Topic: Having a Fervent Spirit [David Wilkerson Devotional 10 May 2021]
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Having a Fervent Spirit
Gary WilkersonMay 10, 2021
I heard a bestselling author talk about how one of the great problems we face in America today and the modern church is busyness, and I believe it. It’s so common to talk to people and hear them say, “Oh, I’m so busy. I have so much going on in my life.”
If your life is helter-skelter, falling apart at the seams, and there’s no margin, it’s probably because you’re not living in obedience to what God has for you. You’re doing more than that, and that’s why so many people feel overwhelmed. However, there’s a whole group of people on the other side of the spectrum that the church doesn’t talk too much about, and that’s the lazy ones.
Now they often still say they’re busy, but they spend four, five, six hours a day watching the television or in front of some kind of screen being entertained.
Some entertainment is good and can be fun. I enjoy movies as much as anyone. There’s nothing wrong with entertainment in and of itself. This is not to say that you shouldn’t play sports or watch films. This is dealing with an attitude of the heart. When entertainment becomes such a large portion of your life, when it rules and dictates your choices, when it becomes your priority, it points to a deep heart-sin.
The Bible talks in the Old Testament about the sins that God hates, and one is sloth. When we sit on the sidelines and say, “Well, I was hurt in the past or a dream fell through, so I’m not going to engage anymore. I tried and failed, so I’m done. I’m just going to go to work, get home and then chill. Nobody bother me.” That’s a slothful spirit that allows a life be drowned in entertainment.
The opposite is someone who turns away from a slothful heart and has a servant’s heart. Then we rely on God’s strength to accomplish his purposes and live fully. Paul tells us in the Bible that the marks of a true Christian are these: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:9-11, ESV, my emphasis). Let’s obey that command with all of our hearts today!