1 Thessalonians 5:18-19
In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit;
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I would like to start today’s little message by taking note of the fact that the word “everything” in today’s verses literally means everything! The good, the bad and the ugly—and is based in the knowledge that the Lord is in control and He will cause everything to work together for good to us who love Him. {Rom.8:28}
The Greek word translated as 'quench' here in the apostle Paul's letter literally means to extinguish—to put a fire out! Our God is indeed a consuming fire {Heb.12:2} that Satan has done all in his power to put out, to extinguish. Even the Lord’s death on a cross, the Father's will, did not put the fire out—it made it burn all the brighter. But the enemy will continually strive to throw cold water on us believers. Jesus warned that in the last days because of the increase in lawlessness the love of many will grow cold. {Mat.24:12}
A fire that is going out generally dwindles down in the process. So we are forewarned to tend to that fire that the Holy spirit has lit in us. The Word says that we are to kindle afresh the gift of God {2Tim.1:6} to stoke the fire. So if we are faithful to do that we will not have to hear the Lord say to us as He did to the church of the Ephesians at one point, 'You have left your first love.' {Rev.2:4}
Many years ago when I flew long distance patrols in the U.S. Navy way up in the North Atlantic I was trained, as were all crew members, in how to put a fire out. If a fire were to start on board you could not call the fire department to come and put it out!
A fire requires fuel, oxygen, and heat to exist. That was true when Paul wrote those words thousands of years ago, true decades ago when I was flying, and true today when you are reading this! A fire left to itself will eventually burn itself out. So the enemy has only to get us to do nothing and allow the fire to burn itself out!
We need to add fuel to the fire, fan the flames, and make sure the air keeps on flowing! The fuel is us! We are instructed to offer ourselves a living and holy sacrifice to the Lord. {Rom.12:1} The oxygen is the Word of God—it is the breath of God! {2Tim.3:16} Then, as in the time of Elijah the prophet, the heat is our zeal for the Lord, the fire of the Holy Spirit. {Acts 2:2-3} Then God will, as He did with Elijah on Mount Carmel, send fire, holy all consuming fire from heaven. A fire that caused the people to fall on their faces and cry out, 'YHWH, He is God. YHWH, He is God.' {1Kin.18:38-39}
Holy fire will lead people to holy ground; just as in the time of Moses! Tending his father-in-law's flock, he saw a bush on fire, yet not consumed.
“So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." (Exodus 3:3-5)
OUR GOD IS INDEED A CONSUMING FIRE
