It is the desire of God that His ministers manifest as flaming fire in their generation. The reason is because fire is the identity of God and He has made His ministers to be flaming fire (Psalm 104:4).
However, there is a need to understand that we don’t just become a flaming fire minister. It is God who makes His ministers flaming fire. In this message, we will look at how God makes ministers into flaming fire.
The Making of Flaming Fire Ministers
Everything that God does with man begins with his making which involves going through the process involved.
Ministers who are flaming fire are made and they must continually respond to the process of their making if they want to remain on fire for God. Men come to their end when they think that they had been totally made but we have to understand that our making with the Lord is a continuous process.
Men come to their end when they think they have been made.
At the mountain of Transfiguration, Jesus took three of His disciples to witness the appearances of Ministers who could be described as flaming fire ministers in their generation. There is a kind of process and spirit that produced these ministers and these will be the focus of this teaching.
The three flaming fire ministers that appeared on the mount of transfiguration were Moses, Elijah and Jesus and we will study the three processes or spirits that produced the flaming fire in them so that this can stir up interest in us to tread the paths that they trod.
The major thing that we are to learn about them is their spirit because flaming fire is spiritual. And the first spirit I want to discuss here is the Drawing Spirit of God.
The Drawing Spirit (Exodus. 3:1-5, John 6:44, Songs of Solomon 1:4)
Moses became a flaming fire minister by Drawing Spirit (Exodus 3:5). The making of a flaming fire minister begins with the spirit of drawing and what made Moses a minister of flaming fire is because he was drawn by the Lord. God cannot make a flaming fire minister from a man until he is drawn and responded positively to the drawing.
The destiny of Moses was changed and he became a great prophet in his generation when he responded to the drawing of the Lord upon his life and this is what changed his narration forever. However, it is not just about the drawing but the response of Moses.
Everything that God will be doing with a man is highly dependent on his response to the drawing of God. Man is as limited as his response to the drawing of God.
While the drawing comes from God, the response is the responsibility of man. As seen in the case of Moses, before God releases the grace for the calling and ministry upon His ministers, He will first of all draw them to Himself. But this is the point many usually abort their journey with God and what their destiny is meant to turn to.
Whatever making that is required for us to be a flaming fire is the response to the drawing of Christ (Matthew 4:19). What God will do with your life depend on your response to His drawing.
Don’t Ignore the Drawing of God
There is a defining moment in everyone’s life that changes everything and it comes by the drawing of God. If we are going to become a useful instrument of fire in God’s hand, we need a right and prompt response to His drawing upon our lives. If Moses had ignored the drawing of God for his life, he would have ended his life in a natural way when he could have lived a supernatural life as a flaming fire minister.
Therefore, if we are to become flaming fire ministers, we must not ignore the drawing of God upon our lives because everything that we can become in God is tied to our response when He draws us to Himself.
God did not speak until Moses responded positively to the drawing. God drew Moses attention by fire encounter at Mount Horeb and when Moses turned to see the fire that was burning but does not consume, God spoke to him. God want to raise his people as flaming fire ministers but it is dependent on our response to His drawing upon our lives. There is nothing that God can do with your life until you have been drawn to Him.
When God Draws, Turn to Him (Exodus 3:3)
The drawing of the Lord demands that we turn to Him and turn away from other things. Whenever we are turning our faces to the Lord, it means that we turn our back to other things that could have drawn our attentions and distract us in following Him.
What is it that you have been turning to other than the Lord? Those things will make nothing out of your life. It is only your response to the drawing of God that can make you to carry the fire of God required for your calling and assignment as a minister in your generation.
Turning to the Lord is a turning away from other things that could have taken you away from Him. And if you turn your face to the Lord, He will take care of your back.
Your back may be your family pressing needs, care for your family members, the necessities of life, children’s school fees, and bills to be paid, food to eat, clothes to put on and these will constantly demand attention. What we only need to do is to turn our faces to the Lord and turn our backs to them and the Lord will take care of our back.
Note that the turning of your face to the Lord is a turning of your back to other things and turning of your face to other things is a turning of your back to God. Turn your face to Christ and He will take care of your back!
The Purpose of God’s Drawing
Moses was drawn by the Lord and his mandate was to draw the people out of slavery into the Promised Land.
However, there are some qualities that God looks for in order to make a minister His flaming fire. These shall be highlighted as seen in the life of Moses.
• Kingdom-Mindedness.
Everything that you are seeking must centre on the Kingdom of God. Flaming fire ministers are made to accomplish the purpose of God and establish the Kingdom in their various locations. If your desire is to become a flaming fire minister, then you must be kingdom-minded.
• Contentment in Christ.
Moses was content to stay with Jethro and serve him faithfully. This virtue must also be found in us if we are to be made a flaming fire minister. Contentment is a lost virtue among the ministers and that is why we have few flaming fire ministers in our generation. If you want to be one of them, you must pursue contentment passionately.
• Turning away from everything that will prevent your response to Jesus
Avoid anything that will distract you from facing the Lord, no matter what they are, bearing in mind that if you turn your face to the Lord, He will take care of your back.
• Waiting until the making process is completed
Many people quickly rush out of the process that supposed to make them flaming ministers but we must bear in mind that the flaming ministers will not jump out or abort the process of God’s making for their lives.
• Serving other men because of the interest of the Kingdom
If you cannot serve other men on behalf of Christ, you cannot be made like Him. It was in the place of service and going the extra miles that led Moses to the mountain of the Lord where he had the drawing encounter which changed his destiny. Anywhere you are planted, let your service be as unto the Lord. Go the extra mile to serve.
• Insisting on the fire from the Lord
It is only the Lord that can make you a flaming fire minister. Your eloquence, human abilities, wealth, possessions, position cannot make you. Moses understood this and he stood with God. He put aside all his strength but presented his weaknesses to the Lord. If you will insist on the Lord, He will make you a flaming fire minister.
• Readiness to confront Pharaoh (Challenging situations in life and ministry)
You must become flaming fire to confront Pharaoh and all his hosts. Pharaoh may mean the challenges in the ministry and the wickedness in the land. You are made a flaming fire minister so that you can confront them. The Lord is with you and you will surely overcome.
Conclusion – Song of Solomon 1:4
The ministers that can be made flaming fire ministers are runners after God’s drawing. They respond to the place where God is drawing them to. Don't run after things, run after the Lord. When you run after God, everything will run after you (Matthew 6:33).
"If you will insist on the Lord, He will make you a flaming fire minister."
