When Your Heart Grows Cold: How to Restore Your Love for Christ | Jonny Ardavanis
- Views
- 41,948
- Likes
- 1,347
- Length
- 33:47
- Published
- Category
- People & Blogs
Have you been serving, staying doctrinally sound, and doing all the “right” Christian things—but feel your love for Jesus growing cold? In Revelation 2, Jesus praises the church in Ephesus for their diligence, discernment, and perseverance, but then gives a sobering rebuke: “You have left your first love.”
This episode is sponsored by The Master's University. To learn more about how you can invest in a college education devoted to Christ & Scripture, visit: https://www.masters.edu
This episode is also brought to you by our ministry partner Accountable2You. To join thousands living in Freedom with nothing to hide visit https://accountable2you.com/dialin.
**Use our unique code: DIALIN to get 25% off your first year of an Accountable2You Personal or Family Plan**
In this episode, we unpack what it means to leave your first love (not in sequence, but in prominence) and why a cold, apathetic heart is spiritually dangerous—even if your life looks strong on the surface. Using the Challenger space shuttle tragedy as an illustration of a “missing critical piece,” we look at Christ’s clear prescription for spiritual apathy:
✅ Remember where you’ve fallen (preach the gospel to yourself)
✅ Repent (this is a heart issue, not just burnout)
✅ Return to “the deeds you did at first”
We also discuss what those “first deeds” can look like: renewed hunger for God’s Word, fervent prayer, love for God’s people, evangelistic zeal, and honest confession—not just going through the motions.
If you’ve been asking:
• “Why don’t I love Jesus like I used to?”
• “How do I overcome spiritual dryness?”
• “What does Revelation 2 teach the church today?”…this conversation is for you.
Scripture: Revelation 2:1–7
#Revelation2 #FirstLove #SpiritualApathy #ChristianGrowth #ChurchofEphesus #LoveJesus #BibleTeaching #SpiritualDryness #ReturnToGod #GospelReminder #DoctrineAndDevotion
This episode is sponsored by The Master's University. To learn more about how you can invest in a college education devoted to Christ & Scripture, visit: https://www.masters.edu
This episode is also brought to you by our ministry partner Accountable2You. To join thousands living in Freedom with nothing to hide visit https://accountable2you.com/dialin.
**Use our unique code: DIALIN to get 25% off your first year of an Accountable2You Personal or Family Plan**
In this episode, we unpack what it means to leave your first love (not in sequence, but in prominence) and why a cold, apathetic heart is spiritually dangerous—even if your life looks strong on the surface. Using the Challenger space shuttle tragedy as an illustration of a “missing critical piece,” we look at Christ’s clear prescription for spiritual apathy:
✅ Remember where you’ve fallen (preach the gospel to yourself)
✅ Repent (this is a heart issue, not just burnout)
✅ Return to “the deeds you did at first”
We also discuss what those “first deeds” can look like: renewed hunger for God’s Word, fervent prayer, love for God’s people, evangelistic zeal, and honest confession—not just going through the motions.
If you’ve been asking:
• “Why don’t I love Jesus like I used to?”
• “How do I overcome spiritual dryness?”
• “What does Revelation 2 teach the church today?”…this conversation is for you.
Scripture: Revelation 2:1–7
#Revelation2 #FirstLove #SpiritualApathy #ChristianGrowth #ChurchofEphesus #LoveJesus #BibleTeaching #SpiritualDryness #ReturnToGod #GospelReminder #DoctrineAndDevotion
@lastime77
That’s so true. Heavy doctrine, low in affection and action. Low doctrine and heavy action and affection. This is what my friends and I experienced who have left unbiblical churches. It is a bit shocking to see so little affection in a “biblically sound church”.
46 likes
@nix6959
Truth + lovingkindness. Both are necessary 🙌 We musn't remain ignorant or naive in our understanding of the word of God, as we should strive towards maturity in Christ. We also must not become puffed up by knowledge, remaining humble since God has revealed all these truths to us 🙏
7 likes
@JOSEEMMANUELPDL87878
REPENT AND BELIEVE GOD BLESS US ALL FELLOW REFORM CHRISTIANS
1 likes
@jasong9774
Johnny is rare among his peers. The cold, compassionless treatment of God reflects in the same towards people, our neighbors.
2 likes
@patrickbrowne4606
“The one who loves God will be known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:3.
3 likes
@gese03
Who would've thought.. Im an ambassador for Christ and a fan of this show and you guys are covering elements from my job lol. Wild.
10 likes
@connihudson1578
Repent, remember, repeat..the 3 R's.
