Keep The Fire Burning

"Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil."
                                                                                                                        (Isaiah 33:14:14-15)




Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). We are called to dwell within that fire with hearts that are ablaze through the receiving and giving of a holy love in Christ. Moses was the first example of one who was called to abide within the divine nature of God found at the top of Mount Sinai. We are told that "the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on top of the mountain" (Exodus 24:17).

It is love that compels us to burn with fire for God. It is not within our human nature for this to occur but the Holy Spirit within us continually calls us to the flame of Christ. Communing with a holy God requires that certain aspects of our thinking and our lives need to be burned up by God's divine fire. This fire is a perfect blend of both God's love and His righteousness.

We become like God when we walk in the balance of love and righteousness. When the love of God burns passionately in our hearts we will bear the fruit of holiness. Conduct will follow character and character will follow love.

One disclaimer: when we walk in true devotion and carry the fire of Christ our faith will certainly be tested. God allows this testing to bring out the best in us, but Satan tempts us in order to bring out the worst in us. At times, our lives can feel like we are the rope in the middle of an intense game of tug of war.

The key to victory is the side of the rope on which we focus. If we focus on the difficulties, challenges, and set-backs, it is easy for our fire to be quenched. But, if we focus on what God is doing and on the victories, as well as the sweetness of our relationship with Jesus, our fire will burn brighter and brighter.

Focusing on the good is what Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy instruct us to do. They write, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22).

If you notice, the above verses emphasize consistency in our walk. They use the words "always" and "without ceasing" and "everything". Consistency in our walk means we learn to forsake: grumbling, useless regrets, and complacency. We develop meaningful righteous routines because we confidently understand who we are in Christ.

According to Merriam-Webster, the word consistent means "possessing firmness or coherence; marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity: free from variation or contradiction; showing steady conformity to character, profession, belief, or custom; tending to be arbitrarily close to the true value of the parameter estimated". If we do not develop consistency in our walk with Christ, we will never witness the miraculous that He desires to pour out upon us. And, the absence of seeing God move in our behalf predisposes us to discouragement, because in our hearts, we've always known we were destined for more.

Stoking the fire in our lives requires commitment and effort. An analogy is as follows: In the year of 1741, Benjamin Franklin developed the first wood-burning stove, called the Franklin stove. It was a metal-lined fireplace which had a hollow baffle in the rear to transfer more heat into the air. This provided warmth throughout the whole house with less smoke than an ordinary fireplace.

Subsequently, other wood-burning stoves were produced to improve the efficacy, but there are commonalities to all of them from which we can glean valuable insight. The most important aspect is that they all require continual attention and effort. Wood has to be chopped and stacked and loaded into the furnace. Someone has to be available at all times to supervise, maintain, and fill them several times a day and even during the night. Safety precautions are taken continuously, such as utilizing carbon monoxide detectors.

The same is true for the fire that God places within us. Constant effort is required. We fan the flames of passion through: worship, prayer, fellowship, and studying God's Word. We have been gifted with a rare and precious commodity that requires that we value it and guard it above all other things in our lives.

This is especially true when we find ourselves right smack dab in the middle of trials, tensions, and turmoil. This is the time we have to step up our game and intentionally seek out godly counsel and reinforcement. This comes in the form of godly servants who worship God both in Spirit and in truth.

There is so much in the world and through the enemy of our souls that want to snuff out the flame inside of us. It can come boldly knocking on the door or insidiously weaving its wicked head through unsuspecting means (or people). Either way, it must be obliterated and not tolerated for even one second!

God is good and He is faithful. He is never more pleased than with a passionate people engaged in a true Kingdom mindset. Regarding the angels, who are also created beings, God said, "He makes His angels winds, and His servants a flame of fire" (Hebrews 1:7). Regarding man, God sent tongues of fire that appeared to them and settled upon each one of them (Acts 2:3). God has given us everything we need to be on fire for Him; it is diligence and consistency that will keep the fire burning in our lives!


"In the midst of the living creatures there was what looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright and out of the fire went forth lightening."
                                                          Ezekiel 1:13

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