This past week our Senior Minister Dean Tsiolkas returned to lead off our new study on the book of 2 Timothy: Fight the Good Fight.
In this letter to his spiritual son Timothy, Paul sends out his final instructions before he faces certain death for the cause of Christ. In so doing Paul left instructions not just for the young man, but for all of those God would direct to these words (including us).
An idea that stood out on Sunday comes from the text found in 2 Timothy 1:6a (ESV)
6 For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God...
As Dean pointed out on Sunday, maybe somewhere along the line we've stopped stoking the flames of our faith. Life got busy and we grew complacent, we relaxed, fell asleep...and now, well now we feel spiritually cold. Now life really isn't filled with worship, time in the word, prayer, even desire for the things of God...
What can you do to kindle that fire, to reignite the flame? The short answer is nothing...Now that's not the negative thing that it sounds like at first. As Dean instructed us, it's the spirits job to give and to fan the gifts, not ours.
Gal 5:16-Walk by the Spirit
Gal 5:18- Be led by the Spirit
Gal 5:25- Live by the Spirit
What we really have to do is get out of the way. What do I mean? Well, the problem isn't that Spirit is lying down on the job, it is that we get in the way. Instead of letting the Spirit lead and direct us, we want to do things our way. The Spirit says swerve left and we zag right, the Spirit says devour my word and we click the remote, the Spirit says come spend time in prayer but we....
We too often don't heed Romans 8:13 (ESV)
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
We've bought hook, line and sinker into this fast paced Burger King World. Your way right away. If we want the Spirit to fan that flame, to bring us back to a white-hot relationship, then we've got to put our flesh on the back burner and start seeking the leading of Spirit!
Comments