When the fire goes out

🔥 Series: Revive Us Again

TURN WITH ME....

Revelation 2:1–7 (The Church in Ephesus)

Revival begins when we recognize the embers have cooled — and return to our first love.

OH COME SOMEBODY......

Revival does NOT start in the White House —

REVIVAL starts in my house....IT STARTS IN YOUR HOUSE

REVIVAL doesn’t begin with a crowd — it begins with a cry

A CRY OF HUNGER FROM YOUR HEART AND YOUR SOUL

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND....THAT

before God can set a nation on fire, He has to relight the altar of the heart.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN PASTOR CHRIS.....

TO RELIGHT THE ALTAR OF YOUR HEART MEANS

TO renew your commitment to God.

 It involves a conscious effort to maintain and deepen your relationship with God through

 prayer, worship, and a life of devotion. 

IT IS a DESIRE to continue honoring God with your full attention 

IT IS A DESIRE TO HONOR GOD WITH YOUR RESOURCES

DOING THIS IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR faith and commitment to His will. 

It is a way of expressing gratitude for God's blessings and a promise to continue serving Him in all aspects of your life.

IT’S NOT ABOUT WORKS....IT’S ABOUT YOUR HEART

WHAT IS IT THAT HAS YOUR HEART

WHAT IS IT THAT IS STEALING YOUR ATTENTION FROM GOD

LEADERS....REMEMBER YOUR WHY

IT IS EASY TO GET BURN OUT

IT IS EASY TO LOSE HEART

IT IS EASY FOR YOUR FIRE TO BE SMOTHERED

I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THIS.....

You can attend church every week,

serve on a team,

sing the songs,

and still feel like something’s gone cold inside.

Maybe the flame that once burned bright has dimmed.

Maybe life’s busyness, disappointment, or routine has caused the fire of your first love to fade.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

It’s not about hype.

It’s not about noise.

It’s not about how good the worship team is.

It’s about God breathing on the embers of His people until hearts catch fire again.

MY PRAYER IS THIS.....

LORD, BREATHE ON ME AGAIN

BREATHE ON THE EMBERS OF MY HEART SO THAT I CAN BURN FOR YOU AGAIN

BREATHE ON ME LORD SO I CAN DESIRE AGAIN

LORD REVIVE THE FIRE WITHIN ME.....

CAN SOMEBODY SAY AMEN?????

Revelation 2:1–7 NIV

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

THE FIRST POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THIS.....

1. You Can Be Busy for God and Still Be Far from God

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE...

The Ephesian church was strong.

They worked hard.

They defended truth.

They endured hardship.

But Jesus said, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

They hadn’t lost their service — they lost their spark.

WHICH TELLS US THAT....

You can have activity without intimacy

and YOU CAN DO ministry without passion.

Maybe your schedule is full of serving and volunteering,

but your soul is empty.

MAYBE....You’re doing all the right things —

but not out of love anymore....YOUR SIMPLY DOING THEM OUT OF obligation.

MAYBE....You open your Bible out of duty OR YOU You pray out of habit.

MAYBE....You come to church.....but your heart IS distracted.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS ISN’T.....FAILURE — IT’S a warning light.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A LIGHT COME ON THE DASH OF YOUR CAR...

AND ALL THE WOMEN IN THE ROOM SAY....WHAT’S A WARNING LIGHT

THOSE ARE NOT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS....

THEY ARE WARNING YOU ABOUT SOMETHING

SOMETHING NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION

IT’S THE SAME THING WITH BEING A CHRISTIAN....

TOO OFTEN WE IGNORE THE WARNING SIGNS IN OUR SPIRITUAL WALK

WE BECOME BURN OUT AND FORGET THE REASON WE STARTED SERVING IN THE FIRST PLACE

WE FORGOT ABOUT THE EXCITMENT WE ONCE HAD TO SERVE AND SHARE JESUS

THOSE WARNINGS ARE TO LET YOU KNOW....

the fire IS fading.....

THIS MORNING.....Jesus is inviting you to come close again.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

God IS not mad that your flame got low —

He’s waiting with the match.

He IS SAYING.........“Come back to Me. Let Me fan that spark again.”

DON’T ALLOW THE BUSYINESS OF SERVING AND WORKING TO DECIEVE YOU INTO THINKING YOU ARE OK

WE NEED TO FAN THE FLAME SO THE FIRE DOESN’T BURN OUT

2. Remember Where the Fire Started

Jesus told the church, “Consider how far you have fallen.”

He didn’t say that to shame them —

He said it to remind them.

CLOSE YOUR EYES....

