This refers to "the fiery character of the Spirit's operations upon the soul—searching, consuming, refining, sublimating—as nearly all good interpreters understand the words." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary, 888). (Google image, An on Fire Heart for Christ)
He empowers you with His fiery divine energy. The fire of God speaks also of His divine energy constantly ready to empower His own who are totally surrendered to Him. Christ desires that all the fiery ministry of the Spirit be active in your life. "I have come to bring fire on the earth" (Luke 12:49).
He kindled the holy flame of God in the hearts of His followers as He began His earthly ministry. But He knew they needed more of the Spirit.
On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit visibly descended in holy flame upon the men and women gathered in the Upper Room. Empowered by the Spirit, they began to spread God's holy fire that very day.
For decades the Spirit's fire kept burning and spreading. Persecution could not quench their fire, it only served to fan the flames. Pentecost lit a flame that by God's grace will never go out.
He sets you aglow with His fiery radiance and zeal. Romans 12:11 urges, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor." You have spiritual zeal when you are spiritually ablaze.
Weymouth translates this, "Have your spirits aglow"; Goodspeed, "on fire with the spirit" and the Revised Standard Version states it, "Be aglow with the Spirit."
The Holy Spirit revives your spirit, fills you with abundance of life, love, and zeal, and sets you aglow so that you manifest the vibrant, radiant life of God. He will revive your devotion, accelerate your obedience, and fan into flame your zeal.
As a Spirit-filled believer you should be marked by the intense devotion, eager earnestness, and the loyal bond-service which characterizes the heavenly angels. Apollos (Acts 18:25) was thus ablaze. The literal translation can be that he was "burning in spirit," or "glowing with the Spirit."
When the Spirit burns within you in freedom and fullness, your inner life becomes radiant, your zeal intense, and your service dynamic. You, in the words of Ephesians 5:16, are "making the most of every opportunity."
The need for this spiritual glow and zeal is emphasized by the condition of the church in Laodicea which had grown lukewarm
(Rev. 3:15-16). The spiritual temperature of a Spirit-filled leader should remain high.
The Spirit desires so to fill you with burning, glowing agape love that your life is constantly radiant with His presence. Whether the translation of Romans 12:11 is to be aglow with the Holy Spirit or to be aglow in your own spirit, the Enabler is ever Himself. His active in fullness must permeate your personality and service.
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Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.
Ablaze for God
#4 He Sets You Aflame
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 23-25) ZondervanPublishingHouse
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| Praying for disasters |
Father, we invite Your Holy Spirit's operations within our souls—searching our very thoughts, consuming the evil we think and entertain, and refining us like silver for the kingdom's work.
May Your Spirit fill us with abundance of life, love, and zeal to set us aglow to manifest the vibrant, radiant life of God.
We ask that You revive our devotion, accelerate our obedience and fan into flame our zeal.
We acknowledge that your desire is to fill us with burning, glowing agape love so our lives are constantly radiant with Your presence.
This is our prayer today! In Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (v.17) And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it" (Ps. 90:12, 17).
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps. 91:1).
Robert Henderson- "The bottom line is that iniquity operating against us is used by the devil to lie to us about who we really are.
People believe these lies all the time. They become sexually unclean. They become alcoholics and substance abusers. They become controlled by poverty. They end up living a life far below the intent of God for them and their families. Once the power of iniquity is broken, they are transformed in their thinking. They are free to be who God made them to be." (Taken from his book, Unlocking destinies from the COURTS OF HEAVEN).
Today's guest post-
Debbie McEwen
mcewen@gmail.com
"I grew up thinking that what I had was mine, that I could do as I pleased with my stuff – within reason.
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| Lone petunia igrowing out of the pavement |
I own my house – with the bank.
I own my car.
I own my body.
I worked for and earned my money.
They’re mine, right??"
Today's question-
Do you have a secret place where you meet with the Lord Jesus?
It's where our hearts can be strengthened day by day in the shadow of the Almighty (See Ps. 91). We can rest in his immovable shadow, where we can get close to Him and feel safe. The secret place (in Christ) gives us strength to endure hard times.
Upcoming posts-
Why Pray?
28th- Saturday's post by Lee Forbes
#5 He Provides you Gifts
31st- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#6 Wanted: A Burning Heart
11/2nd- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Jesus . . . Your Rescuer
4th- Saturday's post by Ernie Miller
Below, you have an opportunity to leave a comment
Jean's published book
Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteImportant thoughts and words. Lots of meat to chew on and digest. Great food for the soul. Debbie
ReplyDelete