Sunday Morning 2nd Service | Fire Within: Starting the Year with Holy Momentum #3

Devotional

Day 1: The Holy Spirit's presence ignites fire within.

Reflect on the profound truth that when you place your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. This isn't a partial gift, but the very Spirit of God, empowering you with His presence. You are not empty, forgotten, or lacking; there is already a divine fire dwelling inside you, ready to be recognized and released. This indwelling Spirit is the foundation of your spiritual life and capacity. [55:53]

Romans 8:11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Reflection: How does recognizing the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence change your perception of your own spiritual capacity and potential for impact?

Day 2: Disciplines fan the spiritual fire within.

Sometimes, our spiritual lives can feel covered in ashes, appearing dormant. Yet, the fire of Christ is still present, just needing to be stirred. We have a responsibility to fan that flame through intentional spiritual disciplines. Practices like prayer, fasting, and solitude are not accidental; they are deliberate choices to position ourselves in God's presence. These disciplines provide the oxygen needed to rekindle the embers and bring the fire back to life within us. [53:03]

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Reflection: What spiritual discipline, mentioned or otherwise, do you sense God inviting you to intentionally practice this week to stir up the fire within you?

Day 3: God's power for public testimony, not private comfort.

The fire of the Holy Spirit within us was never intended for private comfort or personal enjoyment alone. It is designed to ignite our witness and empower us to share Jesus with those around us. Just as Jeremiah found that holding the fire in hurt more than releasing it, we too may experience frustration when we ignore the prompting to speak or act. This dynamic, explosive power is released for action, enabling us to be a public testimony of what Jesus has done. [57:50]

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Reflection: Where have you recently felt a "burning fire shut up in your bones" to share about Jesus, and what held you back from releasing it?

Day 4: Courageous prayer releases heavenly power for mission.

Unified, courageous prayer has the power to shake foundations and empower our mission and purpose. The early church, facing threats and opposition, did not pray for safety or comfort, but for boldness to speak God's word. This kind of earnest prayer is actively working, effective, and produces real results. When we align our prayers with God's desire for courage and open doors, we can expect unexpected opportunities and conversations to share His message. [01:11:32]

Acts 4:29-31
And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Reflection: Instead of praying for your circumstances to change, what specific area of your life or relationships could you pray for increased boldness to act on God's behalf?

Day 5: Stepping out in obedience, the fire accompanies you.

The fire of God does not follow obedience; it accompanies obedience. As we go through our everyday lives—at work, school, home, or gym—we are called to make disciples. God empowers us and stays with us always, just as He was with Moses and led the Israelites by a pillar of fire. Lives are transformed across generations when one person steps out in faith, trusting that God's fire will go with them. This isn't about earning something new, but receiving what God has already promised in the act of obedience. [01:22:32]

Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Reflection: What is one specific, practical step of obedience, however small, that you believe God is asking you to take this week to carry His fire to someone around you?

Sermon Summary

When faith is alive, God’s Spirit already burns within—and that flame is meant to move outward, not be hoarded. The inner fire is real because the Spirit who raised Jesus dwells in believers, producing fruit and gifting for mission. What starts as ashes can be rekindled by spiritual disciplines—prayer, fasting, solitude—and when stirred, the ember is meant to be released in testimony and action. The New Testament pattern is clear: Christ promised dynamic, supernatural power (dunamis) through the Spirit so that followers would bear witness locally and to the ends of the earth. That power was never intended as private comfort or mere spiritual sensation but as empowerment for bold witness and kingdom advance.

Corporate, courageous prayer repeatedly precedes fresh outpourings. Scripture shows communities praying through opposition, shaking meeting places, and receiving renewed boldness to proclaim the gospel. Such prayer is expectant, aligned with God’s Word, and seeks courage over ease. Obedience is the practical partner of empowerment: as disciples go about their daily lives, the Spirit accompanies them. The fire of God does not come only after obedience; it is promised within obedience—God’s presence goes with the one who steps out. Historical examples, from Pentecost to Azusa Street to missionaries like Hudson Taylor, illustrate how refilling, bold action, and cultural contextuality spread revival and sustained movements.

The invitation is both personal and communal: whether seeking a first baptism in the Spirit, a fresh refilling, or simply a deeper surrender, individuals and the gathered church are urged to posture themselves to receive. The goal is not transient emotion but a sustained, missional life—carrying fresh fire into neighborhoods, workplaces, and relationships so that conversion, healing, and transformation follow. The concluding commissioning calls for specific, immediate acts of obedience—texts, conversations, invitations, service—that move faith from feeling into tangible witness. The aim is a church ever-ignited, living in the Spirit’s boldness and obedient momentum, producing real fruit for the harvest.

Key Takeaways

1. The Spirit's fire spreads outward The Spirit’s indwelling presence is not private therapy but missionary fuel. When the Holy Spirit dwells in a believer, the inward flame equips for visible witness: love that speaks, power that serves, and truth that confronts darkness. Holding the call in causes internal pain; releasing it brings relief and purpose. [54:46]
2. Bold prayer unlocks heaven's power Prayer that expects results refuses mere ritual and asks for courage rather than comfort. Corporate, courageous prayer aligns the church with God’s purposes, shakes foundations, and readies believers to act under divine enablement. Persistent, faith-filled petitions produce tangible, strategic openings for the gospel. [67:32]
3. Obedience carries fire forward The call is to “go” in everyday life—workplaces, neighborhoods, and routine interactions—not only special events. God’s promise is presence in obedience, not a reward after it; the fire accompanies the one who steps out. Small acts of faith can catalyze large, generational fruit. [74:00]
4. Refilling is a repeated invitation Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time trophy but a recurring reality for mission. Scripture models baptism, refilling, and continual filling as normal for a church under pressure and purpose. Any believer hungry for more is invited to receive afresh for boldness and service. [83:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[49:56] - Opening prayer & vision
[51:16] - Ashes, kindling, and disciplines
[54:29] - Fire meant for witness
[56:32] - Promise of Spirit power (Acts 1:8)
[63:53] - Pentecost, Azusa Street, revival
[67:32] - Bold prayer shakes foundations
[74:00] - Obedience and the fire that follows
[85:31] - Invitation: baptism and refilling
[98:44] - Commissioning: be carriers of fire

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Acts 4:29-31
"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

Romans 8:11
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

Observation questions

According to Acts 1:8, what is the specific result of receiving the Holy Spirit’s power, and where is that power supposed to be displayed?
In Acts 4:29-31, what was the specific request the believers made to God in the middle of opposition, and what physical sign happened after they prayed?
Sometimes spiritual life can look like a fire pit full of gray ashes—it looks dead, but there is still heat underneath [51:16]. What are some of the "disciplines" mentioned that help fan those embers back into a flame? [52:37]
Based on Romans 8:11, what is the connection between the resurrection of Jesus and the Spirit that currently lives inside a believer?

Interpretation questions

The Greek word for power in Acts 1:8 is *dunamis*, which refers to explosive, supernatural ability released for action [57:09]. Why is it important to understand that this power is for "public testimony" rather than just "private comfort"? [57:50]
Jeremiah described God’s word as a "burning fire shut up in my bones" that he could not endure holding in [59:25]. What does this suggest about the internal effect on a believer when they choose to silence their witness or ignore a prompting from God? [01:00:12]
In Acts 4, the believers were under threat of arrest, yet they prayed for boldness rather than safety [01:08:26]. How does shifting the focus of prayer from "changing circumstances" to "changing our courage" impact the mission of the church? [01:08:40]
The command to "go" in the Great Commission actually means "as you go" or "as you live your everyday life" [01:14:15]. How does this change the way we view our interactions at the gym, the grocery store, or the workplace? [01:14:44]

