Keep The Fire Burning

KEEP THE FIRE BURNING

II Timothy 1:6-8

This time of year I am constantly burning brush, trees, leaves, and anything else that will ignite as we attempt to get the yard in order after months of neglect due to the cold weather. One spark has the ability to start a fire that will burn for hours. However, if we fail to add fuel to the fire, it will burn down and eventually burn out.

For those of us who belong to God, there is a fire that is burning within us. That was ignited by the Lord. God began a good work in the lives of each of His children and He has provided us with gifts that are to be used for His glory. Though the Lord started the fire, we are told in scripture that we have a responsibility to “fan the flame” on a regular basis.

For many, their spiritual flame has become an ember. For such people their interest in God’s Word has decreased, their prayer life is not what it used to be, their worship attendance is no longer a priority, their giving to the Lord has slacked off or stopped completely, they rarely (if ever) talk to others about Jesus and chances are they don't feel as close to God as they once did.

If your fire is burning dim, you know about it because the Holy Spirit has revealed it to you. It may encourage you to know that some of God's strongest servants dealt with spiritual burnout. Moses reached a point where he requested that the Lord take his life. Elijah wallowed in self-pity after being threatened by Jezebel. Jonah ran far away when the Lord called him to go to Nineveh.

The Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, dealt with constant and severe depression. Many other well-known servants of God throughout Church history have suffered from depression, discouragement, frustration, and even doubt.

When the fire is burning bright in our lives: We can't seem to pray enough. We can't get enough of God's Word. We cheerfully give our time, talents, and treasures to the Lord. We spend each day communing with the Lord. We look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus. However, when the fire burns down, these attributes are not as prevalent in our lives as they once were. When our spiritual flame begins to burn down: We avoid spiritual things. We are no longer committed to the church. We often abandon our place of service. We grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. At times we even lose the joy of our salvation.

If your spiritual flame has become an ember, you need to know that the fire can be rekindled. I want to walk through this passage and encourage you to “Keep The Fire Burning”.

By way of introduction let me remind you that this letter is one of Paul’s Pastoral Epistles and it was written to one of the most special people in his life. These two men were more than fellow servants and even closer than brothers in Christ; Paul calls Timothy his “beloved son”.

This letter was written during one of the most difficult moments of Paul’s life. He was currently in a Roman prison and facing certain death. However, in spite of his circumstances, he was comforted, encouraged, and filled with hope & assurance. He knew that he belonged to the Lord and nothing could happen to him apart from His sovereign will. Therefore there was no need for him to fear anyone or anything.

In verse 3 Paul tells Timothy that “without ceasing” he remembered him in his prayers “night and day”. He wanted his beloved son in the faith to know that he constantly mentioned him in his prayers. Not only did Paul regularly pray for Timothy, he also had an intense desire to see Him. (v4 “greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy”.)

When Paul thought about Timothy and prayed for him he was often reminded of “the genuine faith that was in him”. Because Timothy’s faith was genuine he would be able to endure the troubles, trials, and hardships that he would face in his service to the Lord.

It is important for you to understand that if you are born again you possess a gift (or gifts) that are to be used in service to the Lord. As we consider these few verses I would like to examine four truths about your spiritual gift. Let’s begin with the fact that it is important for you to:

I. DISCOVER YOUR GIFT

There are certain indicators that Timothy was timid and often fearful. I am sure like most Christians there were times when he was even tempted to turn away from the faith. For this reason, Paul wrote to encourage him; he says in verse 6, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”