Passionately Committed to Christ (Part 1)
Series: Where Do You Go From Here? – City Church of Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN
Hebrews 6:1, Let us go on to maturity.
At the very core of spiritual maturity is spiritual passion—a passionate commitment to Christ. It is the driving force of our spiritual growth. Spiritual passion is a driving force within us that… motivates our actions and focuses our attention. When passion goes out, we begin to practice religion rather than pursue a relationship. Today, I want to begin to explore the “Five Enemies of Spiritual Passion.” This will be our topic for the next three messages.
ENEMY NUMBER ONE: DISTRACTED DEVOTION
The lure of the world is strong, and it is present everywhere. There is a battle going on for your affection—your heart. Without warning, we can find ourselves…. conforming to its values courting its favor seeking its approval enticed by its trinkets fascinated by its rewards Let us hear the warning of the Bible:
1 John 2:15-16, Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (The Message)
James 4:4, Don’t you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God…If it is your aim to enjoy the world, you can’t be a friend of God. (NLT)
1 Peter 2:11, Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. (The Message) Hear the passion of Paul…
Galatians 6:14, Because of the cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world’s interest in me is also long dead. (NLT)
ENEMY NUMBER TWO: DRAINED CONDITION
Many are running on empty. Busyness has sapped their spiritual passion. This is the state of Elijah after the victory at Mt. Carmel.
1 Kings 19:3, 4, Elijah was afraid and fled for his life…He went alone into the desert…and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life…” Passion is depleted by the increasing fatigue, exhaustion and
weariness caused by an unbalanced life. The exhaustion is not just of the body. It is of the spirit as well. Many of us need to stop and let our soul catch up with our body.
