Don’t Let Your Fire Go Out
Leviticus 6:9-13
In a little town unknown to many there was a small church. One night smoke and flames consumed this little church. People from all over town stood in the streets and watched the church as it burned. The local preacher drove up and noticed several people that he hadn’t seen in a while. Walking up to one man he asked “my brother where have you been, I haven’t seen you around here in a while”. The man look the preacher up and down and sarcastically responded, “that’s because I hadn’t seen this church on fire in a while”!
This story is somewhat humorous but it details the attitude of many believers who have begun to look for “fire-breathing preachers” to ignite a flame within them to motivate them to become excited about coming to church. But what these church folk fail to realize is that they are the church and perhaps the problem with them is that they are looking for an awesome worship experience without understanding that the worship begins in them. I heard a church member say, “she wasn’t coming back to the church because she couldn’t see Jesus in the people”. Well I submit to you this morning that members of the church don’t come to the building to find Jesus… members of the church should bring Jesus wherever they go.
Every believer should have two elements of God in them no matter where they are… two elements that should be present at every meeting of God’s people… two elements that are fundamental to the spiritual conflagration that we should be searching for every single day; not just of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, but every day of our lives. The two required elements are the Holy Ghost and Fire.
During the time of John the Baptist, his preaching was unto repentance. In other words his preaching invoked a mind change concerning behavior in life and he baptized unto repentance. But he made sure that he informed those who repented that there would be one to come after him who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. So allow me to say to us quickly that water baptism does not provide salvation and continual redemption because salvation and continual redemption is given by way of Holy Ghost fire.
Now let’s separate the two elements so that we’ll understand their works. The Holy Ghost is a comforter and a guide, while the fire represents the presence of God’s power. The believer has to receive power from God and that fire must never go out. Jesus said upon His return to heaven that we would receive power after that the Holy Ghost.
One dictionary defines fire as 1) the active principle of burning, characterized by the heat and light of combustion; 2) a strong feeling and excitement; & 3) to become excited or aroused. The purpose of fire as we know it is used in several ways. Fire in its most common use is used to heat things up, mainly food… Fire is used to burn things up… Fire is also used to kill germs.
If we would transfer these everyday uses of fire to our spiritual lives, we would discover that the fire of the Holy Ghost does the same thing for our minds. The Holy Ghost fire sanctifies, satisfies, justifies and purifies the believer. The fire of the Holy Ghost is the power of God in the believer’s life. The fire is needed for the continual cleansing of our mind because we are contaminated daily by the germs of sin and the pollution of life. The only way to combat sin is to burn it with the Holy Ghost fire.
It goes without saying that if you have no power, you are an easy target and a magnet for mess. It’s not easy to be around a person with no power because that person will drain the very life from you. Those of you who may be considering marriage, check the yoke and check the power meter. The person you consider needs to have equal or more power than you. You don’t need anybody draining your power and pulling you down with them. “You can do bad all by yourself.” Where is your power?
It’s dangerous to live in this world without the fire of the Holy Ghost. You need a solution to every instance of life. What will you do when you run into trouble?… What will you do about the people, problems, and pressures of daily life?... What will you do when you find out the one you love is loving someone else?... What will you do when your children get into trouble?... What will you do when your marriage is in trouble?... What will you do when your money runs out?... How can you make it?... How can you remain focused when so much is going on around you?
I don’t know about you, but my Bible tells me that I can make it. You can make it with Jesus but you need to know that Jesus is in the fire (Hebrew Boys). All I’m trying to say to you is that if you have no power, you have no beneficial solution to the issues that you will face in this life! If you’re truthful, you’ll admit that you have some issues. You might not be able to change the issue, but you can handle whatever you face if you have power… So what she dumped you… so what he left you… ok, so they fired you… alright the bank turned you down for a loan! Don’t you sit in pity and waddle in misery! Hurry up and get over it. It’s not over until God says it’s over!
Our text finds God giving Moses the laws concerning burnt offerings. God instructed Moses to command Aaron and his sons to make sure that the altar was set up for burnt offerings to be sacrificed on behalf of Israel’s sins. But the important factor here was that God commanded them to never let the fire go out on the altar because the altar needed to always be prepared to offer God the sacrificial lambs. They were supposed to offer a lamb in the morning and at night.
What is a sacrifice? A sacrifice is giving up something for the sake of something else… it is the shedding of blood so that we might have life. God accepted burnt offering sacrifices on behalf of the sins of Israel. God intended for Israel to offer sacrifices continually and to do that the altar had to always be ready.
God intends for us to do the same. That’s why Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to present our body’s a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service. God accepts our living on behalf of our sins. I know you are wondering how God can accept a sinner in the place of sin. Allow me to ease your confusion. The fire of the Holy Ghost purges our sins on a continual basis so long as the fire is burning. Just like the altar of sacrifice, God does not want the fire on the altar of our hearts to go out. You can’t offer yourself to God if you don’t have any power… you can’t sacrifice to the Father unless the fire is still burning on the alter. I wonder if there is anybody here who still has a little fire burning in 2007?... Is there anybody here who has a little prayer wheel turning and a little fire burning? What are you offering God?
I wonder have you considered your level of power lately. Is your fire going out? Is there something or someone is draining your power. Who or what is plugging into you (ad-lib)?
We must be careful because the fire is exposed to substances that may cause it to go out! According to the text, the priest had the responsibility to remove the ashes daily. Look at verse 11. It say’s that the ashes were removed daily. These ashes represented what remained of what was burned and was a threat to the fire. If the ashes piled up, it could cause the fire to go out.
