FIRE! 1 Kings 18:36-39 "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God." In 1971 the book Like A Mighty Wind was written. This book, authored by Mel Tari chronicled the great Indonesian revival. In the forward of the book, Dr. John Rea states: "Four nights before the nearly successful Communist coup in Indonesia in 1965, God sovereignly began pouring out His Spirit in a small town on a little known island of Timor. He alerted the Christians to pray, and the country was remarkably spared. Immediately evangelistic teams of laymen were formed and began traveling throughout Timor and surrounding islands proclaiming the gospel, healing the sick and raising the dead. The miracles that followed the day of Pentecost when the Spirit first came "like a mighty wind" have been reenacted in our own day." In this book's introduction, the publisher says: "Water turned into wine . . . Men raised from the dead . . . The ability to eat poison and not be harmed; to walk across a river 30 feet deep . . . Miracles like these, performed in biblical times, have often been written off for the 1970's. But they are happening today as men, women and children simply believe God and act on His promises." What do you think about these comments? Is it possible that the miraculous events recorded in the book of Acts were duplicated in Indonesia -- a network of islands in the Pacific? Before leaving this book, let me read of one such miraculous event. Mel Tari tells about when the Holy Spirit made a special visit to his home church --- a Presbyterian church. "For many years we had been fooled by our preachers. They said you must depend on the experience of people who lived 2,000 years ago. That night the Lord spoke to our hearts that Christianity isn't depending on the experience of others. It is a personal experience with a living God. I thank Jesus for that. That night as we were praying together, suddenly the Holy Spirit came just as He did on the day of Pentecost. In Acts, chapter 2, we read that He came from heaven like the mighty rushing wind. And that night, as I was sitting next to my sister, I heard this mighty rushing sound. It sounded like a small tornado in the church. I looked around and saw nothing. . . Then I heard the fire bell ringing loud and fast. Across the street from the church was the police station and the fire bell. The man in the police station saw that our church was on fire, so he rang the bell to tell the people of the village to come quick, there was a fire. In Indonesia, especially in Timor, we don't have fire trucks. We just ring the fire bell and the people realize that there is a fire and come from all over the village with their buckets of water and other things to help put out the fire. When they got to the church they saw flames, but the church wasn't burning. Instead of a natural fire, it was the fire of God. Because of this many people received Jesus Christ as their Savior and also the baptism of the Holy Spirit!" [Like A Mighty Wind, pp 23-25] I recently read an article written by David Torgenson, in which he asks some penetrating questions: "Will there be a Pentecostal fire in the next century? Who will tend that fire? Will the Pentecostal fire be tended and growing or will it just burn down and die out?" It is an undeniable fact that there has been a Pentecostal fire sweeping the world over the past 100 years. What was once looked upon with disdain, is now being embraced by the church world. It may be hard to believe, but it has become almost acceptable to be known as "Pentecostal." The largest congregation in the world -- over 500,000 members is a Pentecostal church. The fastest growing denominations in the world are the Church of God and the Church of God in Christ, two Pentecostal denominations! In East Java, Indonesia the Bethany Church of God has grown from seven members in 1978 to over 40,000 today! But I believe the questions asked by Torgenson are well-timed! Will there be a Pentecostal fire in the next century? Or to bring it a little closer home --- will there be a Pentecostal fire burning at Harvest Temple in the next century? Cumberland: Brother Wilson & his father-in-law If we do not tend the fire deposited in the church, we can indeed become like all those others who have gone on before! Purpose of tonight's message: Bring you closer to the fire --- or should I say bring the fire closer to you! I am convinced that a great need of the church today is for a new baptism of fire. I want to direct your attention to one such fire this evening. We find it burning in the pages of 1 Kings 18, specifically verses 36-39. In this chapter we find the story of Elijah, the prophet of God confronting the wicked prophets of Baal. For those who may not be familiar with this story, allow me to give you a quick "thumb-nail sketch" of what is taking place. Ahab: 1. " did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him." 2. was reigning over Israel. 3. He had turned his people from the worship of God to the worship of Baal, a heathen god. 4. Because of the wickedness of Israel, God had caused the heavens to be closed for 3 1/2 years. Elijah: 1. Announced that there would be no dew drop on any flower for years, no rain cloud to cross the sky for years, no rains to drench the land for years. All skies would be pitilessly brass. Israel 1. In the midst of a devastating drought. 