Pursuit

Anchor Scripture: Philippians 3:12, 14

What is the goal we are running toward? What does pursuit mean in everyday life?

When we think of Job, pursuit wasn’t about figuring out why bad things happened to him. It was about building a deeper relationship with God. Every little bit we do every day counts.

The enemy often tries to remind us that God doesn’t love us — that He’s against us. But the truth is, God is always there, loving us, watching over us, and drawing us closer.

Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint. Without focus, people live any way they want.

Purpose is:

1. To know God more.
2. To know His kingdom. The more we know God, the more we understand His kingdom — it’s like learning to know Him personally.

If we remove poverty and the occult as reasons people turn to God, what do we have left to offer? What exactly are we preaching? What are we truly giving people?

Prayer, for example, isn’t just about meeting needs. It’s about something bigger — shaping culture, changing perceptions, making a real difference. Part of pursuit is praying “Your kingdom come” rather than praying to “Father Christmas Jesus” just to meet our personal needs.

Counting the cost

We need to get this right from the beginning: an invitation to God is an invitation to die to self. This is why many could not stand Jesus’ message. When Jesus prayed, it wasn’t about headaches or bills. He prayed for the Father’s will — the bigger picture.

As believers, our focus cannot be on ourselves first. We belong to the King. We live for Him, fight for Him, and — if need be — die for Him.

As we behold Him as in a mirror, we become like Him. The goal is not simply heaven — the goal here on earth is to be like God and live out our God-ness. Perfection is not attained by works or rigid discipline, but by knowing God and living out who we already are in Him.

Walking in love: the heart of pursuit

A key part of pursuit is our love walk. We can’t win souls or bring people to Christ if our love walk is faulty. This journey is a marathon — a lifelong pursuit of being transformed to look more like God.

For many of us, God was introduced as Santa Claus. It takes unlearning to see Him as He truly is and understand His heart. But we must keep going. Don’t beat yourself up — just pick up from where you left off and keep moving.

At the same time, let’s be empathetic toward others. However, people come — whether seeking healing, prosperity, or deliverance — the key is that they came. Now the goal is to mature into who God has called us to be and live out His purpose. Amen.