Fire Works

Subject: With All That We Are Facing - What Works?

by Rick Welborne

Hebrews 12:2229 (NIV) 

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 

23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 

24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 

26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 

27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shakenthat is, created thingsso that what cannot be shaken may remain. 

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 

29 for our "God is a consuming fire." 

--As we begin this new year we must set some priorities…something that works in the face of trials and tribulation.

–So what do we do? How do we stand? What works in our lives?  How can we be more than conquerors? I want to share with you that Fire Works...

1. Fire works when God’s people are in bondage or under oppression. 

Exodus 3:28 (NLT) 

2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 

3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 

4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 

5 “Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 

6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. 

7 Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 

8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land...

–God shows up in a fire (the God of the Jews and the Christians) and says I see the oppression of My people and I have come down to rescue them. Commercial – knee pads.

–The God Who is a consuming fire sends Moses to rescue His people from the hand of Pharaoh...two to three million people are led out of their captivity by God’s hand!

–Pharaoh’s army is drowned in the sea...God took care of the enemy...Fire Works! Cloud by day and fire by night.

–We all have probably heard the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel in a showdown with the prophets of Baal...the odds were against Elijah...seemed hopeless.

–I am here today to tell you that when everything seems helpless...Fire Works!

–Israel was about to see fireworks in an amazing way...we will see it too!

1 Kings 18:3640 (NKJV) 

36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." 

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 

39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" 

40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.  

–Even when you are outnumbered or the odds are against you...Fire Works!

–What if the enemy comes after our leadership in the AOG or our church?  Fire Works!

Numbers 26:10 (NLT) 

10 But the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel. 

2. Fire works when my life is a mess and I am not right with God.

Malachi 3:13 (NLT) 

1 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 

2 “But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 

3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. 

–If you will endure Him when he comes...you need Him to cleanse you and set you free.

The Consuming Fire will burn away the dross, the sin in your life...Fire Works!

Hebrews 12:25 (NIV) 

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 

–How sad will it be to have lived the greatest part of your life for the Lord and then to throw it all away right before He comes back...nothing is worth that.

–You think God will burn you up if you try to fall on His mercy but remember the bush with Moses...it was consumed by God yet without being destroyed.  Fire Works!!!

–Lord, I want to come back to you but I can’t see the way!  Fire Works!  Israel:

Psalm 105:39 (NLT) 

39 The LORD spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. 

–Come back to Him...Fire Works!!

Zechariah 13:9 (NKJV) 

9 I will bring the onethird through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.' "

--As you fast and pray…the heat may bring stuff to the top…un-forgiveness, bitterness, grudges, sin…Fire works…as He brings it up repent and let Him remove the dross. 

3. Fire works when we seem to be so weak and impotent.  

–The disciples fit this description...you talk of persecution...their leader had been killed, Peter had denied the Lord, most of them had gone back fishing...

–Thomas could not believe that Jesus could possibly be alive...he watched Him die a brutal death.

–What works when it seems the enemy has won a major victory and everything seems to be so hopeless?  Fire Works!

–Remember what John the Baptist said:

Matthew 3:1012 (NIV) 

10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 

11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 

12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 

–Why would God baptize us in the Holy Spirit and fire...because Fire Works! God Works!

–Jesus appears to the disciples and shows them in fact He is alive and that He has a job for them to do.

Matthew 28:1820 (NKJV) 

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. 

–No problem, Jesus, we could barely stand when you were taken and crucified and now you want us to go into the whole world and preach your Gospel...Right!

–We want to do this but we are powerless...how many of you have felt powerless in the light of all the setbacks our country has had under this present leadership?

–Jesus said...No problem...Fire Works!!  You do not have to do it on your own...Go to Jerusalem...I have a gift for you to help!!!

Acts 1:68 (MSG) 

6 When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" 

7 He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. 

8 What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." 

–Very important...they did what He said...they went to Jerusalem and they waited...what happened?  The fire fell!

Acts 2:14 (NKJV) 

1 When the Day of Pentecost had 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 the whole house where they were sitting. 

3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

–Fire fell on each of them...the consuming fire of the Holy Spirit...they were all baptized in Holy Spirit...they were filled...Did the Fire Work?

–Peter who could not stand before women and children and testify about Jesus...stood and preached to the multitude.  3000 saved.  Fire works!

–As they spoke in tongues people could understand in their own languages...Fire Works!

–In a world that was anti-Christ and it was dangerous to be a Christian...Fire Worked!  How do we know our Consuming Fire...God Holy Spirit works?

Acts 17:6 (NKJV) 

6... "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 

–Fire Works now...over 2 billion people confess to be Christian and it all started when Fire fell from heaven on 120...Fire Works!