As I sat in a meeting of the Azle Keepers of the Promise, I heard a very thought-provoking point. The speaker mentioned an email he had received entitled “We Didn’t Start This Fire.” The main point of reference was the current political dilemma which we “Conservatives,” find ourselves in. As I listened the Holy Spirit began to speak something very clear to my spirit.
This reference to fire brought to mind the forest fires which seem to always be a problem in the far west. I heard that some in the Forest Service state that the practice of controlled burning once prevented these huge and costly fires. Now the undergrowth from many years of neglect fuels the fire causing it to burn hotter and longer than it did before. As the temperature and time increase, then more of the undergrowth is taken in by the fire and therefore more damage is done.
Those of you who have a Spirit of Discernment can already hear where this is going. Many have raised an outcry against the ungodly practices of this current society and of those in authority who seem to support the ungodly in every way. There is a terrible spiritual fire burning in our land today and it is out of control. The ungodly are at the helm and they are steering us ever closer to disaster with every turn. How did this happen to such a great nation founded upon such wonderful truths by men and women of such integrity?
I believe the answer is all too apparent when we view the facts. I have been to City Council meetings here in Azle, School Board meetings, Chamber of Commerce meetings and one thing is very clear. Few are in attendance and few less are willing to take their place in the fight.
It has been said that in this great game of life all that is necessary for evil to win is for good men to do nothing. I believe that just as the underbrush in our great forest has grown without confrontation until it has reached dangerous levels, the climate in this great nation has done the same. As we have sought the easy way out, without confrontation, an ugly beast of unbelief has risen up among us which is now consuming everything in its path. Some are fighting for all they are worth because they have had the foresight to see this coming, but many are still confused by the heat and smoke of the oncoming disaster. They falsely believe that they will be safe in their homes where they have weathered many storms before, much like the victims of Katrina they assume wrongly that since they have survived before that they will be OK as the greatest and strongest storm we have ever seen approaches our shores.
Well great, Pastor Jon, so now that you have laid such uplifting news on us, what would you have us do? I still believe that we can win this struggle but we must use the strategy which has worked in the past to put this fire out.
1. We must act as any good firefighter would and that means forgetting minor discomforts. We must attack at all cost the fire in front of us with all of our strength, and with all our Most Holy Faith. We should make ourselves available for public office or any other place where we can be an influence for Truth.
1 Timothy 6:12
2. We must set backfires in the path of this destruction. This means raising up a generation who have not tasted the unbelief so rampant in the Earth. They must know that what we believe goes even beyond the evidence of what can be seen or heard. Only when these “kindle piles” of man’s reason are thoroughly purged so that the fire cannot touch them, will they be able to resist and quench the onslaught to come. True faith cannot be taught it must be caught. I am sure Jesus transmitted this faith to his disciples one to one and that is the only way it can be transferred. The laying on of hands is more than just a physical experience and it cannot be taken for granted. The best firefighters are those who have witnessed others who marched against the flames undaunted by the danger. There is a lesson in that truth. Proverbs 22:6
3. We must go for the throat. The source of the fire is the only place it can be stopped and that means the point of ignition. I once took a safety class where the instructor gave several people a fire extinguisher and gave them a chance to put out a fire. It was amazing how many people knew how to pull the pin and point the device but used all of the contents and left the fire burning. The secret is to aim at the source of the flame. We must be direct in our approach. When we waste too much of our energy on fights we cannot win then we are only using our resources unwisely. The problem is unbelief, fear, ignorance of God’s truth, and ignorance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ignorance can only be confronted with Truth. We must learn to declare the Truth in Love, and then have faith that it will do what it does. Isaiah 55:11
Washing with the Water of the Word is the best description of what we must do to achieve victory. You cannot wash others if you are not clean yourself. We must be clean. Firefighters wear clothing which prevents the fire from kindling upon them and we also must remember that this garment we wear has a purpose. only then will we be faithful to not leave home without it. Ephesians 5:26 Lastly, we must remember that even the best firefighters need rest and recuperation. Let us be quick to take up the fight for our brothers when the burden becomes too much. We must not laugh when they fall but we must be quick to render aid. There should be no shame in wearing yourself out in battle.
Victory is ours in Jesus’ name. I agree with James. I will show you my faith by my works.