63 WORDS --- THE POWER OF PRAYER --- THEN BURN FOR GOD...
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have a candle and I light the candle and let it burn.
We know several things about the candle.
The candle gives itself for the light.
The darker the night the greater the light.
We discuss the moon and light. The moon has no light. The moon reflects the light of the sun.
How easy is it to let the fire go out? To maintain a fire requires effort.
I. COME LET US MEDITATE AND REFLECT ON THE PRESENCE OF GOD...
THE SHEKINAH GLORY OF GOD.
A. THE SHEKINAH OF GOD ALWAYS APPEARED AS A SUPERNATURAL LIGHT OR AS A
CLOUD.
B. NOT EVRYONE DOING THEIR OWN THING ---
WE NEED A POINT OF FOCUS TO LEAD US BY UNITY AND GOD’S DIRECTION.
Neh. 9:12 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
C. GOD’S PEOPLE MUST FOLLOW THE LIGHT INTO THE DIVINE PRESENCE.
Solomon builds the temple, the temple is limited without God’s presence.
1 Kings 8:10-11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, [11] So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
II. FIRE IS A TYPE OR SYMBOL IN THE BIBLE.
A. Fire is a very good study for us.
1. FIRE WAS USED FOR WORSHIP AND SACRED PURPOSES.
The FIRST fire MENTIONED, the EVER-BURNING FIRE --- on the altar was first kindled
from HEAVEN.
See (Genesis 8:20).
FIRE IS USED AS A TYPE OF GOD’S GREAT HOLINESS.
This fire burns out laziness and sin.
2. The spiritual fire we discuss was often made visible to the naturual eye as the:
a. THE FIRE FROM HEAVEN ...
b. THE FIRE OF THE LORD ...
3. THERE WAS A DANGEROUS FIRE CALLED THE STRANGE FIRE.
4. THERE IS ANOTHER FIRE IN THE BIBLE --- WE SHALL CALL IT DOMESTIC
FIRE. This was fire used to cook, bake, warm.
As PETER WARMING BY THE FIRE...
Did you know no domestic fire was allowed on the Sabbath day?
5. JUGDMENT OR PUNISHMENT WAS CARRIED OUT BY FIRE.
6. DURING PERIODS OF WARFARE FIRE WAS USED TO DESTROY THE ENEMY.
At times fire was used to DESTROY FALSE ALTARS.
7. IN THE BIBLE THE MAIN USE OF FIRE IS TO REPRESENT GOD OR GOD’S
PRESENCE.
8. FIRE IS USED A TYPE OF HEAVY, HARD TRIALS; STORMS, DIFFICULTIES.
9. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT FIRE IS USED ALONG WITH THE DOVE AS A SYMBOL
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD’S TEACHER, GOD’S COMFORTER, AND GOD’S GUIDE.
B. THE FIRE NEEDS A VECHILE OF TRUTH. THE FIRE NEEDS A CANDLE.
C. How does the candle feel consumed for the light?
III. THE CHURCH CAN BE IN GREAT DANGER WHEN THE FLAME OF GOD FLICKERS
AND DIMS!
A. Where there is no vision the people perish...
Vision is limited when darkness tries to smother the light.
B. Eli’s two sons were playing with sin and playing RELIGIOUS GAMES ...
HOPHNI and PHINEHAS lost their respect and fear of the light.
1 Samuel 3:1-3 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
[2] And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
[3] And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
C. We must keep the light brightly burning and the globe clean!
IV. BITTERNESS, HURT, AND UNFORGIVENESS TRY TO DIRTY THE GLOBE AND
DIM THE LIGHT.
A. Jeremiah was known as the WEEPING PROPHET.
B. Times were hard, the tears were many, the church was backslidden.
C. I JUST THINK I WILL QUIT.
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
LB
Jeremiah 20:9 And I can’t quit! For if I say I’ll never again mention the Lord--never more speak in his name--then his word in my heart is like fire that burns in my bones, and I can’t hold it in any longer.
D. THE FIRE BURNS --- HIS NAME IS OUR HOPE.
V. DEPRESSION AND HEADS HANGING DOWN TEND TO DIM THE VIEW OF
THE LIGHT.
A. MISTER, ARE YOU THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS NOT HEARD? ---
OUR DREAMS ARE DASHED --- OUR HOPES ARE GONE.
B. Jesus is dead?Does not this stranger know about Jesus dying?
No --- the LIGHT BURNS ON ---
Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
C. TO HAVE JESUS WITH YOU RE-IGNITES THE FLAME.
VI. A 63 WORD PRAYER (KJV) IGNITES THE FLAME OF GOD ON THE ALTAR OF
GOD... 63 WORDS THEN FIRE...
A. THERE AT 450 AGAINST ONE --- two gods... Baal or "I AM!"
1 Kings 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
[31] And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number
of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came,
saying, Israel shall be thy name:
[32] And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
[33] And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
[34] And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. [35] And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
B. GOD TURN OUR HEARTS BACK TO THE FIRE.
1 Kings 18:36-39 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
[37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
[38] Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
[39] And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
C. 63 WORDS THEN THE FIRE OF GOD REVEALS THE MAN OF GOD AND THE WORK OF GOD...
D. TWICE they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
E. THE FIRE OF GOD CAME AFTER DROWNING WITH WATER...
F. THEN THE PREACHER SAYS: THE FIRE HAS COME --- PREPARE FOR THE RAIN.
THE PREACHER STARTED TO RUN AND RUN 18 MILES FAST ---
FOR THE RAIN IS COMING --- IT IS BEGINNING TO RAIN!
CONCLUSION: We need the rain! We need the fire!
Come Holy Spirit and BURN WITHIN US.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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