Developing an Appetite for God’s Word

Hosea 4:8

They feed on the sin of My people; they have an appetite for their transgressions.

Have you ever wondered why people return to the same sin over and over again, knowing full well it is wrong? The drunkard returns to the bottle, and the cheater commits adultery again. The thief finds a new place to steal, and the gambler loses all his money for a second or third time. In fact, most people fall into sin with their eyes wide open, knowing full well what they are doing is wrong.  Why is this so?

This verse sheds some light into this dark question. Notice two words – “feed” and “appetite.” Long before we start to feed on something, we feel a craving in our stomachs. This craving stems from a lack or void, and we eat to fill the void. That craving is often called an appetite. Sooner or later, our cravings demand more attention than other things, and we must attend to them. The same is true in our spiritual lives. When we experience an inner craving, we can ignore it for only so long before we begin to feed on something. Our appetites may become so large that we lose all common sense or logic, and we begin to feed on the very things we know are wrong simply because the hunger is so great.

This is exactly what Satan did to Jesus in the wilderness. He tempted Jesus at an hour when he knew He was hungry. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days, and his cravings were at an all-time high. This was Satan’s best opportunity to convince Him to sin, and he took full advantage of it. Jesus, however, resisted Satan with the word of God. He fed on the knowledge of the Scripture and did not give into His appetite.

Satan still plays the same old dirty game with us. He knows where we are hungry, and that is exactly where he will strike. His food – sin – will fill a longing in us to a degree, but we are destined to hunger again when we feed on it. Therefore, we go back to it because it provides a temporary satisfaction in the place we are experiencing a void. As long as we are feeding on sin, the Devil has control of us. We are, in fact, worshipping Him and serving his evil purpose. By returning to that sin over and over again, we will not only damage ourselves but others in the process. That is Satan’s will for your life and for mine.

Today we call this return to sin “addiction.” While there may be some physical components to addiction, the root of it all is spiritual void. Until you address the spiritual need, you will continue to crave something to fill it. We must come to the point where we will fill that void with the word of God and stand on it. His word is knowledge to us, and to reject it is rebellion. Do you believe God’s word is true or not? That is the question you must ask when you are faced with sin. The Devil is a liar, and he will try to convince you that Scripture doesn’t apply to you or that what you are doing is not wrong. He may even tell you that you deserve to be happy, and this is what will make you happy. The best way to combat him is to feed on God’s word daily and apply it to your life. The more you know God’s word, the more you’ll be able to resist him when he tries to give you a whole plate full of temporary satisfaction that will ultimately destroy you.

Feed on God’s word today and every day. Ask God to give you an appetite for His word. The more you fill yourself with His word, the stronger you will become and the more you will be able to resist the Devil. We all have weaknesses, and we all have voids in our lives, but God has given us His word for a reason. This is why Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life in John 6:35. Satan always tempts the strongest just before a major breakthrough or blessing in an attempt to stop it. Stand strong in God’s word, and partake in the Bread of Life that can truly satisfy.

Have a blessed day!