Spiritual Momentum And What Kills It

What is momentum?

Spiritual Momentum

In the realm of physics it is P(momentum)=M(mass) x V(velocity).  Mass along with the force of speed equals momentum.

But what about spiritual momentum?  The Christian life should be active and growing.  But many times we are not.  We are stuck in a spiritual rut having lost our momentum.

When this happens we need a revival, a re-awakening to a growing life in Christ.  Revival is about starting anew and then moving forward with God in greater mass and with a more urgent velocity.  It is about regaining our spiritual momentum.

Spiritual momentum comes when we take our life that God is transforming, by the power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit, and we get it in motion, we move forward with Jesus.

But here is a helpful question…

How do you create physical momentum?

Imagine you are on your bike and at the top of a hill.  How do you increase momentum?  You start that bike down the hill, you tilt your weight forward, you reduce your resistance against the wind by tucking inward, and you peddle like mad.  Now you are mass times velocity and you have momentum.

How do you kill momentum?

There are a couple of ways.  Either you can put on the brakes or you can wipe out.

This has application to the spiritual momentum all of us should have.

There are people, the Lord comes into their lives, they are revived, start moving with God, building up spiritual velocity, but because they do not respect the laws of spiritual momentum they fail to do things that increase spiritual momentum with God and instead they do the very things that slow or completely stop the spiritual momentum in their lives.

Sometimes they will put on the brakes!

They get excited about the Lord, but they sense that others are uncomfortable with it and so they succumb to peer pressure and put the brakes on.  They say things like…

“I’ll be more committed to God, but I won’t go all out.”

“I’ll pray more, but I won’t tell others about Christ.”

Can I encourage you?  Don’t put the spiritual brakes on.  Don’t allow the pressure of this world to rob you of your zeal.  That very zeal will drive you ever deeper into the riches of a relationship with Christ.  Refuse to abandon that.

Sometimes they will altogether wipe out!

This is when people spiritually self-sabotage.  They will dive into some sin that just blows up the new tracks with the Lord that they were on and to some measure derails their life.  They wipe out.

Let me encourage you again!  Don’t spiritually wipe out.  If you are contemplating making a sinful choice, STOP!  Don’t do it.  Your spiritual momentum is infinitely more important.

Of course, maybe you have already done one of the above:  put on the brakes or wiped out.  It is not too late.  God is calling you to confess that sin, repent or turn from that direction of living, and return to the things that produce spiritual momentum. (Acts 3:19)  His grace and forgiveness are sufficient to wash you clean and get you back on track.

In fact, if as you are reading this you are feeling conviction over your lack of spiritual momentum then God is already working to bring you back.  To this mass of God’s work in you, all you must add is the velocity of your own obedience.

Obedience is the key to re-establishing spiritual momentum.  Get back to the things that God first called you to do.  Obey him in your thoughts.  Obey him in your actions.  Draw near to God. (James 4:8)

Challenge:  Today, regain your spiritual momentum by turning from your sin and returning to a posture of obedience in all things.

Question:  What are specific things we can do in obedience to God’s Word that will result in the regaining of spiritual momentum?  Share them with us.  You can leave a comment by clicking here.