Exodus 7:10-12 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! [11] Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. [12] They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.
There is a word Jumping in my Spirit today: It’s just one word (FIRE).
If someone were to run into this house right now and yell (FIRE) The whole atmosphere would change, hearts would race, eyes would open wide, no body would just sit there, we would all be looking for the exits wondering where the fire is at. Somebody would run for the fire extinguisher.
I know that’s a little graphic, but it’s a fact and every bit of that activity would be natural and understandable. Because your life could be in danger.
But I want to preach to you today about a fire we don’t want to run from, and we’re not looking for a fire extinguisher and we’re not looking for the exit signs: I’m talking about a Fire we need to be crying out for. (I’m talking about the Fire of God) The Fire of the Holy Ghost.
John said: The one who is coming after me is mightier than I and when He is Come, He will baptize you with the HOLY GHOST and FIRE.
What we're seeing in this text is a power confrontation: The power of hell versus the power of God. (Or hell versus heaven! Or the fire versus heavens fire)
I am compelled to tell you today: The church of the Lord Jesus Christ must catch FIRE.
There is an Unholy Satanic demonic Fire that is being unleashed in the earth today (And the sleepy, sloppy, passive, halfhearted slumbering half baked church and church members aren’t qualified to deal with it)
It’s going to take a Holy Ghost Fire Baptized church that can pray heaven down and cast hell out.
Hell is on Fire: The devil is sending his fire out against the church. In otherwords (the snakes are coming out of the woodpile) they're coming out of hiding.
And I’m telling you that a bunch of wet blankets won’t put it out.
(You’ve heard the old saying: You’ve got to fight fire with fire) Well it’s true (There’s nothing less than the fire of God that can put out hells fire).
Even Shakespeare spoke of this fire against fire
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire; Threaten the threatener and outface the brow Of bragging horror
You say: Pastor you’re laying it on pretty thick aren’t you, (surely it’s not that bad.)
(Friend)You must be kin to rip van winkle who fell asleep and woke up 20 years later and thought everything was the same as when he fell asleep.
Yes It is that bad: And any Pastor any leader any shepherd that does not sound the fire alarm to his or her sheep and to anyone who will listen is failing in their call and (is inviting disaster).
When witches are banding together and calling for the country to join them in casting spells hexes and curses against the president and the Supreme Court: WE have a problem and it's not just a disagreement of political parties! It's spiritual warfare.
The snakes are coming out of the wood piles!
The most important thing the ministry can do today is to equip the saints to fight. (I believe in prosperity) but prosperity is not the most important thing right now.
Like never before it's time to pray, and it's time to pray like never before.
Now I lay me down to sleep prayers won't work here.
If the church would have prayed those kind of wimpy sleepy prayers for Peter he would have died. But the church went into deep spiritual warfare, they went into heaven shaking hell breaking, unceasing prayer and God sent an angel who delivered Peter from the same fate that James suffered.
James died because the church was asleep.
It's time for the church to wake up, This is no time for the church to rest on her laurels) this is the time for the church to get on fire.
I don’t speak about the Holyghost because I think it would be neat for you to speak in tongues (I speak about being baptized with the HolyGhost and Fire because Hell is being unleashed against the church and the world and the only thing that can qualify you and equip you and empower you is the Power of the Holy Ghost and Fire.
Our God is A Consuming Fire
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
-Who does He baptize with The HolyGhost and Fire? (Those who have been baptized in his blood).-
The Holy Ghost baptism is a fire baptism, You cannot separate the fire from the Holy Ghost.
Fire has always been a symbol of the Lords presence among his people.
*God led the children of Israel through the wilderness, by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
*God appeared to moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush (exe 3:2)
Exe 19:18 When God came down to speak to his people, the bible says (And mt. Sion was altogether a smoke because the Lord descended in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.
Exe 24:17 And the sight of the Glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of mt sion in the sight of the people.
When Ezekial saw the glory of the lord here is how he described it.
(Ezek 1:26 ) and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
(When Elijah left it was in a chariot of fire and horses of fire..)
Fire has always been an identifying Characteristic of The people of God,
Lev 6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
Lev 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
*Fire is heavens witness that we are Gods property.
*Fire is heavens witness that God is in our midst
*Fire is a purifier, Fire Illuminates, Fire brings hidden things to light, Fire empowers.
