Hungry for More: Five Day Devotional

Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:

• Watch the replay of "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr

• Use this small group discussion guide with family, friends and co-workers.

• Join us for our 6 AM Prayer Call, Monday through Friday (EST)

Day 1: The Relational Heart of Jesus

Based on the Message: "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”"" John 4:7-10

Devotional: Have you ever noticed how Jesus approached ministry? It wasn't through programs or systems, but through relationships.

When He called His disciples, He didn't just give them a job description, He called them to Himself. This reveals something beautiful about our Savior's heart: He values connection over convenience. In John 4, we see Jesus making an intentional detour through Samaria. This wasn't the typical route for Jewish travelers, but Jesus had a divine appointment.

He was tired, thirsty, and hungry, yet He prioritized a conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well. While His disciples focused on getting food, Jesus was feeding a soul. This teaches us that authentic ministry flows from authentic relationships. Jesus didn't see the woman as a project or a conversion statistic, He saw her as a person worth His time and attention. Even in His weariness, He chose to invest in someone others would have overlooked.

Today, we're invited to follow this same relational model. God isn't calling us to be spiritual vending machines, dispensing religious services. He's calling us to be like Jesus; present, intentional, and willing to see divine opportunities in ordinary moments. When we prioritize relationships over routines, we discover that ministry becomes less about what we do and more about who we are with others.

Quote: "Jesus was relational. In fact, when He called each of the disciples, He called them unto himself." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: How might God be calling you to prioritize relationships over convenience in your daily life, and what divine appointments might you be missing because you're focused on your own agenda?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to have Your relational heart. Open my eyes to see the divine appointments You place in my path each day. Give me the courage to prioritize people over my personal comfort and to invest in relationships that matter for eternity. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

Day 2: Divine Necessity

Based on the Message: "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria."- John 4:3

Devotional: Sometimes what feels like an inconvenience is actually a divine necessity.

When Jesus decided to travel through Samaria, it wasn't just a geographical choice, it was a spiritual imperative. The text tells us He "needed" to go through Samaria, meaning it was unavoidably necessary for His mission.

This challenges our understanding of how God works in our lives. Often, we want the easy path, the comfortable route, the journey that makes sense to our human logic. But God's ways are higher than our ways. What appears to be a detour might actually be the main road to His purposes. Jesus could have taken the longer route around Samaria like most Jews did, avoiding the cultural tensions and religious prejudices.

Instead, He chose the path that would lead to a divine encounter. His obedience to this necessity resulted in an entire community coming to faith. In our own lives, we face moments where God's leading doesn't align with our preferences. Maybe it's a difficult conversation we need to have, a ministry opportunity that stretches us, or a season of waiting that doesn't make sense. These aren't accidents or inconveniences, they are divine necessities designed to accomplish God's greater purposes.

When we embrace God's "necessary" paths, even when they're uncomfortable, we position ourselves to witness His miraculous work. What feels like an interruption to our plans might be the very thing God wants to use to transform lives, including our own.

Quote: " Jesus needed to go to Samaria. He had to pass. In your translation, it might say he needed to go through Samaria. That concept of need means that what he needed to do was unavoidably necessary." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What "necessary" path is God asking you to take that you've been avoiding because it seems inconvenient or uncomfortable?

Prayer: Father, help me to trust Your divine necessities even when they don't align with my preferences. Give me the faith to follow Your leading, knowing that Your ways are perfect and Your purposes are good. Use my obedience to accomplish Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 3: Jesus Was Tired & Hungry Too

Based on the Message: "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon." - John 4:7

Devotional: It's easy to forget that Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions and physical limitations. At Jacob's well, we find Him tired from the journey, thirsty under the hot sun, and hungry for food.

This wasn't weakness, it was humanity. And in His humanity, Jesus shows us something profound about how to handle our own limitations. When we're exhausted, our first instinct is often to retreat, to focus solely on meeting our physical needs. But Jesus demonstrates a different approach.

Even in His weariness, He remained available for divine encounters. His tiredness didn't disqualify Him from ministry; it actually positioned Him for one of the most significant conversations recorded in Scripture. This is incredibly encouraging for those of us who sometimes feel too tired, too overwhelmed, or too human to be used by God.

Jesus understands our limitations because He experienced them Himself. He knows what it's like to feel drained, to need rest, to struggle with physical discomfort. Yet His example shows us that our weakness doesn't have to be a barrier to God's work. In fact, it can become a bridge to deeper connection with others who are also struggling.

When we're honest about our humanity while remaining faithful to our calling, we create space for authentic ministry to happen. God doesn't need us to be superhuman. He needs us to be available, even in our tiredness, trusting that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Quote: "Jesus was physically weary and hungry just like them. However, His appetite for the will of God was greater than the appetite of his belly." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: How can you remain available for God's purposes even when you're feeling physically or emotionally drained?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for understanding my human limitations. Help me to see that my tiredness doesn't disqualify me from Your service. Strengthen me to remain available for divine encounters, even when I feel weak. Use my humanity to connect with others who need Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 4: Spiritual Over Physical

Based on the Message: "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."- John 4:34

Devotional: When the disciples returned with food, they were shocked to find Jesus focused and energized despite not having eaten. His secret? He had been feasting on something far more nourishing than physical bread: the will of His Father.

This moment reveals a profound truth about what truly satisfies the human soul. Jesus wasn't dismissing the importance of physical needs, but He was demonstrating that spiritual nourishment can sustain us in ways that physical food cannot.

We must we align our hearts with God's purposes. When we find ourselves in the flow of His will, there's a satisfaction that transcends our physical circumstances. Many of us try to satisfy the hunger of our souls with career success, relationships, entertainment, material possessions or even religious activities. But these things only provide temporary satisfaction.

They're like spiritual junk food; they fill us momentarily but leave us hungry again. Jesus shows us that true satisfaction comes from doing the will of God and accomplishing His work. When we discover our role in His kingdom purposes, and align our daily activities with His eternal plans, we tap into a source of nourishment that sustains us through every season.

This doesn't mean we ignore our physical needs; it means we prioritize our spiritual appetite. When we seek first His kingdom, everything else finds its proper place.

Quote: "What is your appetite for the will of God? How far are you willing to go in order to satisfy your hunger for God?" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: What are you currently trying to satisfy your spiritual hunger with, and how might God be calling you to feast on His will instead?

Prayer: Father, create in me a hunger for Your will that surpasses my desire for temporary satisfactions. Help me to find my deepest nourishment in doing Your work and accomplishing Your purposes. Satisfy my soul with Your presence and Your plans. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 5: Holy Hunger

Based on the Message: "Hungry for More" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." - Deuteronomy 8:3

Devotional: There's a slight difference between appetite and hunger. Appetite is simply a desire to satisfy a need, but hunger creates a discomfort that demands attention. When we're truly hungry, spiritually hungry, we become willing to pursue satisfaction even when it requires sacrifice and discomfort.

Jesus is raising up a generation with holy hunger, believers who are no longer satisfied with comfortable Christianity. They're experiencing a divine discomfort that drives them to seek more of God's kingdom, more of His power, more of His glory.

We should be dissatisfied with anything less than God's best. The question is: how hungry are you for God? Are you willing to get uncomfortable enough to pursue the satisfaction that only comes from Him? Are you ready to override lesser appetites for the sake of greater spiritual nourishment?

This holy hunger manifests in different ways: a longing for deeper prayer, an insatiable desire to know God's Word, a willingness to serve even when it's inconvenient, and a passion for seeing His kingdom advance.

When you've truly tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and you've experienced the reality of His presence and purposes, it creates a hunger that other things simply cannot satisfy. God is stirring this hunger in His people because He has more to give than we've yet received. The kingdom of God can satisfy your soul in ways that nothing else can.

Quote: "There's a holy discomfort rising up amongst His people. Hunger always creates a discomfort until satisfied. I want to be apart of the generation that's hungry for God" - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.

Question: How far are you willing to go to satisfy your hunger for God, and what comfortable patterns might you need to abandon to pursue deeper spiritual nourishment?

Prayer: Lord, create in me a holy hunger that cannot be satisfied with anything less than You. Stir up a divine discomfort that drives me to seek Your kingdom above all else. Help me to pursue the needs of Your Kingdom with a greater intensity. Fill me with Your presence and purposes. In Jesus' name, Amen.