I'm A Keeper Of The Fire

I’m a Keeper of the Fire

FICC Big Bear Leadership Meeting 11-09-02

Pastor Jim Parisi

Isaiah 55:1,2 1 "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Do we realize that if we eat of the natural things alone of life will never satisfy us?

We can have all life offers us but still feel empty

Feeding this part of our being alone will just leave us wanting and hungry a few hours later? Like fast food, nothing there but expensive.

What the Lord is saying to Isaiah 55:1 is that He wants us to come and feed our soul to fill our spirit with His nourishment.

There is a divine empowerment that God wants to release to the church in the world today

He wants to pour His spirit unto His people, anointing them with the balm of His power and authority to do the works of Christ in this day

We cry out Lord, Lord, send your anointing send your power send your Spirit

He is ready He is willing He is able

But who is willing to pay the price for such a precious gift? Who is willing to live the life to house the presence of God?

Who is willing to set themselves aside for His will?

To be powerful and mighty in the Kingdome of God you have to be set apart from the worldly ways…. Called unto Him Only forsaking all other idols and gods

Look at the life of Samson in Judges 13: 5

Samson was called out from the womb ….in Judges 13: 5 For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

His mother took a Nazirite Vow from the womb … no wine…no unclean things …could she eat she was doing her part

She wasn’t to cut his hair She raised him as a Nazirite.

There was a great anointing upon Samson in a supernatural strength

The Nazirite Vow was his covering and protection….. it was designed to set him apart and keep him pure, to be used of God A vow of death to self

What is a vow… a promise, commitment or consecration to the Lord which can lead to greater anointing.

Isn’t that what we all want… to be used of God? To Use us for His precious will

Judges 14: 5 So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand.

What kind of man was this Sampson.. He was to be a leader committed to the Lords will

BUT we see natural things got in the way …… many things .. Then came the last trial … A woman named Delilah

This is the problem in the church today and most Christians … Things get in the way… our lives are becoming cluttered diverting us from the our full potential in God

We begin with great power… Start off Hard and Strong then crash and burn

Like fireworks.. All big booms and a short flash and then gone...forever…. never to be seen again

Or we become so weak that a slight wind can blow us in any direction

Always trying to please others… forsaking what is true and written in the bible

You want power…. look in the book

The Delilah Spirit in the church today is bringing us down to a Sub - Human level

Making us compromise everything… our gifts and our callings… for the soft lap of luxury

We are tempted with riches fame and the comfortable life and acceptance from others

Compromising what is precious and pure before the Lord to appease the face of man

Just like Samson in Judges 16:17 we give in at one point to pacify the world appease the desires of others

Judges 16:17

that he told her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."