Restoring Your Passions (7)

14 August 2011

1. Introduction

• Every person who is Born Again has a God given purpose for their life.
• God has designed us for relationship and to be productive (Eph.2:10).
• 1 Cor.9:24-26 “Run in such a way you may obtain it”.
• “Obtain” = to find something you longed for in life and take hold of it.
• Paul had his eyes fixed on an eternal prize – a reward to be won for eternity.
• Paul had focus, determination, and resolve to win whatever the cost (Act.20:24).
• Fulfilling God’s course for your life has external consequences and benefits.
• One of the greatest Dream Thieves is loss of passion – fire – zeal – motivation.

2. Loss of Passion is a Spiritual Issue

(a) Warning to Hebrews

Heb.6:12 “Be not slothful, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”.

• Slothful = slow, sluggish, dull.

= Lost speed and momentum, lost passion.

= Once burned bright but now dim, just a glow.

= Once passionate, felt deeply, wholehearted commitment – now lost zeal.

= No longer care, no longer pursue.

• Remedy = Find people to stir your faith and passion again. Imitate = copy, not person but their faith and their endurance.

(b) Warning to Romans

Rom.12:11 “Not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord”.

• Laziness = character problem, unwilling to apply self mentally, physically.
• Prov.21:25 “Desire of lazy man kills him, his hands refuse to labour”.
• Prov.22:13 “Lazy man says there is a lion outside, I shall be slain in the streets”.
• Slothfulness = spiritual issue, motivation is dull, person passive.
• Fervent = NT2204 = to be boiling, to be hot, zealous, passionate.
• Remedy for slothfulness – passionate in spirit actively serving the Lord.

3. The Church that Lost its Passion

Rev.3:14-21 Message of the Holy Spirit to the church at Laodicea.

(a) Revelation of Jesus:

• Amen = steady, reliable, unchangeable in purpose.
• Faithful and True = remained true to assignment; Lion of Tribe of Judah.
• Beginning = we are the creation of God – Hi is the example.

(b) Counsel of Jesus to Church:

• Neither hot nor cold – lukewarm, loss of passion, look OK but fire gone.
• Counsel of the Lord is sure = direction what to do about loss of fire!
• Buy of Me =    (i) What need is spiritual and obtained only from Jesus.

(ii) There is a price – cost you – repentance, change.

(c) What need to Buy?

• Gold tried in fire = Faith; fresh dependency on the Lord, need Him.
• White Raiment = Purity; white = brilliant, light, dazzling.

• Eye Salve = Fresh Revelation   - need Holy Spirit to open eyes to see

clearly.

                                                               - remove hurts, disappointments,

discouragements, judgements.

                                                               - restore vision and purpose.

• How to go about Buying?

4. Restoring Passion in the Soul

Ps.143:1-12 David’s prayer in time of distress – how restored passion.

(a) David’s Condition

• Enemy has persecuted my soul, he has crushed my life to the ground, he has made me dwell in darkness … my spirit is overwhelmed, heart within me is desolate.
• Persecute = OT7291 = to pursue an enemy to overtake and defeat him.
• Overwhelmed = OT5848 = to clothe, cover, envelop, become feeble. David’s spirit had been overwhelmed and lost its fire and passion.
• Desolate = OT8074 = to be deserted, appalled, numbed and awestruck.

(b) David’s Response to Restore Passion

(i) He renewed His thought life with Word of God.

• He challenged the overwhelming negativity in his soul.
• Remember – Meditate – Muse = deliberate focusing mind on the past experiences with God, breakthroughs, promises and dreams.
• You must face the thoughts that invade your mind.

(ii) He consciously stirred faith and prayed!

• We have powerful gift of tongues to stir and energise spirit.
• What David prayed for:

V8 = Fresh encounter with love of God – affirmed trust.

V8 = Sought direction how to respond to circumstances.

V9 = Sought deliverance.

V10 = Sought direction and alignment with the Will of God – affirmed nature of God.

V11 = Sought fresh impartation of life – renew vision and hope.

V11 = Sought angelic intervention.

• David was able to arise out of place of pain and passivity.
• What is your condition?
• What will you do to restore passion?