In 1ki 18:36-39
As Elijah met the false prophets of baal upon mt carmel, there was a great confrontation between religion and relationship, between a form of godliness and the power of godliness, between the works of men and the power of God.
Such was the confrontation that there could only be one deciding factor: ( The God that answereth by fire) let him be God.
When Elijah had finished rebuilding the altar, preparing the sacrifice, setting the wood in order, and pouring water over the offering. (He knew that he had done all he could on earth, he knew that it was still insufficient, and weak, and powerless to change the hearts of the people) If heaven didn’t bear witness, and testify with fire, he would probably be killed and Israel would be more vile than ever.
He prayed And the Fire Fell
1 Kings 18:38 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.
Fire is heavens answer to our prayers, it is heavens solution for our weakness,
1 Kings 18:37 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.
Fire is Heavens witness to an acceptable sacrifice, Any time God finds an acceptable sacrifice he testifies and responds to it, and answers from heaven by fire.
(1 Chr 21:26 KJV) And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
2Ch 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
Ro 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice , holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
Fire is Contagious; as long as there is material The fire will burn.
Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
(Wherever there are hungry hearts the fire will burn).
The Fire of God will burn out of you everything that is not like God, the fire of God will burn out drug addiction, and anger, and lust, and fear, and unforgiveness, hate and prejudice, and pride.
There are too many people who want to know God just as a blesser, but God is not just a blesser, (He is a possessor) God wants to Possess you, He wants to fill you and flow through you, he wants to make you a channel of his power.
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
God is wanting to consume you, he wants to set you on fire, and make you a firebrand.
(Heb 1:7 KJV) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Judges 15:4-5 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 5.And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
The definition of a firebrand is: A piece of wood or material that is burning hot because it has just been taken out of the fire.
In other words: It is a piece of material that is carrying some of the fire that it’s been in.
2. The second definition of Firebrand is: (a person who causes unrest or is very energetic). In other words: A firebrand is a person who who is on fire and can stir others, can ignite others.
When the HolyGhost came on the day of Pentecost: He came as a rushing mighty wind and Tongues of Fire.
Why? Because God knew the church without power was no match for the devil (He knew that Hells fire was burning against the church, and the only thing that could put it out was Fire From Heaven).
It’s still true today: I pray about many things through the week (but at the top of my list, and first in priority is God Send the Fire) Baptize me with fresh Holyghost and Fire and Baptize your church with The HolyGhost and Fire.
The fire of God is not a mental concept or idea to be analyzed by the mind: The fire of God is the tangible manifested power of God invading the earth realm, consuming your mind, your soul, your body, and setting you on fire for his Kingdom Sake.
This is not a time for the Church to go awol (This is the time for the church to catch fire, and fight fire with fire).
You need to leave this place on fire today: anybody who gets near you should feel the heat. And especially the devil should feel the heat.
Let me ask you this question: Does hell fell the heat coming from your prayer closet? Does hell feel the flames of your prayers?
John Knox was a Scottish clergy man who shook Scotland with his prayers (His hearts cry was: Give me Scotland else I die)
Mary The queen of Scots said: I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of europe)
That's the kind of fire we need in the church again.
I need some people up here around this altar right now who are sick and tired of watching the devil run ramshod over this nation and over your children, stealing the innocence of little kindergarteners! Murdering the unborn by the millions! twisting minds until they don't even believe they have the right body parts! Believing that God put them in the wrong bodies.
Worshipping Satan.
There is only one hope for this nation and it was not a black hope and it's not a white hope, it's not the man sitting in the Oval Office, it's the man sitting on the throne of heaven (the Man Christ Jesus the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
And He has invested the church with his power and He has made us responsible for bringing His will to the earth.
He said: The church must pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on the earth as it is in heaven.
He said the church must bind and loose.
He said the church must cast out Devils
He said the church must heal the sick in His name.
He said the church must do the asking and He will send the fire.
Come on and lift your hands and your voices right now and put a demand on heaven: Tell God you know you need the fire.
Tell God you're desperate for the fire.
Tell God you're sick and tired of being sick and tired
Sick and tired of the devil stealing and killing and destroying everything good.
Tell God you are ready to fight fire with fire.
