. You will help our hearts. To remain. In this pursuit. Of yours. All the days of our lives. In the mighty name of Jesus. Where there has been any disconnection. Eternal Father. By the risen of your word this morning. May there be total restoration. Charge our heart to seek after you. More and more. To the glory of your name. Thank you Father. For in Jesus Christ name we pray. Amen. ======================================================================== Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/gbile-akanni/personal-hunger-for-god/ ========================================================================