Here is a challenging message from Jesus to the church at Laodecia:
Revelation 3:15-19. I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, I am rich. I have everything I want. I dont need a thing! And you dont realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and e discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. NLT
This church had become lukewarm – complacent, indifferent, lethargic, apathetic and lacking in passion. Apathy means “without emotion” or “a lack of feeling or concern.
Satan knows that once we lose our passion we become ineffective. Once we lose our passion, we lose vision and perspective. We become critical and apathetic and instead of doing good we start becoming destructive. There is nothing he likes better than an apathetic Christian. One definition of lukewarmness is “serving God in such a way as to not offend the devil.”
That’s why we need to guard the flame within us. This passion of God is a consuming fire within you. Protect it ferociously, realising it is the enemy's target.
How is your passion for God? Burning brightly, just burning or burnt out? What may have caused this? Was it complacency, familiarity, difficult circumstances or maybe an unbalanced lifestyle (sometimes the pace we live at damages God's work in us)?
What steps can you take today to ignite your passion? Some ideas: associate with passionate people (fire-lighters not fire-fighters), stir up your spiritual gifts (they are Spirit-energising), return to your first love (do the things you did in the beginning), and pray for passion. After all, God is a fire-lighting God!