The Fire of God: Perks of the Fire
The Fire of God: Perks of the Fire
Scripture: Psalm 103:1-5
Major Matthew Riley
Administrator
Atlanta Adult Rehabilitation Center
We have been speaking about coming into the presence of Yahweh. Let’s sum up these messages by speaking on the blessings that come our way by coming into the fiery presence of Yahweh and allowing Him to dwell in us, allowing His fire to purge us and refine us.
We have stressed the need to experience the presence of Yahweh. It’s not enough to just know Yahweh intellectually. Moses knew about Yahweh, but it wasn’t until the fire in the bush that he experienced Yahweh’s presence.
The consequences of experiencing Yahweh in His fiery presence has a powerful effect on our life. The perks are beyond our full comprehension.
The Fire is a Deterrent from Evil
Our hearts are desperately wicked! We are prone to wander! Whatever we allow to influence us is the direction our lives will take. If our lives are undisciplined, we will go the wrong way.
Why do many who claim to be men and women of God, after so many years of following Him, find themselves so far away from Him? They have been influenced by something other than the fiery presence of Yahweh!
The Fire Creates in our Hearts a Holy Fear
Fear is a motive for much of our conduct. Fear causes us to do or not do certain things. How does this affect the born-again man and woman? When we come into Yahweh’s presence, we have a sense of awe and fear, which helps us make proper decisions of who and what we allow in our lives.
Most individuals run on bad habits and allow pressure to guide them rather than the fiery presence of Yahweh. In fact, because some don’t believe in Yahweh, they don’t fear Him at all and live reckless lives. A thief will not steal in the presence of a policeman. The awe and fear of Yahweh is a deterrent to the evil in our lives and in this world.
The Fire Discourages Idleness and Laziness
When the fire is in our lives, we put away idleness and follow Yahweh. We become stirred in our spirit to live for Him. Idleness and laziness are issues in the church today. They leave room for evil and are a result of not coming into the presence of Yahweh. They weaken and corrupt our souls. Our souls should be on fire and that will cause us to be about our Father’s business – winning souls for the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said we are to bear fruit in John 15, and in verse 16 that we were chosen, appointed, to go bear fruit. Jesus is looking for fruit in our lives. The fruit we are to bear is the fruit of the Spirit “... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control …” (Galatians 5:22-23). This is the fruit we should be bearing, and we can only bear it in Him. (Hosea 4:8). We cannot put off doing the ministry and bearing fruit. It is imperative for the day of the Lord is drawing near.
Fire is a Cure for Carelessness
“But the little foxes spoil the vine “(Song of Solomon 42:15). What are these little foxes, these sins of the spirit? There are three kinds: there are the wrong things we think, the wrong things we say, and the wrong things we do in the areas of our time, our money, our talk, and our conduct.
We need to make sure we take care of the details of our walk with the Lord. Staying focused on our relationship with Yahweh – our prayer life, Bible reading, worship, and ministry. When we get careless with the details in these areas, we begin a slippery slope that leads to spiritual lethargy - rendering us unconscious of the importance of the hour - and ends in a backslidden condition. Carelessness can be dealt with only by experiencing the fire of Yahweh.
Fire is a Source of Great Courage
If ever we needed courage, it is today. All the world is against us, and we need to stand. Stand with the full armor on, with the angels of heaven ready to aid us, with a hedge of protection about us. Yahweh’s presence creates courage in us. Whatever Yahweh calls us to do He is with us; He is in us working through us. He has equipped us for every good work. If God be for us – who can be against us? We need to be strong and courageous, not fearful, nor dismayed, Yahweh is with us!
The Fire Redeems our Labor
No matter what we are doing for the Kingdom – a missionary, social worker, visiting the sick or those in prison or winning the lost - the results all depend on Yahweh. Some plant, others water, but Yahweh adds the increase – He will bless our work if we do it unto Him. Yahweh equips all those He has called to do His bidding, but the end result of our work is up to Him.
Fire Enhances our
Prayer Life and our Worship
The absence of the fire of Yahweh paralyzes, chills, dampens, kills and puts out the fire of our prayer lives and worship. The fire ignites a vibrancy and an urgency. It ignites life –believe Yahweh is and come to Him. Believe He hears and will answer. “For whatever you ask in My name, I will do it.” It’s this prayer life that lights a fire to worship. Yahweh is a spirit, and we worship in spirit and truth. If we do it in our own strength it is for naught. Worship by the power of the Holy Ghost. When we do this His fire burns in our hearts, worship rises above our expectations, taking over and unashamed, expresses love and gratitude and enters His presence as a sweet-smelling aroma.
Any worship time that doesn’t magnify the presence of Yahweh is not acceptable to Him. If our worship is not filled with the fire of Yahweh’s presence it is not acceptable. The fire of Yahweh’s presence is not something we talk about; it is rather something we experience. When we experience Yahweh’s presence, our life takes on a dimension that we never had before. We begin to be used by Him. Things we fought before – fall away! Things we chased before – disappear! We have a new focus – the fire of Yahweh’s presence!
There are far more perks to living in the fire of Yahweh’s presence, but don’t live there for the perks. Live there because you love Yahweh! Live there because there is no other place to live where you are welcomed just as you are. Draw near to Yahweh and He will draw near to you.
Our Corporate Prayer
O dear righteous God, let me burn for You! I pray that through Your Holy Spirit, Your fire would cleanse and purify me of anything that is contrary to what You want in my life. I pray that You would be aflame in me so that I would burn bright as Your witness in a world that is too dark, too cold, too indifferent to You. Let those who are lost be drawn to the fire in me, not so they will praise me but see You! And when they come near, let me speak of You, the only hope of the world, the only hope for their lives. May they catch the fire of Your Spirit and spread that fire to others until the revival fires kindle across our neighborhoods, our cities and our country. Let me burn for You, blessed God. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Our Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Middle East Region
Thinking It Through
What might happen if the people of God caught fire?
Notable Quotables
"You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there's a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it." - Leonard Ravenhill
CeCe Winans shares a prayer in song, "Fire, Fall on Us."
We would appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions on how to improve these devotionals. Please email comments to: SpiritualLifeDevelopment@uss.salvationarmy.org or by going to our website: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/uss/spiritual-life-development.
We would love to hear from you.
Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee
Territorial Spiritual Life Development Officer/THQ Chaplain
USA Southern Territory