Is Your Fire Still Burning?

 

The Fire Must Never Go Out

In the Old Testament, God gave a command that still speaks with power today. When He established the priesthood and the altar, He did not leave room for casual devotion.

In Leviticus 6:12–13, the Lord commanded:

“And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out… The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”

That wasn’t symbolic language. It was literal. The priests were responsible to tend it day and night. Every morning they added wood. Every day they removed the ashes. The flame was constant.

Why? Because the fire represented God’s presence and the continual offering before Him. If the fire went out, the sacrifice stopped.

Let that sink in.

The fire was not self-sustaining. God lit it (Leviticus 9:24), but the priests had to maintain it.

The same is true for us.

God ignites the flame. But we are responsible to keep it burning.

Faith Is Fed by the Word

The Bible tells us plainly:

 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17

Faith is not sustained by emotion. It is not sustained by hype. It is not sustained by Christian music alone. It is sustained by the Word of God.

When we are in the Word, we begin to reflect what we stand next to. Stand next to the world long enough, and you will reflect worldliness. Stand next to the Word long enough, and you will reflect holiness.

Smith Wigglesworth said, “There’s nothing in the world but worldliness and nothing in the Word but holiness.” That’s exactly right.

You become what you consistently consume.

Why the Fire Dies

Let’s be honest.

Many believers aren’t burning — they’re barely smoking.

Why? Because the altar is unattended.

The priest in the Old Testament could not neglect the fire. But today many neglect prayer. They neglect Scripture. They neglect quiet time with God.

Then they wonder why they can’t hear Him.

You cannot fill your ears all day with worldly noise and expect to hear the still, small voice of God. There are many who say, “God doesn’t speak to me.” But when was the last time you shut everything off and sought Him in secret?

Jeremiah said:

 “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13

God speaks in the quiet place. But you must go there.

Hot, Cold, or Lukewarm?

Jesus gave a sobering warning in Revelation 3:15–16:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot… because thou art lukewarm… I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

He didn’t rebuke them for persecution.

He didn’t rebuke them for poverty.

He rebuked them for indifference.

Lukewarm Christianity is offensive to a holy God.

It is our responsibility to stay red-hot for Him. How?

Psalm 119:9 gives the answer:

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

Holiness does not come from trying harder. It comes from aligning ourselves with Scripture.

You Know What You Love

Let me make this plain.

If a man loves football, he knows the teams, the players, the stats, the rules. He can tell you who was drafted in what year and who won the championship.

If a man loves hunting, he knows the season dates, the calibers, the gear, the terrain, the habits of the animal.

If someone loves cooking, they know recipes, ingredients, techniques, and flavors.

Why? Because you study what you love.

So let me ask you: if you love God, how well do you know His Word?

Charles Spurgeon once said, “There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write the word ‘damnation.’” That’s strong language — but it exposes a real problem.

Many say they love God, but they spend no time with Him.

Love always moves toward the object of its affection.

Feet in the Water or All the Way In?

Are you the kind of person who goes to the lake and just sits on the bank with your feet in the water?

Or do you swim out deep?

Or better yet — are you willing to step into the white-water rapids?

Ezekiel saw waters that started ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, until they were waters to swim in (Ezekiel 47:3–5). There are depths in God that most believers never experience because they are afraid of looking radical.

I remember when I first became a Christian, a couple warned me not to get “too radical.” They told me they had lost friends because they were too on fire and had to tone it down to avoid offending people.

But Jesus said:

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words… of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed.” — Mark 8:38

Are we more concerned about offending men than pleasing God?

The early church turned the world upside down. They were accused of being fanatics. They were persecuted. But they burned.

Stir Up the Gift

Paul told Timothy:

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee.” — 2 Timothy 1:6

You stir a fire so it doesn’t die.

You add wood.

You remove ashes.

You protect it from being smothered.

The “wood” today is the Word of God.

The “removing ashes” is repentance.

The protection is guarding your ears, your eyes, and your heart.

Acts 4:31 says:

 “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

That’s what happens when the fire burns — boldness, purity, hunger, power.

Practical Ways to Keep the Fire Burning

1. Daily Scripture intake — not occasional, but consistent.

2. Dedicated quiet time — eliminate noise.

3. Repent quickly — don’t let ashes pile up.

4. Guard what you listen to — worldly input dulls spiritual sensitivity.

5. Fellowship with those who burn — fire spreads.

Hebrews 12:29 reminds us:

“For our God is a consuming fire.”

If He is a consuming fire, then proximity matters.

Stay close.

Final Question

The altar fire in the tabernacle was never allowed to go out.

Is yours burning tonight?

Are you ankle-deep, or are you swimming in the deep things of God?

Are you lukewarm, or are you red-hot?

This is not about emotional hype. It is about disciplined devotion. It is about loving Him enough to spend time with Him. It is about choosing holiness over worldliness.

The priests tended the fire daily because it mattered.

So must we.

Keep the fire burning.