Passionate living – the way God chooses to live.
What is passion?
Pathos = feel or suffer, used to denote destiny
•
Passion renders us passive under an emotion, the emotion becomes the active agent (Jesus in
•
Getsemane“thy will be done”) The only thing strong enough to make us deny our own
selfishness.
Mental disorder, the leaving of reason for the impossible love of God.
•
The overwhelming love that comes out of salvation
•
The role models of passion
Jesus
•
Water to wine
•
Weeping over jerusalem
•
Overturning the tables at the temple
•
Crying out to god
•
Paul
•
Slave of Love
•
Jesus was the friend of sinners, the life of the party, in touch with his emotions. He laughed when he
was happy cried when he was sad. Sang and danced in the face of God.
Where does passion come from?
Passion come from the heart, and as we will see the heart is very important to God, I know it, you know
it, but do we know why?
“Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.”
Prov 4:23 [GodsWord]
Thoughts => Emotions => Decisions
Passion lives in the emotional part of our hearts it is inspired by the input we get and the thoughts we
dwell upon, it is what happens to the thought after it leaves the realm of reason and gets fueled by
emotion, it is what drives us to make decisions that other people deem foolish, it causes us to act not in
accordance to this world but according to God!
It is letting go of control and letting our Love for God run wild. It is very scary and it stops many
Christians from abandoning a reasoning faith for a God inspired passionate faith forcing you to take
action.
Passion will let you experience:
Love and devotion for God
•
Deeper worship
•
Closeness to God
•
Abundant Joy
•
Passion for the lost
•
The pain of the suffering (Empathy)
•
Fullness of life
•
Why is passion important?
Power
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the
behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him”
2 Chron 16:9 [AKJV]
Witness
“It’s clear that you are Christ’s letter, written as a result of our ministry. You are a letter written not
with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of
human hearts.”
2 Chor 3:3 [GodsWord]
Life
“He has also qualified us to be ministers of a new promise, a spiritual promise, not a written one.
Clearly, what was written brings death, but the Spirit brings life.”
2 Chor 3:6 [GodsWord]
Church without passion
However, I have this against you: The love you had at first is gone. - Ephesus
•
You are known for being alive, but you are dead. - Sardis
•
you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. But since you are lukewarm and not
•
hot or cold, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth. - Laodicea
How do we become Passionate?
1. Fill your heart with Gods medicine – Phil 4:8 (thoughts are addictive, think a thought once and
it will be easier to think it a second time, be careful on what you think)
2. Get out of the comfort zone (dare to go deeper, abandon control, let go and let God)
3. Make decisions that will lead you to a passionate life.
I will worship without abandon
•
I will show my emotions
•
I will open my mouth and trust that God will fill it
•
I will Throw myself upon God and trust that he catches me.
•
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Phil 4:8 [KJV]
