Staying On Fire

Consistency in pursuing God isn't a personality trait, it's the fruit of a very specific kind of prayer life.

I've been a part of the church my entire 50 years, and immersed in the night and day prayer movement for about 12 years. I've seen hundreds of people get excited about God's plans for 2, 3, even 5 years, but rarely have I seen anyone stay consistently zealous for more than a couple of years.

Usually, zealousness for the move of God begins with seeing how God wants to make us a part of what He is doing. This vision can keep you in zeal for a while. This is the seed of faithfulness. It's what God uses to touch our flesh, but it is our flesh that is initially touched. No one was born Holy.

Jesus always starts the conversation by asking us what WE want:

John 1:38-39 NKJV — Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

Those who remain with Jesus must broaden their vision to find out what He wants... Not for us... For Him.

If you want to stay faithfully zealous in Jesus right to the end, you have to develop a right relationship with Him. The main things that take us out are:

1. Shame - as God tests and refines us, if we get self defensive because of shame, we will also get offended. Self-defense becomes offense when we self defend against God and His ways of maturing us.

2. Pride - If we make the kingdom about us, quickly, within a few years, God will show us it for sure isn't. This is where most people start to chill out. Very few intentionally walk away from Jesus, but when our pride is hurt, we certainly chill out on being too excited about anything. An even worse reaction happens when we keep fueling our pride because we don't want to quit. Pride will never carry us into the kingdom. We must transition from what we want into finding out what God wants. His will is different than our flesh. Always.

Pride manifests with "good intentions":

A. We often think He wants us to save others. He doesn't because we can't. He wants witnesses of being saved.

B. We think He wants us to teach others. He doesn't. He wants Spirit led teachers who are being led by the Spirit and that overflows in a teaching gift. He is looking for the teachable, not teachers.

C. We think He wants us to heal others. He doesn't because we never could. He is looking for the heal-able to overflow in a prophetic witness of how God heals.

It really is all about God being known, not us. Our true identity is revealed in God being known, but this takes faith to wait on.

3. Doubt - when the seed of truth is sown into the immature soil or our hearts, a war erupts against it. Doubt... Uncertainty if God really called us... Is one of the main quenchers of true fire to give ourselves to God.

Jesus dealt with all three of these realities, shame, pride, and doubt, when John the Baptist sent His disciples to find out if Jesus was really the one to follow:

Matthew 11:6-30 NKJV — “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? “But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. “For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear! “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, “and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not lament.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

If you want to not quit as tribulation increases, and the kingdom (leadership/will of God) comes to the earth, you need to learn to PRAY that you would die to your will and live in God's.

This takes your whole mind, will, and emotions being sifted on the altar of His presence. It takes a desire to change from self-led to God-led, even when it hurts, and it certainly hurts to feel your flesh dying.

To stay steady in the death of self takes trust that His plans for Himself will be more satisfying to you than your plans for yourself. To stay steady, you must grow into the faith that the role He has for you isn't really about you, but is truly the thing you were made to do.

All of this ^ happens in the place of corporate prayer!!!

If Satan can't stop you from finding that first love of being part of the return of Jesus' kingdom to the earth, then he will go to work on breaking down your connection to God, or those you are pursuing God with. Either will work. Either Satan will keep you offended and out of "prayer" or offended and out of "corporate" (letting people get close to you.) Because, corporate prayer is where you mature into a son or daughter of God. Loving God with everything, and then loving other people as yourself... Everything hangs on these two commandments, both of which need a miracle for God to do.

Prayer is the door miracles walk into your life through.

Hebrews 10:19-39 NKJV — Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while,

And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Drawing back is quitting. Just like zealous love grows, it also burns out, which is what drawing back is. It must be maintained in this very specific prayer life if it is to be maintained at all. If we don't continue to abide, we will stop bearing fruit. That is when your branch is cut off, according to John 15. There is only one way this ends. It is all about Jesus. Jesus is all about the Father, who is all about you and those who pursue Him with you! He sent Jesus because He loves you (John 3). If you want to stay on fire for more than a few years, you have to learn to keep praying for fire, even as your flesh dies and your dreams change!

That's the goal: for the dream in His heart to overtake the one in my heart!