John 14:23
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
Pursuing Christ is the mission all born-again Christians have been given. To pursue Him means to hear and obey Him day by day. The fruit of life which includes righteousness, serving God, prospering, wholeness, anointing they all arise through Him.
In Luke 10, we observe that Jesus had two friends, Martha and Mary her sister. Mary was focused on being with Jesus and that was what she kept doing, but Martha was divided as responsibilities were in her mind. But later, as she complained about Mary's disposition, Jesus replied to Martha:
"You are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Our old self and the world are aligned against God's will. That's why we all need knowledge of how life works because the default knowledge we know will not take us far enough to the perfect Eternal Life. It will save you a lot of time and toil to impart spiritual grace from anointed servants of God so that your life's journey will be effective and secured. In fact, as members of Christ's body, we all need each other, which implies there are things we can't have or do without the help of other members. So use every opportunity to receive blessings and grace from spiritual family members God has given you through Jesus Christ!
When we talk about pursuing Christ, it involves two major things. One is discovering His will, and the other is seeking His presence. You cannot focus on one and leave the other. Imagine yourself with only one side; that would be our inner stature if we walked with only one of these. The powers of darkness have authority in this world, which implies they are busy deceiving people into their trap of hell. So you cannot simply sit and trust God without taking the right action. You must strive for the true life by seeking the knowledge of His will.
Luke 13:24
[24] “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
Matthew 7:14
[14] “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
And this knowledge that helps us take righteous actions is found in the Word. Studying the Word, the whole Bible, is a great pursuit that will make us bear fruits of life over time. Seeking His presence does not replace studying His Word, and studying His Word does not replace seeking His presence. The Word and His presence will transform your life into greatness, revealing the glory and power of God. The powers of darkness will not remain where you are, and people will repent of their evil deeds as they see the goodness of the Heavenly Father through you.
Once you are born again, you have joined a kingdom that is different from the one you were previously in. You now have spiritual enemies, which are not merely spirits with evil intentions, but powerful authorities operating in this world.
Ephesians 6:12
[12] “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Hence, this world is under the rule of such evil spirits. Therefore, we cannot give room for deception. At all costs, we must strive to lead ourselves and our people into the Kingdom of Eternal Life. It is a battlefield where powerful forces are at play.
Life in Heaven is real, and people can either be allowed to enter it or not. If they are not allowed to enter, where they go is somewhere regrettable.
Hebrews 11:16
[16] Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Luke 16:23
[23] In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
Therefore, pursuing Christ is a serious matter that carries with it eternal destiny, battle, and the grace of life. If you try to escape the battle, then you are either submitting to the forces of evil or letting down people who are to be saved. What you can do is make the most out of each day, for the days are indeed evil.
Ephesians 5:15–17
[15] Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
[16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
[17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Therefore, let us pursue Christ, not because it is merely an interesting matter, but because it is a matter of living a safe life. Holding in one hand devotions through different kinds of prayers, and in the other hand reading the Word, will help us escape vulnerability.
When we see people hurt in different ways, we should not simply point our fingers at God. Rather, there are organized rulers and powers in the heavens that are busy orchestrating evil things. This is to stress the point that our devotions truly matter, and in fact, many things depend on them. The trust we have in God becomes effective through devotion.
.