“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you…” (James 4:8).
Have you ever arrived early at a meeting or event and observed the different people as they entered the building? It’s interesting to watch how some folks choose a seat in the back of the room, while others head straight for the front as soon as they enter the building.
Why is that? Because they want to get as close as they can to where the action is going to be.
It seems the farther away you get from whatever is happening, the more distractions there are, and the more you miss. But the closer you get to an event or happening, the less distractions there are, and the more you get out of it.
The same is true in following God. Some have a hard time living for God, because they stay at the back of the building, just inside the door.
You see, when you’re not living close to God, it’s easy for the devil to wave flags, tap you on the shoulder, or do whatever else he can to distract you. But the closer you move toward God, the more difficult it is for the enemy to get you tangled up in peripheral things that can cause you to miss out on God’s blessings.
So you should desire to live as close to God as you can. Every day you ought to be getting closer to His throne, pressing into the plan He has for your life and delighting yourself in the Lord.
But you can’t delight yourself in the presence of the Lord by hanging way out on the outer fringe.
For example, I play golf, and I can tell you that there’s not much to get excited about when you’re on the fringe of the green. You may be 20 feet away from the hole, and there isn’t any delight in that – that’s a tough shot!
But you can sure delight when your ball is just a half-inch away from the hole, because that’s a sure shot. You’d almost have to get run over by a golf cart not to make it. I mean, you just barely have to tap the ball, and it will fall in!
You see, a golfer has joy and delight when he gets up close to the hole on the green. And that’s the way we should be when it comes to the things of God. We need to be delighting in the fact that we’re in the Kingdom by getting close to God – by getting right up front, near His throne.
I don’t know about you, but I intend to draw closer to God every day. The Word says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Ps. 37:4).
So I’m going to keep building myself up on my most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). And I’m going to keep speaking to myself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, delighting in the presence of the Lord.
We all have the opportunity of drawing nearer to God. So come on in, and move up to the front row. Draw near unto God, and He will draw near unto you!
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.