Many of us who have walked with Jesus for any length of time know the reality of seasons when our hearts burned with passion for Him and other times when we felt we were barely making it through. Yet I believe it is possible to live a Christian life where you maintain that place of fire and devotion. You do not have to swing from one extreme to the other.
The Power of Repentance
Repentance stands as the first key. As Peter declared in the Book of Acts, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19, NKJV). Times of refreshing will come. This is not a maybe or a perhaps. It is a promise.
It is vital that we make repentance more than a one-time event. Make it a lifestyle. Every day get on your knees and say, “Lord, search my heart and know me.” Ask Him to cleanse you afresh in the blood of Jesus. Jesus dealt with our sin completely at the cross of Calvary, yet we still need to live with clean hands and a pure heart. Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. There is something glorious about knowing nothing stands between you and the Lord.
Surrounding Yourself with the Things of God
The second key flows directly from the Psalms. David said, “My eyes are ever toward the Lord” (Psalm 25:15, NKJV). He declared, “Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth” (Psalm 26:3, NKJV). You are the product of your environment. What you set before your eyes shapes your soul.
We can come to church, receive prayer, rejoice in the moment, and then return to filling our minds with the things of the world through television, social media, and endless distractions. I am not suggesting every form of entertainment is sin. I am saying your soul becomes filled with whatever you feed it most.
Create a personal culture where you surround yourself with the things of God. Put great teaching on your phone. Sit down every morning with your Bible. Be deliberate about the company you keep. Walk away from constant criticism and negativity. God gave Israel a culture saturated with reminders of His presence and His Word. We can do the same.
Philemon 1:6 speaks of acknowledging every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Surround yourself with truth until it becomes the atmosphere you breathe.
The Practice of Think and Thank
The third key transformed my own life many years ago. An older preacher taught me to “think and thank.” When a need or temptation arises, instead of spiraling into guilt or striving, stop and thank God for the truth of who you already are in Christ.
As a young man I learned this first in the area of finances. A bill would arrive, and I would think of the need and immediately thank God that it was met. I began to apply the same principle to temptation and weakness. When a thought or desire tried to pull me, I would declare, “Lord, I thank You I am a new creation. Thank You that my old man is dead. Thank You that I am alive unto God. Thank You that whom the Son sets free is free indeed.”
This works powerfully in the realm of healing as well. When pain or symptoms appear, they become a reminder to declare the truth. “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26, NKJV). “He sent His word and healed them” (Psalm 107:20, NKJV). “By whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV).
Every signal that comes into your life can become an opportunity to thank God for who He is and what He has already accomplished. This practice displaces doubt and shame with the reality of finished work.
Living in the Light
These keys work together to produce a walk that is steady and passionate. Repentance keeps the heart clean. Surrounding yourself with the things of God fills the soul with heaven’s culture. Thinking and thanking releases faith into every circumstance.
You can walk in the light as He is in the light, and the blood of Jesus continually cleanses you. Cultivate this lifestyle day by day. Let your affections be set on the things above. The day will come when our time on earth is finished. Let it be said of us that we walked with passion and consistency because we chose the things of God over the passing pleasures of the world.
Selah.
Scriptures for Study:
Acts 3:19, Psalm 25:15, Psalm 26:3, Philemon 1:6, Psalm 24:3-4, 1 John 1:7, Exodus 15:26, Exodus 23:25, Proverbs 4:20-22, Psalm 107:20, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Peter 1:4, John 8:36, Romans 6:6, Romans 6:11, Colossians 3:1-2, Ephesians 4:22-24, Psalm 119:11, Psalm 16:8, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 73:28, Hebrews 12:1-2, James 4:8, Psalm 51:10.
10 Questions for Reflection:
- In what areas of my life have I experienced the ups and downs Graham described?
- How consistent is my daily practice of repentance and heart-searching before the Lord?
- What am I setting before my eyes most often, and how is it shaping my soul?
- Who do I spend time with, and does it draw me closer to the things of God?
- Where in my life do I need to begin practicing “think and thank” today?
- Am I living with clean hands and a pure heart, or is something hindering fellowship with God?
- How can I build more of heaven’s culture into my daily environment?
- When temptation or need arises, do I default to guilt or to gratitude for the finished work?
- In what practical ways can I acknowledge every good thing that is in me in Christ Jesus?
- What would a consistently passionate walk with God look like in my current season of life?
