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?
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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.
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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
Or perhaps the devil slipped in and dampened your spark with an argument with your husband or wife about something as simple as where to go to eat lunch.
How can we step up to the next level of sanctification? How can we graduate and go on to being a flame?
The first step is to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path….sound familiar? Psalm 3:5-6
You have to truly love the Lord you God with all your heart you soul and your mind.
When you love something, you are committed to it.
Commit yourself to God, not just Sunday morning; you have to make an effort, an effort to do your Father’s Will.
You cannot maintain a marriage if you do not make an effort. Your effort, you part.
DIVORCES
Your effort and your part is to appeal for God’s will, He will take over, He promises us that in his word.
James 4:7 “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.
Resist gossip and it will cease to travel. How do you resist the devil in that situation?
You entertain positive, Godly, motivating thoughts….
You entertain these thoughts in your head before you speak.
James 1:19-20 “Everyone should be quick listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry for man’s anger does not bring into the righteous life that God desires”.
Before you speak ask God for discernment and listen for Him to speak through you.
Take your time; don’t rush into any idle talk.
How many car accidents have happened when you are always extremely careful going under the speed limit, looking both ways several times, etc.
You see, you can prevent fault on your part by being cautious, but you cannot prevent somebody else’s fault in a collision.
This is the same in our Christian lives.
How many arguments or gossip can you be active in if you are not active by following God’s word and be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.
When you sense an argument or conversation that is not Godly, pull back that lure from the water and ask for God to react to the situation for you.
If you don’t have the lure in the water, you won’t catch the fish you don’t want. In other words you can‘t be a part of the ungodly chatter.
The fire of your faith in the word of the Lord that lives in you can restore your obedience with Christ. Use it.
Christ was obedient to His Father when He was getting sabotaged with all those pounding questions before Caiaphas (Kay ah fus) and the Sanhedrin.
Mt 26:62 The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.
Is this was you what would you have done? Wouldn’t you just want to get irate and say don’t you realize who I Am.? And cast them all to judgment.
No. He did the will of His Father and was quick to listen, slow to speak.
But when He did speak He spoke great and might Godly words because they were the will of the spirit within Him.
But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of Heaven.
He spoke of the spirit within Him.
Then they spit on Him and beat Him………..elaborate……walmart..
Jesus did not step down to their level and gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
That same spirit that was in Jesus, dwells in you as a believer today.
Gal 5:16 says, “So I say live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
The spirit of God does not argue. Does not gossip. Does not judge. Does not walk idle in faith for the supremacy of our Father in heaven.
So in other words you are not in the Father’s will when you douse the flame of the spirit of God and stoop to these passions and desires.
I know what you saying, yes we understand , but …what do we do when we are faced with it………….Quick to listen, slow to speak.
Jesus warns us that if we live like this we will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:21 Matt 5:20.
If you belong to Christ you have crucified the sinful nature…let us start acting, obeying, and living the life that Jesus Christ called us to live.
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Now, today let us graduate from the spark to the flame.
Let us take another step on the ladder in sanctification.
Let us proclaim victory today in our lives of our savior who is worthy of all things.
Stand up for Jesus! Be proud of the flames of your fire and ignite them with your faith in meaning….feel it, love it, and live it.
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the spirits fire.
When you do this God Himself will sanctify you through and through.
Now we have a fire burning within us.
Now that fire for the word of God is producing a glow that surrounds our being.
Peter had that glow that surrounded him in all that he did, people saw that glow.
Does your flame today have those glowing ambers people can see through your actions and your attitudes.
These Christians have armed themselves with the attitude of crucifying the sinful nature and are doing the will of God.
1 Peter 4:1-2 “ therefore, since Christ suffered in his body arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done in sin as a result he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires but rather for the will of God”.
And 1 Peter 2:1-3 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. 2 like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good”.
Both of these tells us to pull out that faith in God and rid ourselves of these desires.
Long for the pure spiritual milk so that you may grow in sanctification, that you may grow from a spark to a flame to a fire.
These Christians have to take up the cross daily, a daily growth in the Lord.
These are unlike the spark Christians whom take up the cross when trouble arises or joy comes along and they do it for convenience sake.
The flame Christians take up the cross of Christ in the morning each day with bible reading and prayer.
AN ORCHESTRA ILLUSTRATION
They then continue throughout the day with their hearts and minds on things from above not earthly temptations.
They begin to arrive at the point to understand that in all things we will get judged while in this body whether good or bad. 1 Cor 5:10.
The flame strives each day in its trails to persevere.
And as we pass the trails in our lives we consider pure joy.
Pure joy that we are perfecting our salvation.
Our perfection marks steps in our obedience through faith in His promises.
Jesus Christ promises us victory in all areas of our earthly life when we humble ourselves at His throne.
Mat 23:12 those who humble themselves will be exalted, and those who exalt themselves will be humble.
