THE FIRE AND THE ALTAR
"30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to 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, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 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 Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” 1 Kings 18:30-39.
During the reign of King Ahab, the children of Israel had drifted from God, worshiping Baal and Asherah instead. The leaders and the people had violated the terms of their covenants and agreement with God. Ahab with the support of his manipulative wife, Jezebel, destroyed the altar of the Living God and built altars and high places unto Baal and Asherah.
The situation was so bad that God sent Elijah to go tell Ahab, “…there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” 1 Kings 17:1b. And, the rain ceased for three and half years. All of Israel began to suffer. But neither Ahab nor the people turned back to God from their evil ways. At the end of the three and a half years, God sent Elijah to Ahab again, that the rain was about to come. But before the heaven could open, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where a dramatic showdown took place, and where God would answer Elijah’s prayers in a way that convinced the Israelites to turn their hearts back to God.
FACTS ABOUT FIRE IN THE BIBLE.
Fire symbolises the presence, glory and power of God. He revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. "And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed." Exodus 3:2.
In the wilderness, God led the people by a pillar of fire, "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night." Exodus 13:21.
As Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, fire fell from heaven and the glory of God filled the whole place. "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." 2 Chronicles 7:1.
When Daniel saw a vision of God’s throne, he saw a fiery flame and a river of fire coming forth. "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Daniel 7:9-10.
John the Baptist testified of Jesus, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" Matthew 3:11.
1. Fire can be destructive or constructive; for judgment or salvation.
It can stand for fierce anger and hate, or it can stand for warm and gentle love.
The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were so grave that God destroyed the two cities with fire.
2. It is terrifying.
3. Fire is a purifier.
"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God." Zechariah 13:9. God may take you through the fire to purifies you.
4. Fire heats.
5. It energizes.
6. Fire spreads.
It is never satisfied. If you strike a match in a forest you will soon see how a fire can spread wild and become a raging blaze. God’s fire spreads. It has a multiplying effect.
7. Fire is a symbol of the glory, presence and power of God.
8. It penetrates and changes whatever it touches.
9. Fire hurts!
10. It cleanses.
11. Fire burns.
12. It motivates, encourages, and guides.
13. Fire humbles.
14. Fire gives warmth.
If you are on fire for God, there’s a certain warmth about you. A radian glow. Your heart will overflow with joy. This fire cannot be hidden. It will draw others to you.
15. Fire comforts the wounded soul.
16. It lightens up the dark night.
Fire brings light. And in this world of darkness how we desperately need the light of God.
17. Fire prepares you for service.
18. It helps to build your character and resilience.
19. Fire makes your faith grow stronger.
20. Fire kills.
Some things need to die in us. The old man of sin and worldly desires need to die.
21. Fire eliminates the worthless.
"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" Matthew 7:19 .
22. Fire is a severe judgment of sin
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;" Genesis 19:24.
23. Chariot of fire carried Elijah to Heaven. 2 Kings 2:11.
24. Fire represents affliction. Isaiah 43:2.
25. Fire in the bones. Lamentation 1:13.
The more the Word of God in you the hotter your bones.
26. Fire is the driving force behind evangelism.
27. Fire is a refiner!
To refine is to renovate, to renew, to recreate, to refurbish, to purify, to repair, to make pure, to make useful or usable, to improve, to be more acceptable or to make effective.
WHAT MUST WE DO?
1. Turn to God.
"Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up." Hosea 6:1.
God's inviting us to come back to Him, no matter how far we’ve wandered or how long we’ve been gone.
“Come.” is a gentle pleading. God's calling, He has better things for you. You can return to Him today. It’s not too late. He's waiting for you with open arms. Your case is not hopeless.
Return is a picture of repentance. Make that change today. No need to procrastinate.
Turning to God means:
a. Recognizing.
The first part of turning to God is recognizing your need for a change. Sin is a barrier to returning. It delays progress, restrains the Hand of God, cut short dreams, truncates hope, reduces potentials, limits greatness, and brings shame.
b. Repent.
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28: 13.
There is no downpour of mercy, deliverance and healing without returning, and there is no returning without repentance.
c. Returning. If you want to experience showers of His blessings, then you have to come back to Him. Don’t delay. You don’t have to be clean in order to get right with God. Just come as you are.
2. The second thing is to know God.
"; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." Daniel 11:32b.
To know is to understand. It is to be acquainted with. Knowing someone begins with a relationship. Relationship is about spending time. Hence, to know God is to spend time with Him. It is to have an understanding of who He is. To know God is to fear Him. To know God is to trust Him in our tests, knowing that it's going to lead to testimonies. It is to know His ways, principles and patterns. To know God is to walk with. To know God is to draw nearer and closer to Him. It is to know His Word. Knowing God is a journey.
"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death," Philippians 3:10.
3. Know who you are.
Do you know who you are? When you discover who you are, it gives you boldness and authority. When you know who you are, it enhances your worth and gives you a sense of importance or value.
"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4.
4. Read, memorize and meditate on the Scripture daily.
"Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" Jeremiah 23:29.
5. Be addicted to prayer.
"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." James 5:17-18. Elijah was a man of fervent prayer.
Before coming out to challenge the prophets of Baal, he had empowered his personal altar in the place of prayer. Elijah had wrestle in the spirit before coming out to physically repair the broken altar. He could stand boldly before earthly kings because he had knelt down in prayer before the King of kings.
Spend time in your prayer closet. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16.
6. Spend time with God’s people
"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." Acts 2:3.
A wood that stands alone will go out.
7. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49.
When you are baptised in the Holy Spirit, you are immersed in the Spirit's life and power. (Acts 1:5, 8).
