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Today we are looking at something that is very important for us. It is a matter that concerns everyone of us as it leaves no one behind, whether the person is young or old, a male or a female, what we want to consider today concerns you. And we will be teaching ourselves, as the Holy Spirit teaches us. So, in case the manner is in the teaching manner, let us enjoy it in the Holy Ghost in Jesus’ name, amen.
Listen To MP3 Podcast: The LAW of HUNGER!
We want to look at The Law of Hunger, very short. We will read a few Scriptures and then we will discuss. Let us go to the book of Matthew chapter 5, the chapter that is popularly referred to as The Beatitudes, and I will begin my reading from verse 1. I am sure many of us are familiar with the chapter but let us go over it again together. The Bible says:
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.”
I am sure we know that today is for disciples and it is for disciplers, and by the way, we have come for Disciplers’ Convocation. Bible says as He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. So, what was relevant for the disciples I believe it is relevant for all of us. If it is such a matter that Jesus could share with His disciples, men and women who said that they have left all and have followed Him, then I believe what He has said here is meant for us too. Let us go to verse 2.
“Then He opened His mouth and taught them.” So, this is a teaching service, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
May the Lord bless the reading of His word in our hearts in Jesus’ Name. We are pausing here with that verse 6 that says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, it says for they shall be filled.” Now, we are looking at The Law of Hunger and we want to see whether this is a spiritual matter or a carnal or natural matter. We want to see the implication of hunger, the relevance, if there is any; of hunger, and perhaps, if there is also any; the danger of hunger. Our focus it to see hunger as a law. Now, some of us are already looking in anticipation, before we look further, let us quickly go to the book of Matthew chapter 4 and let us read from verse 1 so that we will have these two passages of Matthew as our texts. Matthew 4:1, the Bible says:
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.”
Our Lord Jesus was hungry, so we can see that hunger is not exclusive to sinners, neither is it exclusive to the born again people. Hunger is something that affects us as individuals. There is something that preceded the hunger. The Bible says after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterward, He was hungry. From verse 3, “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Now, the questions is: Bread for what? Is it bread for a show, or bread for Him to appreciate or a bread for Him to eat and consume?
So, we know that the hunger we are talking about here is not an emotional hunger as it were or any kind of hunger. It was a hunger that required food for satisfaction. Some days ago, we looked at The Satisfaction of the Word. At this point, the devil knew the state that Jesus was. He knew He was hungry, and for a man or woman who is hungry, the next important agenda is to fill that hunger. When He was hungry so to say, when Jesus was in this state, the devil did not come to Him telling Him about other things or asking Him to do a different thing, he told Him to do that which He needed to do. I don’t know if we understand what we are saying?
He fasted for forty days, He engaged in a spiritual activity, fasting. And Bible says afterward, He was hungry. And then, when the devil came to tempt Him, he came to tempt Him along the line of His state; hunger. So, the very thing He was hungry for became an object for His temptation. Now, the very thing that was essential for His life was also a tool in the hand of the devil to bring Him down. The Bible says He was led up to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted. Now, He fasted for forty days. If He had not fasted, if He was just led into the wilderness; and as soon as He got there, the tempter came and said “turn this stone bread”, immediately; the tempter would have missed his own timing.
Because, like the Scripture we read some days ago about honey. Now, to somebody who is full, he could even disregard the importance of honey. Whereas, to someone who is hungry, a bitter thing will become sweet. Now, for Jesus, He was in the state of hunger and the devil knew what he could use to get or trap Him was something that aligns with His state, something that can resonate with His heart concerning His state, and I want to say this again. Now, food was good. When Jesus raised up a particular girl who was dead, as soon as He was done, He handed the girl over to her parent and said “get her something to eat” to show us the importance of food.
But in the state of Jesus, the same food was what the devil wanted to use to bring Him down. However, the devil wouldn’t have had any opportunity if He was not hungry. So, hunger became a condition that demanded or that brought about the presence of the tempter in His life. You know, this service is not to pamper anybody or to make us feel good. Very soon I believe it will be coming hard.
Hunger was a state He got into, not like He wanted to be hungry. But by the reason of what God has led Him into, by the reason of God’s commandment on His life, He became hungry. The Holy Spirit led Him into a place, into an experience, and after the experience; He got to another state that made Him a bit vulnerable, that created an atmosphere or an environment for the tempter to creep into His life. Do we understand the premise now? So, the normal things, the seemingly, innocent, harmless activities became a platform for His temptation. Don’t forget, if He was not tempted, He would live a life that was pleasing to God. If there was no temptation.
Now, let us ask ourselves. No temptation, are you not going to be living a righteous and holy life; without temptation? You will be holy. But you know the Bible says every man is tempted when he is drawn by his lust. But imagine no lust and nothing related to it, you will simply be okay. But there is a situation now, in this circumstance, that Jesus got into simply by normal activities, normal state of hunger which made Him to become like a prey, as it were, to an adversary who was looking for an opportunity to strike. And the opportunity is what is called the opportunity of hunger.
