Focus: Get The Fire And Keep It Burn

Text: Eph.5:19

"Quench not the Spirit."

We have spiritual lessons to learn from the story of Paul's voyage to Rome. It was a very stormy trip, but Paul survived it all. He arrives at the Island of Malta, and it is the time of rain and cold. The natives, being so kind, kindled a fire for him. Let's get the full gist from Luke, who was there as an eyewitness: "And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold" (Act.28:2).

The first lesson is that God can use anyone of his children to kindle the Spirit's fire in your life. With God's love and kindness in your heart you can make fire for others to catch. We live at a time when men's love is waxing cold and we all need the Spirit's fire in this cold world of ours.

Paul tells Timothy, 'Winter is around the corner. Please bring me some clothes.' O yes, we need more than clothes; we need a spiritual bonfire! And if we are ever going to have some kind of fire, someone with a loving and caring heart must make it. And it takes one having fire to give it to others.

The disciples of Christ waited ten days for the Spirit's fire, and on the day of Pentecost the Spirit came with his fire. We need this holy fire. We can't fulfill our God-assigned mandate and survive the cold weather of this life without the holy fire of the Spirit.

The Spirit's presence in our lives generates heat and warmth in our hearts. The love of God ignites fire in our souls. The word of God is pure fire. After Christ taught two of disciples, they said to one another, "Did not our heart BURN WITHIN US, while he TALKED with us by the way, and while he OPENED to us the scriptures?" (Lk.24:32). Burning words make for burning hearts.

Luke continues the gist, "And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand" (Act.28:3).

Lesson two is that you must do something on your own to sustain the fire kindled by others. Gather your own sticks or brushwood. Keep the fire burning. Paul says, "Quench not the fire of the Spirit." God's altar needs God's fire constantly burning. God says to the priests, "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning" (Lev.6:12). Get the fire and keep it burning. There's need to sustain the spiritual tempo.

Another lesson is that the Spirit's fire will expose the Old Snake. Satan can't stand the heat of the Spirit of God. Satan hides until the fire forces him out. Where's Satan hiding in your life for lack of fire? No hiding place for the devil when God's fire is burning in your life. Fire generates heat and the atmosphere is charged by it.

Luke concludes the gist, "And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm" (Act.28:5).

The final lesson is that with the fire of God burning in your life you will get God's warmth as well as others catching it, and Satan will not be able to harm you. Paul felt no harm. Also, Satan will never escape your fire. By your heat Satan is exposed and by your fire he is consumed. Your fire will take care of the vipers.

Keep the Spirit's fire burning. Be like the men who through their faith "quenched the violence of fire" (Heb.11:34), and let it be known to you that it is with faith as a shield that you will be able to "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Eph.6:16).

Be not like the foolish virgins who had no oil reserves for their lamps. They let their fire burn out at the time they most needed it.

I pray you never lose your light and fire at any time, especially when it's most needed! I pray you keep the fire of God's love burning, for "many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it…" (Song of Sol.8:7). Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter