As Pastor David has been taking us through this series on the Holy Spirit, I have often been led to the idea of fire. This past Sunday and the one to come are no exception. I thought that their serving as bookends for the July 4th holiday it might be appropriate to speak into the work of the fire of God in the life of the believer. As anyone who has been aware of the process of sanctification can attest: fire works.
Oh, the work that fire does. The same fire works different way depending on your proximity to it. The fire is “unchanging” if you will, but works to change the area around it in various ways. Fire works in these ways which have significant spiritual corollaries: lighting, warming, and purifying.
The first thing that comes to mind for me is that fire lights. Wherever there is fire the darkness has to flee. I built with my boys while camping a couple of weeks ago. It was dark all around except near the fire. What things does the Spirit of God want to illumine in your life? Maybe there are places where darkness dwells, or maybe there is something that you have stuffed that He wants to remind you of so that you can deal with it.
This brings us to the next thing fire does, it warms. Have you ever been really cold, like to the bone, and drew close to a fire? The degree of heat, just like light, depends on your proximity. What does the Spirit want to warm in you? Maybe your heart has grown cold with disappointment or discouragement. Draw near to the fire of God, and let Him do His work in you, reviving you. Remember, you can warm up quickly if you get close enough.
If you get close enough you will experience get another thing that fire does, it purifies. For something that will not catch fire, flames have a way of separating the different parts. Think gold being refined. The “other” materials separate from the gold, purifying it. What does the Holy Spirit want to purify in you? Maybe some things are apart of your passions and desires that keep you from loving God with your whole heart. Let God’s refining fire make you holy, set apart for Him, ready to His will.
May the Fire of God work in you these days, and always.
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
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