The Youth Ablaze

For the purpose of today, we are referring to;

1. Chronological age; Young people up to the age of 30-39 years old in the body of Christ.
2. Spiritual age; young people in the faith – recently experienced the new birth in Christ.
3. Young at heart: Despite the chronological clock, it has not defined their mental state of mind, they simply feel young and unhindered as such walk in that faith.

You can see that in the list above, we are not referring to that person who is not born again. We are referring to the young people in the body of Christ. The question is why is there no fire in the life of many of our young people? If we recall when many of us where young believers or at least knew a young believer, they carried that Gospel with their lives and where named by it. e.g SU, CU etc some got as far being called Pastors even before ordination and the name remained with them until ordination. I was listening to one of Bro Gbile’s messages when he said that he loved the woods in his University, although those woods have now disappeared, they used to be his place of prayer, where he could be at liberty to pray and engage God. Our youths now serve God with ease & comfort with no desire to go a step further. Young believers of old used their energy for God and the things of God but today that is not the case. Something has entered the church and adulterated and contaminated our youths.

We are seeking revival but look around us and observe how our young people are responding to this labor. There is no sense of urgency towards the call of God and despite best efforts, there is only little progress. This matter cuts across nations not just the western world. In fact in the third world countries its worse as immorality thrives at its best at the expense of these young people. Rather than embrace the old time religion, they want the Church to become reformed and twist the word of God to suit their appetite. Let’s consider a few issues that plague the young people in the body of Christ as such quench the fire/blaze and we shall pray over them.

• Lack of Boldness following redemption:1 John 2:12 & 14b – I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake………I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 

• Fear: Judges 8:20-21  And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks. But David was also a youth when he opted to face Goliath.  

• Always in a hurry without regard for due process, Carefree attitude of wanting to do something in a given situation without thorough consideration of the consequences for their action: 2 Sam 6: 3, 6-7  And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. John 18: 10-11 -  Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.
  John 11: 20 - Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.   .

•  Lacking knowledge of the word of God: Hosea 4: 6b My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

• Having the appetite for worldliness/waywardness/carefree life: Eccl 10: 16-17 (ESV) Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

Examples of unbridled and uncontrolled lifestyle;

• Partying
• Immorality
• Slothfulness
• Laziness
• Easy life style
• Fraud
• Greed
• Merrymaking
• Comfort