How to Devote Yourself to God

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

This verse is a command…

But how does one seek the kingdom?

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

4 Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Another command…and a promise.

But how do you delight yourself in the Lord?

James 4:8 (ESV)

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

How do you draw near to God so that he will draw near to you?

All of these scriptures have to do with one thing…devoting yourself to God. So how does one actually devote their life to God?

For some people they would say the answer is ministry…yes, that may be a way…but it’s not the way for all.

If something is true, it must be true for all…

Here’s the answer that is true for all. The spiritual disciplines.

There are certain graces God has given to us…things that bless us and bless him…and these things, if practiced, will grow your relationship with God deeper and deeper and also are great markers of how your relationship with God is.

Streams falling down…

The disciplines, grow us, refresh us, restore us.

Sometimes we let the spiritual disciplines become spiritual measuring sticks though.

It’s like the concept of a diet.

So many diets out there…and each one essentially establishes if you are eating, and eating healthy.

We try to use the disciplines like that…to determine if we are eating healthy…and we lord them over our lives and others…

But we are asking the wrong question and thinking about it the wrong way.

We should be using the spiritual disciplines like they are a diet that sets what is healthy and what is not healthy, and there is debate and judgement in them.

Instead, we need to treat the disciplines like the food itself. Meaning…you need FOOD or you will whither away. Which mean, you need the spiritual disciplines or you will wither away in your spiritual life.

The disciplines:

Nurture spiritual growth.

Deepen your relationship with God.

Align you with God’s will.

Help you resist temptation and sin.

Foster holiness.

Empower witness and ministry.

So what are the disciplines?

Well there are many many many. And there are some great books on them that hall list them differently. BUT…there are some major categories, and that’s what we are going to be going over today.

1. Prayer

Communicating with God, both individually and corporately, through praise, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication.

Luke 12:34 ESV

34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

This is really a scripture that applies to every single one of these but I feel it’s necessary to use here because this is the one that lacks so often in our lives.

Treasure is what you put worth in…do you put worth in prayer?

Praise. Thanksgiving. Confession.

Ways to get better at this…or grow to love it.

2. Scripture Study/Meditation: Engaging with the Word of God through reading, studying, memorizing, and reflecting on Scripture.

Ways to get better at this…or grow to love it.

3. Silence and Solitude: Creating space for quiet reflection, listening to God's voice, and cultivating inner stillness in the presence of God.

Ways to get better at this or grow to love it

4. Fasting: Voluntarily abstaining from food or other activities for spiritual purposes, such as seeking God's guidance, repentance, or dependence on Him.

5. Worship: Expressing reverence, adoration, and praise to God through music, song, prayer, and other forms of worship.

7. Service/Ministry: Lovingly serving others and meeting their needs as an expression of Christ's love and compassion.

9. Fellowship/Community: Gathering with other believers for mutual support, encouragement, accountability, and edification in the faith.

12. Discipleship: Continual growth in knowledge, faith, and obedience to Christ, often through mentorship, discipleship relationships, and learning from others.

These spiritual disciplines are essential for nurturing a vibrant, flourishing relationship with God, deepening spiritual maturity, and living out the Christian faith authentically in daily life.