Consumed by Fire

 

I want to continue our discussion of refining by fire as we discussed in the last post. I think the importance of the subject warrants a second post, especially on a global scale.

We can look at the world today and see that it is on fire in the spiritual realm. The devil is working overtime to drag us to Hell with Him and God is pouring out His Spirit. The battle of Armageddon, whether we know it or not, will be waged in the hearts of men and not on a physical battle field. That said, when we look at current events and how things are going today in our country or in the world, we have two options. One is to complain about it and hide, scared of the world and always criticizing it from behind a closed door. The other is to see it as an opportunity. As God cranks up the fire the ones that have already laid their lives on the altar to be burned up will not feel the effects of the heat. Just as it says, the chaff will be burned up, the things in our heart that is of the flesh is going to be burned up whether we give it up to be burned or it is burned up involuntarily. Personally, I like when God and I work things out together and we solve issues in me with gentleness and love. However, the fires that are here and are still coming, will burn the hearts of men violently. 

If the metaphors are too much, try this. Say a person has a heart of unforgiveness towards another. In that situation, the unforgiveness is more about being full of self than the other party doing them wrong. If a person is full of God then all trespasses against them wouldn't matter because they no longer are full of self but full of love and they show love in spite of treatment. So, this person is in unforgiveness and God gently tries to convict her of it but in her mind she is in the right and the other person is wrong. To her, there is no other outcome. God then has to turn up the heat as His love for her wants her heart to be cleansed of her self. So, trials come. Friends and family recognize the bitterness in her and struggle to stay friends with her. As they withdraw from her, she is left bitter and alone. In her final lashing out of desperation to figure out what is so wrong with her, she asks the right question. What is wrong with me that no one wants to be around me. As God has intensified the heat, He can also quench it with His love. He gives her revelation into her unforgiveness that now may be decades old. He shows her how that unforgiveness sparked a whole cascade of events in her life. It caused bitterness and anger and it made everyone around her not want to be near her. He shows her flashes of events throughout her life and makes her understand. She is wrecked and she falls to her face in disgrace and humility. 

We have the ability to cut off years of trials in one moment of transparency with God. Is there anything in me Lord that needs to be offered up as a burnt offering. 

It's a constant state of humility and awareness of our relationship with the Spirit that keeps us in check with God. It is much better to offer ourselves up to Him than spend years in fire. So goes the world currently. It was given ample time to repent, turn and confess. It has been given enough time to throw our old selves on the fire to be burned. Now comes the painful part, like childbirth I believe it says. As the world is in a battle between two forces, one wanting your flesh alive and the other wanting your flesh burned away, the battle will continue until a winner is declared. As we have read the end of the book, the good guys win but it is at a high cost. The way to the end is by fire. God says this world will be consumed in fire which is His fire. 

For those prepared and full of understanding, those that have prepared their lamps and trimmed their wicks, they need not to worry. For those waking up realizing they do not have enough oil, they will be left out in the darkness. 

Which one will we be?

To God be the Glory