Focus Scripture – Ephesians 6:13-18
You don’t want to just stumble on this gem by accident. You want to be intentional about your search. You want to make it your business to find this thing that is going to change your life. You want to put your heart and soul into the quest so that when you discover this great treasure, you can rest assured that your problems will be over. There are things you have to do to plan the trip.
Make sure you have the right traveling gear. But keep in mind you’ll have to travel light because you’re not allowed to bring a lot of baggage on this trip. There will be people and things that try to stop you. So you have to be prepared to fight your way through. Ephesians 6:13-18 tells you to “Put on the whole armor of God.” The Message translation states it this way:
13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
The things you carry with you must be the things that fortify your faith. Make sure you put on the right gear so you can stand when the enemy tells you you’re headed in the wrong direction.
All right! So you weren’t able to find what you were looking for at first. But don’t be discouraged! There will be trials and temptations along the way. But the Apostle Paul told us 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT):
“13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
While you’re going through your test, pray for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Be ready to stand and keep on keeping on.
In other words, there won’t be a lot of roadmaps along the way. You just have to trust your GPS – you know? GPS – God’s Path to Salvation. They tell me that path leads to Jesus Christ. You said what? You mean to tell me that when I get to the Kingdom of Heaven I’m going to find Jesus Christ? That’s right; your journey to find the Kingdom will lead you to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Pearl of great price. His value is beyond measure. And when you find Jesus, you will be rich in every sense of the word. When you find Jesus, you will have more than enough to ease your doubts and calm your fears. You’ll have more than enough to make you happy now and always. How will you know when you get there: How will you know when you reach the Kingdom of Heaven.