On Fire for God
John 5: 32-35.
As I was studying God’s word and Praying to the Lord, the Holy Spirit stirred my heart about the ministry of Maple Grove. I reflected back on past Sunday numbers, past services where the Holy Spirit moved in miraculous ways, of souls being saved, and God’s people up on their feet Praising him. Then God started dealing with me about being “On fire for him”.
1.John the Baptist was a man sent from God (Jn.1:6)
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”
A. God, who cannot make a mistake, has a specific purpose for specific people.
1.John, the Baptist, was not an educated man. He didn’t have a Ph.D. or a DD behind his name.
2.His credentials were much higher than that. He had the specific Call of God.
3.A man with the call of God doesn’t have to be timid or soft in proclaiming the word of God.
4.Why do preachers lift up their voice at times and yell out the message of God? (Isa. 58:1) “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.”
B. John the Baptist had a message from God and he preached it with such power that Jesus called him “ a burning and a shinning light.” As Zechariah put it (Zec.3: 2) “And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuketh thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
1.Sometimes it may seem that the fire all round you has gone out, but you must keep burning.
2.Don’t let the lack of fire blow you out.
3.Sometimes you must go out to witness all alone; but the Lord is with you to keep you burning.
4.What we need today is Men and Women with a bond-fire burning in their souls. Men and Women who won’t quit.
2.John the Baptist was a witness, bearing witness of the light. Jn.1: 7, 5:32-33.
A. John was a burning and shinning light because he pointed people to the light of the world.
1.John was a burning light because he got close to the light. The closer you are to the fire the hotter you become.
B.We need a lot of people today who are on fire for the Lord!
C.How can we get on fire for the Lord?
1.Draw close to God. Moses got close to God and his face shown with the glory of God.
2.Draw close to the Word of God. Love it, read it, memorize it, quote it, and live it! When you get close to the word of God it will burn within you.
(Lk.24: 32) “ Did not our hearts burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”
3.Draw close to the work of the Lord. I would rather be preaching than anything. I pray my preaching fire will never go out. I want to lift up my voice like a trumpet. I want to be on fire for God.
3.John was a voice crying in the wilderness. (Jn.1: 23)
A.He had a voice that was set on fire by God. God anointed his tongue.(Isa.6: 5-8) “ Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphim’s unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
B.Every preacher ought to have a live coal from God’s altar to touch his lips and set him on fire for God.
1.Not only every preacher, but every S.S. teacher, every youth worker, every deacon, every trustee, every church worker, and every member.
2.What we need in America today is Christian’s on fire for God!
4.John preached the truth with Fire. (JN.5: 33) “He bare witness unto the truth.”
A.When you have the fire of God upon you, you will preach the whole truth! What is the truth?
1.That Jesus is the Lamb of God. (JN.1: 29) There is no other Savior. No other name under the Heavens…(Acts4: 12)
2.That God created the world. (Gen.1: 1) Bang theory.
3.Jesus Christ is coming soon. (Mat.24: 36) No man knoweth…
5.It is the Responsibility of every child of God to get
on fire for God! Rev.3:15-16. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot, so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
A. Ask God what you can do for him.
B. Be ready always to answer his calling!
C. Souls are dying; men are crying, we need to have the fire of God on our live so we can respond to their call.
D.(Call) God already has given the command.
(Lk.14: 23) “ And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges,and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Conclusion: How many here want the fire of God upon them as it was in the day of the saving of their soul?
