Are We Sparks, Flames, Or Fires? Series

Allan Kircher

www.planttheseedministries.org

April 15, 2008

Are WE SPARKS….FLAMES….OR FIRES

This morning we will find out where we are in our walk in sanctification.

Today we have a challenge, a challenge to be a consuming fire Christian of God in faith of our service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord is symbolized in three figures of speech.

Grain is symbolized to tell us that the word of the Lord can feed and nourish.

Fire is symbolized to tell us that the word of the Lord tests the quality of each mans work.

And a hammer or sword is symbolized to tell us the divine word of God works relentlessly.

This morning I will focus on the symbolization of fire and how the fire of the word tests the quality of our work.

Our Lord tells us that His word is like fire.

Jer 23:29 says “Is not my word like fire declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

The Power of God is within you……unleash that fire, the fire of the word that is in you. ….let it be a consuming fire.....a raging fire…..a fire that people will see for miles upon miles…….

Your work will be shown for what it is…because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 1 Cor 3:13.

The Day God is talking about here in Corinthians is Judgment Day.

The work of some believers will stand the test while that of others will disappear…

Will all that you say and do stand up to the testing fire of God?

POWER POINT POWER POINT POWER POINT

The fire of your faith can and will make you the most obedient treasured Christian anybody has seen.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? 1 Cor 3:16

The fire of your faith can also make you out to be a hypocrite a deceiver and a backslider whom continually spirals downward and away from your savior.

Isa 5:24 talks about those with unbelieving hearts saying “As tongues of fire lick up straw, and as dry grass sinks down into the flames….so their roots will decay…and their flowers blow away like dust….for they have rejected the Law of the Lord Almighty…and spurned the word of the Holy one of Israel.

We enable the spirit of God in many ways.

Heb 10:24 says to spur one another on to love and good works.

When we surround ourselves with Christians we fan the flame to glow ever brighter.

Christian fellowship provides a positive approach to the Holy Spirit. It continually feeds the spark inside you.

It is not a coincidence that when you’re around Christians you have good attitudes.

Because we are evenly yoked and the spirit of God flows from one to another.

Jesus’ spirit flows from one to another in conversation and fellowship.

You see, the intensity from your spirit moves to that other persons spirit which fuels a mighty powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.

That’s why Jesus sent his disciples two by two…...

For this morning, metaphorically speaking, allow me to illustrate our Christian walk in sanctification in three ways……..a spark…. a beginning Christian….a flame a maturing Christian…and a fire…a seasoned Christian.

POWER POINT POWER POINT POWER POINT

How can we lose the spark of the Holy Spirit within us?

Jesus has not left. He is still within us!

But the spark will continue to dwindle in our lives if we do not appeal for the enablement of the spirit of God within us.

But see the problem is: some of us—no matter where we are in our walk-- are mere sparks on a matchstick--you know those flames on the wooden matches that can barely ignite a fire. Our faith is the same..

A mere mental faith…..yes we trust and believe in Jesus Christ …..and I’ll go to church….maybe read the bible once or twice a week

This Christian usually does not talk to anyone during the week about Jesus. Their walk is not a threat to Satan’s kingdom.

You see they have mental faith, and when you have mental faith the lies of Satan become stronger than the truth of God.

Unfortunately you will have to continually relight that spark. Because it doesn’t last that long.

Here’s your test… the divine word of the Lord has sparked your faith—it doesn’t matter if you’re a spark, flame, or fire you still get that spark…..your flame is lit…praise the Lord…..

You leave church and as time goes by your spark starts to dwindle…instead of appealing for God to intervene and use that spark to light the flame you decide to talk about somebody at church… or what they said….you gossiped