LUKE 19
DAY 19
Who this Zacchaeus was. He was a tax collector.  That means that he was the head tax collector. He was a traitor to his nation because he was aligned with Rome. People hated him because he defrauded them out of their money. As a result of his position and his greed, he was rich, powerful, connected, feared and despised.
While Zacchaeus had wealth, position and power, he knew there was something missing in his life. His financial, political and social connections left him empty and needy. Somewhere along the way, Zacchaeus heard about a man named Jesus. Maybe he heard the reports from the men who worked for him as they came in from collecting taxes around the community. Perhaps he heard the stories firsthand as he fleeced the people out of their cash. Regardless of what it was, something was tugging at his heartstrings. He was not satisfied with anything he had; he came to the place where nothing but seeing Jesus would satisfy the deep longings of his soul.
Many of us have been at this same place. When we were lost, God brought us to the place where nothing in our lives was enough anymore. He brought us to the place where we knew that something was missing. He brought us to the place where we could not longer drown our need in alcohol, lose it Im the fog of drugs or bury it in the shallow grave of tough talk and false bravery. God, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, brought us to the place where we knew we needed Him. So, we came to Him and He saved us by His grace.
I am speaking  to saved people today. I am talking to people who have already looked away by faith and have come to know Jesus in a personal way. I am speaking to the redeemed. Even after we are saved, there is a desire to see Him. There is a desire to know Him. There is a desire to grow in our relationship with  Jesus . As you read His Word and walk with Him, there will be an ever-deepening desire to know Him better.
I think we can all identify with Paul’s desire. No matter how deep the saint of God grows in the things of God there always seems to be a desire for more. There is a desire to know Him better, to understand His Word better, and to grow closer to Him; there is a desire within the child of God to know Him in His fullness! No matter how close you get, how much you learn, or how much you grow in the Lord, there is always a desire for more. The child of God is never satisfied with where he or she is in their walk with God! When you get satisfied, you will grow cold and you will get slack. As long as there is a hunger and a desire for Him in the heart of the saint of God, there will be growth, closeness and blessing!
  When the desire to see Jesus was birthed in the heart of Zacchaeus, he made his way to the roadway he knew Jesus would travel as He passed through Jericho. He stationed himself beside that road because he wanted to see the Lord. But, Zacchaeus was hindered in his efforts to see the Lord Jesus. There were some obstacles that stood in his way and prevented him from achieving his goals. Notice these difficulties with me today.
When you develop a desire to see the Lord, you need to understand that your request will not go unopposed. Satan will place whatever obstacles he can in your path to keep you from seeing Jesus. Sometimes, he will use people. There are times when he will use a spouse, a parent, a child, a friend, or some other person to hinder you in your desire to see the Lord. He will place them in your path and they will criticize you, or your efforts. They may attack those who would try to help you grow in the Lord. They will stand in your way and do all they can to prevent you from seeing Him.
Sometimes, he will use the flaws in our own natures to hinder us from seeing Jesus. We all have character flaws and sin that we are constantly seeking to overcome. If he can, Satan will use our own shortcomings to keep us from seeing Jesus.
When you get to the place where you see Him for yourself, it will be a very personal thing for you. You will not have to rely on the testimony of others; you will have your own story to tell! When you see Him, He will speak to you and you will hear His voice. If you ever see Him one time, you will want to see Him again! I remember some of the times God has showed up in my life and let me catch a glimpse of Him. Those times have been a blessing, but they have just made me hungry for more. I was in a service last night and I watched some people getting a glimpse of Him. I silently prayed that He would let me see Him too. I got a blessing, but I didn’t get what they were getting last night, but I will! I have seen Him before and I want to see Him again!
If you know the Lord, there are some places along the way that He has prepared for you. There are some places of meeting that He has designed just for you. There will be some divine encounters where He will allow you to see Him and experience His grace and power. There will be some moments of divine interruption when He will just show up and show out in your soul. He may cause you to dance like He did David. He may cause you to humble yourself before Him like He did Job. He may give you a shout, or He may just squeeze your heart and let the juice run out of your eyes. But, there will be some times when He will let you see Him! When He does, it is life changing. It is profound. It is wonderful. Enjoy those times for all they are worth, for they will sustain you though many a hard day when He doesn’t show up in the same way. I know that He is always there, but He doesn’t always manifest His presence. When He does, live it up and praise Him in the day of His visitation!