The church in Sardis was warned, “Strengthen what remains and is about to die.” They had started but had not finished. They had begun in faith but were drifting toward failure.

It is like a student who turns in half a paper or a builder who leaves a house with only the frame standing. From a distance, it looks like progress. Up close, it is obvious that the work is incomplete. Sardis had the shell of faith but not the substance.

Spiritual sleep is dangerous.

Spiritual sleep is dangerous. A person can still attend church, still sing songs, still pray words and yet be asleep at the wheel. The motions continue, but the heart is disengaged. Jesus calls His people to wake up before the life drains out.

Wake up.

Overcomers do not sleepwalk through the Christian life. They run the race with eyes wide open. They listen for God’s voice. They respond to His conviction. They keep building until the work is complete. Christ is coming. The time for coasting is over. Wake up. Strengthen what remains. Finish the work so that when He returns, He finds faith that is alive and active.

Check out more from Dr. Tony Evans @tonyevans.org

About The Author

Dr. Tony Evans

Dr. Tony Evans is one of the country’s most respected leaders in evangelical circles. As a pastor, teacher, author and speaker, he serves the body of Christ through his unique ability to communicate complex theological truths through simple, yet profound, illustrations. While addressing the practical issues of today, Dr. Evans is known as a relevant expositor. New and veteran pastors alike regard him as a pastor of pastors and a father in the faith.


At the heart of this vision is the use of church and school partnerships to effect spiritual and social change in communities. Dr. Evans’ church and school outreach philosophy has been attributed as a catalyst for former President George W. Bush’s Faith Based Initiative, which was his first formal act of office. Dr. Evans seeks to train churches, schools and volunteers in this philosophy, as well as in the functional practicalities, through the National Church Adopt-A-School Initiative which is a ministry underneath the umbrella of The Urban Alternative.


Dr. Evans serves as president of The Urban Alternative, a national ministry that seeks to restore hope and transform lives through the proclamation and the application of the Word of God. His daily radio broadcast, The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, can be heard on more than 850 radio outlets throughout the United States and in more than 80 countries.


Dr. Evans has written numerous books and booklets including his legacy work, Oneness Embraced, as well as his vision work, The Kingdom Agenda. Some of his most recent books includes, Kingdom Man, A Moment For Your Soul, Marriage Matters, and Victory in Spiritual Warfare.



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