Devotional: Christianity is a Lifestyle

Message

The Bible is very clear about how God feels about lukewarm Christians. He doesn’t want us half in and half out. I’m not sure where this became the norm for society, but when we think about how the majority of Christians are represented, it’s uncomfortable to think about 🥴. Honestly, thinking back to how I used to be makes my current self uncomfortable. I would seek God, but I didn’t really know Him. I’d pray, but I didn’t really have a relationship with Him. I thought I did, but in reality, I didn’t really know who He truly is or understand the dynamic of our relationship. Now do I blame myself? No. Do I blame anyone else? No. Sometimes we look back and try to find where to point the finger, when it really doesn’t matter.

What matters is we know God for ourselves and begin to correct the errors in our relationship. I recognize where I may have not really understood the depths of God and what a healthy relationship with Him looked like. I thought going to church, praying sometimes, and acknowledging Him was enough. Isn’t that what we see most of the time? People going to church, praying, and then going back to their typical daily acts of sin. It’s like “real life” is put on hold for a second, but then resumes after Church.

There’s good praise, but failure to forgive. There’s reading the Bible, but no understanding. There’s going to Church, but lack of application. This is often what we see and sometimes how we live. No, I’m not judging anyone and as said before, I did the same thing… but we can’t stay in that place forever. At some point, we have to commit to following the law of God. At some point, we have to be uncomfortable with being purged of our old ways. At some point, we have to surrender and allow God to be our Father, Friend, Provider, and more. As time goes on, our trust, faith, and dependency on God should be growing. We shouldn’t be able to look back in 6 months, 1 year, 3 years+ and see that we are still reading the Bible without understanding… still committed to sinning and praying… still asking God for things without having a genuine relationship with Him.

🌟 Revelation 3:15-16

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

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Here are some things that may be holding you back from moving forward with God:

1. Mindset

2. Heart posture

3. Habits

4. The absence of the Holy Spirit

Our mindset can stop us from believing. When we try to compare the ways of God to the ways of man, we limit how amazing He truly is.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Matthew 19:26 KJV But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Our heart posture can hold us back with lack of surrendering it over to God. We assume we know our hearts and are great, forgiving, and compassionate, but we really don’t know our hearts.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJV The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I, the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9-10 MSG “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.” Mark 7:21-23 KJV For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Isaiah 29:13 NKJV Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

1 John 3:20 NLT For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Our habits can keep us bound because of comfortability. We get so used to being in sin that we don’t see when we are in error, or we simply don’t want to change. This is where we can begin to think that our sins are excusable because we pray and ask for forgiveness. However, our actions speak louder than words and we project to be lukewarm. Acts 3:19 NKJV 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, Titus 1:16 NKJV They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [a]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Matthew 7:16-17 KJV Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Hebrews 10:26 NKJV For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 1 Corinthians 10:21 NKJV You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

A lot of things in our relationship can overlap. The absence of the Holy Spirit can play a huge role within each of the areas mentioned above. The Holy Spirit is our helper and the closest way to access the Father. Without inviting the Holy Spirit into us daily, we fail to be able to do the things that can only be done through the spirit of God.

John 12:26 KJV But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Isaiah 11:2 NKJV The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Romans 8:9 KJV But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Galatians 5:16-26 NKJV 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [d]adultery, [e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [f]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [g]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

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Prayer points:

Even if you don't think you've done these things, it is safe to repent just in case. Repent for the times of being a lukewarm Christian. Repent for times of disobeying God and following your heart instead. Repent for not seeking the Holy Spirit daily. Repent for any times you've ignored the Holy Spirit. Repent for the things the Holy Spirit brings to you... Prayer point 1: God, where is my mindset holding me back? Where do I continue to place limitations on you? Where is my struggle of belief stemming from? Prayer point 2: Lord, how is my heart postured? Please begin to reveal the poor roots that need to be uprooted so I can plant new seeds of You. What daily steps can I take to avoid deception? Prayer point 3: Lord, am I giving lukewarm Christian? Am I robbing myself from a true relationship with You? What are some specific things I do/ say that are creating division between You and I? Prayer point 4: Holy Spirit, I welcome You in. Please reveal to me the things I need to take care of, in order to progress in my relationship with my Father. Do I need to forgive? Do I need to spend more time in fellowship with You? Do I need to change my mindset? Do I need to change my habits? Please hold my hand and guide me through.

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Declarations

I encourage you to create declarations based on the topic areas above that you may struggle with the most. Which scriptures jump out to you? Begin to take action with creating declarations where you may need God the most.

* Declarations are God's words we declare (to say out loud) through our authority as His children. Man can lie, but God cannot. Standing on His word will provide hope, reassurance, direction, and more. They are similar to affirmations, but hold the weight of God's word. (I will provide a more detailed post on these 😬... the previous devotional Partnering with God has examples)