Fueling the Fire: Nurturing Our Spiritual Lives

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we focused on the importance of allowing God to have His way in our lives and the necessity of maintaining a vibrant spiritual fire within us. We began by praying for our nation, asking for an awakening and a return to God, and for the church to keep its eyes fixed on Him. We acknowledged God's greatness, His ability to restore, heal, and defend us, and we repented for the times we have tried to do things in our own strength instead of allowing Him to work through us.

We explored the metaphor of a fire, emphasizing that just as a fire needs oxygen, fuel, and an ignition point to thrive, our spiritual lives require daily nurturing to keep the fire for God burning brightly. The ignition point of our spiritual fire is our salvation, but it is our responsibility to continually feed it. We discussed how life can sometimes clog the flow of God's presence, much like a showerhead can become blocked with debris, and how intentional effort is needed to clear these blockages.

We also examined the concept of the fire triangle, which includes oxygen, fuel, and heat, and related it to our spiritual lives. Without fuel and oxygen, a fire will die, and similarly, our passion for God can diminish if not regularly fed. We are called to be living sacrifices, continually presenting ourselves to God and renewing our minds. This requires daily encounters with God through prayer, reading His Word, fasting, and worship.

We were reminded that the enemy seeks to quench our fire, using busyness and complacency as tools to distract us from our spiritual maintenance. However, by prioritizing our relationship with God and making daily encounters with Him a habit, we can keep our spiritual fire burning. We concluded with a call to action, encouraging everyone to take responsibility for their spiritual growth and to ensure that their fire for God remains strong and vibrant.

Key Takeaways:

1. Daily Spiritual Maintenance: Just as a fire needs constant fuel and oxygen, our spiritual lives require daily encounters with God through prayer, reading the Word, and worship to keep our passion for Him alive. Neglecting this maintenance can lead to a diminished spiritual fire. [46:25]

2. Intentional Effort: Maintaining a vibrant spiritual life requires intentional effort, much like clearing blockages in a showerhead. We must identify and remove obstacles that hinder our relationship with God, allowing His presence to flow freely in our lives. [48:37]

3. Personal Responsibility: We are responsible for feeding our spiritual fire. While church services and small groups can provide additional fuel, it is ultimately up to each individual to ensure their fire for God remains strong through personal devotion and discipline. [53:02]

4. The Enemy's Tactics: The enemy seeks to quench our spiritual fire by using distractions such as busyness and complacency. Recognizing these tactics and prioritizing our relationship with God can help us maintain a strong and vibrant spiritual life. [01:02:58]

5. The Power of Corporate Worship: When individuals maintain their spiritual fire and come together in corporate worship, the collective flame can create a powerful atmosphere where God's presence is felt in a mighty way. This highlights the importance of personal spiritual growth for the benefit of the entire community. [01:27:20]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:00] - Prayer for the Nation
- [02:30] - God's Greatness and Our Repentance
- [05:00] - The Fire Triangle: Oxygen, Fuel, and Heat
- [10:00] - Spiritual Maintenance and Intentional Effort
- [15:00] - Personal Responsibility in Feeding the Fire
- [20:00] - The Enemy's Tactics: Busyness and Complacency
- [25:00] - Daily Encounters with God
- [30:00] - The Role of Prayer and Fasting
- [35:00] - The Importance of Worship
- [40:00] - Avoiding Strange Fire
- [45:00] - The Power of Corporate Worship
- [50:00] - Call to Action: Ignite the Flame
- [55:00] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 12:1-2
2. Leviticus 6:12-13
3. 2 Timothy 1:6-7

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Romans 12:1-2, what does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, and how does this relate to maintaining our spiritual fire? [53:02]

2. In Leviticus 6:12-13, what was the responsibility of the priests concerning the altar fire, and how does this serve as a metaphor for our spiritual lives today? [53:02]

3. How does the sermon describe the "fire triangle," and what are its components in relation to our spiritual lives? [53:02]

4. What are some of the tactics the enemy uses to quench our spiritual fire, as mentioned in the sermon? [01:02:58]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being a "living sacrifice" in Romans 12:1-2 challenge our daily routines and priorities? [53:02]

2. What does it mean to "fan into flame" the gift of God within us, as instructed in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, and how can this be practically applied in our lives? [01:00:30]

3. The sermon mentions the importance of daily spiritual maintenance. How can the analogy of clearing blockages in a showerhead help us understand the need for intentional spiritual effort? [48:37]

4. How does the sermon illustrate the power of corporate worship, and why is personal spiritual growth essential for the community? [01:27:20]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current spiritual practices. Are there any areas where you feel your spiritual fire is diminishing? What steps can you take to reignite it? [01:29:27]

2. Identify any "blockages" in your life that might be hindering your relationship with God. What intentional efforts can you make to remove these obstacles? [48:37]

3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of daily encounters with God. What specific changes can you make in your daily routine to prioritize prayer, reading the Word, and worship? [01:05:52]

4. Consider the distractions of busyness and complacency in your life. How can you recognize and combat these tactics of the enemy to maintain a vibrant spiritual life? [01:02:58]

5. How can you contribute to the power of corporate worship in your church community by maintaining your personal spiritual fire? [01:27:20]

6. Reflect on the role of fasting in your spiritual life. Is this a practice you engage in regularly? If not, how might you incorporate it into your spiritual discipline? [01:15:08]

7. Think of a time when you felt spiritually "on fire." What were the circumstances, and how can you recreate or sustain that passion in your current spiritual journey? [01:00:30]

Devotional

Day 1: Daily Spiritual Maintenance
Maintaining a vibrant spiritual life requires daily encounters with God through prayer, reading the Word, and worship. Just as a fire needs constant fuel and oxygen to keep burning, our spiritual lives need regular nurturing to keep our passion for God alive. Neglecting this maintenance can lead to a diminished spiritual fire, leaving us vulnerable to spiritual stagnation. By prioritizing time with God each day, we ensure that our spiritual fire remains strong and vibrant, allowing us to experience His presence and guidance in our lives. [46:25]

"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." (Romans 12:11, ESV)

Reflection: What specific time each day can you dedicate to nurturing your spiritual life through prayer and reading the Word?


