Concentrate to absorb full impact of God’s word

The greatest power the Christian has in his study of the Bible and seeking after God is his power of concentration.

Although we have the help of the Holy Spirit he, like any other teacher, is limited by our power of concentration. He can only teach, reveal and instruct as we are able to focus and hold or give him our attention. If our attention span is short and our power of concentration weak so will be our periods of instruction.

Concentration is the God-given power to focus on Christ, who has the power to change us into the image he revealed of himself. For this reason the power of concentration is constantly under the attack of Satan. He knows if he can destroy or merely weaken this power he can keep the Christian from becoming more like Jesus; holding him back that he might remain shallow and immature. A Christian who has consecrated himself but is unable to concentrate does not trouble Satan.

Without concentration our vows, promises and commitment don't mean a thing and will get us nowhere. Nor will it help us get anything done for God.

The Christian who has consecrated himself and is able to concentrate as well troubles Satan. For the strength of one's consecration depends on one's power to concentrate.

The strength of the consecrated life lies in the ability to stay focused on the prize, striving for the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. It is to fashion ourselves in holiness as he which has called us is holy.

When men had to run the deadly gauntlet to survive, they looked to the end of the double line of assailants and never turned aside to the many attacks along the way. As the Christian runs the race, Satan throws out many distractions along the way. But the Christian must not turn aside; rather, he must concentrate on the way of the Lord and stay focused on the glory that waits at the end.

A Christian life is a concentrated heart seen through a consecrated life to the Lord. A consecrated life one of obedience and holiness as a result of one's continuous concentration on the Lord. The strength of one's consecration will be determined by the strength of one's concentration. Without concentration there is no consecration, and where there is no consecration or holiness there is no concentration on Christ.

The Apostle Paul's life was truly committed to the cause of Christ. His total consecration to Christ and willingness to seal his testimony with his blood was due to his concentration on one thing, outline in Phil. 3: 13, 14.

A good illustration of holy consecration worked out with pure concentration to blessed consummation is found in II Chron. 15: 12-15.

Through amusement and entertainment Satan has practically disabled the church by crippling the pastor and laymen in their ability to focus and think long after the Lord, see him, know him, follow him and lead others in the way of the cross. Constant exposure to entertainment and so many seemingly harmless forms of amusement has weakened that power by which our minds and heart are enriched as we gaze long upon him and follow in his steps.

The Christian should guard his power of concentration as our nation guards its treasury and the natural resources through which she enriches herself, grows and remains strong.

To know God and his word first requires a deep hunger for him and then long periods of spiritual and mental exposure to his word and the teaching of the spirit. It is with the will to know God and not letting go of that desire of the heart that the power of concentration is developed and a life of holiness and consecration is realized. Is not chasing the proverbial rabbit by the preacher the result of his power to concentrate being weak? Are a short attention span and the inability to hold a train of thought due to bad study habits, bad mental habits and giving the mind over to frivolity?

Then because the congregation loses interest in his message to get their attention he uses antics at the pulpit and other gimmicks until the preaching of the word is not where the emphasis is; rather, it’s just filler. If we had a deep hunger for God, a desire to know him personally and intimately we would restore and sharpen our power of concentration and forsake those things that weaken its power.

Alas, we see instead the preachers and the church given over to pleasure and amusement while the mind remains passive without a single independent, individual thought of God. And as we lose our power of concentration through the work of the enemy we lose the power to focus on him who is our source of power. We therefore lose our power of holiness and personal testimony and become as salt that has lost its savor and good for nothing.

Dr. Joseph A. Carson is affiliated with the House of Prayer Baptist Church in Wasilla.