--PRE-SERVICE PRAYER--

Focus: First Grace Then Peace

Foundation Scripture:
Ephesians 1:1-2 NKJV

Prayer Points:

1. Gain a deep, personal revelation of God’s grace.

2. Let peace saturate every aspect of your life.

3. Grow in grace and peace.

4. Pray for Sunday Service

--MESSAGE--

Keep your Fire Burning

Introduction

For the past two weeks Pastor Gregory has been talking about Being Strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. And this grace that he spoke about when you understand it, gives your faith absolute confidence. Because you know who you are in Him, and the authority you have in Him. You know what He made you to be, and what He provided for you. So, when you understand Grace you have that confidence in every area of your life, because you know what has already been done for you.

In 2 Timothy 2: 1-4 from the Passion Translation, Paul encouraged Timothy to live life empowered by God’s free flowing grace, which is your true strength, found in the anointing of Jesus and your union with him. And in vs-3 He made it clear that by us living life by grace, we should overcome every form of evil as a victorious soldier of Jesus the Anointed One. We should be victorious in every area of our lives.

And it is here in vs-4 that I want to talk to you about. Paul says to become a victorious soldier of Jesus we must divorce ourselves from the distractions of this world. And as Pastor said, when we find ourselves on fire for the things of God and then suddenly, we’re not, something has distracted us. And we know all distractions can be traced back to the devil. The Scripture says in John 10:10 that the thief/enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.

Point 1: Your ability to overcome your flesh, will determine how you live in the free-flowing grace of God (The fire of God).

Three Distractions the enemy use to keep you from living in the free-flowing grace of God.

1. The Storm
2. The Shipwreck
3. The Rain

The Storm

Represent the things you asked God to deliver you from, and He didn’t. Instead, He choose to deliver you through them, not from them. The Storm represents the WHY! Why didn’t God do this or that. Why didn’t God calm the storm in my life; Where was God in all of this; Why did He let this happen to me. He’s strong, He’s sovereign, couldn’t He stop my mom from dying from cancer, couldn’t He stop my parents from getting a divorce, it ripped my life to pieces, where do I go from here!

The Shipwreck

This represents when you lose your job, your marriage, relationships, your position, or title at the church. Your entire world collapses. This causes us to stop burning for God, why, because I’m scared to trust again, I won’t even try to start the fire again, because I know how it going to end.

The Rain

Supporting note for confidence monitor (if applicable)
The rain represents your flesh. It represents lust, it represents those things you did that you’re not proud of. The rain puts out the fire, now I’m depressed, feeling rejected, angry, fearful, living a life of guilt & shame. Our human attempt is to stop the rain, so I can start the fire. But it’s the other way around, I’ve got to start the Fire, so God can stop the rain.

Point 2: Someone will always kindle your fire, but it will only continue to burn through your bundle of sticks.

Point 3: When you’re building a fire, God will not deliver you as much as he will empower you to have dominion.

Conclusion:

No matter where you are at, or what you are going through. You must get rid of excuses. Excuses of the flesh is the main reason most of us live a yo-yo lifestyle. Excuses of the flesh lead us to living a crippling lifestyle of inconsistence in our walk with God which has us feeling guilty all the time. There is no secret or special personality trait that somebody has, and you don’t that keep them on fire for God. It’s not a gift someone has, it’s a simple decision to overcome the excuses of the flesh. Abraham, David, Paul has the same flesh as you do, PG has the same flesh as you do. You and I have the same flesh, and we also have the same Holy Spirit. So, the question is not who you have, the question is who you consciously & consistently yield to. Are you going to yield to your flesh or your Spirit?