God is telling the church that everyday we have to rid ourselves of the ashes of life that affect the fire. Fire burns the unnecessary stuff out of our lives and turns it into ashes. Just as the priest of those days had to daily remove the ashes, we come to the church to help rid our minds of the ashes of the consumed because they threaten our fire… You’ve burned sin but left the ashes; in other words you left a possibility open to indulge again… you left the relationship, but held on to the emotion; you’ve still got the ashes… you left the job, but held on to the memory; you’ve still got the ashes… the fire is trying to burn up the drinking habit, but you hold on to the taste… the fire is trying to burn the gambling addiction, but you hold on the possibility… I hear God is saying today throw away the ashes. Somebody is holding on to ashes. Tell somebody to throw away the ashes!
We have to be aware that ashes are not the only threat to the fire. Other things can put out the fire if we’re not careful. What are you doing behind closed door? We have to be aware that trouble, trials, heartache and pain, despair and depression, dilemmas and circumstances, setbacks and stress, sickness and afflictions, satanic passions and pressure, tragedies and common turmoil are just strong winds designed to put the fire out. Verse 12 says that everyday the priest had to put another log on the fire.
We too must fuel our fire daily. The best substance to keep a fire burning is a log. Church, if your fire is getting dim or has gone out, maybe you didn’t put another log on it. Somebody is having relationship trouble because somebody’s fire is going out. In some cases, it’s gone out. There’s a high turnover in relationships. Divorce rates are high. People just barely get along these days. What happened? Remember how it was when you first met? You could hardly stay away from one another. Now you can hardly wait to get away from one another.
Somebody’s relationship is falling apart because somebody won’t put another log on the fire. Somebody’s falling away from church activity. You don’t have that same zeal you once had. You need to put another log on the fire! Why did you get out of the choir? You didn’t put another log on the fire! Why did you quit serving in the church? You didn’t put another log on the fire.
If life has little meaning to you and if you are consumed with mess on Monday… trouble on Tuesday… worry on Wednesday… threats on Thursday… money falling out on Friday… stress on Saturday… and it makes you stay in the bed on Sunday, chances are you need to fuel the fire. Tell somebody to put another log on the fire!
What do I need to put on my fire, brother preacher. Well, I need you to know that the best log for the Holy Ghost fire is the word of God. The Word of God is fuel for your fire… you need some word down in your soul… a word that’ll teach the truth and not watered down word. If the word is watered down, the fire will be put out because water can put out your fire. When you accept sugar-coated and watered down Gospel, you’re life gets watered down… You need to read for yourself.
Prayer is a log for the fire. Constant prayer is needed, but not watered down prayer. Strong and sincere prayer is needed. We have to talk to God like we really need help. This is no time to be cute. Take a look around in our world. Look in the homes and in the schools. Where is the fire? Young people are being sucked in by gangs… the boy’s pants are sagging… the girl’s skirts are getting shorter… tattoos are everywhere… body piercing is everywhere… regular marriages are falling apart and same sex marriages are coming together… families can’t get along… we need a prayer log.
It’s just enough mess in this world to put out the fire. This is an urgent matter… this is not the time to be cute… we need a prayer log to put on the fire… We need to talk to God… Put the dentures in the glass… put the weave on the dresser… leave the contacts in the solution… the chipped nail can wait… somebody needs to CALL GOD! Put a prayer log on the fire!
Verse 13 says that the fire should never go out. I admonish you to keep your fire burning. Don’t let your fire go out. We need the power of the Holy Ghost. We can’t make it without the fire. If your fire has gone out, you need to go back to the altar and stay there until you get the Holy Ghost fire… We need oh the Holy Ghost fire. We need it down on the inside… OH that fire keeps Satan’s germs away… OH that fire will burn away life’s mess… OH that fire is a consuming fire… That fire will burn away disease… That fire will burn away your problems… OH that fire will burn away tribulations… That fire will burn away sickness… That fire will burn away stress… OH that fire will burn away drama… That fire will burn away stress… That fire will burn away debt… That fire will burn away work trouble… That fire will burn away child troubles… That fire can burn away marital trouble… That fire will wash away your sins… That fire will make you love your neighbors… That fire will make you love your enemies… That fire can melt cold-blooded heart... OH that fire will make you love everybody… I wonder do you have it… I like the way the old time preachers say it… I can feel it moving down on the inside? I wonder is that fire shut up in your bones.
Don’t let your fire go out. If you think it’s getting low, put another log on the fire. Go back into the word of God and find another log to put on your fire. Go back to John if you want to; it says I will send you a comforter, the comforter will come! Put another log on the fire! Go over to Acts if you need to; it says that you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost shall come upon you. Put another log on your fire! Go over to Luke; it says that Jesus died, but he didn’t stay dead; early the Sunday morning he rose with all power heaven and earth in his hand. Power, to save souls; power to make you whole; power to heal disease; power to restore your joy; power to give you peace; power to supply your needs.
We must keep the fire burning like they did in the days of used to be; in the days of old. Now let us all go back to the old landmark. I want to see the church on fire in the old time way when sons and daughters were buried in the water; coming up shouting and nobody doubting; fire burning and wheel turning; everybody was happy, so happy in God’s love.
We need that Holy Ghost. Does anybody here feel the fire burning? I can’t hold my peace, It makes me want to praise him for all that he’s done. It makes me want to run; it makes me want to shout; Oh it makes me dance and give God the praise. He is so good; he is so good; he is; he is so goooooood, good to me. Has he been good; Has he been good to you? Has he really been good; has he really really been good? Has he been goooood, good to you? Somebody ought to praise him. There ought to be enough fire in this room to set a praise party off. Set it off. Set it off. Set it off. Ain’t no party like a Holy Ghost Party cause a Holy Ghost Party don’t stop; The roof is on fire; let it burn! Praise him!