Day 2: Intentional Effort
Our spiritual lives, much like a showerhead, can become clogged with the debris of life's distractions and challenges. To maintain a vibrant connection with God, we must make intentional efforts to clear these blockages. This involves identifying and removing obstacles that hinder our relationship with God, allowing His presence to flow freely in our lives. By being proactive in our spiritual maintenance, we create an environment where our spiritual fire can thrive and grow. [48:37]

"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific obstacle in your life that you can work on removing to allow God's presence to flow more freely?


Day 3: Personal Responsibility
While church services and small groups can provide additional fuel for our spiritual fire, it is ultimately up to each individual to ensure their fire for God remains strong. This requires personal devotion and discipline, as we take responsibility for feeding our spiritual fire. By engaging in daily spiritual practices and seeking God's presence, we can maintain a vibrant and growing relationship with Him. [53:02]

"But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another." (Galatians 6:4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one new spiritual discipline you can incorporate into your daily routine to take personal responsibility for your spiritual growth?


Day 4: The Enemy's Tactics
The enemy seeks to quench our spiritual fire by using distractions such as busyness and complacency. Recognizing these tactics is crucial in maintaining a strong and vibrant spiritual life. By prioritizing our relationship with God and making daily encounters with Him a habit, we can resist the enemy's attempts to diminish our spiritual passion. Staying vigilant and focused on God allows us to overcome these distractions and keep our spiritual fire burning brightly. [01:02:58]

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: What is one distraction in your life that often pulls you away from your time with God, and how can you address it today?


Day 5: The Power of Corporate Worship
When individuals maintain their spiritual fire and come together in corporate worship, the collective flame can create a powerful atmosphere where God's presence is felt in a mighty way. This highlights the importance of personal spiritual growth for the benefit of the entire community. By nurturing our own spiritual lives, we contribute to a vibrant and dynamic worship experience that can impact not only ourselves but also those around us. [01:27:20]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you prepare your heart and spirit before attending a corporate worship gathering to contribute to the collective spiritual atmosphere?

Quotes


Father, even as part of our prayer, when Jesus taught us to pray, let the Lord pray that let your kingdom come, let your will be done. And Father, we pray, God, that we would work towards advancing your kingdom in Jesus' name. Father, that you would have your way, Father, that our lives would be filled with worship unto you. [00:37:57] (39 seconds)


And Father, this morning Lord we repent for getting in the way of the work you're doing for God so many times we try to fix it on our strengths we try to do it on our ability instead of allowing you to do what only you can do and so God this morning as we worship you we tell you God have your way in Jesus name. [00:41:29] (27 seconds)


And sometimes life happens and we look and say but everything was great why isn't the water flowing how it flowed before and we can choose to just you know well it still works better than most showers or we can look and say but it's not working the way it's designed to but it's an effort taking thing. [00:46:03] (33 seconds)


And what is it in our life that has become an obstacle? What is it that we're saying, well, but I'm still getting wet. It still serves the purpose and God's saying, but it's not how I designed it. Will you put in the intentional effort to get it right? And then will you, see, I've done that before. [00:46:48] (28 seconds)


But let's look at ourselves now for a second. Can you think of moments in your life, maybe today you're in that place where you say, I was once on fire for God, but it's now nothing but a small little flame or nonexistent at all. See, all of us have encountered moments. [00:50:37] (25 seconds)


And in our fire for God, it is the same way. If we do not add fuel to the fire, our fire for God dies out. The name of the sermon today is that. It's feed the fire. Feed the fire. Now, I know that we're under the new covenant. I know that we no longer have an altar that is being built or that's there that we have to be putting fire on every single day. [00:53:02] (27 seconds)


And it is still the priest's job to ensure that the fire is burning on the altar. So this is what I'm telling you. We are responsible to keep the fire in our lives burning. You and I, we are responsible. Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2. It's going to come up on the screen, but I know it's verses we can quote from memory, right? [00:54:52] (24 seconds)


But as they get older, it is now going to be where I teach them and now they would get to a place where they can do it, right? But what's happening in the body of Christ is that we get saved and we then expect for a pastor or a leader, a small group leader, somebody to be the person that is always adding fuel to our fire. [00:58:15] (23 seconds)


And too many times as believers, we want other people to fan the flame for us. And we've got to understand that it's our responsibility to feed the fire. It's not my neighbor's responsibility to come over and put the fire. Now, do we get firewood added to our fire when we come to a service? Absolutely, 100%. [01:00:23] (24 seconds)


The enemy wants to extinguish our fire. He wants to turn it off. Why? Because a fireless church is a dead church, and a dead church ain't getting anybody to advance the kingdom. The devil likes if we just show up at church and keep our Christianity in here. He likes that. But our responsibility is to keep the fire going. [01:02:08] (31 seconds)


Daily encountering God feeds the fire. Daily encountering God feeds the fire. Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, Jesus said this, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Everything else will be added on. Daily we need to encounter God. And church, we should do a first thing we do when we wake up in the morning, before we leave our house. [01:05:30] (27 seconds)


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Transcript
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