Rekindling Spiritual Hunger Through Radical Surrender

Today, we gathered around the powerful truth that Jesus alone is worthy—worthy because He took upon Himself the judgment for our sin, opening the way for us to live in this age of grace. We are reminded that our mission is urgent: to share the gospel and bring as many as possible into the saving knowledge of Christ before the coming judgment. The heart of our time together centered on spiritual hunger—how easily it can be lost, even by the most committed, and how desperately we need to get it back.

Drawing from the story of Elisha and the lost axe head in 2 Kings 6, we explored the metaphor of losing our spiritual edge. Elisha’s double portion anointing was not accidental; it was the result of burning his plow—leaving behind the “good life” for the greater life God had for him. Many of us settle for comfort, routine, and the pursuit of the American dream, but these can dull our hunger for God. God calls us to acts of spiritual arson, burning anything that stands in the way of deeper intimacy with Him.

We also saw that losing spiritual hunger is not just a problem for the casual or half-hearted. Even those deeply involved in ministry, like the sons of the prophets, can lose their edge. The key is to recognize when our hunger is waning and to take intentional steps to recover it. This involves dying daily to self—crucifying the flesh and its desires so that the life of Christ can rise in us. What goes down in surrender must come up in resurrection power.

To rekindle our hunger, we must return to the basics: a high regard for God’s Word, a deep commitment to His house, and honoring what God honors. The Word of God is our daily bread, the church is the place where our faith is stirred, and honor is the oxygen that keeps our spiritual fire burning. When we stray from these foundations, our hunger fades.

Finally, we must be self-aware enough to cry out to God for help, admitting our need and depending on Him to restore what’s been lost. When God restores, He doesn’t just give back what we had—He gives us something new and better. But we must pick it up, commit our way to Him, and use what He’s given us for His glory. In this hour, God is calling His church to a renewed hunger, a purifying holiness, and a boldness to stand with Christ over culture.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Burn the Plow: True spiritual hunger often requires radical surrender. The “good life”—comfort, routine, and personal ambition—can become the enemy of the greater life God has for us. We must be willing to burn anything that stands in the way of deeper intimacy with God, even if it’s good in the world’s eyes, so that our hunger for Him surpasses all else. [11:29]
• 2. Die Daily to Self: Spiritual vitality is not maintained by self-promotion or striving, but by daily dying to self. When we crucify our flesh and its desires, we make room for the resurrection life of Christ to rise in us. This daily surrender is the secret to seeing God’s power, wisdom, and joy increase in every area of our lives. [17:28]
• 3. Return to First Works: When spiritual hunger fades, the way back is to do what we did at first—immerse ourselves in God’s Word, prioritize gathering with His people, and honor what He honors. These foundational practices are not mere rituals; they are the means by which our hunger is fed and our spiritual edge is kept sharp. [20:54]
• 4. Cultivate Self-Awareness and Humility: Losing our hunger can happen to anyone, even the most committed. The difference is in recognizing it and crying out to God for help. Pride blinds us to our need, but humility opens the door for God to restore and even improve what was lost, making us sharper and more effective for His purposes. [36:51]
• 5. Pick It Up and Commit Your Way: When God restores what’s been lost, He expects us to act. Restoration is not just for our enjoyment, but for God’s glory and the advancement of His kingdom. We must pick up what God has renewed in us—our passion, our calling, our influence—and use it boldly, committing our way to Him so He can establish our plans. [42:23]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:27] - The Worthiness of Jesus and the Age of Grace
• [01:42] - Hunger Conference and 21 Days of Prayer
• [02:59] - The Power of the Anointing Over Human Ability
• [03:29] - Declaration Over the Church and Reading 2 Kings 6
• [05:16] - The Importance of Spiritual Hunger
• [07:10] - Elisha’s Double Portion and Burning the Plow
• [08:44] - The Good Life vs. The Greater Life
• [11:29] - Acts of Spiritual Arson: Removing Hindrances
• [15:04] - Losing Your Spiritual Edge: Not Just for the Casual
• [17:28] - Dying Daily: The Principle of Resurrection
• [19:39] - Returning to First Works: Word, House, and Honor
• [26:25] - The House of God and Spiritual Flourishing
• [32:20] - Honoring What God Honors
• [36:51] - Self-Awareness and Crying Out for Help
• [39:56] - God’s Restoration: New and Better
• [42:23] - Pick It Up: Committing Your Way to the Lord
• [45:21] - A Call to Holiness and Renewed Hunger

Bible Reading

2 Kings 6:1-7 (ESV) — Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

Observation Questions

1. In the story from 2 Kings 6, what problem did the sons of the prophets face, and how did Elisha respond to their request for help? [04:13]
2. What did Elisha do to recover the lost axe head, and what was unusual about this miracle? [04:54]
3. According to the sermon, what does the “axe head” represent in our spiritual lives? [15:04]
4. What actions did Elisha take before receiving his double portion anointing, and why were they significant? [11:16]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon describes “burning the plow” as a metaphor for radical surrender. Why is it sometimes necessary to let go of “good” things in order to pursue God’s greater purpose? [11:29]
2. The preacher says that even committed believers can lose their spiritual hunger. What are some signs that someone’s spiritual hunger is fading, according to the message? [15:34]
3. The principle “what goes down must come up” is repeated in the sermon. How does this principle relate to dying to self and experiencing resurrection life in Christ? [17:28]
4. The message emphasizes returning to “first works” like reading God’s Word, gathering with believers, and honoring what God honors. Why are these practices essential for maintaining spiritual hunger? [20:54]

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to “burn the plow”—to surrender anything that stands in the way of deeper intimacy with God. Is there something in your life (a comfort, habit, or ambition) that you sense God might be asking you to lay down? What would it look like to surrender it? [11:29]
2. The preacher says that spiritual hunger can fade even for those deeply involved in ministry or church life. Have you ever noticed your own hunger for God decreasing, even while staying busy with spiritual activities? What contributed to that, and how did you respond? [15:34]
3. Dying daily to self is described as the key to seeing God’s power and joy increase. What is one area where you struggle to “die to self”? What practical step could you take this week to surrender that area to God? [17:28]
4. The message calls us to return to the basics: God’s Word, God’s house, and honoring what God honors. Which of these three do you find most challenging to prioritize right now, and why? What is one change you could make to strengthen this area? [20:54]
5. The sermon says that humility and self-awareness are needed to cry out to God for help when we’ve lost our spiritual edge. When was the last time you honestly admitted your need to God? What keeps you from doing this more often? [36:51]
6. When God restores what’s been lost, He expects us to “pick it up” and use it for His glory. Is there a gift, passion, or calling that God has renewed in you recently? How can you actively use it to serve others or advance God’s kingdom? [42:23]
7. The preacher ends with a call to renewed hunger, holiness, and boldness. What is one specific way you can stand with Christ over culture this week, even if it’s uncomfortable? [45:21]