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AVOIDING SPIRITUAL APATHY




This week’s topic is related to my last post titled  “Spiritual indifference.” In the previous write up, I wrote more on spiritual indifference and little on how to avoid it. I hope that this write up draws a balance and encourages Christians to stay aflame for God.

IDENTIFY THE CULPRIT

Having found yourself in Christ does not exempt you from being a target of spiritual apathy. The thing about spiritual apathy is that it does not begin in a day, the account of Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26 proves that. It is therefore necessary that we evaluate ourselves daily and ask ourselves questions such as: what am I listening to? What am I watching? What am I eating? What kind of company do I keep? What am I saying?

Thanks to God we have overcome, but make no mistake you have to renew your mind daily to stay an overcomer. It is therefore necessary we ask questions such as these to keep us alert because our enemy never stops trying to draw us out from the cover of the Son.

DWELL IN HIS LOVE

1.      Know His love for you
Always remember the price that was paid. It wasn’t paid to put you under slavery; it was paid to bring you into an inheritance as “heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” When this price was paid, we were still future, that’s why I am moved when I read what God told Jeremiah, that “before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1: 5).
God’s love for you is so deep, that for your sake and mine, He sent His only son to pay our debts in other that anyone who believes in Him would be privileged by His sacrifice to be called sons and daughters.
In Ephesians 2:17, Apostle Paul prayed that that the Ephesians be established in this love, for he knew that once they were aware of this great love, they could easily experience and express God’s love.
Having this fixed sense of God’s love in Christ to us, we can gradually grasp his love to all nations and ranks; it’s saving to those who are lost in the depth of sin and life’s challenges; and its height to heavenly happiness and glory.

2.      Keep reminding yourself constantly of His love
“Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. “  (Joshua 1:8)
At times, the challenges of life may seem overwhelming, and if permitted the distractions from these challenges creates weaknesses in our amour. But if we act under the guidance and power of the spirit, it shall not have dominion over us.

3.      Carefully respond to the prompting of love towards God and man
Through faith Christ dwells in our hearts, and by God’s grace we are founded and established in His love. Responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is responding to the prompting of love. Upon this love, God would always prompt us to walk in, because walking in the spirit is actually walking in love.
Once we walk in the spirit, the spirit would enable us produce its fruit that gives God glory. In Galatians 5: 22, the nine qualities of the fruit of the spirit are outlined. Here, love tops the list’ love is the focus of the entire ethical appeal: “serve one another in love” (vs 13). Love fulfills the law (vs 14); love is the expression of faith (vs 6). Love is demonstrated in a tangible way as seen through Christ’s sacrifice for you and I (2:20) and the service of Christians (5: 13). All the other qualities in the list define and flow from love.

Joy: joy breaths a healthy relationship and does not celebrate the demise of others, “Love is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Peace: it is not bred in conflict, strives, envy, and acts that disturbs the peace, because it always protects. “It always protects” (1 Corinthians 13: 7).

Patience: “love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13: 4)

Kindness and Goodness: “Love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13: 4)

Faithfulness: it’s a trait of keeping commitments in relationships. Only the spirit can produce this quality of loyalty no matter the cost. “It always trusts… it always persevere.” (1 Corinthians 13: 6)

Gentleness: it is the opposite of selfish ambition.”It is not self-seeking” (1 Corinthians 13: 5)

Self-control: those who are spirit led are not self-indulging. This quality of the spirit gives them the power to say no to the desires of the sinful nature. “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13: 6).
This list of qualities are built and nourished by the presence of the spirit.

As you lunch into the week, celebrate God’s love for you, listen to messages of His love, sing of His love, visualize about His love and always remember that consistency in His truths is necessary to keep yourself aflame for God.

I’d love to hear your thoughts too. God bless you and enjoy the week ahead.

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