Fire in the burning bush; fire in the wilderness guiding the Israelites to the Promised Land; Abraham and Moses both saw the fire. One of the symbols of Christianity is fire. If the Bible regards fire as the supreme need of the Church and the final gift of God. If the prophets of old associated fire with the Messiah. If our God is a consuming fire. If the gift of the Holy Spirit is a baptism by fire. If Christianity is a religion of fire. If we are saved by fire. If fire is so important then we definitely need it.
“for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12 v 29)
We must remember that the fire of God is coupled with the altars of man. He consumes altars with fire.
Elijah built an altar, “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. 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.” 1 Kings 18:38-39
Solomon built an altar, “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground,” 2 Chronicles 7:1-3
The fire came because there was an altar.
The final altar was the cross of the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. As He ascended to heaven he sent the fire from heaven.
At Pentecost we have to see beyond the phenomena, the noise, the violent wind, the tongues of fire, speaking in tongues, drunken-like behaviour. If we do then we will then see men and women whose lives were saturated with the Spirit of God. The passion of God possessed them with an intensity of a fire. They burned and they shone for Jesus. A holy passion for righteousness, a consuming enthusiasm for the salvation of the lost. They were sold out for Jesus.
The fire of God is unique.
The fire of God is not sent for a few emotional experiences. The fire of God brings power. Power to go and power to be.
Today give your heart to Jesus, prepare an altar and invite Him to come to you and He will. God consumes altars.
Missions Paul 