Focus On God! Written and preached by Dr Creflo A. Dollar!

Articles

Focus On God
Creflo A. Dollar

Have you ever been faced with a seemingly impossible situation? Whether it was a shortage in your bank account, or a bad report from the doctor, we have all been there at some point in our lives. The good news is that God can turn your hopeless situations around when you turn your focus toward Him alone. The enemy will try to attack you with situations and circumstances that appear hopeless, but that is the time to dig in your heels and turn toward the Lord wholeheartedly. When you do, you will experience breakthrough.

King Hezekiah was a man who knew about hopeless situations. He was given a
bad report when the prophet Isaiah told him that he was going to die. Hezekiah didn't have time to start whining about his situation; He had to immediately seek the Lord.

Isaiah 38:1, 2 says, "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord." I want you to take note of Hezekiah's immediate response; he turned his face toward the wall and prayed to God. Most people who would have received this type of news would begin to panic, murmur and complain. But that is the last thing you want to do in a pressure situation. Speaking the wrong words will only give the devil something to work with and allow him access into your life.

Hezekiah "turned his face to the wall" but what does that mean for us today? To turn your face to the wall means to turn away from everything else until all you see is God. It means turning away from everything and everyone that may be distracting you from seeking God. When you diligently seek Him, He is obligated to respond to you.

There are a few reasons why people don't experience the God—kind of results when they are in pressure situations. The first is that they don't look toward God alone. In other words, they turn to other people for guidance rather than the Father. While people may help you feel better when you are going through a tough time, they don't have the answers to your problem; only God does.

King David was another example of a man who turned his face toward God and sought him when he was faced with insurmountable challenges at Ziklag. His enemy had kidnapped all the women and children in the camp, and his men wanted to turn on him because of it. David didn't know what to do so he sought God; he had no one else to whom he could turn. As a result, God turned around what looked like an impossible situation and David recovered all that was taken from him and his people (1 Samuel 30:1–6).

The second reason why many people don't see breakthrough in their lives is because their prayers aren't intense enough. James 5:16 says that effectual, fervent prayer is what gets results. Fervent prayer is prayer that applies intense exertion or ardent zeal. It continually bombards the enemy so that he can't retaliate. You can't just quote the scriptures a couple times a month and expect to get a breakthrough. You've got to get violent with your faith! That means that you apply the Word of God to your situation with intensity and consistency until you see results.

Finally, it is important that you maintain a perfect heart toward God. Many times Christians think that they must be perfect in order to obtain God's favor, but God isn't looking for outward displays of perfection; He is looking for a heart that always wants to do His will. That is what a perfect heart is. God doesn't look at the outward appearance of a person; He looks at the heart and intentions of a man (1 Samuel 16:7). When you miss the mark, repent and ask God to forgive you. Keep pressing into His will for your life, and seek to obey Him at every turn. You display a perfect heart when you do.

God is ready to show Himself strong on your behalf in the midst of hopeless situations. But you have to believe that He will come through for you. Turn your face to the wall and focus on the Word. Intensify your prayers and watch God perform a miracle on your behalf. He is faithful to do it when you focus on Him!