Fanning the Flame

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

1 Thessalonians 5:19-20

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.”

 

Have you ever felt the warmth of a good campfire when you are chilled to the bone? It’s amazing how good it feels. Whether you’ve been playing in the snow, working outside in the middle of winter or walking the streets shopping amidst the brisk chilly wind, a warm fire can’t be beat. There’s something about the closeness of the flames that is comforting and cozy.

 

The Christian life has some similar analogies. When we accept Christ as our Savior we receive a special gift. God takes up residence in us.

 

1 Corinthians 3:16

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”

 

1 Corinthians 3:17

“God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

 

1 Corinthians 6:19

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

 

2 Corinthians 6:16

“For we are the temple of the living God.”

 

The amazing fact is that the Holy Spirit makes it’s home within our soul when we become a child of God. Most religions worship external gods. The one true religion, Christianity, allows us to worship an external God as well as experience His presence within our own lives. He desires to burn within our soul purging us of the desires of the flesh. Part of His role is to convict us of sin (John 16:8). He also is provides counsel and comfort (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7).

 

The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, a fickle feeling, or a figment of our imagination. He is God with all the power and deity entailed. His desire to burn within our lives will produce holiness in our actions and thoughts if we allow Him His will. The problem is we can smother His flame.

 

Fire needs two things in order to burn, fuel and oxygen. Fuel comes usually in the form of wood or paper, but anything that can be ignited can serve as fuel. In our Christian lives the fuel we provide is our obedience to God’s word. The degree with which we study, meditate on and put into practice Holy Scripture, influences the efficiency of the burning of the flame of the Holy Spirit within our lives. Two parallel portions of scripture attest to this.

 

Colossians 3:16

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

 

Ephesians 5:18-19

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.”

 

If you notice both of these scriptures talk about singing or speaking psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Prefacing these statements are two phrases, “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” and “be filled with the Spirit.” I believe that God’s word is the language of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit within us will use God’s word to speak to us, convict us of sin and counsel our actions. How much we are filled with the Holy Spirit is related to how much we have made the word of God a part of our lives. The fuel of God’s word is critical if we are to burn with the holiness of the Holy Spirit. Neglecting God’s word will quench the Spirit and hinder His influence. The Holy Spirit will burn within us, but with the lack of the fuel He will be hindered from working dramatically in our lives.

 

The other necessity for a fire is oxygen. A continuous flame requires a regular supply of oxygen to burn brightly. Plenty of fuel is useless to a fire unless oxygen is supplied. In our Christian lives oxygen is supplied from our will and heart. When we make up our minds to choose to act on God’s word we provide the oxygen necessary for God’s Spirit to burn with the intense heat of holiness. Head knowledge of God’s word may provide the fuel but unless we allow our heart and will to take action on it, the Holy Spirit will be quenched. When we allow the flesh to dominate in our lives we stifle the Spirit from His holy work as well. Bitterness, anger, strife all quench the Spirit. Nothing puts a damper on the Holy Spirit quicker than allowing the flesh to grow in our lives. Choosing to give into the desires of the flesh removes the fuel of God’s word and eliminates the oxygen of our will. While the flame of the Spirit never goes completely out in the life of a Christian, its brightness can diminish to a flicker. Quenching the Holy Spirit causes a rift in our relationship with God and causes harm to our own spiritual life.

 

It is crucial that a Christian encourages the flame of the Holy Spirit to burn within their life. God desires that we glorify Him in our lives by conducting ourselves in a holy manner, serving others and bringing the lost into God’s Kingdom. When the Holy Spirit burns brightly, holiness is a characteristic of our lives. Holiness fosters security in our salvation, joy of the Lord, peace that passes understanding and power to withstand any spiritual attack.

 

How is the Holy Spirit burning in your life?

 

Hebrews 12:14-15

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”