“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (Corinthians Chapter 15, Verse 58, New International Version).
While the quality for living has grown astronomically higher, we as a species have seen a polarisation unlike any before, where the government has made decisions and crossed lines that Christians have declared not to cross and never have.
It’s unfortunate to say this; the government can’t provide happiness… It’s a good thing, however, that Jesus can.
Keep the fire
We as Believers have committed our lives to the eternal, unchanging God, and we have given ourselves to live the same way as Christ, who has been declared to be “… the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews Chapter 13, Verse 8, New Living Translation). This would imply that we need be the same as Him yesterday, today and forever. We need to draw the same lines as he did, we need to allow our hearts to be broken like His, we need to keep the fire He has given us and keep it well.
What we have inside of us, what we have ahead of us, is far greater than any ‘happiness’ the secular world might try to tempt us with; we have a supernatural kind of happiness. So it is our responsibility, friends, to not let our Fire be snuffed out or changed by the world, but to instead hold steadfast to Christ and what He stood for.
And in this constantly changing world that seems to grow harder and harder, in the end, you will be able to say what Paul said; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which is the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” (2 Timothy, Chapter 4, Verse 7-8, New Living Translation).
Fan the flame
What this means then, friends, is that we must try and try again to fan our flame, to keep it lit, to feed it with the right kind of fuel.
Like with a real fire, there’s stuff you could put on your flame that will spit toxic fumes and be dangerous for those around it. This means that we want to be feeding it the right stuff. Stuff that will burn bright and long and bring warmth to everyone.
This stuff is the Word, when you passionately pursue it as much as you can, so that you can live the way Christ lived. This stuff is prayer, when we set our minds and hearts on Jesus and refuse to take them off Him. This stuff is anything good that comes from Him.
Fuel your fire with it. Fan the flame. See it grow higher and brighter and, most importantly, hotter. In a world where the government and the secular world will continue to be etched away by the forces of evil, your fire will stand out all the brighter and people, someday, will realise how much they needed it. People will desire what you have; that supernatural kind of happiness.
Let it spread
That’s right! This is one situation where you actually want flame to catch, where you want it to spread uncontrollably until everything around you has caught too.
This fire we carry can’t just be for us, it has to spark and catch in other people’s hearts and lives. It is in this way we can see a revival, that we can reclaim the world and bring it back to Jesus.
So with every little moment, friends, I want to encourage you to be living for Jesus, to keep your fire, to fan your flame, and to let it spread. I see a world where every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord.
Stand firm! Let nothing move you! And above all else, keep the Fire! And keep it well!
Josiah Gray lives in Logan City, Australia. He is currently studying teaching at Christian Heritage College and is committed to telling the story of Jesus to the next generation.
Josiah’s previous articles can be found at https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josiah-gray.html