Godly Desires

June 03, 2025

God wants us to desire good things, to love life and see good days, not settle for crumbs when He's prepared a feast.

Today, let's explore the power of having righteous desires. This isn't just about wanting things; it's about aligning our hearts with God's vision for our lives and embracing the abundant life He promises. Prepare to shift your perspective as we delve into scripture and discover how our desires shape our destiny.

The Righteous and Their Desires

Proverbs 10 reveals a profound truth: "The desires of the righteous will be granted." This scripture doesn't just suggest that righteous people receive what they want, it implies that the righteous must have desires in the first place. Without desires, what would there be to grant?

Many believers have been unintentionally limited by teachings that discourage having desires altogether. Rather than learning to distinguish between godly desires and worldly lusts, they've been taught to suppress all desires. This approach contradicts scripture's encouragement to desire good things.

"Whoever desires to love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech." - 1 Peter 3:10

This verse clearly shows that we should desire to love life and experience good days. God wants us to have healthy, positive desires that align with His will for us. He doesn't call us to a life of minimal expectations but to abundant living.

The Danger of Low Desires

In Luke 16, we encounter Lazarus, a righteous man with tragically low desires. Despite his righteousness, he positioned himself among dogs, hoping for crumbs from a rich man's table. What a limited vision! God has prepared a feast for us in the presence of our enemies, yet Lazarus settled for scraps.

Similarly, in Luke 15, we see the prodigal son whose desires became so corrupted that "he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything." His separation from his father led to degraded desires and desperate circumstances.

When our desires sink too low, hope diminishes. We begin to accept less than what God has prepared for us. We settle for survival when God offers abundance.

The Father's Generous Heart

Contrast the prodigal son's corrupted desires with his father's response upon his return:

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.'" - Luke 15:22-23

Notice the father's language, the best robe, a ring, sandals, the fattened calf. Not just any calf, but the fattened one. Not just any celebration, but a feast. This reveals God's heart toward us. He doesn't deal in minimums but in excellence and abundance.

God Working Within Us

How do we develop these godly desires? Philippians provides the answer:

"For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13 (AMP)

The Amplified Bible expands this beautifully: "For it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and desire, both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."

Every time you engage with God's Word, He is actively energizing you and creating within you both the power and the desire to fulfill His purposes. It's not about straining in your own strength. God Himself is cultivating proper desires within you and empowering you to fulfill them.

Meditation as Imagination

When we meditate on God's Word, we're actually engaging our imagination. We're seeing ourselves as God sees us, blessed, prosperous, healthy, and impactful. We're envisioning the good life and good days that God desires for us.

This isn't wishful thinking; it's faith-filled imagination based on God's promises. As you meditate on His Word, ask yourself: How do I see myself in five years? Are my desires limited by my age, circumstances, or the opinions of others? Or are they shaped by God's unlimited vision for my life?

Conclusion

Your desires matter to God. He wants you to desire good things, to love life and see good days. Don't allow your desires to be corrupted by separation from Him or diminished by religious thinking that discourages godly ambition.

Instead, spend time in God's presence daily, allowing Him to energize you and create within you both the power and desire to fulfill His purposes. Remember, it's not in your strength but in His. As you listen to His Word, positive energy is created within you, empowering you to live the abundant life He has planned.

Reflect on This

1. How have your desires been shaped by religious thinking rather than by God's Word? What would change if you allowed God to elevate your desires?

2. What specific desires do you believe God is creating within you right now, and what steps can you take to align your imagination with these desires?

Prayer

Father, I thank You for working within me, creating both the power and desire to fulfill Your purposes. I declare that my desires are being elevated to match Your vision for my life. I reject low thinking and embrace the abundant life You've promised. I am special, chosen, blessed, anointed, healed, and set free. My desires are being granted because I am righteous through Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Key Takeaways

• The desires of the righteous will be granted, so we must cultivate godly desires rather than suppressing all desires.

• God wants us to desire good things, to love life and see good days, not settle for crumbs when He's prepared a feast.

• When we separate from God's presence, our desires can become corrupted and diminished.

• God is actively working within us, energizing and creating both the power and desire to fulfill His purposes.

• Meditation involves using our imagination to envision the good life God has planned for us.

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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.