However, if we live the tempter out of the equation and we just say the man and His state, hunger; when a man is hungry, Nigerians would say a hungry man is an angry man. When a man is hungry, he is in a state that is not fantastic. He wants to get out of that experience. Nobody really wants to stay in the state of hunger. But when it happens like that, the next thing in the mind of the man who is hungry is to get something that will satisfy or eliminate the hunger. As quick as possible, we want to get out of that hunger mode. Do we agree?
So, we don’t voluntarily lead ourselves into that hungry states or hunger, we simply get into that mode. However, that mode was a platform, something we could get into perhaps once or twice in a day, at any time, it became a platform for the tempter to creep into His life. So, for a disciple or a discipler, it is important that you know that even though that state that you could enter into, perhaps unconsciously and without being deliberate, could also become a platform or an opportunity the hand of your enemy to get you. So, what does this teach us? We must actually be at alert or be vigilant. We must actually be watchful.
Nothing must be taken so to say, normal or natural. You know there are some times we keep our guards. We watch everything. We are careful. But if we check our lives, the times we sin against God, are they in those moments of our carefulness? No! They are in those brief moments of hunger. Now, Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, it didn’t live like that, it says after righteousness” So, there was something they were looking for. Now, because they were in that state of hunger, the only thing they could appreciate at that moment was righteousness. They wanted righteousness, they were seeking it, and they were ready to buy, even sacrifice their lives just to attain unto righteousness.
Why? They were in a state of hunger for righteousness. Now, as men and women could be hungry for righteousness, it is possible for men and women to also be hungry for different things. Now, irrespective of what you are hungry for, the only important thing in your life in that state of hunger is to eliminate it. You want to take that hunger out of your life. And what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us tonight is that that state of hunger, is a state that we must be very watchful.
Now, we could even learn from Jesus Christ. I am sure we have read the story. When the devil said to Him: “if you are the son of God, turn this stone to bread.” That could look like it was not a sin. But if He had done that, He would have displeased the Lord. So, why did He say ma shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God? Did He say such a thing in a careless state careless without being conscious of anything or He was watchful and deliberate about every answer? So, it means that in a state of hunger, He was not careless, and we must note that.
There is another story in the book of Acts chapter 10 from verse 9. The Bible says:
“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat;.”
Let us learn something from this life. The Bible says he became very hungry and wanted to eat. Simple! I am an apostle, but in this state that I am in, I need food. I don’t want you to come and tell me stories now, just get me something to eat. Now let us see what followed. “But while they made ready, (this is simple. He was hungry, very hungry and he wanted to eat. So that we can understand how hunger affects everybody, Bible says while they made ready) he fell into a trance. 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
No so Lord! I am in a state of hunger where I am almost at a mood where I should eat, perhaps anything. It says to a hungry person, a bitter thing can become sweet. Even though he was in that state, he said “Not so Lord.” How many of us can tell ourselves that? You are a man of God, you are a sister of God, and you are in your office and there is a temptations. And perhaps, somebody who is even used by the devil to get into your life is somebody that you respect, your boss. Maybe he is also a spiritual person and the person is the one that the temptation is coming through; how many of us would say; Not so boss, for I have never eaten anything unclean, how many of us can do that?
In a state of hunger, the only thing we are thinking of is something that will satisfy that hunger. And in spite of that force of hunger, which we could even say The Law of Hunger, Jesus and Peter were able to discern what they must eat. Now, one of things that I have come to learn, as we are tidying up now, because it is not supposed to drag too long, it is a practical matter. Now, Jesus was talking about what defiles a man. Certain men accused Jesus’ disciples of not washing their hands before they eat. Jesus said it is not washing of hands that defiles men, because when you eat with dirty hands so to say, or whatever hand; the food you eat goes into your stomach and then you release it. What you eat goes in, and then you release it.
So, looking at that example that Jesus gave; one of things I have come to realize about hunger is that while all of us as it were are under that law, the law of hunger, there are certain things that each and every one of us must keep in our heart about hunger. The hunger as it were, will push you into doing some things or to eating something, and it gives you at the same time, an impression that it is only after you have done such a things, that you can be fulfilled or satisfied. And so, every time you are in search of satisfaction, the law hunger kicks in to remind you of how you can be satisfied.
Now, because it is a law, you could unconsciously tend toward the direction of where the law is pushing you into by default. But it is important that we learn from today that even though there is a law working within your members, telling you to do something in search for satisfaction, you must discern what to do in the state of hunger. There are like quotes in my head about hunger and I want us to receive it. Let us meditate on it and let us even ask the Holy Spirit about it. Now, “whatever you are hungry for, you are going to live by that thing and whatever you are hungry for you are going to die by that thing.” That is the side that many of us would not want to hear.
Whatever you are hungry for, you are going to live by it. If you are hungry for rice, when you eat it, you will live. If you are hungry for anything, you will live by that thing. Do you know those who are hungry for smoking or for alcohol or for whatever things they want to take, they believe in it, they believe that there is a satisfaction waiting for them at the end of the tunnel if only they could take it. Now, once they have taken it, they are going to live by it. They are going to live under the control or influence of that substance. However, they will also die by the same thing. So, you must be careful how you subject yourself to the law of hunger because what you live by, what you feed on is what you will live by and what you feed on is also what you will die by.
Jesus even said it, He said “those who feed on me will live because of me.” So, as they feed on Jesus, the life of Jesus begins to exude out of their lives. You cannot feed on Jesus and the life of the world is coming out of your life, and you cannot feed on the world and the life of Jesus is exuding out of your life. It is not possible. It is what you feed on that you produce after. What you eat produces effects in your life. And you see, what you are hungry for today is what you will still be hungry for tomorrow, you must come to that reality. What you are hunrgy for now is what you will be hungry for in the future.
So, with your hunger, you can even predict your own destiny. The kind of things that you are always hungry for shows us the direction of your satisfaction and the manner of things that satisfies you. And men would always spend along the line of their satisfaction. People can separate relationships, stop being friends only by a particular hunger. Hunger can start relationships and can stop relationships. Hunger can make a man to start a business, it can even make somebody to start a church. It depends on what you are hungry for. Some people are hungry for money and see, the love of money the Bible says is the root of all evil.
Now, you can’t be in love of what you are not hungry for. You cannot! Hunger can produce love; do we agree? To a hungry man, even a bitter thing can become sweet. He suddenly does not see the difference between Sprite or coke or Fanta. Why? Because he is hungry. He loves to drink Fanta, but no Fanta at the moment but only Crest or all those ones that usually gives those funny tastes. But when he is thirsty, the man does not care what is available. Do you know that those who commits fornication, they get into a point that they even begin to commit fornication with animals? They will say “Whether na monkey or human being”, what is the difference? Hunger!
Hunger makes people not to be able to discern between what is good and what is right. They were asking a president of Nigeria, what is the meaning of corruption? Is stealing the same thing as corruption? And he said, stealing is not corruption, it is hunger. In that state of hunger, you cannot discern. Some of us can’t eat in outside eateries outside of our houses, but when we are hungry; we will eat in “Mama Put.” Certain people pride themselves in the fact that they cannot take small chops, except solid foods. But when occasions takes them outside of their comfort zone, where they couldn’t get solid foods, it is then that they realise the importance of those small chops.
So, it is important for you to know that the state of hunger, anytime you enter a mode where your brain is telling you to get it by all means, then you should watch it. Solomon said “whatever my eyes saw, I got it for myself.” His father was so good in that that he saw the wife of Uriah, Beersheba, and the father got her for himself. Why? Whatever his eyes saw, he got it for himself. In that state of hunger, they were not in control, this is very important.
Normal activity that is expected of any human being, if you don’t watch out in those moments, the devil can creep in and trap you and trap your destiny. Some people have become drug addicts, they didn’t even know they were going to become, but something got them into the state of hunger. They were looking for something to ease the hunger, and then they tried it and since they were satisfied, they have never stop it. The law of hunger is a law that can excites you and it can also trap you. It is important for you to know, that in that state of hunger, the very thing that has happened to Jesus happened to apostle Peter and many other people, if not every other person.
That very thing could become something that would end your ministry or end your life or your leadership. Some people could be hungry for wristwatch, hungry for good suite, hungry for good shoes. I can’t see it without buying it. I have come to discover that if you don’t watch your hunger, it is the same hunger that will kill you. Have you not said in your mind about those politicians, asking yourself what are they looking for again in politics again? Those who are hungry, they never say it is enough. And eventually they die by their lack of self control or their hunger. It is this same hunger that makes people to compromise. You want to do anything to just get something that will appease our satisfactions. Some people are in a state of hunger for power, they can even die just for that power.
Is it not right, just as we were told some days ago, just to be hungry for the right thing? And the Bible says blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. The opposite of righteousness is unrighteousness, everything we have mentioned. Adultery, fornication, drunkenness, everything, it is unrighteousness. Instead of being hungry for those things, and be enslaved by the law of hunger; you should rather hunger for righteousness, you should. That is why Jesus said Man shall not live by bread alone. He didn’t say man shall not live by bread, He says alone. But rather, man shall live by the word of God. That is what I must be fed with regularly, not rice or plantain or any other thing.
And I pray that God will help us in Jesus’ name.
