Turn Up the Fire | Jentezen Franklin
Sunday, March 2
Scriptures
I Kings 18:30-39; Hebrews 12:29; Leviticus 6:13; Jeremiah 20:9; Isaiah 6:6-7; Acts 2:3; Isaiah 59:19; Malachi 3:2; Proverbs 26:20; James 5:16
Introduction
Have you ever stopped to consider how useless most of the things that make up this life are without the presence of heat/fire? Your car is a useless pile of metal and plastic without the fire that pushes the pistons and makes the engine run. Your fireplace or furnace in your house is useless without the flame that generates the life-sustaining heat needed. A stove or oven does nothing more than take up space in the kitchen, if it were not for the flame or electric current that creates the heat change the molecular structure of our food and turn it into a meal. Even our bodies are lifeless biological material if it were not for the metabolic process that turns food into fuel and generates heat.
It is every bit as essential that fire be present in our spiritual walk and fulfillment of our role in God’s purposes so that we are effective and successful in doing what God has called us to do. Talk about:
- What in your life—whether a passion, a calling, or an experience—most ignites your spiritual fire?
Elijah’s encounter on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:30-40) reveals the power of God’s fire. When Elijah called upon the Lord, fire fell from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and turning the people's hearts back to God.
Pastor Franklin exhorted us to live not by self-motivation but by the fire of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for fire, pur/pyr, symbolizes God’s presence, judgment, purification, and the Holy Spirit’s power to transform us into His likeness. This fire is essential for victorious living, but it must be sought, embraced, and maintained.
Pastor warned of the danger of losing this fire, comparing it to smoldering embers. God calls us not to settle for smoke but to be baptized in the Spirit and fire, fully ignited for Him.
- Elijah’s story shows God’s fire turning hearts back to Him. How have you seen the fire of the Holy Spirit bring change in your life or others, and what steps can you take to embrace it more fully?
Igniting the Fire Within
Pastor Jentezen cited an old Jack London novel to highlight the risks of a cold environment without fire, linking it to spiritual passion. Fire reflects a passion of God. Spiritually, in life’s wilderness, the Holy Spirit is our Companion—our sustaining flame. The Holy Spirit ignites our passion for God.
Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV) says,
‘But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.’
This fire is not meant to be contained or become lukewarm. Revelation 3:16 warns, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
As believers, we each carry a purpose burning inside us—one that others need. Let us allow that fire to burst forth, reaching the lost and spreading the Gospel. For this to happen effectively, the fire of God must be evident in our lives.
- How have you felt the Holy Spirit as your "sustaining flame" in challenging times, and what keeps that fire burning in your life?
- Revelation 3:16 warns against being lukewarm. How can we ensure the fire of God remains evident and active in our lives to reach others?
- How can we let the fire of the Holy Spirit burst forth in our lives to effectively reach the lost and spread the Gospel to those who need it most?
Igniting the Flame of Faith
Jesus must be the foundation—the cornerstone—for the fire of the Holy Spirit to fall upon us. Just as Elijah carefully set stones for the altar and arranged the wood to allow the fire to burn, we too must follow spiritual principles to align our priorities and establish divine order.
To build and sustain our spiritual fire, we must trust in Jesus, acknowledging that He is the way, the truth, and the life. This fire is fueled through fervent, expectant prayer and fasting, passionate worship, and a spirit of sacrifice—offering ourselves and our resources for His kingdom. Most importantly, we must continually thank Him for His supernatural love and the promises found in His Word.
Group leaders, instruct members to personally reflect and discuss the following:
- Is there anything in my life that might be hindering the fire of the Holy Spirit from burning fully within me?
- Am I consistently engaging in prayer, fasting, and worship with expectation, or have I grown complacent?
- Do my life’s priorities need any adjustments or corrections? Explain.
Pastor Franklin discussed four essential steps to build an altar for the fire of God:
- Build the right foundation. A strong faith, like a fire, requires a solid foundation. The fire of God ignites on the bedrock of His Word—belief in the virgin birth, repentance, and Jesus Christ as the only Savior. Build your life on Him alone.
- Get in order. You have an important role to play in God’s Kingdom. Don’t let the fire burn on everyone else and not you. Get serious about serving God.
- Make the sacrifice. No sacrifice, no fire. Make true sacrifices to God by giving your talents, time, volunteering, and bringing tithes and offerings. Never think you’re too big or important that you stop bringing your sacrifices to God.
- Pray fervent prayers. The Church needs the fire of fervent, intense, and passionate prayer. When you pray with passion, things change. Seek, ask, and knock with intensity!