2. All orchards were fruitless. 3. No oil was distilled from the olive trees. 4. Terrible famine overspread the land. 5. The refreshing music of falling rain was never heard. 6. The face of the whole land, from one end to the other, seemed as burned charcoal. 7. Fearful starvation conditions raged among tens of thousands of the people. That was the situation after three and a half years of distressing drought and fatal famine. The sinning people of God were thirsting for just one cup of cool, clear, refreshing water. Just to be able to once again dangle their feet in the bubbling waters of the brook. Just to once again splash in the coolness of the nearby river, escaping the hot Middle Eastern sun. We find in 1 Kings 18 the prophet Elijah emerging from 3 1/2 years of seclusion to challenge Ahab, king of Israel. In meeting with this evil king, the prophet assures him that the long drought and famine is a result of the sin of the children of Israel. Elijah states: "If God is God, serve Him! If Ba'al, then serve him!" But how is this to be determined. Simple!! There is to be a head-to-head confrontation between the 450 prophets of Baal and Elijah, the prophet of the most high God! The terms of the contest are set forth in vv 23,24: "Now bring two young bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without putting any fire under the wood; and I will prepare the other young bull and lay it on the wood on the Lord's altar, with no fire under it. 24 Then pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord; and the god who answers by sending fire to light the wood is the true God!" As we examine our text this evening, there are four principles of the fire we need to notice. First. . . THE FIRE WAS NECESSARY FOR THE PEOPLE'S SURVIVAL God never condones apostasy and idolatry for long! 1. Point where His mercy is turned to judgment. 2. Line drawn that when crossed, He will say "It is enough." He had told His people this not long after giving them the law on Mount Sinai: Deu 30:16-18 "I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to follow his paths and to keep his laws, so that you will live and become a great nation, and so that the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to possess. 17 But if your hearts turn away and you won't listen--if you are drawn away to worship other gods-- 18 then I declare to you this day that you shall surely perish; you will not have a long, good life in the land you are going in to possess." People forgot command of God. 1. Began doing own thing. 2. Forgot ways of God. 3. Turned from the true God to worship of Baal. 4. Became cold and indifferent to things of God. Needed something to turn them back to God. 1. Something to remind them there was still God in heaven. 2. Something to shift their attention from selves to God. 3. Something to stir their soul. 4. Something to revive them. 5. That something was the fire of God! THE PEOPLE PLAYED A PART IN BRINGING THE FIRE Somebody said "You don't get anything for nothing!" I believe this is true in the spiritual realm as well. We don't just sit idly by and expect God to heap great blessings on us. As I've said before, the action of God is generally preceded by the action of man. Man prepares -- God provides. It's a simple formula. I want you to look at verses 32-35: " [Elijah] . . . used the stones to rebuild the Lord's altar. Then he dug a trench about three feet wide around the altar. 33 He piled wood upon the altar and cut the young bull into pieces and laid the pieces on the wood. "Fill four barrels with water," he said, "and pour the water over the carcass and the wood." After they had done this he said, 34 "Do it again." And they did. "Now, do it once more!" And they did; 35 and the water ran off the altar and filled the trench." Before fire of God sent -- human action required. 1. God could have sent fire to Mt Carmel & destroyed all. 2. God is omnipotent -- all powerful. 3. Yet we see God responding to the actions of His people. There was something they had to do! Prophet's action: 1. Rebuilt altar, using 12 stones. 2. He dug a 3 foot wide trench around the altar. 3. He placed wood upon the altar. 4. He cut up young bull into pieces and laid them on the altar. 5. Up to this point in the repairing of the altars, Elijah had worked alone. Notice: a. ".. he repaired the altar of the Lord .." (v 30); b. "And Elijah took twelve stones .." (v 31); c. "and .. he built an altar in the name of the Lord .." (v 32); d. "and he made a trench about the altar" (v 32); e. "And he put the wood in order.. f. "and he cut the bullock in pieces, and (he) laid him on wood" (v 33). People are commanded to take action: 1. In the latter part of verse 33, there is a change in action. Here, Elijah commands the people to fill four barrels with water and pour it on the sacrifice. They were to repeat this process three times. For this fire to come will require effort on the part of the people! Man prepares -- God provides. Man prepares the chilly altar of his heart -- God provides the fire to set his heart ablaze. Man prepares the downcast altar of his heart -- God provides the fire to thoroughly purge the despair, disillusionment and discouragement. Man prepares the failing altar of his heart --God burns every failure, fear, and sin from his heart, leaving not even a trace of what was formerly there. Man prepares -- God provides! The fire of God came in response to the efforts of the people of God! THIS FIRE WAS GOD'S FIRE verse 38: "Then the fire of the Lord fell. . ." 