View Resource Online
Fire, A Revival Necessity
TEXT:
MATTHEW 3:9-11
{9} And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. {10} And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. {11} I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
ACTS 2:1-4
{1} And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. {2} And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. {3} And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. {4} And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
HEBREWS 12:27-29
{27} And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God is a consuming fire.
INTRODUCTION:
This evening I am going to focus on having revival and I am going to preach about what it is going to take for this church to have revival
By this time, you have probably realized that there is a central theme which runs through each of the text which we read this evening
Each of these text mentions ‘fire’
This Evening I Want To Entitle This Message “Fire – A Revival NECESSITY”
I. THE BEGINNING
A. AS I BEGIN THIS EVENING ALLOW ME TO STATE THAT OF LATE IT SEEMS OUR SERVICES HAVE INVOLVED A GREAT DEAL MORE WORSHIP
B. THE WORSHIP THAT HAS BEEN EXEMPLIFIED HERE IN RECENT WEEKS IS PLEASING TO GOD, IT IS GREAT, AND WONDERFUL BUT IT IS ONLY A PREQUEL TO WHAT GOD REALLY DESIRES
C. IN ANY FIRE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THAT FIRE
1. THERE ARE THE ASHES – THE RESIDUE OF THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY BURNED UP
2. THERE IS THE FUEL – THAT WHICH IS BURNING
3. THERE ARE THE FLAMES – THE MOST VISIBLE AND HOTTEST PORTION OF THE FIRE
D. YOU CAN HAVE THE HOLY GHOST AND NOT HAVE THE FIRE OF GOD BURNING DEEP WITHIN!
E. THIS CHURCH NEEDS A BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST FIRE OF GOD!
F. THIS CHURCH NEEDS TO GET ON FIRE FOR GOD AND UNTIL IT REALLY GETS ON FIRE FOR GOD, THERE WILL BE NO REVIVAL!
II. FIRE
A. LET’S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO OBSERVE A FEW FACTS ABOUT FIRE
1. FIRE IS HOT!
a. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS COLD FIRE!
b. THE CLOSER YOU GET TO SOMETHING THAT IS ON FIRE, THE HOTTER YOU WILL GET
2. FIRE NECESSITIES
a. IT TAKES THREE THINGS TO MAKE ‘FIRE’
1) FUEL — YOU
2) OXYGEN – THE HOLY SPIRIT
3) IGNITION – GETTING CLOSE TO THE HEAT SOURCE — GOD
b. A FIRE ATTRACTS THINGS TO IT
1) SIMPLE BURNING EMBERS ATTRACT NOTHING
2) A RELATIVELY SMALL FIRE WILL ATTRACT INSECTS
3) A LARGE FIRE ATTRACTS PEOPLE
c. AS A FIRE BURNS IT CONSUMES:
1) FUEL
2) OXYGEN
3) A FIRE CANNOT BURN UNLESS IT IS CONSUMING SOMETHING!
4) THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LITERALLY AFRAID TO GET ON FIRE FOR GOD BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID THAT GOD WILL ‘CONSUME’ THEM!
d. THE ‘DEAD-ER’ SOMETHING IS, THE BETTER IT BURNS
1) GREEN WOOD WITH A LOT OF SAP IN IT DOES NOT BURN VERY WELL
2) BUT A TREE THAT HAS BEEN DEAD FOR SOME TIME WILL BURN READILY
3) SOME MIGHT FEEL THAT THEY ARE TOO OLD TO GET ON FIRE FOR GOD – REALITY IS THAT THEY ARE NOT TOO OLD BUT HAVE TOO MUCH SAP (Simply Arrogant Person)
a) THE LONGER SOMETHING HAS BEEN LYING AROUND THE BETTER IT WILL BURN!
[1] THE LONGER SOMEONE HAS BEEN IN CHURCH THE LESS S.A.P. THEY SHOULD HAVE!
b) FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS THE BEST FUEL THAT WE HAVE HAD IS — ‘FOSSIL FUEL’
c) WHERE DOES ‘FOSSIL FUEL’ COME FROM?
d) SCIENCE TELLS US THAT IT IS THE REMAINS OF ANCIENT DINOSAURS AND VEGETATION – THINGS THAT DIED THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO – AND IT BURNS REALLY WELL
III. THE SCRIPTURE
A. BUT WHAT DOES THE SCRIPTURE SAY ABOUT ALL THIS?
MATTHEW 3:9-11
{9} And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. {10} And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. {11} I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
ACTS 2:1-4
{1} And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. {2} And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. {3} And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. {4} And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
HEBREWS 12:27-29
{27} And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God is a consuming fire.
B. CHURCH, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE REVIVAL, IT IS GOING TO TAKE GETTING ON FIRE FOR GOD!
C. IT IS GOING TO TAKE GETTING ON FIRE ENOUGH THAT IT ATTRACTS PEOPLE!
