Anyone who has started a fire in a fireplace or fire ring knows the stages that a fire will go through. It will start with a spark and then grow to a large flame. It will generate more and more heat. But eventually, it will start to subside, and the flames will recede into heated embers.
When a fire shrinks, it will generate less heat and less light. Though it is still there, it has lost the glory that it once had. It is here where we must add more wood to the fire and then stoke the fire to ignite the flames and bring back the heat, the light, and the glory it once had.
Child of God, we are that fire. We may be in the early stages, still with only a spark and a hope for the flame to grow larger. Or we may be at full tilt, on fire for God and burning hot within. But for many of us, we have subsided in our flames, and we need to be stoked once again.
You cannot grow in your faith and remain as you are. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV).
Timid soul, do not fear, do not shy away, but let that person who God has sent your way reach in and stoke that fire in you. We all need to have this done, and we should never be ashamed to admit it. No sir, no ma’am, we should seek this stoking out that our fire for God would burn brightly.
Nobody filled with the Holy Spirit is excused from being convicted of the Holy Spirit. The greater the filling, the greater the conviction. Jesus taught, “He [the Holy Spirit] will come to convict the world of sin, to show the world what has God’s approval, and to convince the world that God judges it” (John 16:8 NOG).
When your fire burns bright, then it will expose what does not belong in your life. Your eyes can only be enlightened with greater light. If we want to see the truth, we must have the light that can reveal it. Get your fire stoked more so that you can see with greater clarity.
We wouldn’t know we were in darkness unless there was light to show us. “And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (John 3:19-21 NLT).
When your fire burns hot, it will remove what does not belong in your life. Holy fire will only destroy that which is not holy and preserve that which is precious to God. See to it that your fire gets stoked hotter and hotter so that your life will be pure before God.
There are no compromises in a consecrated life. “For I am Yahweh your God, so you must consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy…” (Leviticus 11:44 HCSB).
If you want to preach fire, then you need to be the fire that your words will be anointed from heaven. If we want to spark a flame in others, then we must first have that flame burning in us. The hotter the fire, the more power it has to spark a flame in others.
You need to live higher than you preach, not the other way around. “In all things you yourself must be an example of good behavior. Be sincere and serious in your teaching” (Titus 2:7 GNT).
The fire in you is not by your doing but by your surrender to God. You are the wood, and He is the flame, and we can only rest in His presence and watch Him burn. Let the fire from heaven burn brightly in your life, and you’ll be a blessing to God’s kingdom.
Imagine your life surrendered to God. “Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes” (Romans 6:12-13 GNT).
Precious child of God, get your fire stoked today. Seek out that man or woman of God who can speak into your life right now. Prepare yourself to be changed into all that God has purposed for your life. Be ready to be used by God for His purposes.
Everybody needs somebody, so be that somebody to someone else. “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up! Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NASB).
Blessings to you always,
Paul Balius
Thank you, Paul, sir, and saint, for this incendiary post excellently extolling the holy Fire of Shulamite desire. Burning blessings of Jesus’ Beauty blaze in our being and flaming blessings of loving affection from His holy heart as the consuming Fire, the Lord of history, and the King of heaven, torching others with the transcendent Truth Whom He also infinitely is.
Thank you so much my Brother! We are so blessed when we can stoke the fire in another and when they stoke a fire in us. This is God’s design, that His children would help each other and lift each other up. Thank you for all that you do for me!
Charlene, darling of Jesus and of heaven, burning blessings of Jesus’ beauty in your being and intimate blessings of loving affection from His holy heart as Lord of our personal histories and King of kindness. In the Spirit I pray the heart of our Father and the mind of His Christ for you and your family. About one hour I was reading and meditating on 1 Corinthians 13 AMP as follows:
1 Corinthians 13
Amplified Bible
The Excellence of Love
13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3 If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. 10 But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. 13 And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
Footnotes
1 Corinthians 13:1 I.e. a profound thoughtfulness and unselfish concern for other believers regardless of their circumstances or station in life.
1 Corinthians 13:3 Early mss read so that I may boast, i.e. as a martyr.
Thank you…thank you! This is like precious oil to me right now. I feel desperate and discouraged and face insurmountable problems within my family. God spoke very clearly to me one morning as soon as I opened my eyes. The message was simple…”Love never fails”. The answer in even how to stay in that place of love and not allow emotions to lead me is to draw closer and closer to God. He must be my fire and my fuel and the very passion that fills my being. God is love and He never fails.
Prayers for you, that our God would be with you and help you with everything that is before you. We have a Mighty God and He is able to do so much more than we can even imagine. I’m praying for your miracle.