HOW TO BE A PEOPLE OF PASSION
*INTRODUCTION*:
We are all created to be people of PASSION.
The question is = Are we directing our PASSIONS in the right direction?
Much of the sin and filth that is in the world today may be due to the misdirection of our PASSION into sinful culture and sinful activities.
The devil has cleverly deceived many young men and women today resulting in many falling into adultery, immorality, licentiousness, lesbianism, homosexuality, infidelity, disloyalty, unfaithfulness and such as these. Many who have fallen into these traps have always rationalized their sin and in turn are deceived by their devil-inspired thought life.
But God has never taken away our PASSIONS and made as men and women of robots.
Maybe machines and robots would have been more obedient and faithful to God but that was not the plan of God. (Machines and robots have no free choice to obey God. God gave us humans – his creation, a free choice to obey Him.)
God himself is a GOD OF PASSION. We being made in the likeness of God are also PEOPLE OF PASSION.
So God has called us to be PEOPLE OF PASSION but with our PASSION directed in the right direction – God’s direction.
It is not surprising that Mel Gibson’s “Passion of Christ” has brought many tears into the eyes of movie spectators when the actor portraying Jesus began to show that God is very much a passionate God. God in his PASSION for the salvation of mankind had allowed Himself to go through such pain and sorrow as already described in Isaiah 53.
Question to ask ourselves: How to be a PEOPLE OF PASSION?
To be a PEOPLE OF PASSION, we need to direct our PASSION towards a certain goal or target.
We have to be passionate about Something or Someone.
Our PASSIONS must be channeled and guided.
Illustration:
In the natural, if we say that we are passionate towards our spouse, it means that we direct our affections and passions towards our husband/wife.
If we say that we are passionate towards our hobby – for example rearing dogs, then we would spend time and energy and passionately devote ourselves towards the hobby of rearing dogs.
If we say that we are passionate towards traveling and exploration, then much of our finances and time would be involved in traveling and exploring the travel locations.
May I suggest that there are THREE areas that God has called us to be PASSIONATE about.
If ever we need to survive and be victorious in these last days, our PASSION in these three areas will carry us through any and all kind of trials or tribulations that may befall us.
The three areas that we must be passionate about are:
NUMBER 1 = A PASSION FOR GOD & HIS WORD
Some health specialists say that breakfast in the morning is the most important meal for the day.
You may skip your lunch or your teatime, but they would say that you never skip your breakfast.
The energy for the toils of the day would come from the strength that is derived from your breakfast meal.
Same in the spiritual as in the natural.
Our “breakfast” with God is the most important spiritual meal for the day.
If you say you are a Christian and you say you love God but you do not spend time with God, I will question your stand and even your belief in God.
Illustration:
How can you say that you love your wife or your husband if you do not spend time with each other. How can you say you love your wife more than anything in this world when you are spending more time in the bowling alley with your mates rather than in activities with your wife?
Paul reminds us:
Colossians 3:1-2 says “..Set your affection on things above…”
Where are we to direct our PASSIONS? = On Things Above.
What is the 1st commandment that our Lord Jesus said we must obey?
Mark 12:30
“love the Lord your God … with all your heart, soul, mind, strength”
If you cannot obey so many commandments – then obey the 1st commandment – love God with ALL and everything you have got.
The Psalmist loved God and he cannot wait for the morning when he can spend time with God.
The Psalmist says:
Psalms 5:3 In the *morning*, O LORD, hear my voice. In the morning I lay my needs in front of you, and I wait.
Psalms 59:16 But I will sing about your strength. In the *morning* I will joyfully sing about your mercy. You have been my stronghold and a place of safety in times of trouble.
Psalms 88:13 I cry out to you for help, O LORD, and in the *morning* my prayer will come into your presence.
Psalms 90:14 Satisfy us every *morning* with your mercy so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days.
Similarly, when you love God – you will also love His Word.
Illustration:
Have you ever seen a young man or a young woman in love?
They will be so eager to hear each other’s voices and words over the phone, over the Internet, over the sms messaging that they are oblivious of everything around them. (no wonder cell phone companies are raking in tons of money from today’s youths and couples).
In those old days, we used to write letters and every word written on paper from our loved ones is so precious to us. We want to devour every word from our loved ones because we love them and they love us.
