Fanning the Flame

The Gift of God Within Us — (Vs. 5-7)

“Stir Up” — Greek (anazōpyreō) an-ad-zo-poor-eh'-o — “to reactivate”, “to rekindle”, "to fan and keep in full flame"

Gift of Faith — “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee”

“unfeigned” — “genuine, sincere, without hypocrisy”

Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is believing without seeing. And the Bible says that...

Romans 12:3b — “God had dealt to every man the measure of faith”

And it is this measure of faith that has been given to us that leads us to the gift of salvation!

Ephesians 2:8-9 — 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2. Gift of Salvation

John 3:16-18 — 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Acts 4:12 — Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

1 Timothy 1:15 — This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Titus 2:11 — For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Ephesians 1:13 — In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Which leads us to our 3rd gift. The first gift given to us is the measure of faith which ultimately led us to the gift of salvation and then the gift of salvation that we have obtained by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord leads us to the gift of the Holy Spirit!

3. Gift of the Holy Spirit

John 14:16-17 — 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

“Comforter” — Greek (paraklētos) — “someone called to ones side to aid them.”

When speaking of the Holy Spirit, after Christ’s ascension, He come to give all who would believe a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and a divine strength needed to undergo trials and persecutions!

He came to walk with us, talk with us, to be one with us and to help us!

Galatians 4:6 — And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

I love how the Bible says here that God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. Do you know what that means? That means the Holy Spirit and Jesus are on the same page, Amen!

This is a wonderful example of how the Triune God we serve this morning works! The mind of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work in complete unison as one God! And the best part is, that same Spirit (pneuma - mindset) lives within us and when we are living in the Spirit then our mindset is the same as the mind of God!

Isn’t that wonderful! That’s why Paul told the Philippians in....

Philippians 2:5 — Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

If we allow the mind of Christ which is also the mind of the Spirit become our mindset, then we shall walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh as Paul stated in Galatians 5:16.

The problem arises when we do right the opposite though. When we begin to walk in flesh it grieves the Spirit of God (Eph 4:30), it hurts our communion with Him and ultimately causes us to be weaker Christians as a result!

That’s why Paul told the Christians at the Church of Thessalonica...

1 Thessalonians 5:19 — Quench not the Spirit.

Do not dwindle, do not diminish, do not distinguish the Holy Spirit that lives within you!

And here in verse 7 is the reason we don’t want to quench the Spirit of God!

The Holy Spirit is where we get our power! The Holy Spirit is where we get our strength to continue on! The Holy Spirit is who teaches us how to love! The Holy Spirit is what keeps us on the right track!

You show me a Christian who is off kilter and angry and weak spiritually and I will show you a Christian who is walking in the flesh and not in Spirit! I will show you a Christian who has somehow, someway, grieved and quenched the Holy Spirit of God!

You say preacher how do you know that? Because I’ve done it and sadly continue to do it from time to time!

I can tell you exactly when I have grieved and quenched the Holy Spirit of God! I can’t think straight spiritually, my love for others is not what it needs to be, and my power spiritually speaking goes to an all time low!

And maybe you’re sitting here this morning and that description I just gave fits you to a “T”! If so, chances are you’re not living how you ought to be living and you need to straighten some things out this morning!

You need to come and tell the Holy Spirit of God that resides within you that your sorry for hurting Him and pushing Him away and that you want to repair the relationship between you that’s been damaged!

That my friend is the only way for you to get back into communion, into fellowship with God!

We as Christians this morning need to fan the flame of faith that lives within us! We need to cherish the gift of salvation that has been afforded us and we need to allow that Holy Ghost fire that burned inside every born again believer when the Church was first formed, rekindled in us this morning!

So, we see The Gift of God Within Us. Now, let’s look at the The Call of God Upon Us.

The Call of God Upon Us — (Vs. 8-11)

Verse 8

Be not ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord.

