Passionate Pursuit

 

by Capazin Thornton

 

What does it mean to have a passionate pursuit? To be passionate means to have a strong desire, longing, thirst, appetite. It speaks of intentness, zest, eagerness, and earnestness. When one is passionate, he or she is turned on, stirred up, on fire. When one is passionless, he or she is uninterested, turned off, indifferent.

There are many Christ believers who live their lives in passionate pursuit of the things of God. Unfortunately, there are others who have become passionless. Jesus says, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:15-16). None of us want that.

Our first passionate pursuit of Jesus

When we were newborn Christians, didn’t we love the Lord with every fiber of our being? Remember how we used to sing songs to and about Him all the time? Songs like “Oh how I love Jesus. O how I love Jesus. O how I love Jesus, because He first loved me.”

Remember how we wanted the fresh breath of God’s Spirit more than the breath of our natural life? Were you one of those people who used to stand outside in line for hours waiting for the doors to open so you could get into a Bible study or meeting where you sensed there would be a strong anointing and impartation from God? Me, too.

Remember how our hearts would burn within us whenever we heard God’s Word? Sometimes our spirits would quaver or tremble in witness to the truth being spoken to our hearts.

Our joy was inexpressible and full of glory. We experienced wave upon wave of inner peace and the feeling that we could and would go anywhere and do any righteous thing in the earth for the Lord. The kingdom of Heaven had invaded our lives. Because of God’s great love demonstrated to us and poured out in our hearts, we felt unstoppable!

Bring your inner fire to life again

Everything you need to bring your inner fire to life again is within you– presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit, God’s love, peace and joy! While conferences and spiritual getaways can refresh us and get us re-fired, each of us has to fan our own flame to keep the fire burning.

Follow after the Lord

When the Lord walked the earth as Jesus of Nazareth, he often left the disciples to find a solitary place to pray. Mark records one occasion when “Simon and they that were with him followed after Him” (Mk 1:36). The Greek word translated followed after means to run after, pursue, and hunt for. The disciples ran after, pursued, and hunted for the Lord till they found Him.

Here are some steps you can take toward a fresh, passionate pursuit of the Lord.

          1.       PURPOSE in Your Heart. Decide once and for all to be completely sold out to the Lord. Choose today to be totally devoted to Him.

          2.       PUT OFF Every Weight and Sin. (Heb 12:1) Break out of whatever has been holding you back from pursuing God and His plan for your life. Confess any sin to God, receive His forgiveness, and get on with your pursuit of Him.

          3.       PURSUE HIM with a Passion. I am reminded of King David whose life was a passionate pursuit of God. David continually wrote songs to and about the Lord. In Psalm 42:1, he sang, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.” David worshipped the Lord with all his heart, soul, and strength. No matter who was pursuing him, David passionately pursued God.

“So, if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.” (Col 3:1, Msg)

 

An excerpt from the author’s book, 10 Keys for Living in Victory Every Day.

Capazin Thornton is a Christian speaker and author based in Orange County, California.