Col. 3:23-24, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Introduction:

A. Many people are willing to Fight and even Die For What They Believe In:

1. They --- Picket --- Demonstrate --- Protest --- Riot .....

2. They Sacrifice --- Their Time --- Money --- Their Own Lives (Monks Burning).

B. They Are Enthusiast aboout what they believe in --- for what they believe in Is Their God.

C. The word "Enthusiasm" comes from "En-Theos" --- the God Within --- and means basically to be Inspired or Possessed By A God.

D. They are possessed by their god --- whatever or whoever it might be.

I. Christians Are Possessed By Their God Also.

A. "Enthusiasm" comes form "En-Theos" --- the God Within --- and means basically to be Inspired or Possessed By God.

B. Col. 1:26-27, "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: "

1 Cor. 6:19-20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."

1 Cor. 3:16-17, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. "

C. If you are a Christian --- you Are Possessed by God --- you Will Be Enthusiastic.

No One Is Strong Enough To Bind God ! ! !

D. If you are Enthusiast about the Wrong Thing --- your are Inspired Or Possessed By The Wrong Gods.

1. Recreation,

2. Fellowshipping with family and friends,

3. Emotions --- T.V. --- Cry over Soap Operas --- Not able to cry over Lost Souls.

Some People Use Up All Their Emotions Before They Get To Church And Have None Left For God.

4. What about enthusiast about Gossip.

E. If you are Not enthusiast about the Lord’s work --- you had better check up and see if God really possesses you --- If you really belong to God.

2 Peter 1:10, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure:"

II. Church Members Who Are Possessed By God --- Saved --- Have Enough Enthusiasm To:

A. To Fight

1 Tim. 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

1. Christians With Enthusiasm --- God Within --- Will Fight The Good Fight of Faith.

2 Tim. 4:6-8, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

2. Backslidden Christians Will Do Exactly The Opposite ---

a. Titus 1:16, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Have you ever noticed how many Reprobates we have in our churches today. They Profess that they know God but when it comes to serving him, they Deny Him. They do Not Participate in any outreach program but they will stand on the Outside And Criticize it. That would be bad enough in and of itself but they do not stop there. If you attempt to start an Outreach for Children in the neighbor, Senior Citizens ministry, Youth Activities, much less a ministry to the Down-And-Outers, they will become Abominable and Disobedient and Demand Who Is Going To Pay For All This Ministry Stuff. As Paul was warning Titus, these people will profess to know God (talk a good religion) but if you try to do a "Good Work" they will fight you in your efforts and become as a "Reprobate" an Unbeliever in opposing you and God.

Though They Would Deny It --- If These People Would Put As Much Effort Into Prayer, Worship, & Witnessing --- As They Do In Opposing Every Good Work, The Church Building Could Not Hold All The People That Would Be Reached For Christ. They Seem To Take Pleasure In Keeping The Church Small So They Seem To Be More Important And Can Maintain Control. Some Even Think That The Church Could Not Continue On Without Them.

b. Not only Paul, who wrote to Titus about this problem --- John had the same problem:

3 John 9-10, "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. (or criticizing or discouraging people so that they would leave the church.)"

3. As bad as these people are, they are Not The Real Problem In Our Churches!

The Real Problem In Our Churches are those men who --- rather than take a stand and fight for the cause of Christ --- would rather allow Diotrephes, and the members of Titus’ church to completely destroy the Work of God.

Do You Have Enough of God's Lsove In Your Heart To Be Enthusiastic Enough To Take A Public And Open Stand For Him?

B. To Attend Church

Heb. 10:24-30, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

C. To Witness

2 Cor. 5:17-20, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God."

D. To Give of Their Money

2 Cor. 8:8, "I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love."

V. 1-5, "Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."

9:15, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

E. To Sacrifice

Rom. 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

III. Are You Saved! --- Do You Have God Within You?

1 John 5:11-13, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." --- V. 20, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."