WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

What are you looking for? The Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign and a wonder and Jesus said, “No sign will be found except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” 

Jesus is the sign, Jesus is the wonder. We sing that all the time yet we’re still looking for other signs and wonders. Yet we’re still looking to manifestations rather than the living being of God. We always want what God can give us but never want His heart. We always want the gifts and the callings, but we never want the one that gives those things.

God is saying, “This is the point, it’s about me and you, and the spirit of Elijah is here to restore that. This is why I came, this is why I died and rose again. That I may release myself unto you.” 

This is the point! And yet we make everything else the center of focus. We focus on signs, wonders, crowds, ministry, family, friends, money, you name it! And God is saying, “You are missing the point! All these things were supposed to be a by-product of me, yet you're making it the main product of your life. You're making these things your end all be all, but I’m the beginning and the end.”

“Yet these things were only used to draw you closer to me! I gave family. I gave you finance. I gave you gifts and calling. I gave you all these things. Not so that you can seek after them more, but so that you can draw close to me! That I could get your eye off of those things and on me! That you would not be stressed with the lack of those things and I can take your focus.”

Yet we still want more! Why do we want more? I'm not talking about more of God, I’m talking about more of things! 

The Israelites had a pillar of fire, the seas parted, manna from heaven, quail, cloud by day, water in the wilderness, glory, and fire on their altar. And yet they still wanted more. They were still displeased. And God is saying I’m right in front of you, I’m all around you. And you want more? I tell you what, you better want more of Him! Because if you want more of those things more than Him, you're in trouble! 

God will start to take away those things from us because we have made those things an idol. This is LOVE! That God would take things away that we would stay close to him and not be given to our own devices and idols! Even the Israelites made a golden calf in the midst of the wilderness. And when God doesn’t give us what we lust for, we turn to other gods. 

And we say, “Oh, I’m just waiting on God?” And God is saying “I’m right here! But you're waiting on your own gods to fulfill your lusts!”

The gods of our own making that do what we say. The Israelites weren’t worshiping a golden calf, they were worshiping themselves. And when we worship or seek after the creation more than the creator, that’s just a telltale sign that we are our own God! 

We need to wake up! Because God is done!! He’s done with the people that won’t bend. He’s looking for the heart of David and He’s only finding it in few. And the rest, if they didn’t bend to God in the wilderness, He turned them over to wrath. I’m telling you, even the Bible says that God is going to turn people over to the enemy. 

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting." Romans 1:28

"So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels." Psalms 81:12

"To deliver such a one to Satan for destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 5:5.

The two main things we need to be heavily focused on at all times are His Spirit and His Will!!

This is what God told me that we need to focus on in order to keep ourselves from getting distorted. Focusing on these two things is how we really focus on God. People think they focus on God because they can envision Him. They think if they put Him first in everything, that means they are focusing on Him. They think if they pray in the morning, if they mention His name, if they slap His label on their life, they are focusing on Him.

No! God is first and last, there is nothing in between. To focus on Him is to walk by His Spirit and do His will until we die! 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

You see people seek transformation because they want to look good. They want to show everyone how great their character is. You know what, I don’t want them to see me. I want them to see Jesus. This transformation is not for you! It’s for the will of God! It’s for His plan and His future for the church and the lost. Yet even seeking deliverance and transformation more than Him is an idol. 

When we seek something more than God himself, even if it’s a kingdom thing, we’re seeking it to please ourselves instead of pleasing God. If we don’t get our eyes on the King, we will never have the Kingdom! 

God wants to please us! The problem is when we seek to please ourselves more than please God. I don’t want to seek joy, peace, and righteousness. I want to seek Him! And when I seek Him, I know that those things follow because they are of the Kingdom of God. 

"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

To have my mind on Him is how I live in life and peace. He is peace, He is joy, and when I leave Him, I lose my peace and joy! Why are your peace and joy wavering? Well, here’s the question you should ask yourself: What are you looking for? 

If you're looking for Him, you will find everything He promises. Though if you're looking to His promises, you will never find Him. Jesus said if you ask for a fish, do you think you will get a stone? Yet many today are getting a stoney heart because they weren’t really looking for Jesus. 

He said if you seek me, you will find me. Yet some claim to be seeking and never find Him because they are looking for what God can give them rather than God himself. We need to stop coveting the promised land and start coveting the promiser. The Israelites had the promised land the whole time, It was God Himself! It was never the physical things, but the invisible thing! 

When we learn to live like we’re in the promised land in the midst of the wilderness, we have arrived. The Israelites could have been led by God to the promised land in one day, yet God waited 40 years for a remnant that would have this kind of mind in them. 

How long will it take you? Look for God! And He will look for you! 

By Joe Pinto 

Watch the full message- https://youtu.be/wNDwq5QiXmI