Application questions

Have you ever felt like your spiritual life was just "ashes"—not necessarily dead, but flat and gray? [51:41] Which discipline (prayer, fasting, or solitude) do you feel most led to practice this week to stir that fire back up? [53:03]
Holding the fire of God inside can actually produce more frustration than the act of obeying [01:03:21]. Can you think of a recent time when you felt a "nudge" to pray for someone or speak up, but you ignored it? How did that affect your peace afterward?
The Spirit’s fire is meant to spread from person to person, just like it did at Pentecost or during the Azusa Street revival [01:05:09]. Who is one person in your life right now who needs to experience the "warmth" of God’s love through your testimony or service?
God does not usually give the "fire" after we obey; He promises that the fire accompanies us *in* the act of obedience [01:22:14]. What is one specific step of obedience—like sending a text, starting a conversation, or inviting someone to church—that you have been putting off? [01:20:47]
Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time trophy but a recurring reality for mission [01:23:31]. Do you feel a hunger for a "refilling" of boldness today? What would that empowerment look like in your specific daily routine this week?
Corporate prayer has the power to shake foundations and align us with God’s purposes [01:06:52]. How can you move your prayer life this week from "ritual" to "expectant," specifically asking God for open doors and the courage to walk through them? [01:11:32]

Sermon Clips

Hear this clearly, God does not give fire after obedience. He promises fire in obedience. God does not give fire after the obedience. He promises fire in the obedience. So, guys, I want you to recognize that this isn't about earning something new. It's about receiving what God already promised for this moment. [01:22:11] (40 seconds) #FireInObedience

here's what I want us to all know. This is the foundation that we are gonna start with today, is that when you put your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes and lives and dwells on the inside of you. God doesn't just give you a portion of himself. He gives you his spirit, and his spirit on the inside of you allows you to walk out the fruits of the spirit, which are what? Love, joy, peace, goodness, self control. It depends what version you learned it in. And so if you belong to Jesus, you're not empty, you are not forgotten, and you are not lacking. He dwells within you. There is already fire within you because the spirit of God lives inside of you and he dwells inside of you. [00:55:01] (63 seconds) #HolySpiritLivesWithin

how do we release that fire? I believe the first place that it starts is with prayer and that's point number two is that bold prayer releases heavenly fire. Unified courageous prayer shakes foundations and empowers mission and purpose. And we see it throughout scripture time and time again. We see believers being filled again and again, not because the spirit left, but because the moment that they were in demanded that empowerment. [01:06:43] (32 seconds) #BoldPrayerReleasesFire

And you begin to ask God not for ease but for open doors and for courage. What do you think you might see? I can tell you what you're gonna see. You're gonna see unexpected opportunities to share the message because you're intentionally giving thought and because there's God wants nothing more than everybody on the face of this earth to come to know him as their personal lord and savior. So if you shift your focus and say, god, give me boldness, give me opportunities, he's gonna give them to you. You're gonna start having unexpected conversations. [01:11:26] (42 seconds) #AskForBoldnessOpenDoors

he accepted Jesus as his lord and savior. And that next year, he began to feel a prompting, of the Holy Spirit that he needed to go to China and begin to share Christ with others. And so, guys, he was in poor health. He was facing opposition, but you know what he did? He's like, nope. That's not gonna stop me, and I'm gonna go. And so he went to China. He adopted kind of the Chinese dress, which was very uncommon for missionaries back then, but he kinda did that. He started learning some of their customs, and his goal was to reach the inland people. And as he did that, we know that thousands came to Christ. And we know that the church inland mission was actually founded, and then from there that they sent out hundreds of missionaries that went out because of one man's act of obedience. [01:19:20] (48 seconds) #ObedienceChangesNations

Here's the reality guys is that the early church faced arrest, they faced opposition, but corporate prayer, them coming together sustained together. It says that the room shook, that their boldness increased, and the church was multiplied. So just imagine with me for a moment, here you are in this twenty one days of prayer and fasting, and you're pressing in and you're believing with bold prayers for unreached friends and family members. [01:10:33] (53 seconds) #CorporatePrayerMultiplies

