Today’s 333 Devotional: “Starting A Fire for God”

When prayer ascends by fire, then God’s holy fire descends.

God placed in the tabernacle the Altar of Incense where incense was added to hot coals and the smoke ascended to heaven. The incense was a symbol of the people’s prayers going up to God as a sweet fragrance.

As believers in Jesus Christ, our bodies are the tabernacles of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Therefore, our prayers need to be set aflame with God’s holy fire, which is nothing less than our love and devotion for God. It is such prayers that are a pleasing aroma to God.

The writer of Hebrews expands upon this saying, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

This word boldly means with all speech, that is, in prayer we can confidently approach God’s heavenly throne room fully convinced that God will hear our prayers and help us in our time of need.

When our prayers are set on fire through our love and devotion for God, then God sends down His holy fire in response.

When the disciples gathered in Jerusalem praying and waiting for what Jesus promised, to be endued with heavenly power, that is, Holy Spirit power as the He descended upon each of them as of fire, and they were then set on fire for God (Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4).

When our prayers ascend by fire, God’s Holy Spirit fire descends, and we are given Holy Spirit power, the power of God to help us in our time of need.

Unfortunately, today’s church is trying to replace this fire of God through rituals and programs, but it’s coming up short in its desired outcome. We need more of the Spirit and less church programs if we want to see God do a mighty work in the church, because we cannot finish in the flesh what God began in the Spirit (Galatians 3:3).