“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2).
“O God, you are my God; early will I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory…My soul follows close behind you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:1-2,8).
“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ…Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:7 12).
In the Kingdom, what distinguish one person from another is our passion or hunger for God. That was what made David to be a man after God’s heart. David was a God chaser. In many ways he is not only a challenge to all youths, but to all of us. The apostle Paul was also a God chaser. His lifestyle was a big challenge to us.
In our texts, we have three passages that portray three different God chasers. The above three passages shows us the heart and passion of a God chaser.
WHO IS A GOD CHASER?
Who is a God chaser and what does it mean to be a God chaser? A God chaser is one who is passionate about God and the things of his kingdom. A God chaser is zealous after God; he is one who loves God and is willing to make sacrifices for God’s kingdom. A God chaser is one whose priority in life is God, and how to please him (Philippians 3:7-16).
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOD CHASER
A God chaser is defined by his attitudes, priorities, faith, desires and interests.
First is his hunger for God. (Psalm 42:1-3; 63:1-3; 84:1-8).
Satan tries to becloud our desire and hunger for God with many competing interests. He uses the crave for money, fame, career, popularity, ambition, friends, worldliness, addiction to pornography, drugs, bondage, etc. Our duty is to sideline all these and seek after God. 
Second, A God chaser is a glory seeker and glory carrier (Psalm 63:2).
The third step in the pursuit and the love of God is to delight in him (Psalm 37:4).
Fourth, A God chaser wages warfare over the destiny of his life (1 Timothy 1:18).
Fifth, A God chaser makes sacrifices for the sake of God and his kingdom (Philippians 3:7,12).
Sixth, a God chaser serves God with his gifts, talents and everything he has (Deuteronomy 10:12,13).
Seventh, a God chaser seeks for purity (1 Timothy 4:12).
Eight, a God chaser is a man of the word of God (1 Timothy 4:12).
Nine, a God chaser invariably seeks after God with an undiluted passion. How do we seek God? (Psalm 105:3).
David sought God early.
We seek God with all our heart.
We seek God in the place of the word of God.
We seek God in the place of worship.
We seek God in prayer.
We seek God in service.
We seek God when we live holy lives.
Being a God chaser implies that there is no room for looking back, let alone turning back. In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus says, no one who sets his hand on the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. The danger of looking back can better be appreciated from the experience of Mrs Lot. When Lots’ wife looked back, she became a pillar of salt. To be a God chaser, we must be focused on our target, which is, to lay hold on God.
(Message given to youths at Immanuel Gemiende, Nurnberg, Germany)