And guys, we see in the New Testament that in the gospels, we see that the disciples were what? Fearful. Were they not? I mean, how many times did Peter deny Jesus? Three, you see time and time again. However, once Jesus dies and rose and they were baptized in the Holy Spirit after that day of Pentecost, what do we see followed? They stepped out in boldness. They're like, bring it on. Right? It's not gonna stop me. I am gonna keep going. I love that. Yes. They stepped out, and we today are a byproduct of their ministry, of their boldness years ago because they stepped out. [01:18:15] (50 seconds) #FromFearToBoldness

you blow in it, you give it some oxygen, what happens? It comes back. Right? Sometimes big, sometimes little, sometimes you gotta add some more fire to it. And so last week, we talked about how we have the responsibility to kind of fan that flame. Right? And so we did that and we talked about, different disciplines that we need to have in our life to make that happen. We talked about the importance of prayer. We talked about the importance of fasting. [00:52:17] (29 seconds) #FanTheFlameDaily

And so I don't think that Jeremiah in this passage was rebelling. I think he was just exhausted. But I believe that he discovered something so profound. He discovered that holding the fire in hurt more than releasing it. Holding that fire on the inside hurt more than releasing it. Silencing that call produced more pain than obedience ever did. [00:59:42] (42 seconds) #HoldingFireHurts

Guys, that's what we're talking about when we feel that stirring and sharing and acting on it. It's not walking away from it. Now, guys, I know that we are probably all guilty of ignoring it at some time. I know I've missed it sometimes. And, you know, I know sometimes that when I miss it, I kinda wanna beat myself up a little bit, which takes me to my little next sub point here is that fire ignored becomes frustration. [01:02:51] (32 seconds) #FireIgnoredBecomesFrustration

Alright? And so I just kinda picture Jeremiah having a moment of weakness. Anybody ever had a moment of weakness? Meaning or how about a moment of complaining? Let's say that. Let's let's just be real. I like your hands back there. A moment of just complaining. So here's Jeremiah in chapter 20, and he's kinda if you look up the whole chapter, he's just kinda going on for a while. [00:58:42] (24 seconds) #JeremiahMomentOfWeakness

Guys, he empowers us but then he doesn't just leave us out there, he stays with us. He is with us always. So the fire does not follow obedience, the fire accompanies obedience. The fire does not follow obedience, the fire accompanies obedience. So let's think about Moses for a minute. How do you guys remember Moses? Right? He was originally in Egypt and he basically ran out to the desert and he's out there in the wilderness, and then all of a sudden, what happens? [01:15:10] (36 seconds) #FireAccompaniesObedience

How do you guys know that sometimes in your life, God's saying it's over here, but you're too comfortable right here, and you're not following his leading because you're comfortable? Why I followed you here? Isn't this what you wanted? Yes, for that season, but get off your butt and let's go somewhere else. It's what he's telling us sometimes. He didn't call us to comfort. [01:17:43] (27 seconds) #GetOutOfYourComfort

And so I just kinda picture Jeremiah having a moment of weakness. Anybody ever had a moment of weakness? Meaning or how about a moment of complaining? Let's say that. Let's let's just be real. I like your hands back there. A moment of just complaining. So here's Jeremiah in chapter 20, and he's kinda if you look up the whole chapter, he's just kinda going on for a while. [00:58:42] (23 seconds) #SeymourRevivalRemembered

Guys, whatever God calls you to, he's gonna be right there with you in it. He's not gonna leave you high and dry. He's gonna be with you. God assured hesitant hesitant Moses at the burning bush. Divine presence like a guiding fire enabled the impossible task of deliverance. Like, do y'all get how big that is? That many people to leave Egypt and to relocate? That's huge. [01:16:23] (26 seconds) #JeremiahHonestStruggle