Now the devil is going to pay a little more attention to a flame Christian versus a spark Christian.
Satan knows a spark is idle and does not waste his time, he knows you are your own worst enemy.
The idle Christian tempts the devil to tempt Him.
But Satan is couching at your door if you are a flame Christian today.
He knows you are blazing and fired up for the Lord.
He will tempt you with everything in his arsenal.
If you pray for boldness in your day, he will target that specific prayer all day to divert or detour you from the will of God.
He is a deceiver, a liar, and the ruler of this world, he does not want you to be fired up for God. If your that way, others may see that and want it also.
But the flaming blazing Christian takes those trials each day and does not solve them on their own.
They reach into the fire and pull out the sword, and they say as it says in 1 John 4:4, “Greater is the One who is in me, than the one who is in the world”.
And then they praise the Lord in the victory to overcome that trial…by using the Lord’s will and not their own…and their growing in their salvation….their feeding the flames.. their stoking the fire… with each victory of each trial they are producing a bigger fire for the glory of the Lord.
The flame is blazing…it’s raging and soon over time it will be a consuming fire.
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The consuming fire Christian are those today that in every contact you have with them you experience the spirit of the Lord.
Their tone and demeanor are of the character of their Father.
They are poor in spirit, they are meek, they hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are pure in heart, they are peacemakers, they are persecuted for righteousness sake.
They yearn and strive and practice and live the beatitudes in their walk with the Lord.
They have a great earnestness and are spiritually conscience for every action and thought at their life.
They struggle daily to stamp out the darkness of the world as their consuming fire can only glow so far.
They have a true saving faith that in all they do it must come from above.
Not just on Sunday morning, or when their around the Pastor, but in all aspects of their life.
They hold on to the confession of hope without wavering because He who has promised is faithful and they know if they are faithful they will receive the crown of Righteousness.
Their joy comes in being poor in spirit but faithful to the service of their Lord.
Knowing that they are worthy only of condemnation….and they live it.
Their joy comes in being meek.
Knowing to humble themselves before the Lord at all costs, all situations, all circumstances….and they live it.
Their joy comes in hungering and thirsting for the word of the Lord.
Knowing this is their only purpose in life…..and they live it.
Their joy comes in being merciful to all.
Knowing that their prayers are being answered by crying “Abba Father”. and they live it.
Their joy comes in being pure in heart.
Knowing that purity is the basis of peace…and they live it.
Their joy comes from being a peacemaker.
Knowing that peace begins with purity from the Lord and from within themselves….and they live it.
Their joy comes from the persecution they receive from their witnessing and professing Jesus as their savior.
Knowing that their labors are not in vain….and they live it.
You see, all their joy in life comes from the Holy Spirit.
A consuming fire starts from a flame and a flame starts by a spark and the spark starts by you accepting Jesus ….do you see where I’m going with this?
That spark that ignited your flame was you accepting Jesus Christ into your life.
Now it is your responsibility to build that spark to a consuming fire which is called perfecting your faith.
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Where are you today?
If you are a spark today, I pray it is because you have just recently accepted the Lord in your life as your savior. I praise God for that decision.
If you have been a Christian for quite some time now, I pray you are not a spark.
It is an awful heartbreak to Christ if you are not perfecting your faith.
I had an elderly lady one time at alter call ask for prayer for her to have a desire to begin perfecting her faith. She has been a Christian for many many years, and still was producing the spark of the matchstick.
Pastor preached last week of the walk in sanctification….
All you have to do is appeal for God’s strength and spirit in your daily life….and over time your actions and attitude will match your faith…
Is it a spark today or is it a raging consuming fire?
If you go on a motorcycle run or a retreat or function with fellow Christians and the word of the Lord is not discussed…shame on you…not shame on them…shame on you.
A consuming, fire of God Christian, can encourage that spark Christian to become a flame.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Surround yourselves with consuming fires and you will be hard pressed not to keep your fire going.
This is what we need to do as Christians. Let us encourage each other daily so that now of you become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
We have to appeal for the spirit….
Have you appealed for God’s enablement of His word to control your life?
Do you bear the fruit of the spirit?
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The decision is yours, God will not impose Himself on you, it’s in your hands.
Being ever mindful that you will stand before Christ to give an account of your work for Him.
Do not waste this vapor of life on earth we have to show the Lord how thankful you are for the life of eternity He has given you.
Is the fire burning in you today, are the glowing ambers of those flames visible?
Can people see the word of God in your heart?
Or is it a fire that is smoldering away, waiting to die in its self will?
Will you enable the power of the Holy Spirit to produce a bigger glow today.
Whether you’re a spark, a flame or a fire, God loves you and wants to sanctify you.
You can now rely on His strength and power thru His grace.
You can now put aside your selfishness and speak in truth just as Jesus did
But you need to do that now….
Will you bow your heads and close your eyes.
