Fiery HOPE

Quench not the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

Passion is a word that has become mainstream within the last decade or so. Prior to my forties (hold the laughter), I don’t recall hearing or using it as much as I have in recent years. Passion means an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. When we have a passion, those who know us are very aware of our passionate focus. If you have read a few of my messages, I’m sure you know I am passionate about God. He has become the focus of my daily routine, my decisions, my career path, and my HOPE. It’s safe to say that I’m fired up for God.

The prophet, Elijah is a perfect example of someone having a fiery passion for God. Elijah lived during the time when the people of Israel were worshipping Baal, the god of fertility. As you can imagine, the worshipping of Baal involved immorality and filth of all shapes and sizes. Elijah was fed up with their sin while being fired up for God. In fact, he was so passionate about God he was determined to prove the 450 Jewish prophets were not worshipping the One, True God.   

Elijah put his passion into profession-mode, inviting all 450 prophets to a good old-fashioned fiery showdown. He challenged each one to build an altar and place a sacrifice upon it. Elijah announced that the god who answers their prayers and petitions with fire is the One, True God. In Elijah’s eyes, this fiery answer would be the spark, igniting a revival within the Jewish people. This heaven-sent fire would be no ordinary fire, but one sparking an extraordinary fiery revival. Elijah imagined a fire from heaven, life transforming, Biblical-based, soul-saving, full of HOPE revival.

Elijah had so much passion in his heart for God that he didn’t just build a sacrificial altar. Nope. He drenched that altar with wood-soaking, baptismal-immersing, sin-saturating, altar-flooding, fire-dowsing water… up to 12 barrels. Elijah was on fire for God and trusted God’s supernatural power to put on a show that would reignite the Jewish people’s hearts for God.

And God did not disappoint. Fire fell from the sky onto that mountaintop and consumed Elijah’s sacrifice, including the stones, wood, dust, and even the excess water. At that moment, Elijah’s faith and God’s fire ignited a spark in all who witnessed God’s power, causing them to fall to their knees and worship the One, True God… our Triune God… God in Three Persons. The Jewish people immediately were on fire for The Father, The Son, and His Holy Spirit… our eternal God of HOPE.

Yes, Elijah’s faith in God sparked a revival within the Jewish people, radiating their passion for God and illuminating their return to a godly lifestyle. He rekindled their burning desire to worship God and follow His Word. Elijah’s passion got his people fired up for God, shining God’s light on a dark world and sparking their passion and faith by passionately kindling their HOPE.

While Elijah’s fiery contest is etched in history, we can share his passion and ignite our own revival of HOPE in our family, community, workplace, and beyond. We don’t have to pour water on a sacrifice to pour our hearts out for God. We can allow God to live in and through us, shining His light on a dark and lonely world. We can live in such as way that people see our passion for God and His indwelling work in our lives, igniting their HOPE in Him.

All we have to do is start. Start by getting into His Word so that His Word gets into us. We can pray without ceasing when driving, dining, doing, and daydreaming, allowing God to kindle a faithful fire of HOPE in us. When God is our passion and focus, He consumes us with His love, wisdom, and HOPE, enabling us to be His light for the world. Our presence brightens the world, shining His light through Jesus’ love and HOPE. Our faith in His grace has the power to flood people with a fire that will never be extinguished. His HOPE devours hate, consumes evil, and incinerates sin.

His HOPE shines in and through us, lighting the way so others can experience His power, be warmed by His love, and become fired up for God. Let your light shine to ignite a faithful fire of HOPE in others so they know the One, True God. Go be great for God so that God can be great in others. Get fired up for an eternal victory with an infinite glow of HOPE.