ByEvery servant of God needs divine fire to do what God has anointed him to do. That fire is called “spiritual fervour.” It is so crucial that ministry won’t be zealous for you without it. Because of this danger, Paul warned the believers not to let it down in Romans 12:11. He cautioned them to do anything within their power to keep and not lack this zeal for the Lord. The life of faith is a journey. Like any journey, there will be moments of overwhelming peaks and silent valleys. One common challenge for believers is maintaining spiritual fervour, that passionate dedication to serving the Lord God. The initial spark of faith can sometimes be quenched under the pressures of daily life. Want to learn how to keep your spiritual fervour as you serve God? Here are three proven scriptural ways of doing it.
#1 Pray consistently
The cornerstone of a robust spiritual life is a consistent connection with God. Prayer is the direct line of communication with God. A consistent prayer life fuels our spiritual fervour and allows us to rely on God’s strength in times of challenge. Prayer, our way of connecting to the Holy Spirit, fuels our faith journey.
“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” – 1 Corinthians 14:18
In the verse above, Paul was a tongue-speaking, prayerful Christian who worked for Jesus. He never relented in any assignment from the Lord, no matter how dangerous and impossible it may seem. Anytime he was about to run out of passion to continue the task, he resorted to prayer. He spoke in tongues. He prayed out his spirit to the Lord. In this, his strength was renewed, his joy to serve the Lord was restored, and his passion to continue was boosted.
I want to encourage you, dear believer, don’t relent in prayer. Is the storm of life so strong that it wants to ruin your passion for the Lord? Are the waves of life killing your fire for the Lord? Are you tired and about to give up? No! Don’t give up yet. There is still strength available. Run to Jesus. Speak out in tongues. Pray in the face of the discouragements and watch your fire rekindle. Pray and watch your zeal replenished.
Another thing prayer does to a believer, especially a minister, is that it gives utterance.
“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,” – Ephesians 6:19
Are you confused and don’t know what to say to your church? Are you wondering how at all you’re going to convey that vision and revelation from the Lord? Pray!! Commune with the Spirit. He will give you utterance. He will place words in your heart and mouth. He will give you the right words to convey and preach in the same way He brought that vision. Hallelujah!
#2 Fasting
Fasting is essential in building a deeper intimacy with God. And the deeper your intimacy with God, the better your fruitfulness in ministry. Fasting is not the mere abstinence from food or drinks. No! It is an intentional period to remain consecrated and available for the Lord. During such a period, one stays away from anything that may distract one from hearing and encountering the Lord. Fasting strips your spirit from anything sinful that may become a distraction. That’s why some do not even have sex with their spouses within such a time (see 1 Corinthians 7:5).
Here, Jesus becomes the sole focus. Fasting slims and trims down your attention and directs it only unto Jesus. Your inner man is made lighter to be able to ascend faster and commune with the spirit. Fasting exposes your mere and empty spirit and soul to the Lord. Fasting is another way to tell the Lord, “Lord, this is me without anything that can satisfy me. This is how helpless and desperate I am without you.”
The Lord sees how desperate and helpless you are without Him. He wants to equip you and clothe your naked weakness with a cloak of power. He desires to give you an uncommon fire amid your weakness. Today, I want to challenge you. Do you feel so naked and tired? Do you feel helpless? Fast brother, fast, sister! Open up your weak self unto the Lord. He will give you power to run the race. He will give you fire to fuel your spirit man.
Jesus once said to His disciples, “This kind cometh by fasting and prayer…” (see Matthew 17:21). There’s a kind that comes by prayers only; others come by fasting as well. Do not only pray. Incorporating both consistent and intermittent fasting will rejuvenate you.
#3 Keep your heart free of offences
Offences are venom against the spiritual fervour of God’s children because if harboured and not forgiven, they make God’s love wax cold in believers’ hearts. The heart is actually the headquarters of the human spirit. Anything that goes in there has an implication for your spirit man.
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” – Matthew 24:12
In the scripture above, the Bible talks about a coming age where the zeal and the sharpness of many will dwindle out and may ultimately die out. That will be because the heart, which is supposed to inhabit the Spirit and Love for the work of the Lord, is now full of wickedness. Once offences fill up the heart of a man, wickedness pours out. Please don’t keep it when you’re hurt or offended. Open up and clear the heart for the spirit to take over. Have you realised the love you had for the Lord is going down? Do you see now you’re gradually quenching your hunger and thirst for the things of God? Check the contents of your heart. Does evil fill it? Is offence lingering in there? Let go and return to your first love.
Remember, maintaining spiritual fervour is not a one-time achievement but a lifelong pursuit. There will be times when your fire burns brightly and others when it flickers. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can ensure your flame remains alight. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour as you continue serving the Lord.
