Reignite Your Passion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Returning to Your First Love for Jesus
Reigniting your passion for Christ brings true fulfillment, spiritual strength, and purpose. It helps you stay aligned with His will, prevents spiritual burnout, and ensures your life reflects His love to the world. Returning to your first love is about restoring the fire that fuels everything else in your Christian walk.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus addresses the seven churches in Asia Minor with messages that speak to their strengths, weaknesses, and spiritual health. The message to the church in Ephesus, found in Revelation 2:1-7, is one of particular significance. It is a message to Christians today about the importance of returning to their "first love." Let us break down what Jesus is saying in this passage and why it holds a critical message for the modern believer.
Defining "First Love"
When Jesus refers to the "first love" in verse 4, He is speaking to the passionate, wholehearted devotion that the Ephesians had for Him in the beginning. First love is characterized by deep affection, fervent devotion, and an eager pursuit of a relationship with Christ. It’s a love that is untainted by routine or distraction. It is a love that springs from genuine gratitude and awe for the Savior, and it often marks the beginning of a believer’s faith journey.
This first love is not just about emotions but about an active, intentional pursuit of Christ in all aspects of life. It involves a zeal for worship, a desire to learn, and an eagerness to serve. In essence, it is the love that arises when a believer first encounters the life-changing grace of Jesus Christ.
What Jesus Commends
Jesus begins by commending the church in Ephesus for several notable qualities:
Hard work and patient endurance: Jesus acknowledges their diligent efforts and perseverance in doing His work, despite challenges and opposition. They were not easily deterred.
Commitment to truth: They did not tolerate evil or falsehoods. Specifically, they tested those who claimed to be apostles but were false, exposing the lies of deceitful individuals. This shows their commitment to doctrinal purity.
Suffering without quitting: Despite facing trials, the Ephesians endured for Christ’s name and did not give up. They suffered patiently, showing strength in their faith.
These are the qualities that any church would be proud to have. They are qualities of diligence, discernment, and perseverance in the faith. These are actions that align with the commandment to love God and love others.
The Problem: Leaving the First Love
Despite all their good deeds, there is a grave issue that Jesus points out. He says, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” (Revelation 2:4). This is a profound and sobering statement. Jesus is not questioning their work or their doctrine; He is pointing out that the fervent, passionate love they once had for Him has cooled.
Imagine doing everything right according to the Christian commandments—loving your neighbor, guarding against false teachings, and enduring hardships for Christ—yet still missing the most crucial aspect of the Christian faith: love for Jesus. In essence, the Ephesians had become so focused on their works and orthodoxy that they lost sight of their relationship with Christ, which should be the driving force behind all their actions.
This is a warning that even the most faithful and disciplined can drift away from the source of their strength—Christ Himself. The focus on correct behavior and beliefs without the love for Christ at the center is not enough. The love that fuels service and sacrifice is essential.
The Call to Repent
Jesus does not leave the church in Ephesus without hope. He calls them to repentance, saying, "Turn back to me and do the works you did at first" (Revelation 2:5). This is not a call to abandon their good works but to rekindle the fire of their first love for Christ. Repentance, in this case, is a return to the passionate devotion they once had—an invitation to re-establish their intimacy with Jesus.
Jesus warns that if they do not repent, He will come and remove their lampstand, meaning the church will no longer be a light in the world. This is a serious warning: even if a church appears to be thriving outwardly, if it loses its love for Christ, it loses its spiritual purpose. The lampstand, which represents the church’s testimony and influence, can be taken away if they fail to rekindle their first love.
A Promise to the Overcomers
However, there is a promise for those who heed the call to return to their first love: “To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). Victory here is not about works or achievements but about returning to a love-filled relationship with Christ. The reward for overcoming this spiritual drift is access to eternal life in the paradise of God, which is a picture of eternal communion with God in heaven.
Jesus Will Come When We Least Expect It
Jesus' warning is also clear: He will come at an unexpected time. This implies that we should always be vigilant, ensuring that our love for Christ remains first and foremost in our lives. The return of Jesus is a promise, but it is also a reminder that we must remain faithful, not just in our deeds, but in our love for Him.