Would this be the same in the greatest love story of all times? God loves us so much that we are not able to fully humanly describe it. John says = God SO LOVED US (John 3:16).
His Word is our strength and source of inspiration.
His Word removes all fear and doubt in our lives.
His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
The Psalmist says – His Word protects us from Sin.
Psalms 119:9,11
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to thy word…
…I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee”
APPLICATION:
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE PASSIONATE TOWARDS GOD AND HIS WORD.
NUMBER 2 = A PASSION FOR WAR
We as Christians are not called to be in a physical war with the devil but in a spiritual war.
We are all engaged in spiritual battle whether we like it or not, whether we are aware of it or not.
A soldier in the battlefield cannot live in denial and walk carelessly and ignorantly.
If he/she does that, he/she will be killed.
God has called us to be passionate about this spiritual battle.
We must have PASSION for War.
What does a PASSION for war means?
A PASSION for war means:
a. We must have a # hatred for the devil and his works #.
- We must acquire a hatred for sin.
- We must acquire a hatred for cultures of darkness and the activities of darkness
- We must not be immune to the devil and live in denial that the devil does not exist (whoever does this need to be involved in our ministry where casting out demons is a regular activity in our evangelistic efforts)
- We must not have partnership with the activities of the devil. For what partnership has light with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)
2 Corinthians 10:4
“The weapons of our warfare – mighty to destroy strongholds”
God has given every believer weapons to win this spiritual battle in our lives.
The Bible talks about:
- praying in tongues
- binding & loosing
- anointed worship
- (David was a worshiper first before he confronted and overcame the lions, bears and the evil spirits)
A PASSION for war also means:
b. We must have a # commitment to win the lost #.
We are living in a spiritual arena and we are pulling in a tug of war with the devil.
What are we tugging or pulling for? We are pulling for souls.
The devil is interested in pulling souls to hell.
We are interested in pulling souls to heaven – towards the Kingdom of God.
Can we do it? Yes we can because God is on our side.
If God is for us who can be against us.
The devil is committed to his cause – to take people to hell.
God is committed to His cause – to provide us a plan for salvation and deliverance through the cross of Jesus Christ.
The question we need to ask is = ARE WE COMMITTED? Are we committed to win the lost and to save as many as possible to the Kingdom of God.
+ THE DEVIL IS COMMITTED.
+ GOD IS COMMITTED.
+ ARE YOU COMMITTED?
We are normally committed to the cause that we are passionate about.
APPLICATION:
ASK GOD TO GIVE US A PASSION FOR WAR AND A COMMITMENT TO WIN THE LOST.
NUMBER 3 = A PASSION FOR GOOD TESTIMONY
What do I mean by “Good Testimony”
a. Firstly, Good testimony means – living a holy life.
Pro 2:21 “Decent people will live in the land. People of integrity will remain in it.”
It is one thing to enter the promise land of God; it is another thing to continue to remain in it.
People of integrity means = people who live rightly and righteously in their daily lives.
Make a vow to the Lord today. God has called us to be a holy people, just as God is holy.
Make a pact with our eyes not to gaze at things that will destroy our minds and thinking.
Make an agreement with someone (if you are a man, then with another man who can be a mentor; if you are a lady, then with another lady who can be an elder sister) to watch and counsel you so that you may not give way to temptation.
Make a promise to your spouse (husband/wife), if you are married, not to counsel or to visit another member of the opposite sex on a personal one to one basis.
b. Secondly, Good testimony means – living by the Power of God
Matthew 22:29
“Jesus said … you know not the scripture nor the power of God”
Do we know the power of God or are we just a warmer to the church pews.
1 Cor 2:4
“In demonstration of the Spirit & of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”
Are we living in true demonstration of the Power of God in our lives?
Are we speaking in tongues, Are we laying hands on the sick, Are we under the protection from harm & danger, Are we destroying the works of the devil?
Is our outward living of our lives a public demonstration of the Power of God such that people know that we have been with the Presence of God – even though we are just ordinary people of flesh and blood.
Does the testimony of our lives – shows a victorious living for Jesus.
Rev 12:11 They won the victory over him because of the blood of the lamb and the word of their *testimony*.
APPLICATION:
ASK GOD TO HELP US WALK RIGHTEOUSLY BEFORE HIM AND TO WALK POWERFULLY FOR HIM.
