Things that can cause you to lose your passion for God:

1-Love for the world that replaces the love for God.

1 John 2:15

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

2-Spiritual Fatigue

Galatians 6:9

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 

1 Kings 19 - Elijah wanted to quit and give up.

3-Unconfessed Sin which hardens the heart.

Psalm 51:12

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

and uphold me with a willing spirit. 

4-Trials that discourage the heart 

Luke 8:13 (Parable of the Soils)

13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 

5-Neglecting Spiritual Disciplines

John 15:5

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 

6-Disappointment with life, people or God.

• Jeremiah wanted to quit.
• John the Baptist questioned if Jesus really was the Messiah

Paul's Backstory:

• Pharisee, strictly adhering to the Jewish law.
• Educated under Gamaliel, a highly respected teacher.
• Zealous for Jewish traditions and the law.
• Actively persecuted early Christians, arresting many.
• Approved of Stephen’s stoning, a significant early martyrdom.

Important Thoughts:

The response to the Gospel may change— but our passion to preach it must not.

Acts 17:1–9

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica

1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 

2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 

4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 

5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 

6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 

7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 

8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 

9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 

Important Thoughts:

Opposition must never silence our obedience.

What happens to my faith when following Christ becomes uncomfortable?

Acts 17:10–15

Paul and Silas in Berea

10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 

12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 

14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 

15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. 

Important Thought:

Success must never change the message.

Acts 17:16–34

Paul in Athens

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 

18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 

19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 

20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 

21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. 

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 

23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 

27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 

28 for 

“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; 

as even some of your own poets have said, 

“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ 

29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 

31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” 

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 

33 So Paul went out from their midst. 

34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. 

Important Thoughts:

Mockery must never weaken our conviction.

Am I bold only when I am supported?

1 Corinthians 9:16,

16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 

Acts 20:24

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 

Romans 1:16

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

Important Thought:

Has the Gospel gripped my heart enough to change my life?