The Fire of God's Presence (Revisited)

The natural inclination of people when we believe we have heard from God about a Vision or plan for ministry is to run out and find the best possible way to build it. There are lots of great sermons and books on developing your dream or vision for ministry.
It has been said,"God has Called, You have Answered, You Have been Preparing, Now Begin to Build it."

This sound like the beginning for a good teaching, but there is a missing element without which this will be us attempting to fulfill the Supernatural Vision God has given us with the plans and ideas of people. It might even be a good plan, but without the "Fire of God's Presence", it is a plan that will not produce the fruit God has desired!

Throughout the Bible Fire is seen as bringing Purity, representing the Glory of God, or the results of God's Presence. Today we are often so busy 'doing the work of the ministry', that we fail to spend time in God's presence where the Fire of His presence can accomplish its work in making us like Him.

What do I mean by this? The following points will help us in our understanding.
1. When Moses came down from the mountain after spending 40 days in God's presence or Glory his face was aglow 'literally' with the Glow or Glory of God's presence.
2. In the New Testament, the word that is added when speaking about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has within it the the imagery of the dying of a garment or the pickling of a cucumber.
3. There are certain text that speak clearly to the baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire, but there are additional text which speak about additional or fresh fillings with the Holy Spirit.
More Holy Spirit More Fire.
From these verses we can say that the more you are filled with His Spirit the More like Him you will become. The more we are in His presence the more we not only become like Him but the more we know His heart and His Mind and ways. This knowing the Heart of the father, the Mind of Christ and The Power of the Spirit. Comes as we learn of Him and obey what we see and know Him to do and be.
His Word plays a key role in this but we must be wise in using His Word as it can be a weapon of both life and death.
Prayer plays a important role as well. When we communicate both in communication with him and meditation of His Word and His Ways as evidenced there we build a relationship from which we can know His heart.
Worship, praise and adoration in word, in song and with instruments lift Him up and help us come into proper alignment with Him. We could on on to speak of all of the Spiritual disciplines, but the point is we must have a relationship of our who being, Spirit, Soul (mind, will + emotion) and Body with Him. This relation must be on His terms as declared in His Word (the Bible).

Our relationship with Him must be one in which we begin to realize these two truth:
1. We are in the world but not of it.
2. In Him we live and move and have our being.

It seems that we want a relationship with God that is based on our preferences, but a review of the interactions of God with people in the Bible are varied in many ways.

What is never varied is that He is a Supernatural being interacting with His creation.
So, let us seek Him, 'the author and finisher of our faith.'
So, let us make Him and not our labor for Him our number priority.
So, let us spend time in His presence as outlined above.
So, let it be known far and wide that we continue this relationship through out the day and not just in a devotional time or place.

In closing we can have an exciting relationship with Him every day all day without being so 'Heavenly Minded that we are no Earthly Good." The more we are in His presence the easier it is to hear His voice, know His ways and see His power displayed in the lives of people.

Then His plans and Visions for ministry that He gives us will have the Owners authority and Imprint!

Artwork at: Given for You by Graham Braddock
http://www.christian-artprints.com/Christian%20art%20-%20Given%20for%20you%20-%20Braddock.htm