28 December 2008
1. Introduction:
· Genesis 1:28 - The Creation mandate to man – “Subdue and have dominion”
· Subdue = 3533 = to conquer by exercising a superior force.
· God’s design is for us to conquer, be proactive and passionate in actioning His Kingdom.
· All achievers in life are not passive people – they are initiators of change.
· One of the greatest reasons for family breakdowns is passive men!
· How many great opportunities to grow this last year were lost by passivity?
· Next years a year of advance – need to break free from passivity.
2. Passivity Robs your Potential – a thief:
a) Example of Joash:
· 2 Kings 13:14-19 - “He struck the ground 3 times and stopped”.
· Joash had an opportunity to decisively defeat the Syrian oppressors.
· Elijah called him to face the place of form: defeat and do the action
· Elijah became angered by the passive spirit of Joash.
· He knew Joash did not have the passion to pursue and finally conquer.
· Many Israel men would perish because of his passivity.
· Psalm 18:37 - David - “I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them, neither did I turn back until they were destroyed”.
· Passivity robs us of our potential – what could have been.
b) Passive = unresponsive, compliant, laid back, lifeless.
= not participating actively
= submitting or yielding with out resistance or objection
Example of Saul and David:
1 Samuel 14:1-2 - Saul and Jonathan.
· Verse 2 – Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gebeah under a pomegranate tree.
· Migron = to yield up, cast down.
· Saul was passive and unresponsive to the situation.
· Verse 1 – “Let us go over to the Philistines that is on the other side”.
· Jonathan was proactive – willing to step out and take risks.
· Jonathan exercised faith.
· Faith is never passive – it is always proactive.
3. Why do people have a passive spirit:
These are key reasons why people are passive:
a) Oppression by demonic spirits:
· Spirit of heaviness – Isaiah 61:3 - garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
· Spirit of unbelief – Mark 6:5-6 – he marveled because of their unbelief.
· Spirit of fear – Matthew 17:20 – because of your unbelief.
Believers can become so use to the presence of oppressing spirits that they consider their ‘oppressed condition’ as ‘normal’.
Oppressed spirits cause people to become passive!
In each situation – believers were required to become proactive.
Matthew 17:3
Proactive = engaged in action, initiating action
= taking responsibility for every aspect of your life
= taking control of a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting for something to happen.
· Spirit of heaviness = put on garment of praise = proactive
· Spirit of unbelief = prayer and fasting = proactive
· Sprit of fear = stir up the gifts within = proactive
b) Limiting mindsets or thought patterns:
· Proverbs 23:7 - “As he thinks in his head so is he”.
· Mindset = a fixed mental attitude or way of thinking that predestine how a person will interpret and respond to a situation.
· Examples:
i) Family Background:
- controlling relationships = people become passive, corruption
- abusive relationships = people become passive, withdraw
- learned helplessness = belief forms e.g. ‘nothing I do makes a difference’
ii) Victims Mindset:
- makes excuses, blame others
- denies emotions, denies behaviors
- “not my fault” – “someone must come through for me”.
iii) Discouragement:
· In each situation – believers are required to become proactive.
· Past hurts and ungodly or limiting beliefs must be resolved.
· Romans 12:2 - “Be not conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
c) Bad habits:
· Habit = an acquired pattern of behaviour formed by repeating the same action until it becomes the ‘norm’.
· Examples: * Compromise * Sin * Lack of regards or devotion
* Laziness * Lack of goals
· Romans 12:11 - “Do not be slothful (lazy), but fervent in spirit (passion).
· It is our responsibility to break free of a passive spirit (a curse)
· Isaiah 52:1-2 - Arise, shake yourself from the dust” - arise, confront it.
· You make the decision, don’t be passive and wasting your life.