“Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord (Jehovah): The God that answers by fire (El Anah Esh) – He is God!” (1Kg 18:24)
‘El’ is the short form of Elohim (the Creator of heaven and earth). ‘Anah’ – means to answer, to testify, to witness, to shout, to sing, to declare. And ‘Esh’ means fire, heat, burning. Fire is a symbol of God. There are two types of fire: The fire we should desire as power for ministry and the fire we should fear and run from!
I> The fire that we should desire: it falls from heaven upon the obedient believer and His sacrifice upon the proper altar. The fire means that God has accepted your sacrifice and labor. It is the stamp and seal of heaven. It is the blessing of God, the anointing upon your ministry. It is the fire of grace and power.
Example 1: The fire fell upon the prepared sacrifice done by Aaron and his sons. It was on the first day of their ministry and it was the confirmation of God’s approval (Lev 9).
Lesson: Do not start ministry without the fire of God! (Religious) flesh prof-its nothing!
Example 2: Jesus is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mat 3:11). The fire of God is the only element that can change your heart forever. It brings the fear of God and purifies it for true worship.
Lesson: Desire the deep revelation and the fullness of the Spirit. Do not be satisfied with superficial ‘Christianity.’
Example 3: The Pentecost (Acts 2). Fire was seen upon their heads. It changed them forever from cowards to bold preachers. Their words combined with the utterance of the Spirit (fire on the tongue) created a force that none could resist. Utterance means you speak fewer words, loaded with power to express deep things of the Spirit and to proclaim the wonders of God. Pray for the radical change on your tongue to be energized by the fire of heaven.
II> The fire we should run from: it is the fire of the wrath of God and His judgment on sin. Uzzah touched the Ark and died (2 Sam 6:6, 7). Nadab and Abihu, offered unauthorized (man- made) fire in worship to God and they died on the spot (Lev 10). Un-confessed sin is the fuel that can ignite the fire of God producing sin unto death! Be careful!
Lesson: Be dead to sin before you pray for anointing and power in ministry! Be like the burning bush: hot with passion for Jesus but never consumed! This is the secret of genuine successful ministry.
In Christ I declare:
I no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in me, doing His work by the pow-er of the Holy Spirit! May Pentecost happen to me! May I burn with passion for Jesus! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Green Pastures 