Firefighter

Firefighter

Have you ever watched a firefighter at work? It is amazing how quickly their adrenaline gets pumping when they get a call that there is a fire somewhere. It is only a matter of minutes before they are completely geared up and ready to take on any fire. They work so hard to keep the fire under control, eventually putting it out completely.

Have you ever had a firefighter fight for you? Not in real life fire situations, but in real spiritual life situations? Let me explain a little bit. I believe that we all have firefighters in our own lives. You may not be able to think of one right now, but let me try to change the path that I think you may be on. We all view firefighters as hero's who come and rescue us, which, when it comes to a fire raging through our house, that is absolutely the case! But when it comes to a spiritual fire that we get when we are so pumped about God, "firefighters" in our lives are not heroes at all, but rather robbers and thieves. Amazingly, the similarities are endless. They both arrive on the scene quickly. They aren't lazy about the job, instead facing it head on, not quitting until the fire is effectively under control.

I have seen so many people come off of a mission trip, come out of a revival meeting, or a praise and worship concert and are so in tune and on fire for God. Then in the next instance, literally it may take only days, they are back walking like everyone else. I can see immediately that they have had people come alongside them, and instead of encouraging, they throw buckets of water on them (in a spiritual sense). I have had kids make commitments to me that they are dead set on seeing through. Wherever they have just been, they are ready to take the next step with God. It becomes more than frustrating for me to watch friends try to convince them that what they want to do is stupid. It just doesn't look like "normal", and for some reason, everyone wants to be just that.

I want to take you to the scene of a different kind of fire. A fire that is purposely set. Have you ever driven past a whole field that had been expertly charred? Or, more than likely, you have seen side ditches completely black. These fields and grasses have been set on fire for a purpose. They want the dead grass from the year before to be gone so that the new can grow greener and healthier than it would have had the old stuff never been taken care of.

That is what God wants us to do too! He wants us to be on fire! He wants us to be His messengers that devour up the dead and old and help to bring healing and growth to this world!

Psalm 104:1-5 " Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent. And lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

In the King James, verse 4 reads: "His ministers a flaming fire"! Ministers can also be translated as servants. So read it like this…"He makes His servants a flaming fire!"

I want you to read this passage again, out loud. If you are daring enough, read that whole chapter! Picture saying it to God's Face as you do.

Now you tell me…do you want to be a firefighter against that kind of fire?

I want to be someone who tries desperately to keep those flames from dying out. I will tell you from experience, that encouragement is the quickest way to make a spark into a roaring fire! We all have the ability to use our words to either hurt or help. If you hurt, it is so extremely discouraging that you will see dead grass from the previous year all around. But just as easily, you can be the biggest encourager to someone, and give them the energy to keep fighting with all that God has given them. The fruit may not be seen immediately, but you will soon be able to witness just how much good encouraging words can do. You will see a fire spreading throughout your friends, throughout your church, and eventually throughout your whole community! Can you imagine what God will do with people who refuse to use water?

It's time for a change. We need to prepare our ground for a new crop!

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

It just depends on what you want to see growing around you. If you like dead grass, well I guess that's your choice. But for me…I'm going for the flames!