Wow! These are very serious questions. A large percentage of young adults have had one or all of the above questions unanswered in their walk with God at one point or the other.
How do I know this? From experience of course! I am also a young adult!
If it keeps me from wasting time and labouring in vain; and it ensures that I make progress, then I definitely want to be intentional!
I can remember Evang Lawrence Oyor's testimony of how he began his journey of progress in seeking God.
His famous words on this matter are restated below. He said:
"What makes every God interaction powerful is the fact that YOU are INTENTIONAL. If Jesus is here with you, then talk to Him and engage Him LIKE HE IS HERE. If He does not become more real to you, and you are not more conscious of Him as you pray, you have not made progress!"
'So how can I be intentional?' You definitely want to ask.
Well, its simple. First and foremost, prayer must be done with the intent to interact with the person and presence of Jesus rather than to carry out a religious activity.
Next, it must register as a consciousness that Jesus is with you all the time, and certainly more so when you pray.
And third, you must become serious with every God interaction by placing value on the moments spent WITH JESUS in prayers.
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To understand the word intentional, you must first of all understand the adjective "INTENT", a kindred word to intentional; which simply means "TO DEVOTE COMPLETE ATTENTION TO SOMETHING."
◇ To be intentional' therefore is to PURPOSEFULLY/CONSCIOUSLY CARRY OUT ACTIONS THAT WOULD PRODUCE AN ANTICIPATED OUTCOME!
Being intentional with GOD must therefore involve four important components.
(1) THE PURPOSE - To ENCOUNTER Him!
(2) THE WILL - That DRIVES you to seek Him by PRAYING!
(3) YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS - The overriding KNOWLEDGE of His PRESENCE and REALITY!
(4) YOUR ATTENTION - Keeping your mind SERIOUS, FOCUSED and ATTENTIVE on HIM AS YOU PRAY!
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◇ Being intentional therefore would be to PRAY EXTREMELY CONSCIOUS AND AWARE of His PRESENCE!
This is described in Hebrews 11:6b - They that come to God must believe that HE IS (real and present), and that He rewards DILIGENT (attentive and intentional) seekers.
◇ It also means the total deployment of ATTENTION in prayer such that your mind is completely immersed in the PERSON OF JESUS to the EXCLUSION of all other persons or activities at that time.
ATTENTION therefore is the keyword in being intentional. It is simply CONCENTRATING your mind on Jesus alone as you pray.
To do this successfully, you must be conscious of the fact that you don't just pray to Jesus. You actually pray WITH HIM! And this is where MEDITATION comes in handy.
◇ To be intentional is to meditate on Jesus, on the scriptures or on the desired outcomes of the prayers as you pray.
◇ Being intentional is FOCUS; It is COMPLETE ATTENTION; It is CONCENTRATION; It is INTENSE MENTAL DISCIPLINE, all on JESUS as you PRAY!
The fact that man exists amidst several layers of interaction almost at the same time has never been more true.
He relates with his physical environment; he is involved in a continuing mental process and also relates with the meta-physical/spiritual environment.
The cacophony and projections from these media of interaction makes it almost impossible for him to be focused on prayer. And so, he is easily DISTRACTED.
The word DISTRACTION is also key, as it is the exact opposite of attention. In fact, it is best described as an OBSTACLE to ATTENTION.
In this case, DISTRACTION is anything that DRAWS AWAY your attention from Jesus to any other thing as you pray.
Distractions diffuses attention and weakens the prayer! Anything can be a distraction, even religious activities can be distractions.
Which means, the ACTIVITY OF PRAYER (speaking in tongues) if not done intentionally can become a distraction from the REALITY OF PRAYER (Jesus)
Therefore if you will make progress in your God interactions. You must devote all your attention to the PERSON of Jesus, NOT AS AN IMAGINARY PRESENCE, BUT AS A REAL PERSON PRESENT.
THIS IS BECAUSE, PRAYER IS NOT AN END. IT IS THE MEANS TO AN END!AS POWERFUL AS IT IS, PRAYER IS NOT THE ENCOUNTER, JESUS IS THE ENCOUNTER!
So, as you pray, give ATTENTION TO JESUS ALONE! If you pray like this all the time, you will make progress ALL THE TIME! Your encounter is already waiting for you.
How do I know this? JEREMIAH 29:13 reveals the secret!
THE KING JAMES VERSION
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me WITH ALL YOUR HEART!
THE MESSAGE VERSION
When you come looking for me, you will find me. Yes, WHEN YOU GET SERIOUS ABOUT FINDING ME, and WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE!
THE AMPLIFIED VERSION
Then you will seek me, inquire for, and require me [as a VITAL NECESSITY] and find me WHEN YOU SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART!
THIS IS HOW TO BE INTENTIONAL; IT IS SEEKING GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH UNBROKEN AND UNDISTRACTED ATTENTION!
Were you blessed? Do share with friends and family.
Israel-Triumph Olaniyan.
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