5 likes
@BryanBrainer
The Cure for a cold heart is the Love of the Cross and the Cross alone is what cures every cold heart. When our hearts go cold it is because of disobedience to the law of Faith. A heart will go cold when it goes on and on without denying themselves daily and allowing the Holy Spirit to control them. It is easy to go through the motions and slip back into the flesh. Getting wrapped up in works demands alot less of us then denying onces self and living as a living sacrifice of obedience. Religion asks alot of us but requires alot less. The divine law of faith asks very little of us (simple faith and trust) but requires everything! A cold heart does not happen over night, it happens a little each day as one refuses to deny themselves and pick up their Cross. Religion, works, and staying busy is alot easier then self denial. The day a Christian wakes up and refuses to completly deny themselves is the day they start to backslide. I read something interesting about "backsliding" it does not mean to move backwards but it is when a shepherd is trying to move an animal and it slides back on its back feet and refuses to move forward . As Christians we can refuse to move forward by Faith in Christ because we are afraid of what He might ask us to give up but remember saints! His way is always better. It is better just to let go now of whatever we are holding onto and to let go and take another step forward by faith with Jesus! This is why it is important to keep our faith exclusivley in Christ and Him Crucified and not be decieved by other false teachings that have us focus on our works and not our Faith in Christs Finished Work. Living in the flesh lets us look religious but hold on to our sin....Living in the Spirit allows the Holy Spirit to remove the sin in our life! Becoming more Christ like should be our First goal before any ministry or anything we can do for God .The moment we are born again is the moment the Holy Spirit moved into start bringing us into Christ likeness and He is more comitted to see it through than we are. I pray that someone reads this and is able to repent and go back to Christ and trust Him again! He is patient, gentle, and kind and will meet your wherever you stopped following Him and start leading you again!
4 likes
@raymondchibuikemokoroafor8362
Please pray for me to love Him by His grace
2 likes
@joshuatree28
I set my affection aside because of hardship in life. I did trust but found that my heart felt tired from issue after issue in life. Worn down. I am trying to get that back, now, but it is hard.
12 likes
@CHOLUMJudith
WOW. I have been blessed indeed. God bless you sirs.
@hannagidlof9869
I find this so difficult. I’m struggling with bitterness as a sin, and I feel like I’ve fallen away from God. Everything feels distant, and I’m afraid I’ll become like my parents—passive toward God, continuing to go to church simply because it’s become a habit rather than an active choice.
I read the Bible out of a sense of duty, and when I pray to be freed from the bitterness I feel toward someone close to me, my prayers feel empty. I keep thinking about the parable of the seed sown on different kinds of soil. It feels as though my faith is being choked by worldly troubles and bitterness, yet I don’t seem able to pull myself out of it.
From that parable, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to be done. If the soil is bad, no tree will grow—the seed simply dies. That’s exactly how I feel right now. My first faith is dead, and all that’s left is a tiny, withered plant that no longer receives nourishment, only waiting to slowly die. The little bit of green still remaining is merely a remnant of the time when it could still draw water from the ground. The source is gone.
I don’t know what to do. The Bible says that we should work out our salvation, yet at the same time salvation is a gift from God. And it also says that God works in us both to will and to act according to His good purpose. So what am I supposed to do? Should I keep striving in prayer even though my prayers feel flat and empty? My old way of life is beginning to return.
Good God, please give me both the desire and the ability to live the life You want for me, and breathe new life into my faith.
2 likes
@TAdler-ex8px
I watched this event in class. Our entire school was watching this and I can still in my memories, see the faces of my piers crying and completely stunned.
3 likes
@DylanRoman-d9b
Thank you for this, you guys. I really needed it. God bless your ministry.
2 likes
@cws03
What if I can’t remember my life “what I did at first”
3 likes
@BobbiMac08
I needed to hear this. My heart has grown cold. About 3 years ago, through an experience my husband had, he got sucked into the false teachings of the "deliverance ministers,"NAR and WOF. Several of us have been able to get him to step back from the "deliverance" stuff, but he still believes Christians can be demon possessed. 😢Our church, while biblically sound in the sermons, sings Bethel, Elevation and Hillsong music. I tried to bring it up to our pastor, but he doesn't care. I know of at least one new Christian who was led to the false teachings of Elevation because of the music. I want to leave our church for one that doesn't promote Bethel, etc. But my husband won't leave. I now just stand and try to pray through the worship portion of our services. The joy I used to have for worship and praise while singing is gone. ETA: my husband has also gone into the charismatic. He believes God has spoken to him audibly, he has dreams and visions, and that God has physically touched him, giving him feelings of electricity through his body. No one around me has dealt with anything like this, including our pastor(I've already spoken to him and he had no advice for me.) Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Please pray for us.
11 likes
@m3_gift
Remember the gospel ❤
2 likes
@christ-centered-life7
My church literally just went over this exact same text on Sunday! The letters to the churches in Revelation are powerful.
2 likes
@hilinakassaye8643
Johnny, its green. 😂blessings to you both
34 likes
@thebiblechick
Fantastic message. Going through postpartum I’ve definitely found myself feeling like this for the last month. Needed this!
4 likes