I have a friend who REALLY does not like the song “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine….”
The reason being, this person is a FIRE person.
What do I mean by that? Some of us want to be so on fire for the things of the Kingdom of God that a tiny flame is not enough. The hunger is for a consuming fire. Or maybe a blazing burning bush like Moses saw in the desert, that was not actually consuming the bush it was burning. It could only be God!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the little flames, like the oil lamp. That single flame can bring great illumination to the darkest of places. It is essential in the plan of God.
But this Sunday, the Church calendar celebrates Pentecost. For ten days after Jesus ascended from earth to return to glory, the disciples gathered to pray for the power from on high that Jesus had promised. And then it came. Like a violent rushing wind and tongues of fire!
“Let the fire fall, let the wind blow, let the glory come down!” (Jason Upton song)
On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in great power with signs and wonders. Peter, aflame with the Holy Spirit stood and preached the Gospel to the crowds. Siting, among others, the prophet Joel:
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
3,000 people were added to the church that day, because the power of the Holy Spirit had come. Ephesians 1 says that all believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Colossians 2:27 tells us we have Christ in us, “the hope of glory.”
We disciples of Christ have the Holy Spirit, but we need to yield to the Lordship of the father, Son and Spirit. As we yield, the word of Joel are fulfilled: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
As much as I like the idea of signs and wonders, It’s really all about winning souls to Christ for eternity. Indeed the greatest sign and wonder!
I want the power of God! I want to see signs & wonders! I want to see people healed of cancer and throwing away crutches and wheel chairs! BUT If I lose sight of the fact that all of this is to demonstrate the Love of God and save them from an eternity separated from that love and His perfect goodness, I am nothing.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Cor. 13)
As we come to Pentecost this year, please join me in asking our loving heavenly father to set us aflame with His love.
Abba, I come before you acknowledging my lack of love and of power to change even myself, let alone heal anyone else. I know ONLY YOU are able to perform the miracle of love, bringing healing to what is seen and what is unseen. And yet you have chosen me, to represent you here. You have called me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. So, I come humbly to You this Pentecost and every day. I ask you to fill me a fresh with your Holy Spirit. Empower me to be a loving witness for you in every sphere of influence you have assigned me to. And yes, I ask you to use me to be a blaze for you. I yield myself to you. I ask boldly to be an agent of signs and wonders to bring YOU glory! May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
“Let the fire fall, let the wind blow, let the glory come down!”
