09-25-2022 - White Hot Holy Fire

OPENING

We are continuing this week with our sermon series, “Souls on Fire.” Last week the title of our message was “Between Bethel and Ai.” Last week was all about understanding that there is no time to try to hang around in the middle when it comes to serving God. There is no neutral ground. You are either in or you’re out. You are either saved or you’re lost. You are either moving closer to God or you’re moving further away from Him. I encouraged you last week to make up in your minds, like Joshua, and declare “as for me and my house, we are going to serve the Lord.”

This week I’ve titled this message, “White Hot Holy Fire.” Churches and Christians can get complacent. We can get to the point sometimes when we feel like we’ve got everything we need. We can feel like we’ve gone as far as we need to go in our relationship to God. I had someone just the other day at work tell me, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” There is a lot of truth to that statement regarding our relationship with God as well. If we do not continue to grow everyday in our walk with God, we will begin to die spiritually.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus had to remind the church in Laodicea, one of the seven churches in Asia Minor, about the danger of spiritual apathy, or a lukewarm spirit. Today we’re going to talk about our own danger of falling into a condition of a lukewarm spirit and what it looks like when we are “Souls on Fire” burning with a “White Hot Holy Fire.”

SCRIPTURE

Revelation 3:14–21 NKJV

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

MESSAGE

Laodicea was known for a few things:

Financial wealth

Beautifully colored fine clothing

A popular eye salve that was exported all over the world

Worship of the Greek god Asklepios, the god of healing

Very bad water

Laodicea’s Water Supply

No suitable water source in Laodicea

Water was transported by a 6-mile aqueduct from hot springs near the city of Hieropolis

The water started out hot, but by the time it reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm.

Lukewarm Water is Disgusting

Hot and cold water are useful

Hot water = sanitizes and cleans

Cold water = refreshing

Lukewarm water is not only, not useful, it is just gross

Jesus Compares Lukewarm Water to their Spiritual Condition

Complacent (Have No Motivation)

The most difficult person to reach for Christ is the one who has just enough of religion to think they have enough (David Guzik).

Self-Reliant (Have Need of Nothing)

Self-sufficiency is Satan’s net, wherein he catches men, like poor silly fish, and does destroy them (Charles Spurgeon).

Apathetic (Have No Zeal)

My fear is that our people will become content to live without the fire, the power, the excitement, the supernatural element that makes us great (John Wesley).

There are a lot of Different Types of Fires

Phony Fire

Fleshly Fire

False Fire

We Need a White Hot Holy Fire

Never Let It Go Out

Leviticus 6:13 NKJV

13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.

Don’t Quench It

1 Thessalonians 5:19 NKJV

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

Jesus Came to set the World on Fire

Luke 12:49 NKJV

49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

Outpouring of the Fire of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

CLOSING

Jesus called the church in Laodicea to repent

Jesus said He stands at the door and knocks

Jesus gives a promise to those who overcome

ALTAR CALL