Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Perseverance
This is why I remind you to fan into flames
the Spiritual gift God gave you …
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity,
but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7 (NLT)
Our Pastor, Kyle Fox, has been teaching a series on the Holy Spirit. I have been amazed how his teaching has paralleled my own personal transformation process. His teachings confirmed that I am on the right path to a “Heart Transformation.”
After each teaching, he challenged us to practice a different Spiritual Discipline to “Fan into Flames” the Holy Spirit within every believer. He encouraged us to daily surrender to God, confess our sins, study God’s Word, pray continually, dwell on the goodness of God, practice submission to one another, serve one another, sacrifice for one another and engage in the discipline of giving.
But in last week’s sermon, he gave us a warning if we want to fan into flames the Holy Spirit, we must avoid the slow fade. We must fight the slide toward appeasement (with worldly desires) and too much self-focus (fleshly desires). We must fight the slide toward convenience (taking the easy path), isolation (withdrawal) and bitterness (unresolved anger). It reminded me of the chorus in the song, Slow Fade by Casting Crowns.
It’s a slow fade
When you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade
When black and white have turned to grey
And thoughts invade, choices made
A price will be paid
when you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
I know for myself personally, I had been on a slow fade for way too many years. It was all due to unresolved anger which led to poor choices, which led to withdrawal from family and friends. The price I paid (and my family) was monumental until I turned and surrendered to the Holy Spirit. When I took that first step of surrender, I had no idea where or how He would lead me, heal me, but I trusted Him to transform my heart. I am still in the process but I know that “He who began a good work in me, will see it to the day completion” Philippians 1:6.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit
who lives within us,
carefully guard the precious truth that
has been entrusted to you.
2 TIMOTHY 1:14 (NLT)
On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky