I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! As you gather with family and loved ones, remember to give thanks in all things rather than debating the temporal and trivial things. Have a blessed season of celebration and joy!
Two of man’s greatest needs are for recognition and affirmation. You may say, “I don’t need either of those!” But the fact of the matter is not only do you need these, but you also crave them. Created by God, everyone seeks to be seen and heard in their actions and accomplishments; it’s the childhood statement, “Hey dad, look at what I can do!” anticipating the father’s response. This simple exchange repeats itself over and over in different variations and levels as we mature. If you were never validated or appreciated as a child by your parents, and just so it is said, all parents come up short in this area to some degree, you grow up looking for this transaction in other relationships. It’s human nature to seek validation and cannot be avoided. We all do it and whether you believe it or not, we need it.
The issue with this “need” is that if you don’t seek the right source to meet the need it leads to a false identity, insecurity and ultimately an unhealthy respect and expectation of another. This is where natural relationships break down. Ultimately, a demand is placed on an individual called a “soul tie” and frustration then breeds as the need is usually unseen or one is unable to meet the need.
You may be thinking, “Thanks for the psychology update, but what’s the point?” I’m glad you asked. On February 11, 2014, the Lord spoke to me and said, “Dustin, I am going to use you to reveal My glory and anointing to break the mind-set of religion in the hearts of men.” The glory sets the standard, and the anointing is the ability to receive the standard and duplicate it in the lives of others, bringing liberty in all areas of life. It’s all about knowing God and fulfilling His will. I believe that the glory and the anointing are key components to satisfying man’s greatest need and religion is its greatest enemy. (When I speak of religion, just to clarify, its not the overall category of worship toward God, but rather man’s pursuit to please God apart from God; ultimately desiring results without intimacy.)
John 1:14 (NKJV) reads, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotton of the Father, full of grace and truth.” And John 1:18, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotton Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” These verses tell us that through Jesus we have the attention of the Father; we see Him, and He sees and hears us fully and completely, satisfying our greatest need.
I want to focus on the glory of God and where it comes from as it is the source to meet our greatest need. A simple definition of glory comes from the Greek word doxa and means, God’s favorable opinion and ideal position and condition for man. Moses, in his encounter with God in Exodus 33:12-23, asked, “Please, show me Your glory.” Moses had seen the fulfilled promise of exile of the Jews, protection from the Egyptians and provision in the wilderness, but now wants to see God’s revealed person. In verse 20 the Lord responds, “You cannot see My face…” Notice that Moses’ request to see God’s glory was responded with, you cannot see My face. It is from God’s face that His glory, His favorable opinion, and His ideal condition and position are found and seen.
2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV) says, “For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the Word made flesh that reveals God’s glory, reveals the face of the Father. Your soul demands face to face interaction with the Father for living and existing.
Psalms 24:6 (NKJV) says, “This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (AMPC) says, “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face…”The crazy thing is that in the Hebrew language face is also translated as presence. Psalms 16:11 (NKJV) says, “…in your presence (or in your face, countenance, front side) is the fullness of joy;” Why do we seek the Father’s face? Because it is from His face that true revelation knowledge flows and His fullness concerning who He is and who He has made us to be is found. It is from His face that the need to be seen and heard is satisfied and solidified. Read that again!
Psalms 34:15-16 (NKJV) says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry (prayers). The face of the Lord is against those who do evil…” Remember, evil is simply a heart of unbelief, (Hebrews 3:12.)
Psalms 23:1 (NLT) starts off with, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Verse 3 in the NKJV says, “He restores my soul” in verse 5b he says, “My cup runs over.” I suggest to you that this Psalm is King David’s expression of satisfaction concerning his relationship with the Father and its effect on his perspective and demeanor. Yes, the idea of financial need is also there, but I believe David was saying that the need of his soul to be valued, esteemed, and recognized, had been fulfilled and therefore he was fully satisfied with purpose and identity.
When we spend time in God’s presence, in His face, by praying in the Spirit and reading His Word, we are allowing God to set the standard, to fill our souls with worth, character, and single-mindedness. When God sets the standard, then the fear of man is removed along with our error of demanding others to fulfill us; it is from this place of individual facetime with God that life’s endeavors and relationships flourish and reach the highest level of potential and satisfaction.