​​​Sermons

             The Burning Torch for This Generation

 
Phil 3:13b…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
 
In the beginning of the Olympic ceremony there is a Touch relay that takes place.  Athletes carry a flaming torch, relaying it to another athlete, often from a different nation.  Keeping the torch burning until it has completed the course of its destination to light the flame to begin the Olympic Games.

Although most of the time the torch with the Olympic flame is still carried by runners it has been transported in many different ways.

• The fire traveled by boat in 1948 to cross the English Channel.
  
• It first traveled by airplane in 1952.
  
• Some remarkable means of transportation were used in 1976, when the flame was transformed to an electronic pulse; from Athens this pulse was carried by satellite to Canada, where a laser beam was used to re-light the flame.
  
• In 2000, the torch was carried under water by divers near the Great Barrier Reef.
  
• Others means of transportation was by canoe, camel, horse.

Most important was the goal to keep the flame burning.

Before an athlete runs the race he has to prepare himself for the race.  It requires devoting a great amount of energy and time in conditioning and training his body for the physical task that is set before him.  Also he conditions his mind to focus on his goal, dream, and vision to produce will power and a burning desire to accomplish what he has set out to do - To finish victoriously.

In the second part of this verse, Paul talks about “reaching forth to the things that lay before us”.   

• Another translation says “straining forward to what lies ahead.
  
• The dictionary defines straining as “to make violent and steady efforts.”
  
• Another meaning of straining is “staying consistent.”
  
• Comfort and relaxation are the opposite of straining.

Paul lived a life that involved a constant straining toward the things of God.   Paul had a burning torch to carry and no matter what he was determined to keep it burning.  In this passage of scripture Paul is talking about a revelation, a burning vision filled with a burning passion, a burning desire that is fueled by the Holy Ghost.  Paul had a revelation of Jesus to know Him, to know all of his fullness, no matter what it takes, to stay on course, to finish and to reach out.

Paul’s torch was the Holy Ghost burning in his heart, manifesting the burning presence of God.  All through the bible fire became a part of revealing the presence of God.

• God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. 
  
• God guided the children of Israel with a pillar of fire by night. 
  
• God sent fire to consume Elijah’s offering on Mt. Carmel. 
  
• God used a vision of fire to warn Ezekiel of His coming judgment. 
  
• Fire was also part of His manifest presence in the Day of Pentecost (Act 2:2-3) when they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of Fire, and it sat upon each of them.
  

Paul’s torch was the Holy Ghost burning in his heart, reaching out to Jesus and receiving more of God’s presence in his life.  I believe there are reasons why believers do not reach forward today. They have gotten comfortable with their lives (lost their focus and purpose).  They have gotten to a place where they do not think they need it.  We can become content, complacent and satisfied to live without it.

For the most part, our nation, churches, homes and lives today are without the glory, power and presence of God.  Some one has said that if the Holy Spirit were taken out of the average church, 95% of the program would just keep right on going.  When we are asked to state our needs we speak of needing bigger buildings, more money, more volunteers, better staff and more equipment etc.  Why can we not see that our real need is for God Himself?  Our vision does not penetrate the walls of our churches today.  Our eyes have grown accustom to darkness, to deception.  We have become blinded to our true spiritual condition and the need of God’s presence.  Like the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation, they were comfortable on what they had.  They were rich, increased with goods and in need of nothing.  The real presence of God was outside knocking at their door.

Our adversary would have us comfortable with programs, methods, traditions, social hall type churches with a religious setting.  They have a form of godliness without the power and presence of God. 

Because we lack the power and presence of God:

• The divorce rate is as high in the church as it is in the world.
  
• The mass majority of Christians never introduce anyone to Christ.
  
• Churches are loaded with people who want a part-time, convenient weekend Christian experience and who show no serious interest in spiritual growth.
  
• Pastor has to twist people’s arms to give, to serve and to get involved in the work of the ministry.
  
• Church splits are more common.
  
• Christians are barren, empty, hurting, confused and in spiritual bondage.

Our churches have grown to accustom to a deceptive religious experience that will only draw attention to our church, pack our auditoriums, increase our offerings and solve our problems.  Religion will produce intolerance, and intolerance will produce division.  God’s presence will produce intimacy and intimacy will produce unity – a true vision.

As long as we think we are doing all right, we will not be motivated to cry out to God.  God is wanting to ignite our hearts with burning passion, burning vision, burning desire that will take us forward into the things of God.  A true experience of God’s presence will broaden our vision that will advance our churches to expand the Kingdom of God.  When the burning presence is revealed, people are more comfortable on their faces than setting in a pew.  When we engage our hearts with His burning presence, it will consume, destroy, expose, root up and burn.

The fire of God purifies, purges, melts and devours, for “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).  God is a refiner’s fire (Malachi 3:3) that brings impurities to the surface and will expose and consume them. When the presence of God’s fire falls there is power, there is life, there is purity, there is spontaneity, and there is reality.

