My desire today is not only to excite you but for the Lord to help you build a holy habit. Many Christians live by hype. In January, they get excited. In February, they go back down to their old habits like a submarine.

God doesn’t want you to go to your old habits; He wants you to go to your holy habits.

One Thing I Desire

Psalm 27:4, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple."

Spiritual life really is warfare life. Many of us are dealing with demons that didn’t start with us but with our parents, grandparents, and other people. We are dealing with inclinations, attitudes, and problems which are generational.

God deals with generational curses by disconnecting you from your family tree and connecting you to the destiny of His house. God wants to disconnect us from the bad things that happened in our house, where we grew up, and connect us to the good things that happen in His house, where He wants us to dwell.

Take note of what David said, “This one thing I seek.” You would think that would be to be in God’s presence or Word. David desired to dwell in God’s house.

Dwelling is different from visiting occasionally. Then, David says when he gets to God’s house, he wants to behold the beauty of God. He didn’t say gossip, criticize or behold everybody else’s ugliness instead of the presence of God. King David said his one desire was to be planted in God’s house and see the glory of God.

When you go to the house of God and worship begins, I encourage you to behold God’s beauty, not just the lyrics on the screen or how somebody else is worshipping.

Inquire In God’s House

This leads to the second part of what David desired, to inquire in the temple of God. We must make God’s house not just the house of preaching and worship, but also the house of prayer.

Psalm 23:6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

That speaks of a decision. Whatever happens on the roller-coaster of life, whether I am sick or poor, in the valley or on the mountain, I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Psalm 92:12-14, "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing."

David said these blessings apply not to those who visit occasionally but who are planted in the house of God. The Bible even says your old age can be fresh, flourishing, and fruitful, instead of being full of complaints.

Three Practical Applications

Firstly, Stop Saying, ‘I Don’t Go To Church, I Am The Church’

Theologically, this is incorrect. The word church means a gathering of people, not a person. It is like my liver saying it is the body. It is in the body. My liver is part of my body but it is an organ and not my whole body.

Secondly, Don’t Give Up On The Church Because You Had A Bad Experience With Christians In It

If you have grown up in church, you may have had a bad experience by now. It is important that you do not give up on the church because you got hurt in a church. Many people get hurt in churches, have bad experiences, encounter toxic or abusive leadership. What the devil wants you to do is completely walk away from the church instead of from that church.

If this is speaking to you, I want to challenge you, this year choose to get over your bad experience. Release it and find a different church where you can be planted. Don’t let the enemy win by making you say stay away from the church of Jesus Christ because you got hurt at a church of Jesus Christ. It is like saying you will never drive a car just because one dealership ripped you off.

Thirdly, Become A Member Of Hungry Generation.

We are not just a ministry but a local church that has a global vision, with small groups and training for children, disciples, and leaders. If you don’t want to be grounded at Hungry Gen, there are so many amazing churches all around the world. We are not the only church but I encourage you to find one, get grounded and planted in that church.

One Thing You Need

Luke 10:42, "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Unlike King David, Martha was not in war, she was in worry. Jesus was teaching His disciples in the living room, while Martha was in the kitchen and things were not working out. Martha had it better than David because she had Jesus in her house. When you are a Christian, you have Jesus living in your heart, which is His house. We go to God’s house but also have Him living in our house.

Having Jesus in your house does not automatically remove your anxiety, depression, fear, overthinking, jealousy, orphan spirit, or worry.

Many Christians around the world live with depression, and anxiety, and are on medication while they have Jesus in their own houses. How can this be? Jesus told Martha the answer. Her problem was not demons, spells or witchcraft, or Jesus, because Martha came blaming Jesus that Mary wasn’t helping her. Jesus told Martha one thing is needed. David’s one thing was to be in God’s house. Martha’s one thing wasn’t to get Jesus into her house but to spend time with Jesus, at His feet, and listen to His Word. This means you can have Jesus in your heart but if you don’t spend quality time with Jesus every day, you will be no different than anyone else who doesn’t have Jesus.

Jesus said one thing is needed and Mary has chosen this one thing. This means spending quality time with Jesus every day is not something that comes upon you, you have to choose it. Make time for it. You can choose to do that. Start today and in a few months, you will experience victory in those areas you struggled with.

Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Paul’s antidote for anxiety is to tell God what you are worried about. Tell God what is on your mind, and He will give you His peace and begin speaking to you.

Make A Decision To Be At Jesus’ Feet And Listen To His Word.

If you have given up on your devotional life, start it again. Jesus’ antidote for being overwhelmed in life is developing a devotional life, (Matthew 6:33). I wonder what would happen to our intimacy with God, if we would give Him our undivided attention and affection for just 15 minutes a day? Some might say they want to spend at least and hour with God but the question is how much time do you actually spend with God?

Decide To Come To Church To Pray Once A Week

David did not just pray at home, in his palace but he said his desire was to inquire in the house of God. Begin to do that, even if it is just once a week.

Develop A Holy Habit Of Memorizing Scriptures This Year

We have a group of about 2000 people in our church and online who are memorizing 100 verses together this year. It doesn’t sound like a lot until you start doing it! Why would you want to do that? It helps you to battle anxiety, lust, sin and other things. As a Christian, putting God’s Word inside your heart is instrumental to growing in Christ. Your mental clarity and emotional state will change. Jesus’ antidote to being worried and in a negative emotional state is one thing and this one thing is to spend time at His feet and listen to His Word, like Mary does.

One Thing You Lack

Mark 10:17, 21, "Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? ... Then Jesus, looking at Him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

As Christians, we have a place in Heaven. To have treasures in Heaven depends on what we did with what we had here. The rich young ruler went home sad because generosity is the only thing that brings us joy – lack of generosity brings sadness. I don’t disagree that the man had a lot of things but I believe his things actually had him. Anything you are not willing to part with, you don’t own; it owns you. God does not have a problem with you having possessions but when the possessions start having you. When a possession starts having you, it has become an idol. The only competition for your heart is between Jesus and mammon.

Sacrifice is giving what costs you, it is not convenient and usually, it is painful. Sacrifice is not measured by what we give, but rather by what we have left. Give your treasure to God, not just your tithe.

One thing I desire – is to dwell in the house of the Lord. One thing I need – is to spend time at the feet of Jesus and one thing I lack – is to live sacrificially when God guides me or presents an opportunity.

Sermon By Vladimir Savchuk; Blog By Edward Gardiner

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