Mark 8:38 — Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

2. Be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel (according to the power of God.)

Luke 21:10-19 — 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

John 15:18-21 — 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

John 16:33 — These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Look there are some people who make being a Christian out to be a bed of roses but I am here to attest to you this morning that if you never face persecution, or trials or tribulation because of the gospel of Christ then I’d dare say you’re not doing something right!

So many Christians today only want to take the good and leave all the tough stuff out but I’m here to tell you, if God didn’t want it in here, He wouldn’t have put it in here!

The infallible, inherent, indestructible Word of God is diabolically and directly opposed to the way of man when it is read in it’s entirety!

And friend when you go telling someone that the way they’re living is in opposition to God’s way, you’re going to face some form or fashion of persecution!

Why do you think John said in...

1 John 2:15-17 — 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

James said in...James 4:4 — Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Listen friend, there wasn’t a single disciple who did not face persecution for their belief in their Lord and Savior and many more down throughout the ages and even some still today are facing persecution because of His name!

And I’m here to tell you, the time is coming when we here in the great U.S.A will also face persecution for standing on thus saith the Word of God! It’s just a matter of time! But when that time comes we must do just as Paul told young Timothy here and be a partaker in the afflictions of the gospel “according to the power of God!”

You say, “preacher I just don’t know if I will be able to stand or be strong during persecution!” I’m here to tell you, you won’t’ be able to! But neither will I! The only way we will be able to endure persecution is through “His power” the power from on high living inside of us!

That’s the only way any of us will be able to stand!

So, we are to not be ashamed and we are to stand! Then look at what Paul goes on to say in Verses 9-11.

Verses 9-11

Notice who it is that’s doing the calling?

It’s the same one who’s doing the saving, Amen! Listen to me this morning friend, there is no denying the sovereign power of God almighty!

He calls, He saves and it’s all according to His purpose that has been set forth before the foundation of the world!

You ever wondered why you were born to the parents you have? You ever wondered why you have the siblings you have? You ever wonder how you ended up at the job you have? You ever thought about how you came about having the friends you have? Have you ever wondered how you ended up at New Home Missionary Baptist Church?

Because God looked down through the ages and said you needed to have the parents you have, you needed to have the siblings you have, you needed to have the circle of friends you have, you needed to have the job you have and you needed to be right here, at this exact Church, at this exact time, with this exact overweight, out of breath hillbilly of preacher because He ultimately has a purpose that needs to be accomplished according to His grace!

Is that not amazing!

Read verses 10-11.

If you have been born again this morning, God has called you and saved you, and brought you where you are today in order that you can hear this message and fan the flame of the gospel of His dear Son which is within you and so that you will go and share that gift that has been given you with someone else!

Expound on Wednesday nights question....if you had some good news to share, how would you share it?

We have seen The Gift of God Within Us & The Call of God Upon Us. Lastly this morning, I want to look at Our Confidence in God to Keep Us.

Our Confidence in God to Keep Us — (Vs. 12)

What’s the cause Paul is speaking of? The gospel…the good news of Jesus Christ!

“I am not ashamed” — Paul said to the Philippian Church in...

Philippians 1:20 — According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

Hebrews 12:2 — Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 4:16 — Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

“I know in whom I have believed” — there was no doubt in Paul whatsoever and there should be no doubt in us either!

Psalm 9:10 — And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Isaiah 12:2 — Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Psalm 56:9 — When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

Romans 8:31b — “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Paul knew in whom he believed! Who do you believe in this morning?

“I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day!”

John 10:27-30 — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

John 6:39-40 — 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Hebrews 7:25 — Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost (very end) that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

1 Peter 1:5 — Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Paul found confidence in God and I want you to know this morning friend, it’s ok to fan that flame that lives inside you. It’s ok to tell people about Jesus. It’s ok to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ! It’s ok to look persecution in the face and say I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day! It’s ok to stare death in the eye and smile because if you know Jesus this morning death has no hold on you!

Don’t allow this world to quench the Spirit of the living God which lives within you!

Let Him burn brighter and brighter every day so this world may see the hope of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that lives within you!

D. L. Moody — We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.