Rekindling the Flame
If it’s been a while since you were on fire, consider the process Pastor talked about mentioned above, pray fervently, and purge yourself of sin so there are no hindrances and nothing to dampen the fire (or grieve the Holy Spirit).
“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.” Malachi 3:2-3a (NIV)
Observe the Lord’s active role in that passage. We can’t just wait for something to happen to us. We must awaken the Spirit within us and take action ourselves.
- What practical steps can we take to "stir up the Spirit within us" when we feel our spiritual fire fading?
- How do you recognize and remove hindrances that might dampen your spiritual passion or grieve the Holy Spirit?
- The passage from Malachi describes God as a refiner’s fire. How have you experienced His refining work in your life, and what actions did you take in response?
Pastor spoke of fervent, effectual prayers—red-hot intercession with passion to pray "Thy will be done" for the nation, church, families, and the lost.
- What does "red-hot prayer" mean to you? How do half-hearted or selfish prayers become red-hot?
Remember, the Lord searches, purifies, and fills us with His Spirit for greater works. (John 14:12)
The Fire of the Holy Spirit
One hundred twenty people in an upper room filled with fire turned the world around! Pastor said fire can double every 30 seconds if it has fuel. Fire is an illustration of the work of the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit fire brings God’s presence. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God as He indwells the heart of the believer (Romans 8:9).
- The Holy Spirit fire produces the purity of God in our lives. God’s purpose is to purify us (Titus 2:14), and the Holy Spirit is the one who sanctifies. (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). His fire cleanses and refines.
- The Holy Spirit fire creates the passion of God in our hearts. Two traveling disciples talk with the resurrected Jesus and describe their hearts as “burning within us” (Luke 24:32). After the apostles receive the Spirit at Pentecost, they have a passion that lasts a lifetime and impels them to speak the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31).
- How about you? Do you still have fuel? Do you have the passion that lasts a lifetime as in Acts 4:31?
- If it’s dwindled, when do you think that started to happen and why?
Be An “On Fire” Effective Witness
We all want to see more people saved, but someone has to be on fire to deliver the Good News and put a spark in those around them. The fervor and power of the Holy Ghost operating in a person is contagious! Let us be people with fire shut up in our bones which will not be satisfied until we have stepped up and stepped out to testify of the King of Kings. An attitude of “They’ll get saved later or when they are ready” is dry and ineffective, void of power and conviction.
- How have you experienced the "fire of the Holy Spirit" in your own life, and what keeps that fire burning strong?
- What are some practical ways we can "step up and step out" to share the Good News with others, as mentioned in the text?
- The passage warns against a dry, ineffective attitude about others’ salvation. How can we cultivate a contagious passion and urgency for the lost?
- Are you so on fire right now that you can say to the Lord, “Here I am, send me!” Are you ready to be sent?
Conclusion
As we conclude with Elijah’s story on Mt. Carmel, we must recognize an often-overlooked element—the water. While we’ve discussed the importance of the altar, wood, and sacrifice, Elijah also commanded the people three times to pour four large jars of water over the offering.
At first, this might seem like a dramatic flourish to heighten the miracle, but its true significance runs deeper. Pastor Jentezen highlighted that water represents priority. In the midst of Israel’s severe drought, those four jars—potentially enough to sustain over 1,000 people for a day—were among their most precious resources. Pouring it out wasn’t just a sacrifice; it was a bold declaration of where their trust and priorities lay.
- Pastor Jentezen said water represents priority. What "precious resource" in your life might God be asking you to pour out as a sacrifice to show where your trust and priorities truly lie?
To experience the fire of God, we must go beyond gifts of convenience and offer true sacrifice, aligning our priorities with Him and trusting Him completely for provision.
Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds us, “…let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”
His fire refines us, sanctifies us, and empowers us beyond our own ability.
- Elijah’s bold act of pouring water on the altar reflected his devotion. What practical steps can you take to align your priorities with God and ensure nothing divides your worship?
Just as Elijah refused to hold back in his offering, we too must give God our full devotion, prioritizing Him above all and allowing nothing to divide our worship. The fire of God falls where there is true sacrifice—one that flows from a heart fully surrendered to Him.
Prayer
Final Prayerful Call: Let’s pray for God’s fire to fall today, so we can live passionately for Him and see His Kingdom come!
Resources
YouTube
Podcast
Song Set
Open Heaven River Wild
Here Comes the Glory
Fullness
Rest On Us