8. Living a life of holiness.
To be holy is to be set apart from defilement. It is separation to God. To separate is to set apart, to disunite, to divide, to sever, to disconnect, to part company, to go in a different direction, to cease to be associated, or to become distinct.
9. Have a violent Faith.
Faith demands a willingness to give up what we can see now in exchange for what we cannot see. It sees what could be. Faith takes action. When we step out in faith, God's glorified.
10. Be sensitive to God's leading.
"Then Elijah said, “As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.” 1 Kings 18:15.
Spiritual sensitivity is being able to perceive and respond to divine information. It is to be in tune with God’s heart. Spiritual sensitivity is to get divine messages. It is to be tuned in to the radio frequency of Heaven. Spiritual sensitivity is to decode spiritual information. It is to discern. Spiritual sensitivity is to grasp and understand the move of God. "Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here." Exodus 33:15.
11. You must have the fear of God.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10. The fear of God is to have a healthy respect, honour and reverence for who God is. It means keeping His commandments. The fear of God means staying away from sin.
12. You must have the right motive.
"All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits." Proverbs 16:2. Motives are important to God. He will judge our intentions, thoughts, desires and consents. Why do you do what you do? Is it to help others? To please God? Is it for fame or to show off? Do you live focused totally on yourself?
13. Fast often.
Fasting is a spiritual vitamin that nourishes the spirit. It is an expression of our dependence on God. Fasting helps to remove hindrances. It gives victory over fleshly desires, and diminished the power of the flesh over us. Fasting is needed for effective and impactful ministry. It brings divine revelation. Jesus fasted.
14. Rebuild your altar.
"He repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down." 1 Kings 18:30.
The altar had broken. The people had neglected God. It was after the altar had been properly repaired and set up, that Elijah called upon God and heaven responded immediately.
FACTS ABOUT ALTAR:
1. An altar is a place of communion.
2. It's a place of worship.
3. An altar is a gateway into the spirit realm.
4. It's a place of servicing and activating covenants.
5. An altar is a spiritual entry point.
6. It is a place of fellowship.
7. An altar is a place of forgiveness.
8. An altar is a meeting place between the physical and the spiritual.
9. There are godly and ungodly altars.
10. There are visible and invisible altars.
11. Every altar has a voice. The voice of an altar is the voice of the sacrifice on it.
12. Sacrifices are made on altars in order to seal a contract or covenant.
13. The altar is as strong as the sacrifice on it.
"Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the wooden image that is beside it; 26 and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down.” Judges 6:25-26.
14. Every powerful priest has a powerful altar. When anything goes wrong, the first thing to consider in search of solution is the state of your altar. A priest is as powerful as the altar backing him.
15. The greatest altar was at Calvary.
16. To have a connection with God, we have to meet Him at the altar. Heb. 9:11-15.
17. If you don’t build your altar, soon you will become a victim of another man altar.
18. Your progress in life depends on the power of your altar.
19. We are no longer commanded to build physical altar but spiritual altars of prayers, praises, holiness, Bible reading and worship.
20. When you are worshipping God or praying, the incense from your altar rises to the altar at the Throne of God in Heaven.
21. Wherever sacrifice is offered, God is attracted.
“…And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.” 2 Chronicles 7:12. Evil sacrifice also attracts demons.
22. Every altar is a gateway.
23. Sin and iniquities are major altar breakers.
24. If the altar of your enemy is strong, it is because your altar is no longer effective.
25. If you are to see great outpouring of God's power, you must begin by rebuilding your broken down altars.
WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS NEEDED TO BUILD AN ALTAR?
Rocks, stones and broken things.
"9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
Are you a broken vessel? Do you wish you could have another chance or start over again? God can mend your broken life if you give Him all the pieces. Just turn it over to Him now. He wants to give you a second chance. The more broken we are, the more God can use us. It is all a matter of brokenness.
AND THE FIRE FELL.
Many believers are wavering, lukewarm, and blending with the sins of the world. But God is calling us to radical holiness. We must take our stand for godly principles. There's a spiritual battle going on now between light and darkness. We must be God’s men and women for this hour.
"15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:15-20.
Come to the Lord today. You can start afresh. Ask Him to refine you. Have faith to receive. Don't give up!
Maybe you’re in the midst of a fiery trial. "Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:24-25.
Are you having issues at work or business? It’s only a test. Are you having problems at home or in your marriage? It’s only a test. Are you facing persecution? Don't be afraid. It'll soon be over! Are you having issues in your ministry or career? It’s only a test. Are things falling apart in your life? It’s only a test. Don’t give up half way through your test. God will see you through. You will overcome in Jesus name!
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you." Isaiah 43:2.
PRAYER POINTS
Confession: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
1. O Lord I thank You for the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Father, forgive me of any sin in my life, in Jesus name.
3. My Father, let your mercies overrule every judgment against me, in Jesus name.
4. Holy Spirit, fill me afresh, in Jesus name.
5. O Lord, let every unbroken area in my life be broken now, in Jesus name.
6. My Father, incubate me with fire of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name.
7. Every anti-power bondage in my life, break now, in Jesus name.
8. Holy Spirit, take control of my life, in Jesus name.
9. O Lord, catapult me spiritually to the mountain top, in Jesus name.
10. My heavens open! Let the glory of God fall upon me afresh, in Jesus name.
11. I shall be for signs and wonders, in Jesus name.
12. O Lord, open my spiritual eyes and ears, in Jesus name.
13. O Lord, grant me victory over temptation and satanic device, in Jesus name.
14. O Lord, ignite my spiritual life, in Jesus name.
15. O Lord, make me to hunger and thirst for righteousness, in Jesus name.
16. My Father, give me depth and root in my faith, in Jesus name.
17. My eyes, ears, and tongue, be under total control of Holy Spirit, in Jesus name.
18. Thank You God for answering my prayers.
