Seeking God First
- Henley Samuel
- Oct 15
- 5 min read
October 15, 2025
Today, let's explore how seeking God transforms our perspective during challenging times. When problems arise, our natural response often leads us away from God rather than toward Him. Yet, as we'll discover, making God our first priority changes everything.
The King's Response to Fear
In 2 Chronicles, we find a powerful example of how to respond when facing threats:
"Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set himself determinedly as his vital need to seek the Lord and He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So the people of Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; indeed they came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord, longing for him with all their heart." - 2 Chronicles 20:3-4
When King Jehoshaphat felt afraid, his immediate response wasn't to gather his army or seek political alliances. Instead, he "set himself determinedly to seek the Lord." This wasn't a casual prayer but a vital need. He recognized that connecting with God was his primary necessity.
The king didn't stop with personal devotion. He called the entire nation to join him in seeking God, proclaiming a fast throughout Judah. People responded by coming from every city, "longing for him with all their heart."
Seeking First vs. Seeking Last
How different this is from our typical approach! When problems arise in our bodies, we often try remedies first. We take medicine, call friends for advice, and visit doctors. Only when nothing else works do we turn to God as our last resort.
But Scripture teaches us to reverse this order. Jesus instructed us to
"seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33).
Seeking God shouldn't be our backup plan but our starting point.
Seeing Through God's Eyes
When we seek God first, we gain His perspective on our problems. It's like putting on special glasses that bring everything into focus:
When you go and watch a 3D movie without glasses, how would that look? Not as real and it's blurry. You cannot see exactly what's going on. It's going to create a headache. But when you put the glasses on, you get to see the details.
Without God's perspective, our vision becomes distorted. We get spiritual headaches trying to make sense of our circumstances. But when we put on the "Son-glass" (S-O-N), we see problems as God sees them. We recognize His promises and provisions that were always there but previously invisible to our natural eyes.
God's Presence Dispels Fear
The prophet Zephaniah offers beautiful encouragement for those facing challenges:
"The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The king of Israel, even the Lord himself, is in your midst; you will no longer fear disaster." - Zephaniah 3:15
Notice the progression: The Lord has removed judgment, cleared away enemies, and most importantly, He is "in your midst." The result? "You will no longer fear disaster." The key to fearlessness isn't the absence of problems but the awareness of God's presence.
The Lord in Your Midst
This theme of God's presence continues in the next verses:
"In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Do not be afraid, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." - Zephaniah 3:16-17
The command "do not be afraid" is directly connected to the reality that "the Lord your God is in your midst." Fear makes our hands grow weak, but God's presence strengthens us.
He's not distant or detached. He's present in your home, your family, your circumstances. He's a "mighty savior" actively working on your behalf.
God Delights in You
We often speak about delighting in God, but Scripture reveals something equally profound: God delights in us.
"He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." - Zephaniah 3:17
Imagine this, The Creator of the universe not only loves you but takes delight in you! He rejoices over you with singing. This revelation of God's affection has the power to calm all your fears.
Just as a baby calms down in its parent's arms, your fears will subside when you realize how deeply God loves you. His love quiets the storms of anxiety and doubt.
A Personal Encouragement
The Scripture offers this personal encouragement:
"Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid!" (Zephaniah 3:16, NLT).
This isn't just for ancient Israel. Insert your own name: "Cheer up [your name]! Don't be afraid!"
Why shouldn't you fear? Because:
The Lord your God is living among you
He is a mighty savior
He takes delight in you
His love calms all your fears
He rejoices over you with joyful songs
Conclusion
As you face this new week, remember that seeking God first changes everything. When problems arise, don't make God your last resort. Set yourself determinedly to seek Him as your vital need. Recognize His presence in your midst, and let His love calm your fears.
Remember to say to yourself each morning: "Cheer up! Don't be afraid! The Lord my God is with me, and He delights in me."
Reflect on This
In what areas of your life have you been seeking God last instead of first?
How might your perspective on current challenges change if you truly believed God was rejoicing over you with singing?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your word that reminds me You are in my midst. I choose to seek You first in every situation, not as a last resort. Thank You for taking delight in me and rejoicing over me with gladness. When fears come, quiet me with Your love. Help me to see my circumstances through Your eyes and to remember that You are with me always. I declare that I will not be afraid because You, my mighty Savior, are in my midst. In Jesus' name, amen.
Key Takeaways
When problems arise, seek God first rather than as a last resort.
God's perspective transforms how we see our challenges.
The Lord's presence in our midst is the key to overcoming fear.
God takes delight in us and rejoices over us with singing.
Divine love has the power to calm all our fears.
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To dive deeper into this powerful message, watch the full sermon on our YouTube video below.
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