1. Not some contrived fire. 2. Not fire of the people's making. Yes, they had a part in bringing the fire, but the fire that came was not their fire --- it was God's Fire! May I tell you this evening that God didn't need any help. He 1. Didn't need for Elijah to rub two sticks together 2. Didn't need for Elijah to strike flint to make a spark. 3. Didn't need for Elijah to pour kerosene on the altar, in order that the fire would burn more intensely. 4. Didn't need Elijah to use a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's rays upon some dried leaves, in order to start the fire. This was God's fire! Verses 26-28 Prophets of Ba'al felt tried to help their god along. When he didn't answer, they "leaped upon the altar. . . and . . . cried aloud, and cut themselves. . . with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them." Yet verse 29 tells us "there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded." Indeed Ba'al needed help, but God almighty doesn't need the assistance of man. All He required was for the people to do as He commanded! You see, a "contrived fire" might have charred the pieces of the young bull lying on the altar. God's fire "consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." In the predicament God's prophet found himself, a "contrived" or man made fire would not suffice! 1. Those gathered on Mt. Carmel would never have been convinced by a man- made fire. 2. They could tell difference between the man-made and the Divine. 3. They knew what had the touch of God upon it. 4. They knew what was real and what was a "show." 5. This was a life or death situation. The souls of a nation were being weighed in the balances. 6. They had to experience God's Fire -- the illuminating; consecrating; penetrating fire of Heaven. Nothing else would do. Nothing else: a. Could turn them back to God. b. Could so greatly effect their lives. c. Could find them where they were. d. Could vindicate Jehovah and His prophet. e. Could bring national revival. They needed God's Fire! THE FIRE OF GOD CHANGED THE PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE I want you to look with me this evening at the beautiful prayer of Elijah found in verses 36-37. This prayer reveals something of the heart of the prophet. ". . . Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again." Did you hear his concern and compassion for the people? 1. He was saying "Lord, send the fire to convince these people that you are the true God and turn them back to you." 2. He was concerned for God and concerned for God's people. 3. He wanted to vindicate the name of God, and at the same time rescue his brethren -- the people of Israel. I see the prophet Elijah standing with one hand in the hand of God and the other in the hand of the people, reconciling them together. Elijah didn't request the fire of God for some carnal exhibition of power. 1. He wasn't interested in seeing some supernatural "fireworks" display. 2. He was more interested in the results of the fire of God. 3. He knew that when the fire comes, people would be changed! A. Lives would be restored b. Families would be mended c. Dreams would be revived. When God's fire comes men's spirits will be freed from the awful bondage of idolatry. When God's fire comes, the enemy will be destroyed. O, Lord ---send the fire. Your fire. Your consuming, changing, restoring, victorious fire! He did! And just as Elijah had prayed, God's fire changed the people's perspective. Verse 39 tells us that the "people fell on their faces and said 'The Lord, he is God, the Lord, he is . . . God." It's amazing to me how one's perspective changes when they fall on their face before God! When the fire of God fell, the people were reminded of the blessings of old. 1. Reminded of how they were protected in the wilderness by the pillar of fire. 2. Reminded of the promises of God. 3. Reminded they were the chosen people. 4. Reminded that God had said "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." [De 31:6] The people's perspective changed when they saw the fire of God! CONCLUSION What can be learned from this story of the fire of God. 1. Perhaps we can see, in the children of Israel, an example of many Christians today who have turned away from their first-love and to the "gods of this world". Perhaps we can see that we have been seeking that which will bring us comfort and relief (the rain); when in fact, what we actually need is a fresh manifestation of the fire of God! The fire of God is necessary for our very survival! 2. This fire will not simply be heaped upon us. There must be a desire and a willingness to do it God's way. If the Pentecostal Fire is to continue into the next century, we are the ones who must tend that fire. We have a role in bringing and maintaining God's fire. 3. What we need is God's fire, not man-made contrivances and programs. 4. When God's fire comes, it will change our perspective. We will not be occupied with self, but we will become occupied with God. When His fire comes, we will be reminded of the promises He has made us. We will act on those promises. Lord send the fire!