PASSION FOR STANDING UP AND DEFENDING OUR FAITH BEFORE THE WORLD

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I thought I was done with this Passion Series, but I was compelled to do just one more. I'm very sure we have influencial christians here on steemit. I might just be communicating to some of them. And I'm saying all these POLITELY and with all HUMILITY OF MIND.

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CHRISTIANS WHO ARE MINNOWS LIKE MYSELF WITH QUALITY CONTENTS NEEDS TO BE ENCOURAGED BY YOUR INFLUENCIAL UPVOTES

I start with these two verses

But in your hearts, set Christ apart [as holy--acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.
(1 PETER 3:15 AMP)

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
(2 Timothy 2:2 KJV)

We know that it's God's will that all should come to repentance. It is God's will that we be saved. But what is also God's will as we study scripture is also that we affect others with the measure of faith we have received. If this were not so, after our salvation we would have gone to be with the Lord in an instant. And here the scripture tells us that we should be

READY to defend our faith and
WE should be able to pass on what we have heard to faithful men who will also do same.

It is clear that God has a global agenda he wants to achieve through us.

Still speaking on PASSION; I know I've given so many definitions already but permit me to just take one more.

PASSION: a great, strong, powerful emotion; fervor; determination; drive.

And in passing we look at FAITH

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FAITH: a system of beliefs, feeling and conviction.

Having acknowledged that it's God's will that his light should shine in this dark world (Isaiah 60:2), God needs men that are radical (passionate) enough for this cause. And if he is to use us to shake up our world then it means we need to be radical (passionate) enough.

"Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;"
(Romans 12:11 KJV)

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."
(Romans 12:11NIV)

In the scripture above Paul admonishes us never to be slothful (lazy, sluggish, inactive) in business but that we should keep our spiritual fervor (we should be energized, passionate, radical) serving the Lord.

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It took 12 MEN who were radical enough about what they had received to turn this world upside down. They stood for and defended their faith to the ends of the earth and you and I are living proofs of their devotion today.

Reflection: In the future, who will be a living proof of your devotion to this cause?

This is why Paul instructed Timothy to entrust the gospel to FAITHFUL men. God is a faithful God and as he is so are we. If we're going to be passionate about standing for and defending our faith to the world, the first question we need to ask ourselves is
"Am I faithful"?

"Can God find me faithful?"

In a day and age when everyday the world is pushing it's agenda and it's sad even some Christians are getting caught up in the systems of the world, believers need to stand up with the gospel of Christ. That is the only hope for this world because the foundations (systems) of this world are out of course. (Psalm 82:5)

God is counting on you and I as faithful men to stand up for him in these perilous times.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."
(2 Timothy 3:1‭-‬5 NIV)

In times where it seems like darkness is prevailing, God is counting on strong men like Daniel and the Hebrew boys who would stand their ground. Because truth is he wants us or rather he is passionate about us becoming his express image here on earth. He says we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world. He didn't give us faith in Jesus Christ to become comfortable and live as kings (even though it's part of the call) but he gave us faith that through us the world will see him. We can't be content with staying in our corner minding our business. We can't be content being pushed aside. We can't settle for less.

God is looking for an avenue expression through us (Matt. 5:16)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16 NIV)

But it takes yielding to be built so we can stand our ground for him.

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It's sad many Christians are ashamed of the gospel. They are scared of standing proud with their faith. The apostle Paul makes a very bold claim in the opening chapter of the letter to the Romans.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
(Romans 1:16 NIV)

He believed this gospel. He could not hide it. He could not sit on it. He was confident in this gospel. He was assured!

*Question to Self: Do you truly believe what you claim to profess?

Because we can't even begin to talk about passion when there's no conviction - no belief. Truth is you cannot believe what you don't know. You cannot stand up for what you haven't experienced. Paul know what he was saying. Nobody taught him. No one coached him. It was from his personal experience that he declared the gospel as the power unto salvation.

So this passion we talk about is born from a place of 'knowing' (knowledge) - knowing God and being intimate with him

...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
(Daniel 11:32b KJV)

2 Cor 5: 17 tells us If any man be (a fixed position in time, place and state) in Christ he is of a new kind. Your zeal is sustained and fanned by remaining true to the faith we have received in fellowship with God. (Acts 17v28)

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In conclusion I'll share 3 things that passion will do for you or in you.

PASSION BIRTHS PURPOSE

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
(Daniel 3:16‭-‬18 KJV)

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
(Acts 21:10‭-‬11‭, ‬13 KJV)

These men were so passionate and were so single in their conviction that it gave their lives meaning. They had something to live/die for because of the passion they had in standing up for what they believed in

PASSION UNLOCKS OUR CREATIVE MIND TO IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES.

When you're passionate about a thing, driven that you look for ways to push the agenda. Your mind becomes crafty to noting opportunities (ideas). When people see limitation, you just can't rest because there's something stirred up on the inside. You look for avenues, ways to get it done. Just imagine being passionate about the gospel.

PASSION GIVES YOU IDENTITY

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
(Acts 11:26 KJV)

The name we so often wear like a badge (Christians) came about because the disciples were radically displaying their faith up and down the place. We have identity now because these men were passionate enough about the cause many years ago. Passion makes you known for something. And if there's anything now to be known for, it's that we were God's generals in our day; we passionately stood for and defended our faith (this gospel) to the world.

Passion cannot hide. It is contagious.

So in recap

God wills for us to express our faith to the world. So I call on every Influencial Steemians/whales that are Christians to stand up for their faith and encourage other fellow Christians who are minnows like me by upvoting good christian posts with quality contents; and if possible organising contests as well.

We cannot have passion for the gospel until we believe, we know and are convincted about our faith and this only comes in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Passion is personal. Nobody can be passionate for you, but you yourself.

God bless you. I pray these words make meaning to you. This is my last post on the topic PASSION.

If you were blessed by this post, you can simply Upvote, Comment and Resteem.
From your Steemit Spoken Word Preacher @edwin23!!