Spiritual Momentum
Momentum: quantity of motion of a moving body, movement, moving power
In mechanics momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object. Big heavy objects like a truck moving fast have a large momentum—it takes a large and prolonged force to get the truck up to this speed, and it takes a large and prolonged force to bring it to a stop. (Thanks Wikipedia)
I am more of a sports jock than a mechanic. When a sports team is said to have the momentum it means they’re on a roll. Things are going well and energy and confidence are high. This is the time the opposing coach call a time out. He wants to stop his opponent’s momentum.
Is there such a thing as spiritual momentum? I believe there is. The heavy weight would be God Himself. When He chooses to move nothing can stop Him! But He moves in agreement with and with the cooperation of His people—the church. It’s interesting to read in the Bible where God’s people would pray to God when spiritual things were in a slow down and say, “Rise up O God,” or ask the Lord to show more of His power as in, “stretch out Your hand to heal that signs and wonders may be done.”
The apostle Paul seemed to have this in mind when he asked the believers at Thessalonica to pray, “that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified” 2 Thessalonians 3:1, a theme spoken in the book of Acts as “the word of the Lord grew” meaning it’s influence became greater. We could say God’s word had momentum.
The Lord Himself speaks of moving on our behalf. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” 2 Chronicles 16:9. And Jesus said, “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not be able to stand against it” that is, would not be able to stop it’s advance. We could say the church has momentum.
So what’s wrong when the movement of the kingdom and the advancement of the church seems to be painstakingly slow? Or worse yet, what causes the church to lose momentum?
The problem certainly is not with God nor Christ nor the word of the Lord. The problem is with us. As strange as it may seem Almighty God chooses to move, act and work more when we are asking Him to in faith and we are fervent in our obedience to all that He has told us.
The momentum of God’s power moving is great in other parts of the world. Some six million Muslims each year are converting to Christ in Africa. Reports say that tens of thousands of people are coming to Christ throughout the Middle East on a regular basis. The throngs in Africa responding to Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke is amazing. But we’re not seeing much here in America. We’re behind.
I desperately want to see the church moving forward and advancing the gospel with great momentum. I want to see the church on such a roll the devil desperately wants to call “time out.” (Which won’t work) A lady in our church wrote in her Sunday response card recently “that the devil might have a nervous breakdown.” I’d never heard it put quite that way. I like it!
May God put it in our hearts to seek His face and ask Him to rise up and move and do great things for His name’s sake; to send revival—the highest level of spiritual momentum! May our desire for spiritual momentum be met in the hope of His mercy and the assurance of His love.
Pastor Dan