The Disastrous Results of Being and Remaining Lukewarm
And to the teaching overseer of the congregation of the Laodikeia write: “These things says The Amein, the Faithful and Emet/True Witness, the first cause of all the creation of YAHWEH. I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot: I desire that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and are neither cold, or hot I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and poor. I counsel you to buy from Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with ointment, that you may see. (Revelation 3:14-18)
INTRODUCTION:
Hot
On the cutting edge
Fervent in Spirit/Ruach
Zealous
Active with a personal desire to participate in the Presence of YAHWEH
Razor sharp
Cold – either having no fire, or having your fire go out.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour YAHSHUAH the Messiah, and if they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter-end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the law of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn from the Holy/Kadosh commandment delivered to them.
(II Peter 2:20-21)
I believe that at one time these people were hot, perhaps on the cutting edge, zealous, and full of the Holy Spirit. For some reason or reasons, they stopped putting on the armor of YAHWEH. Before long, they became lukewarm, and eventually they turned stone cold. This is what will happen to us if we stay lukewarm.
Some attributes or characteristics of being LUKEWARM:
Callous
Dry
Dullness
Unrighteous
Sin
Not active in the pursuit of holiness
No desire to read the Word of YAHWEH
DULL:
Lacking mental agility
Slow to learn
Stupid
Lacking responsiveness
Lacking alertness
Insensitive
Dispirited
Depressed
Sluggish
Arousing no interest or curiosity
Unexciting
Boring
Not bright or vivid, a dull brown
Cloudy
To make less sharp
To make the senses, less keen and receptive
Other Illustrations:
A garden
The choice vine that YAHWEH has planted
Therefore, put on the full armor of God/YAHWEH, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, stand even more.
[NOTE: When this attack comes, it will come at us very strong, and will do everything it can to destroy us, completely obliterating us. It usually shows up when we are weak and not full of the Spirit. As we yield to the attack, we become weakened and our senses become dulled, and we slip and fall but are not utterly forsaken. We need to grab hold of God/YAHWEH and hold on with everything within us. Try grabbing hold of the trunk of the tree and hold tight.]
Stand therefore, having our loins wrapped around with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet fitted with the preparation of the gospel of peace/shalom; above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of YAHWEH. Making prayers with all intercession and supplication in the Spirit and watching in the Spirit with all endurance and petitions for all the Yisraelite brothers. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
Finally, my Yisraelite brothers, be strong in YAHWEH, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God/YAHWEH, that you may be able to stand against the strategies of s.a.tan. Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 3:10-12)
Fan the flame
Stir up the gifts
Gird up the loins of your mind.
HOW TO AVOID BEING LUKEWARM, AND REMAIN ON THE CUTTING EDGE
Each day, spend time praising and worshipping YAHWEH.
Bless YAHWEH, Oh my being; and all that is within me; bless His Holy Name. Bless YAHWEH, Oh my being, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercy, Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. (Psalm 103:1-5)
Worship YAHWEH
Prayer – build intimacy between yourself and YAHWEH. An example of this is not being satisfied in being and remaining in the outer court.
Intercession
Each day pray for others
Pray for someone different, perhaps there might be someone going through the ringer of life.
Do not limit your prayers to your friends. Pray for everyone.
Have a daily devotion, reading through the Bible starting in Genesis and continuing through Revelation.
Have and keep a fervent love in your heart for YAHWEH.
Make fasting a part of your life.
Center your life around YAHWEH. As you do this, and, are consistently faithful, YAHWEH will put deeper desires inside your heart. You will become sensitive to the Holy Spirit, knowing to whom to share the Gospel, intercede for and give a voluntary offering.
Dedicate yourself to YAHWEH each day.
CONCLUSION:
Take a couple of minutes talking about a fire. Use a campfire as an example. Take the coals – lukewarm – about to go out. What do we add to the fire? If we add nothing, the fire will go out. If we continually add the requirements for not being lukewarm which is a daily exercise and not just once in a while, we will have a healthy flame. If we neglect adding anything to the fire, we will be lukewarm, and the embers will turn from yellow orange to black, and the flame will go you and if we are unlucky enough, we will hear the Master say: “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” Certainly this is not something that we would want because the place which we will be banished to will be very unpleasant throughout all eternity.
(Taught in Homer, Alaska, 1986 – 1988)