Revelation 3:17
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The church of Laodicea became lukewarm because of one mindset: they felt they had need of nothing. Their offerings were good. Their buildings were magnificent. Their past was a great testament to what God had done through them. However, they became lukewarm because of the mindset that they had no more to conquer and needed nothing. The mindset that they needed nothing and had no more to conquer led them to a wretched state with God and a despondent mentality.
The mindset that you have need of nothing and have no need to conquer new heights has destroyed many churches and believers alike. There are many churches that have beautiful buildings and may even have those buildings filled, but they lost the mindset to conquer, and that has killed them. The “have need of nothing” mindset is dangerous and sinful. Let me share how sinful and dangerous this mindset is.
First, it is sinful because it is a mindset of pride. The fact that you think you are “it” and that there are no more heights to conquer is a mindset that only comes by pride. This mindset happens because you are looking at yourself and what you have done instead of looking at God and what He wants you to do. This mindset comes because you are comparing yourself to others and think you are much better than them because of what you have and because of what you have done in the past is much greater than what others have done. Pride always takes you to the mindset that you have need of nothing, but it robs you of getting closer to God and conquering new heights for God.
Second, it is dangerous because it is leading you to despondency. God made everyone to conquer; therefore, not to conquer because you feel you have conquered all will always lead you to an unhappy life. We are happiest when we are conquering new heights. We are happiest when we have conquered another sin, conquered a new attendance high, or conquered another project. Many believers have become disgruntled with their church because their church does not conquer anything new. Many believers become dissatisfied, discontented, and critical because they have stopped conquering while everyone else around them is conquering. The mindset of having need of nothing is dangerous and fatal to your walk with Christ.
If you are to conquer this mindset, you must stop looking at what you have or what you have done and look at how much further you need to go. You cannot look backward and have a faith-forward mindset at the same time. If you always look forward at what you have yet to conquer, you will always have greater goals and new heights you desire to achieve, which will keep your heart passionate for God.
Moreover, you must always set new projects if you are to keep yourself from a lukewarm heart. When you have no projects to attempt and no new goals of great heights to achieve is when you acquire the mindset that you have need of nothing. Let me ask, what are you trying to achieve for Christ now? What new goals or new heights are you trying to conquer for your ministry now? You must always push yourself to do more for God because when you stop is when you feel you have need of nothing and your heart becomes lukewarm.