Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

love, zeal, and sacred purpose are again ignited, almost always in response to man’s efforts to recommit to Him.

III. THE NEED FOR “FRESH” WIND & FIRE

A. DEFINITION OF “FRESH”

1. New to one’s experience; not encountered before.

2. Recently made or produced; not stale or spoiled.

3. Having just arrived; new.

4. Revived or reinvigorated; refreshed.

B. WHY WE NEED FRESH WIND/FIRE

1. Some of you are discouraged by circumstances.

2. “ “ “ “ weary with over-work.

3. “ “ “ “ old and physically tired.

4. Others of you have lost your vision.

5. Some are brand new Christians, but you need this message.

6. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN:

a. Moses needed this message and God sent him a burning bush!

b. Elijah needed this message and God sent him a wind that tore the mountains apart and a fire which devoured!

c. The 12 disciples needed this message and God sent a rushing, mighty wind and tongues of fire which rested on each of them.

7. Today the Spirit of God is present and God is up to something...

a. to discouraged folks, His word is “Cheer up!”

b. to dishonest folks, His word is “’fess up;”

c. to sour folks, He says “Sweeten up!”

d. to closed folk, He says “Open up;”

e. to gossipers, His word is “shut up;”

f. to conflicted people, He says “make up;”

g. to sleeping folks, He says “wake up;”

h. to lukewarm people, He commands “fire up;”0

i. to dry bones, He says “shake up”; and

j. to pew potatoes, He says “stand up!”

k. But most of all, Christ is the Savior of all the world, so let’s lift Him up!

CONCLUSION

A. ILLUSTRATION

Ask yourself what are the reasons why many content themselves in living on LOW POWER when they could be operating on the awesome HIGH POWER of the Holy Spirit of God. Illustration:

1. In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. Nee had a contact there, an old schoolmate of his who was headmaster of the village school, but he refused to house the group when he discovered they had come to preach the Gospel. Finally, they found lodging with a Chinese herbalist, who became their first convert.

2. Preaching seemed quite fruitless on the island, and Nee discovered it was because of the dedication of the people there to an idol they called Ta-wang. They were convinced of his power because on the day of his festival and parade each year the weather was always near perfect.

3. "When is the procession this year?" young Wu asked a group that had gathered to hear them preach. "It is fixed for January 11th at 8 in the morning," was the reply. "Then," said the new convert, "I promise you that it will certainly rain on the 11th." At that there was an outburst of cries from the crowd: "That is enough! We don’t want to hear any more preaching. If there is rain on the 11th, then your God is God!"

4. Upon being informed about it, Watchman Nee saw that the situation was serious and called the group to prayer. On the morning of the 11th, there was not a cloud in the sky, but during grace for breakfast, sprinkles began to fall and these were followed by heavy rain.