ON FIRE ARROWS

Psalm 120:4 “Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.”

In ancient warfare they attached burning, live coals of the juniper tree to the heads of the arrows. They shot these arrows over the walls of the city on to the roof tops to set the city on fire. They were very destructive arrows.

YOUNG PEOPLE ON FIRE

It is wonderful when young people get on fire for God. Their enthusiasm is magnetic to behold. I remember when we lived on the Gold Coast of Australia and our children were in their teen years. We had a very “on fire” youth group in the church I founded on the Gold Coast. They would go out to the main gathering place in the center of the city called Cavill Mall. It was an outside mall because of the tropical weather.

The young people would begin street preaching where hundreds of people milled around shopping, going in and out of nightclubs, cafeterias, and coffee bars. These young people were so “on fire” that they would soon gather a crowd of by-standers. The people were astounded that these young people were so “on fire” for Jesus Christ. There is something very pure and innocent about it.

As a young teen, our son, Rocklyn, would preach like two Billy Grahams put together. Both the boys and the girls needed to lift their voices and gesticulate with their arms as there were no microphones. Quite often the police would shove them on because their crowd began blocking the footpath.

THE FIRE OF GOD AND ZEAL GO TOGETHER

If we are on fire for God, we will have zeal.

The prophetic Scripture of Jesus in Psalm 69:9 says: “The zeal of thine house that eaten me up.”

The psalmist in Psalm 119:130 confessed: “My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.”

OLDER PEOPLE ON FIRE FOR GOD

It is great for young people to be full of zeal and on fire for God. However, it is just as important for older people to have the fire of God, their spirits burning hot within them in all matters concerning God’s house.

Just because you are middle-aged or even in your senior years, does not give you permission to let the fire die out. God commanded in Leviticus 6:12 and 13 that the fire upon the altar was never to go out. NEVER, EVER!

I want to be more on fire for God in my senior years than at any other time in my life.

If you have the fire of the zeal of God burning within you people will want to listen to you. It is possible to preach God’s Word without fire and zeal, but it will not move people. It is possible to speak the truth with great eloquence, but it will not change the listeners. It must come from a spirit that is ignited by the burning fire of God.

FIRE CREATES MORE FIRE

The great thing about fire is that it creates more fire. When the fire of God is upon us, we’ll release a riot or a revival!

Psalm 39:2, 3: “I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was HOT WITHIN ME, while I was musing THE FIRE BURNED; THEN SPAKE I WITH MY TONGUE.”

The New Living Translation says: “But as I stood there in silence—not even speaking of good things—the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.”

The Passion Translation says: “My heart burned with a fire within me, and my thoughts eventually boiled over until they finally came rolling out of my mouth.”

The word “musing” means “complaining or murmuring, meditation or musing.” David is putting more fuel on the fire. Musing also stirred his sorrow about the wicked all around him. He did not want to say the wrong thing, therefore he shut his mouth. But as he mused upon the state of the wicked the fire became hotter and the sorrow increased. He could bottle it up no longer and therefore spoke, and I am sure with great fervor and conviction.

To be continued.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell