I had the pleasure to hear Reverend Betty Ann McMillen, who recently spoke at Reflections of Christ Church about the Fire of God. Rev. McMillen told us how God’s fire will change us and how He wants the fire of Himself in us (the church). The fire is His presence and His presence in us.
This opened up many questions in me as to why, even though I have the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of tongues, I am not seeing the fruit of that fire. As the Body of Christ have we let our fire be doused out? Is our light growing dim? Has our candle burned out? Did we refill our oil? Have we let the false light of the world (the look good, feel good, have it all now) take the place of the fire on our altar?
I have pondered on these questions and searched myself and have asked God to increase my anointing.
In Leviticus 6:13 it says, “The fire shall be ever burning upon the altar it shall never go out. And the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it:” The long-burning character of the burnt offering is an appropriate illustration of the work of giving ourselves completely to God.
Coming to God as a living sacrifice is not a quick work and we may feel that we are roasted on the fire for a long time.
The perpetual fire burn on the altar of our hearts? Are we ever looking unto Jesus, and beholding, by faith, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world? Luke 3:16 says, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:” The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of fire. And Jesus said, “I’ve come to bring fire on earth.”
There is no escaping fire. Is the world going to hell fire because the church has lost its Holy Ghost Fire? Wow…now let us all ponder on that! We have tried to organize programs with groups of people and try to start revival in our communities, but that fire starts in each one of us first. God takes individual men. He takes Moses to the backside of the desert. John the Baptist was in the wilderness until the day of his showing forth. Jesus, the Son of God who had left the Glory, spent thirty years in training to minister! We think we spend a few months in Bible School and all of a sudden we think we are a great prophet or …so-oh-sooo…Holy that we can’t be taught anything new. It is not how many meetings you go to. Not how many gifts you have. Not how many sermons you preach. Not how many records or songs you have made or sung. Not how much more you know than the rest of the church…or think you know. It is about time.
How spiritual are you? How much time do you spend alone with God seeking His face, receiving His fire that continually burns in you? How do we keep this fire burning? By His Word, daily in our lives, daily speaking with Him, daily letting Him mould you to who you are in Him.
Now, to answer some of my earlier questions: the reason for this cooling of our fire is the lack of our first love. Love for God, that desire for the bridegroom no more burns in human hearts, and in consequence, love between us is dead, too, for without that excitement and expectation as the church, we can’t show God’s true love.
What is the cause of this darkening of men’s love for God? The answer, certainly, is sin. Sin (the things of the world that steal your time away from God) is the dark cloud, which does not permit God’s light to reach our eyes. The fire of God’s love needs to be fed. It must grow each day, gathering strength in our soul; and a fire is maintained by burning more things (repentance of our sins). The kingdom of God is within you. You will find Him in your heart. Christ should reign first and foremost in our soul. Lets let that Fire of God burn bright and let not the things of the world douse your flames.
I Peter 4:12 says, “Dear Friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.”
I Peter 4:13 “Instead, be very glad because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.”
Article by Pat Duarte