FLAME OF FIRE

By Jemima Rayan

Where is the church that once received the 'flame of fire'? ( Acts 2:4,5) We are living in the end times. Our children need more than just religion and entertainment. We are seeing the cult groups and the psychics offering spiritual help. This is a wake up call for the people of God.

Campers keep the fire burning to keep the wild animals away. Fire scares the enemy. John the Baptist said in Mat 3:11...Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and 'fire'. His fire is an unquenchable fire (Matt 3:12) Do you have this fire in your life?

What does the Fire do?

1. The 'fire of the Lord ' protects :

A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about (Ps 97:3) The Lord has His fire ready to burn the works of the enemy in your life.... The Lord looked down the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire. (Ex 14:24) The Egyptians were against the people of Israel. But God was with the children of Israel. If God be for us who can be against us? (Rom 8:31). Zac 2:5 declares 'For I, says the Lord,' will be a wall of fire all around Jerusalem and I will be the glory in her midst. What greater protection do you need if the Lord Himself will be a 'wall of fire' around you?

2. The 'Fire of the Lord' purges:

When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of 'burning' (Is 4:4) A goldsmith puts the gold in the fire to remove the impurities from the metal. Job says in Job 23:10...When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. God wants you clean from inside out. He wants to remove every spot and wrinkle from your life. Have you allowed the ' fire of the Lord' to purge you?

3. The 'Fire of the Lord' brings the presence of God:

How much we need the presence of God in our lives! God said to Moses, in Ex 33:14 "My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest". The pillar of fire went before the children of Israel (Ex 13:21). ' Fire of God' is the manifest presence of God. What is your assurance? The Lord says in Is 45:2, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron". Do you see something crooked in your life that needs to be straightened out, then dear child of God, you need the Fire of God in your life.

4. The 'Fire of the Lord' brings the power of God:

Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ several times. But when the fire fell in the form of cloven tongues on the day of Pentecost, the same Peter became the preacher and three thousand men were added to the congregation. Acts 4:33 says.... With 'great power', the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Not only that, when this Peter walked the streets of Jerusalem, the people brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities of Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by the unclean spirits, and they were all healed (Acts 5:15,16). If God can do this to Peter why not for you? Begin to ask for a fresh fire upon your life.

But this fire falls only on the sacrifice. God cannot send the fire unless He sees the sacrifice. Have you presented your bodies as living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God? 2 Chro 7:1 says ,When Solomon had finished praying, 'fire' came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Fire is the answer to prayer. God said in Lev 6:12, ...the fire on the altar shall be kept burning. God wants the fire to be burning in the altar. Does God see a sacrifice in the altar so that He can send His fire?

Let the Lord send His fire upon you in Jesus name. Amen.