Think back to when you first met JESUS —

when worship wasn’t JUST a routine, BUT it was a revelation OF WHO GOD IS

REMEMBER When Scripture leapt off the page WHEN YOU READ IT...YOU JUST WANTED TO NOW MORE ABOUT HIM

REMEMBER When you couldn’t wait to be in His presence AT CHURCH

REMEMBER HOW REAL HIS LOVE FELT

THINK ABOUT HOW ALIVE AND FREE YOU FELT AND.....

HOW YOU COULD NOT WAIT TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM

THINK ABOUT THE TIME WHEN JESUS SAVED YOU AND DELIVERED YOU....

THINK ABOUT THAT OVERWHELMING FEELING OF SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY ABOUT WHAT HE HAD DONE

CHURCH That IS where revival starts — by remembering your first love.

When your marriage feels cold, what do you do?

You don’t wait for feelings to come back —

you go back to what you did when it was alive.

You talk more.

You listen.

You spend time.

You reignite connection.

It’s the same with God.

If you’ve drifted.........go back to the place where the fire began.

Open your Bible again.

Find your worship again.

Talk to Him honestly again.

💥 Aha Moment: Revival does NOT begin with a crowd shouting “Come, Holy Spirit!” It begins with one believer ONE HEART whispering, “Come, Lord Jesus — BURN WITHIN me.”

IT BEGINS WITH YOU GETTING HUNGRY ENOUGH AND DESPERATE ENOUGH TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT.....

OH MY LORD....HELP US LORD.....REKINDLE OUR FIRE FATHER

WE NEED TO START WITH REPENTANCE......

LORD I AM SORRY THAT I HAVE DRIFTED FROM YOU

I’M SORRY THAT I HAVE REPLACED INTIMACY... WITH SERVICE AND WORK

LORD I AM SORRY THAT I HAVE STOPPED SPENDING TIME WITH YOU

CHURCH....REPENTANCE REKINDLES THE FLAME

3. Repentance Rekindles the Flame

Jesus said, “Repent and do the things you did at first.”

That word repent doesn’t just mean “say you’re sorry.”

In Greek....... metanoia means to change direction.

It’s the picture of turning around and walking back to the place where love was lost.

Psalm 51:10–12 NIV

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

That’s revival prayer right there.

It’s saying....

“God, light me up again.

Bring back the joy, the purity, the hunger I once had.”

UNDERSTAND THIS.... The devil doesn’t care if you go to church —

he just doesn’t want you burning for Jesus.

He’s fine with religion as long as it’s cold.

But one believer on fire can ignite an entire city.

(TELL STORY OF PARADISE FIRE MOVIE....THE LOST BUS...SPOT FIRES MILES AWAY)

ALL IT TAKES IS ONE....ONE PERSON....AND IT SPREADS LIKE WILD FIRE

AND THAT....... THE DEVIL WILL TRY TO STOP

HE WILL START MAKING YOU SO BUSY.....YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING ELSE

2 CORINTHIANS TELLS US....2 COR 11:13-15

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 NIV

13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

DON’T LET BLESSINGS BECOME CURSES...

WHEN SOMETHING TAKES YOU FROM GOD OR STEALS YOUR ATTENTION FROM HIM

THAT THING WHICH STARTED AS A BLESSING....

CAN QUICKLY BECOME THE VERY THING THAT SMOLDERS YOUR FIRE

OH MY LORD....HELP US...

THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO LIVE AND WALK BY THE HOLY SPIRIT (GALATIANS 5:25)

BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM....IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH GODLY WISDOM

WATCH THIS.....

Matthew 19:23–24 NIV

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

IF YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS ABOUT MONEY OR POSESSIONS.....YOU MISSED THE POINT

THIS IS A HEART PROBLEM....POSESSIONS AND WEALTH BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOLLOWING JESUS

SUCCESS BECOMES THE MOST IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE....

SUCCESS IN YOUR KIDS LIFE BCOMES THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE

DISTRACTIONS ARE THE ENEMIES GAME

I WHOLE HEARTED BELIEVE THAT IN TODAYS WORLD....BUSY-NESS IS THE ENEMIES GAME

HE COMES DISGUISED AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.....THINK ABOUT THIS

IF YOU ARE NOT WALKING IN THE SPIRIT.....

HOW IMPOSSIBLE WILL IT BE TO DISCERN THIS FALSE IMITATION OF LIGHT?

WE NEED REVIVAL CHURCH.....WHERE NOTHING ELSE MATTERS EXCEPT ONENESS WITH THE FATHER

A FIRE BURNING WITHIN US....THAT CAN NOT BE STOPPED

WELL YOU KNOW PASTOR IT’S THE WORLDS FAULT.....I MEAN I’M SO BUSY WITH SPORTS FOR MY KIDS THAT I CAN’T EVEN THINK STRAIGHT.....

I KNOW AND I FEEL YOU....

IM SO SICK OF SPORTS EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT LEAVES US LATE NIGHT DINING THROUGH TACO BELL

FORGET ABOUTDINNER AROUND THE TABLE....

BETWEEN WORK, SCHOOL, AND SPORTS.....WHERE TOO BUSY FOR ANYTHING ELSE

THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.......WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECSIONS IF WE WANT REVIVAL

I AM AFRAID THAT WE HAVE BECOME SO DESENSITIZED TO SPIRITUAL THINGS.

I’M CONVINCED THAT THE SACRIFICE NEEDED TO GET BACK TO REVIVAL IN OUR SPIRITS IS TOO BIG A SACRIFICE FOR MOST FAMILIES.....WHY

BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALLOWED IT TO BE THAT WAY

WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LAY DOWN EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES....FOR HIM

AN ANGEL OF LIGHT....

THIS MEANS THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SEEM GOOD AND INNOCENT ARE PLANS OF THE ENEMY

PASTOR ARE YOU SAYING THAT I HAVE TO PULL MY KIDS FROM SPORTS AND GIVE UP ALL THE THINGS IN OUR LIVES???

NO! I’M SAYING YOU NEED TO SEARCH YOUR HEART

YOU NEED TO ASK GOD TO SEARCH YOUR HEART

IF THAT SPORT OR THAT THING OR EVEN THAT JOB IS TAKING THE PLACE OF GOD....MEANING

YOU STRUGGLE TO FIND TIME FOR FAMILY OR GOD OR ANYTHING THAT GOD CALLS GOOD IN HIS WORD....

GET RID OF THAT THING....IT’S NOT WORTH IT.

OH MY LORD.....HELP US......

Revival starts when we stop blaming the world and start searching our hearts.

If your prayer life feels dry — repent of distraction.

If bitterness has crept in — repent of pride.

If you’ve grown numb — ask God to break your heart for what breaks His again.

...............WORSHIP TEAM COME.............

4. Guard What God Rekindles

BRO. SAL MARTINEZ WAS IN CHARGE OF TENDING TO THE FIRE THIS PAST SUNDAY NIGHT

AT ONE POINT HE CAME TO ME AND ASKED ME HOW LONG WE WANTED THE FIRE TO BURN

HE SAID RIGHT NOW IT WILL BURN FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES OR SO

OH MY LORD.....LISTEN TO ME

A flame left unattended eventually dies.

YOU HAVE TO TEND TO THE FIRE OTHERWISE IT DIES

THE FIRE THAT GOD IGNITES WITHIN US HAS TO BE TENDED TO.....

YOU CAN NOT JUST BE IGNITED AND EXPECT THAT TO CARRY YOU UNTIL HE COMES

That’s why Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6

2 Timothy 1:6 NIV

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

God lights the fire, but you have to feed it.

Feed it with prayer,

feed it with the Word,

feed it with obedience.

FEED IT WITH FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS

The fire that stays......... is the fire that’s fed.

Leviticus 6:13 NIV

13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

IN JANUARY 9-10 FORM 6PM -6PM

OUR SECTION WILL BE HAVING A PRAYER EVENT CALLED...... TEND24......

THIS IS A CONTINUOUS 24 HOURS OF PRAYER FOR REVIVAL ACROSS OUR SECTION

AND YOU WILL GET AN OPPOTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

BUT THE FIRE THAT IS IGNITED MUST BE TENDED TO IN ORDER TO STAY BURNING

Every day, choose to tend the flame.

Worship even when you don’t feel like it.

Read the Word before you scroll your phone.

Say “yes” to what fuels the Spirit and “no” to what smothers it.

Revival IS NOT a one-time event — it’s a daily decision.

It’s saying.............“Lord, I’m not content with embers when You promised fire.”

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT IS HUNGRY FOR REVIVAL FIRE TO FALL.....

OH COME ON....

I AM PRAYING THAT GOD AWAKEN OUR SPIRITS AND REKINDLE OUR HEARTS WITH HOLY SPIRIT FIRE

IS THERE ANYONE WITH ME????

...............STAND TO YOUR FEET.........

Closing –

Jesus did NOT condemn the Ephesian church —

He invited them back.

That’s what He’s doing today.

Some of you are tired.

You’ve been faithful.............but the fire’s low.

Some of you remember when you used to burn —

but somewhere along the way...........the glow HAS STARTED TO FADE.

And Jesus says....................“Come. Let Me relight the flame.”

If that’s you —

if you want your first love back,

your passion back,

your fire back — come.

Come as a family, come as a couple, come as a believer saying, “Lord, start revival in me.”

Let Him breathe on the coals. Let Him revive your heart.

Because the same God who lit you once........can light you again.

............................ALTAR RESPONSE............................

— Psalm 85:6

Psalm 85:6 NIV

6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

CLOSE IN PRAYER.......