Flame of Fire

Fire can be either destructive or used as an aid in purification and our Creator uses fire not only for judgement, but also for testing.

God has used fire as His instrument since the beginning of time. In Exodus 3, He appeared to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed by fire, instructing him to rescue a million Israelite slaves out of Egypt. In Exodus 13, the God of Abraham led Moses by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night through the mountainous terrain to the Red Sea. The people trusted and relied on the fire for their survival and guidance at night, especially for their safe crossing through the Red Sea which the fire illuminated enough for them to cross safely.

In Daniel 3, God stood WITH Shadrach, Meshack and Adnego and protected them in the fiery furnace. Three were thrown into the furnace tied up, but four men stood unbound inside the flames. When the three of them emerged, not only had they not been singed but they didn’t even small like smoke. Well aware of the fiery furnace penalty, these three faithful servants boldly told King Nebuchadnezzar they would not bow down to his golden idol, completely trusting and believing their God to protect them, which He did. 

Fire in the Bible represents so many facets of God. Here are many:

- An instrument of Divine judgement
- A symbol of the Divine presence and power
- Purification
- A pillar by fire
- Torture by fire
- Spiritual power
- Everlasting fire
- The word of God
- God’s protection
- Destroys the enemy
- The Holy Spirit
- Consuming
- Restoring

In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, we learn that all works of believers will be tested by fire one day.

…Let every builder do his work carefully according to God’s standards. For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ. 

The quality of materials used by anyone building on this foundation will soon be made apparent, whether it has been built with gold, silver, and costly stones, or wood, hay and straw. Their work will soon become evident, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by a blazing fire! And the fire will test and prove the workmanship of each builder. If his work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded. If his work is consumed by the fire, he will suffer great loss…

Our passions tend to fuel the fire within us and can be worldly, spiritual or anywhere in between. But as the Truth declares above, we are to work according to God’s standards in this life because everything else not attached to God will be burned up in the fire. 

Where do our passions lie? Are they fueled by unbelief, denial, drugs, alcohol, gossip, adultery, etc, apart from God? If it is, then that is all the destructive stuff that will be burned up!

Or are they rooted in God’s love, grace and mercy as we yield our lives to His abundant standards for us - that which will stand after the fire has ended?

Loved ones, I encourage you, the fire that burns within us, in this season, is pulling more and more in the direction that you have plotted your course by. 

Each of us has been created with a pilot light, like in a water heater. Once the heater has been installed in the home, the pilot light must be ignited and set to the desired temperature in order to heat the water. Our flames are ignited the moment we come face to face with Jesus and accept His salvation. 

But we are the ones who set our pilot lights to burn appropriately for Him. All of us have set our pilots to varying degrees of heat. The higher it is set acknowledges and invites Holy Spirit, our earthly Helper and comforter, into our lives, moving us closer to God. We are warmer, more compassionate and grace filled people for it. The opposite is true as well. The lower your pilot light is set, the less of God you acknowledge and reach toward in your daily life, leaving us cold-hearted and apathetic toward others. And this point needs to be taken into account as well: if you lack a burning desire for your Creator, you are passing this lack onto your children as well and that’s a whole other can of worms for a different blog!

The fruit of both your words and actions are the indicators of where your pilot light is set at. How many of us experience negative, critical people who leave us feeling slimed once out of their presence? They tend to suck the very air right out of the room!

And then what about when we spend time with those who walk in grace, love and mercy and speak encouraging and edifying words? The answer is obvious! We walk away feeling like the Hand of God just gave us a great big hug! 

Now ask yourself this question: Which one of these people are you? Where have you set your pilot light and how brightly does it burn? And for WHAT or WHO does it burn? 

I encourage you to crank up your pilot light and be willing to let God stretch and grow you into closer relationship with Him, meaning you will absolutely have to die to things in yourself to do so. And although often times painful, the result is always warmer living water that pours out of your words and actions, warming others as you go. It means being willing to be vulnerable, transparent, and honest about yourself and where changes need to happen in your life.

Don’t let fear stop you. The Lord won’t remove anything without exchanging it with some so much more life-giving within you. 

Be willing to let Him transform your life, which will then become a living testimony to your children, your family and others outside your home!

We have all been called to be Cities on a Hill! How bright does your light shine?