Where is the fire of God?  Where is the evidence of His presence and power?  Where is the sense of awe and wonder, of fear in His presence?  Where is the brokenness and conviction?  Where are the lost people falling on their faces, overcome by the reality of God’s presence?

We hear a lot of preaching today on how we can live comfortably and peaceful with our lives and reap the things of this world. (Our best life now).  We do not want the fire that will consume, destroy, expose, root up, burn and hurt.  We are afraid of what might happen if God appeared on the scene.  We want a tidy religious experience that we can control.  I have found that many people want nothing but preaching on love and encouragement from the pulpit a “Cotton Candy Gospel”.  They do not want the truth!  Preaching on sin, repentance, holiness, brokenness, or confessions, this is considered negative.  You will damage their self-esteem.  We will become more concerned about our self-image than about God’s image.

In Deuteronomy 5:4 The Lord spoke with Israel face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire.”  All of Israel was there on the side of the mountain with Moses and the Lord, but did not recognize God’s “Face to Face”.  They recognized “the fire of God”, but they did not recognize “God in the fire”.  Instead they said Deuteronomy 5:25b “For this great fire will consume us”. 

We must seek God until His presence consumes us.  We do not want to miss what God has in store for us.  God is sending His last days anointing that will burn in our hearts to reach the world and to reap the harvest. 

In Joel 2:23-24 it tells of a latter day outpouring.  “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.  And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.”

What does the latte rain release?  The floors shall be full of wheat, (full harvest) and the vats shall overflow with oil (new wine).  The latter rains produce wheat, which symbolizes a harvest of souls and also that it causes new wine and oil to flow.  Because the latter rains also produce grapes and olives, the new wine comes from grapes and fresh oil comes from the olives.

The new wine of the spirit will make us have burning passion and desire for the lost.  The oil represents precious anointing and the burning presence of the Holy Ghost that will bring a great manifestation of God’s power.  We must realize that we can not reach the world in our own strength.

When the wick of a lantern has been lit that has not been soaked in oil or kerosene, what happens?  What will happen is that the wick will burn up!  The wick must be soaked in oil or kerosene and then the wick itself does not burn but the oil or kerosene burns.  The same with us!  If we are not soaked in the burning presence of our Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit we will quickly burn out as we try to do things in our own strength.

We need to make sure we are burning the new, fresh oil – the fullness of God’s spirit.  God wants us to call on Him for this outpouring.  God wants us ask, seek and knock on His door instead, He is knocking at our door.  God is calling on them that hear His voice for the last days movement.

Isaiah 42:9 states “Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  There is a sense of urgency coming from the God’s spirit for us to prevail upon what God wants to give us and to reveal to His church.  Paul knew of this compelling force that would keep him fueled with burning passion to keep him straining and reaching forward.  Paul knew how to find fresh revelation of God’s word from His presence.

Daniel 2:20-22 Daniel states “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: and he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”  God is inviting us into His courts, the hallways of His library, His thrown room of His glory and power. 

Not only does the Holy Ghost come with evidence of speaking in tongues, also with evidence of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, revelation, vision, strength and reverence with fear.  I believe these are the elements of the fullness of His spirit.

Paul knew how to reach and break the gaps into the kingdom’s dimension that brought not only God’s presence, but restoration, power and healing.  Just like Jesus he knew he had to lay down the truth, way and life.  Jesus was not only moved with compassion, but with urgency because of the time He had left.  There must have been a demonstration of God’s word and a living example of God’s truth.  Even if it means sacrificing Himself for it.  God must become our deepest desire no matter what we are going through.

Most of the times we want God to fix everything without asking what God wants from us.  He wants us to experience His true presence and His greatness during our most difficult times.  We must recognize Him in our fiery trials.

Philippians 3:10 reads “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”  Paul was not referring to the power “in” His resurrection, which would specify a one time event of His resurrection.  Rather, Paul seeks the ongoing power that is a day-to-day experience of being in God’s presence.  Paul knew the transformation we can have in being connected with Him during our times of sufferings.

A lot of times we want gain without the pain.  We want joy of new life without going through the travail of labor pain.  We want healing without confession.  We want joy without mourning.  We want to enter into the power of His resurrection without first suffering the agony of the cross.  Being filled with the fullness of God involves the process that requires plowing up the hardened, uncultivated ground of our hearts.

There must be brokenness so Gods burning presence will come forth from our lives.  Brokenness will let us hear Gods voice more clearly.  Brokenness will bring forth the true will of God in our lives.

I believe this is where this scripture come in.  Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

We must be the torch of this generation.  We must devote ourselves with great energy and time in conditioning the inner man for the spiritual tasks that is set before us.  Conditioning our hearts and minds with a burning passion, burning vision, burning desire that will produce the power of God to accomplish what He has set us out to do – To finish victoriously.