THE TIME TO SEEK THE LORD

THE TIME TO SEEK THE LORD

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Hosea 10:12

Supporting Texts: Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 63:1-2, Jeremiah 29:13, Amos 5:4, James 4:8

INTRODUCTION:
We are living in a generation distracted by pleasures, pursuits, and pressures. Yet, in the midst of all this noise, God is still calling His people to seek Him earnestly. To “seek the Lord” means to desire His presence, to pursue His will, and to turn one’s heart towards Him in full surrender.

Hosea 10:12 gives us a prophetic call to spiritual responsibility: "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." This call is not casual—it is urgent. It speaks to individuals, families, churches, and nations.

To seek the Lord is to invite His rain of righteousness into our dry and hardened lives. The sooner we turn our hearts to God, the sooner we will encounter the refreshing that only His presence can bring. The time is not tomorrow or later—it is now.

1. RECOGNISE THE URGENCY OF THE TIME
Now is not a time for delay or indifference.

a) Delayed seeking leads to spiritual dryness (Ecclesiastes 12:1):
The more we delay in seeking God, the more we drift from His will and suffer avoidable pain.

b) Divine opportunities are time-bound (Isaiah 55:6):
“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” There’s a window that won’t always remain open.

c) Spiritual urgency keeps us alert (Romans 13:11):
Knowing the time helps us awake from spiritual sleep and pursue God with passion.

d) Every wasted moment in sin is a missed moment of intimacy with God (Ephesians 5:16):
Redeem the time because the days are evil.

Biblical Example: The five foolish virgins failed to seek oil on time and were shut out of the wedding (Matthew 25:1-13).

Delay is dangerous—what you postpone spiritually today may cost you greatly tomorrow.

2. BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND
Seeking the Lord begins with a heart that is ready and open.

a) Fallow ground is unproductive and hardened (Jeremiah 4:3):
Hearts that are unrepentant, proud, or distracted cannot receive from God.

b) Breaking ground means repentance and surrender (Joel 2:12-13):
True seeking begins with turning away from sin and returning to God with all our hearts.

c) God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6):
Humility is the key to divine visitation.

d) Preparation precedes manifestation (Hosea 10:12b):
You cannot plant seeds on hardened soil—God will not pour rain where there’s no preparation.

Biblical Example: King Josiah tore down the idols and prepared the nation’s heart for a revival (2 Kings 22:10-20).

A heart that is broken before God becomes fertile ground for righteousness, mercy, and revival.

3. SOW TO YOURSELF IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
Our pursuit of God must be accompanied by righteous living.

a) Righteousness is the fruit of a seeking heart (Matthew 6:33):
When you seek God, you automatically align with what is right in His eyes.

b) God rewards those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11):
The blessings of righteousness follow the one who genuinely seeks the Lord.

c) We must intentionally sow spiritual seeds (Galatians 6:7-9):
What we sow in the Spirit, we will reap in due time.

d) Seeking God affects our lifestyle and decisions (Micah 6:8):
It leads to a life of justice, mercy, and humility.

Biblical Example: Daniel purposed in his heart to live righteously even in Babylon, and God distinguished him (Daniel 1:8).

Seeking God is not an emotional event—it is a righteous lifestyle that bears lasting fruit.

4. REAP IN MERCY AND DIVINE INTERVENTION
When we seek the Lord, His mercy flows and His help appears.

a) Mercy is God's loving response to our seeking (Lamentations 3:22-23):
His compassions never fail and are new every morning for those who seek Him.

b) Divine rain brings revival and fruitfulness (Joel 2:23):
The former and latter rain are symbols of God’s abundant grace and restoration.

c) God responds to hunger with supernatural satisfaction (Matthew 5:6):
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.

d) Seeking the Lord invites divine visitation (Zechariah 10:1):
Ask of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain—He will make bright clouds.

Biblical Example: When Hezekiah sought the Lord wholeheartedly, God extended his life and healed his body (Isaiah 38:1-6).

Those who seek God with sincerity will never be denied the rain of mercy and breakthrough.

5. CONTINUE UNTIL HE COMES
The seeking must be persistent, not momentary.

a) Seeking God is a lifelong pursuit (Psalm 27:4):
One thing I desire—to dwell in His presence and behold His beauty.

b) Breakthroughs come to those who press on (Luke 18:1-8):
Like the persistent widow, we must not grow weary.

c) Spiritual dryness ends when we refuse to give up (Jeremiah 29:13):
“You shall seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

d) Continual seeking brings deeper encounters (Philippians 3:10):
Paul longed to know Christ more deeply even after years of ministry.

Biblical Example: Jacob wrestled all night and refused to let go until he received a blessing (Genesis 32:24-30).

Don’t stop seeking until the heavens open, until the fire falls, and until your life is transformed.

CONCLUSION:
We are in a critical hour—an hour when the true worshippers must rise and seek the face of God. Revival will not come to those who are passive, distracted, or indifferent. It will come to those who cry out, break up their fallow ground, live in righteousness, and seek the Lord with all their hearts.

The time to seek the Lord is now—before the storm, before the crisis, before it's too late. God is waiting for your return, your hunger, your surrender. If you respond today, you will reap in mercy and receive the outpouring of His Spirit.

PRAYER POINTS:

1.  Lord, thank You for the call to seek You earnestly.

2.  Father, awaken my spirit from slumber and help me to seek You while You may be found.

3.   Break every hardness in my heart and make me a fertile ground for Your word.

4.   Let every delay in my walk with You be turned around by mercy.

5.  I reject every distraction that keeps me from seeking God.

6.  Let the rain of righteousness fall upon my life and family.

7.   Fill me with a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

8.   Let my seeking lead to divine encounters and transformation.

9.   Keep me consistent and steadfast in my pursuit of You.

10.  Revive my heart, my altar, and my spiritual fire.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:

1.   You will seek the Lord, and you will find Him!

2.   Every dry and hardened place in your life shall be revived.

3.   The Lord will rain mercy and favour upon your household.

4.   Your hunger for God will bring you into deeper dimensions.

5.   Your heart shall remain steadfast in the things of God.

6.    Delay shall not deny you divine visitation.

7.    The heavens will open over your life as you seek God.

8.    You shall be a vessel of righteousness in this generation.

9.   You will not miss your season of divine encounter.

10.   The time to seek the Lord shall become the time of your breakthrough!