Pentecost: The Price For Fresh Fire

PENTECOST: THE PRICE FOR FRESH FIRE

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Acts 2:1-4

Supporting Texts: Joel 2:28-29, Luke 24:49, Romans 12:11, Leviticus 6:12-13, Matthew 3:11

INTRODUCTION:

Pentecost marks a significant moment in the life of the Church—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that ignited the early believers with divine power and boldness. It was more than a supernatural event; it was the fulfilment of promise and the beginning of a spiritual revolution. The fire of Pentecost turned fearful disciples into fearless witnesses, and passive followers into passionate messengers of the gospel.

However, the fire of Pentecost did not fall on the careless, casual, or disconnected. There was a price that had to be paid—a season of waiting, praying, and unity. The believers tarried in the upper room, fully yielded and expectant, before the heavens opened. In the same way, for us to walk in the freshness of the Spirit's fire today, there is a price to pay.

This message is a call to spiritual hunger, personal consecration, and relentless pursuit of God. The fire of the Holy Spirit is not reserved for a select few; it is available to all who are willing to seek God wholeheartedly. Are you ready to pay the price for fresh fire?

1. HUNGER FOR GOD INVITES THE FIRE

a) A desperate heart attracts divine attention (Matthew 5:6):

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness—for they shall be filled. A dry and lukewarm spirit cannot host the fire of God.

b) Spiritual complacency is a barrier to fresh fire (Revelation 3:15-16):

When we settle in lukewarmness, we lose the appetite for divine encounters and suppress the move of the Spirit.

c) God fills only those who are empty of self (Isaiah 44:3):

He pours water upon thirsty ground and floods upon the dry. The fire comes to those who confess their need and open their hearts.

d) Fasting and prayer ignite spiritual desire (Joel 2:12-13):

Fasting breaks the hold of the flesh and makes room for spiritual hunger and receptiveness.

Biblical Example: Hannah’s deep longing for a child pushed her into fervent prayer, which birthed not only Samuel but a spiritual shift in Israel (1 Samuel 1:10-20).

2. UNITY OF HEART POSITIONS US FOR OUTPOURING

a) The early Church was united in one accord (Acts 2:1):

Unity among believers was the fertile ground upon which the fire of Pentecost fell. The Holy Spirit moves where strife is absent.

b) Division quenches the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:3):

When envy and disunity dominate, the Spirit is grieved and the fire cannot thrive.

c) Love and forgiveness bind the body together (Colossians 3:13-14):

Walking in love creates the atmosphere for God's presence to rest continually.

d) Agreement in prayer unlocks heaven (Matthew 18:19):

When believers pray in agreement, the supernatural is activated and God responds with power.

Biblical Example: The walls of Jericho fell when the people marched together in unity and obedience (Joshua 6:1-20).

3. CONSISTENT PRAYER BUILDS THE ALTAR FOR FIRE

a) The fire falls on a prepared altar (Leviticus 6:12-13):

God’s fire keeps burning where the altar is maintained daily through prayer and devotion.

b) Jesus taught perseverance in prayer (Luke 18:1):

Fresh fire comes not to those who pray occasionally, but to those who persistently seek God’s face.

c) Prayer invites divine visitation (2 Chronicles 7:1):

When Solomon finished praying, fire fell from heaven. Prayer precedes heavenly manifestations.

d) The Holy Spirit empowers through prayer (Jude 1:20):

Praying in the Spirit stirs up the fire within and builds our inner man.

Biblical Example: Elijah called down fire after rebuilding the altar and offering fervent prayer (1 Kings 18:36-38).

4. PERSONAL HOLINESS ATTRACTS FRESH FIRE

a) God’s fire does not rest on unclean vessels (2 Timothy 2:21):

Those who purge themselves become vessels of honour, ready for divine empowerment.

b) Holiness prepares the heart for God's presence (Psalm 24:3-4):

Only those with clean hands and pure hearts can ascend to the hill of the Lord and host His glory.

c) A repentant spirit draws the fire of revival (Isaiah 57:15):

God revives the spirit of the contrite and humble, not the proud and defiled.

d) Sanctification keeps the fire burning (Romans 12:1):

Offering our bodies as living sacrifices keeps us on the altar where the fire can continually consume and refine.

Biblical Example: Isaiah’s lips were purged with a coal of fire only after he acknowledged his uncleanness before God (Isaiah 6:5-7).

5. TOTAL OBEDIENCE RELEASES THE POWER OF PENTECOST

a) Jesus commanded them to wait (Luke 24:49):

The disciples obeyed the command to tarry in Jerusalem, and their obedience positioned them for empowerment.

b) Obedience shows our trust in God’s process (1 Samuel 15:22):

God values obedience over sacrifice. You cannot substitute prayer or fasting for outright disobedience.

c) God’s power follows divine instructions (John 2:5):