💗 HOW TO RETURN TO YOUR FIRST ❤️ LOVE 💕
The problem is not about what you’re doing; the problem is about who you're doing it for. Have you lost the fire? Has the love you had for Jesus grown cold? That first love—the love that burned hot when you first met Him. Jesus wants you to return to that.
Step 1: Remember Where You Were
Jesus told the Ephesian church, "Look how far you’ve fallen!" (Revelation 2:5). It’s time for you to remember where you were when you first met Him. Think back to that moment when you first gave your heart to Christ. Remember how it felt when His love washed over you, how your heart was full of joy, how you couldn’t wait to tell everyone about Him.
Pause and reflect—when did you first fall in love with Jesus? Can you still feel that spark? The first love is that initial, uncontainable excitement about Christ, where everything was new and fresh. Jesus is asking you to remember that moment. Look back at your first love and recognize what you’ve lost.
Step 2: Repent—Turn Back to Him
Jesus doesn’t just leave the church in Ephesus in despair. He says, “Turn back to me.” (Revelation 2:5). This is repentance—not just about confessing sin, but about turning your heart back to the one you were once so passionately in love with. Repentance is not just about stopping wrong behavior; it’s about reorienting your heart toward Christ.
Repentance means making a decision to put Jesus first again. It’s about saying, “Lord, I’ve let distractions take me away from You, but I want to return. I want to fall in love with You all over again.”
Step 3: Do the Works You Did at First
Now, this is key: Jesus doesn’t say, “Sit back and wait for a feeling.” No! He says, “Do the works you did at first.”(Revelation 2:5). It’s not enough to feel sorry or wish for things to change; you've got to act. When you first loved Jesus, you didn’t care about your schedule. You didn’t care about your comfort. You were on fire!
Start doing what you did when you were passionate. Worship like you used to. Pray with that fire. Serve without complaints. Remember those first steps you took in your faith—whether it was sharing the gospel, being faithful in prayer, or spending time in His Word. Go back to the basics! Jesus is saying, “If you want to reignite that first love, you’ve got to act like you’re in love again.”
Step 4: Focus on Your Relationship, Not Just Your Works
You see, it's easy to get caught up in all the “good things” that need to be done. We start serving, working, leading, giving—and we forget that the most important thing is spending time with Jesus.
Just like in any relationship, you can get so caught up in doing things for someone that you forget to be with them. Jesus wants your heart, not just your hands.
So, start this—spend quality time with Him. Find a quiet space. Pray not because you have to, but because you want to hear from Him. Read the Word like it’s a love letter to you. Worship Him with all your heart, not just in church, but at home, in the car, wherever you are. Let your devotion flow from your heart, not just your to-do list.
Step 5: Stay on Guard—Keep the Flame Burning
Finally, Jesus says, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to what the Spirit is saying.” (Revelation 2:7). Church, you have to guard your heart! Protect your love for Jesus. There are so many distractions in this world: work, family, social media, and even ministry tasks. But if you’re not careful, those things can steal your passion for Christ.
Stay connected to Him. Don’t let your first love be snuffed out by the busyness of life. Keep your heart tender before God. If you start to feel that love fading, do something about it. Go back to the basics. Pray, worship, serve, and love—just like you did at first.
Step 6: Expect His Return
Jesus warned the Ephesian church, “If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand.” (Revelation 2:5). Now, that’s a serious warning. Jesus is coming back, and He wants to find His bride—His church—ready. He doesn’t want us going through the motions; He wants a church that is burning bright with love for Him.
Live with expectation. Know that He’s coming, and you want to be found ready, full of love for Him when He arrives. Stay in love with Jesus, church, and don’t let anything—anything—steal that love.
Let’s Get It Right With Jesus
Jesus is calling you back to your first love, just as He called the Ephesians. Don’t let good works, good theology, and good intentions take the place of that passionate, intimate relationship with Christ. Return to Him—remember, repent, do the works you did at first, and guard your heart.
And when He comes, you want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You want to be standing in His presence, not just as a worker, but as His beloved.
Let’s get it right with Jesus. Let’s fall in love with Him all over again.