We are carriers of the glorious Fire of His Presence! 

Based on Apostle André Pelser teaching at Three Days of Glory Campaign – Milnerton, on 2001-07-04 

Introduction 

Hebrews 12:29 states, ‘For our God is a consuming fire.’  Here, the author of Hebrews (Paul) repeats Moses’s words found in Deuteronomy 4:24, ‘For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.’ 

 

God created man in His own image. Unless man accepts this reality and becomes a fire like He is, man will be consumed and destroyed by His fire.  

 

In Daniel 3 we learn about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who served God and refused to bow down and worship a massive golden statue erected by the King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Because of this, they were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. But, the King saw a fourth figure walking with them in the furnace – and described him as the Son of God! They walked around completely unbound and unhurt by the fire. You see God is a fire and fire cannot destroy itself. These three men who were made in God’s image, were protected against the fire in the furnace by God’s fire in them.  

 

Now compare this example of God’s protective fire, to the fire of His judgement against those who do not choose His ways. In Numbers 11:1-3 we read, ‘Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So, the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.’ 

 

So, God is a jealous God, but what does this mean? Instead of insecure human envy, when the Bible describes God as “jealous” in Hebrew, it means He has a fierce, protective zeal and an exclusive right to His people’s devotion, rather than petty human envy. We see this in the Hebrew Words for “Jealous” 

• Qannā’ (קַנָּא): An adjective meaning jealous or zealous, used specifically for God as a title or description, e.g., El Qanna, “a jealous God”.  

• Qannô’ (קַנּוֹא): A variation emphasizing an intense, burning ardour. 

• Qin’āh (קִנְאָה): The root noun meaning zeal, ardour, or jealousy. It describes a powerful emotional heat or protective boundary. 

It is because He loves us so completely that He desires for us to commit to Him completely. This means that we choose Him above all our plans, all our purposes, our dreams and visions, all our possessions and all our attention. He wants nothing to come between us so that His fire in us through the working of the Holy Spirit in us, can transform us more and more into His glory! 

  

God uses the fire of His love to refine us 

We have a choice, i.e. to wilfully submit to God’s refining fire…or eventually burn and be destroyed by it. God wants us to view Him as a loving Father who refines us like silver or gold so that we can offer him works that speak of His righteousness.  

 

In Malachi 3:2-3, we read, “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” 

 

Let’s look at the process wherein the refiner’s fire is used by a silversmith to burn away impurities.  

• First, the raw metal is heated until it liquefies, causing the impurities and waste matter to rise to the surface. 

• Then the refiner skims off the dross to make the metal pure, clear, and valuable. Rather than to destroy it, He refines it until He can see His own image in the metal. 

In scripture, God uses trials and tests to remove sin and shape people so that we can better represent Him to the world. This is our true purpose.  

 

Speak about sun spots and the process of how new skin is developed.  

 

Refining is a transformational journey of a servant of God………and everyone who desires to serve the Lord goes through it! In 1 Peter 4:12-13 we read, ‘Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.’  

 

Regarding tests and fiery trials Peter also explains that our faith is our most valuable possession in 1 Peter 1:7 describes our faith in God as follows, ‘that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ 

 

Who sets up these tests and trials? In James 1: 2-8 we read, ‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.’ 

I often wonder that if we truly listened to God and obeyed him, whether we would have less tests that correct behaviour?  Consider Job…

  

God’s fire already burns inside of a child of God 

Salvation is a package deal that includes us receiving the Holy Spirit, without whom we cannot perform the work of a disciple of Christ. He is our Helper, our Guide, our Teacher, our Comforter…..We read in Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” 

 

One of the symbols of the Holy Spirit is fire. We read in Acts 2:2-4 that on the Day of Pentecost, ‘When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ 

 

Peter interpreted the outpouring as the prophecy of Joel being earthed. In Joel 2:28-29, we read, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.’ 

 

Jeremiah 20:9: ‘Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.”  Anyone who has felt the unction of the Holy Spirit to speak or share Christ in some way, can relate to this.  

 

In Luke 24:32, ‘And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”  Share testimony of when I came to the Lord. 

 

We are torchbearers of God’s light to a darkened world 

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says the following about his disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” 

 

Jesus is the Light of the world and it is He who we carry out. The darker the world gets, the more brightly Christ within us will shine!  

The picture that the Lord gave me while preparing was that we were like the torchbearers of the Olympic flame, passing the torch on to the next runner. So, we are protecting the purity of the Gospel of Truth and passing it on to the next generation.  

We read in Psalm 78:5-6, ‘For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children,’ 

When the flame burns low 

There are times when the fire burns low, because we have allowed the fire of God to burn low. Times when we don’t feel as on fire for the Lord as we once were.  

 Apostle Leigh taught me that when there is a problem with my relationship with the Lord, it is never God who is the problem!  

 

Some causes of God’s flame burning low: 

• Sin: In James 4:8 we read, ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Sin separates us from God. We draw away and cause separation. Repent of sin, ask the Lord to forgive you and take away the cause of that sin (inequity). 

• Fan the flame: We read in 2 Timothy 1:6, ‘Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ Here Paul reminds his young protégé of his calling into ministry. He is saying use that gift. Don’t wait until you think you’re ready. It’s the gift of God it is always ready! It is always burning! Yes, study the word (MBTC) to show yourself approved but testify already about God; don’t be fearful for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. But pray for people in your circles of influence – that is your mission field! 

 

Conclusion 

• The devil lies to us about God’s love and tempts us with destructive sin so that we will be separated from God’s love and end our lives in a lonely death away from God. 

• God wants you to give up what prevents you from His presence. Any addiction or indulgence is self-destructive. What is the god in your life? The rich young ruler chose his riches above God (Luke 18). Love not the world…the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life… (I John 2:15-17) 

• Don’t be double-minded about God. If He is God serve Him. If Mammon is God serve Him. 

  

• God’s wants you to accept His love…it burns like a flame…it is an unquenchable fire and it will cleanse you until you take on His glorious image! A silver smith purifies silver in fire until he can see his own image reflected in the silver!  His fire will not consume you any more once He can see His image in your life. You will be happy in the fire of God’s divine presence! 

• God’s fire will purify and illuminate your spiritual eyes.  

• In line with Acts 26:18, let us pray that the fire of God’s glorious presence will burn in us so that our lives will be the means God can use to open the eyes of the unbelievers. To turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ.