Stir Up The Fire Inside You

The other night my son was burning a brush pile and I had some old papers that needed to be burned. We threw them on the fire and went about our business of cleaning out the garage. When we went back with some more papers, the fire that had been burning so big was now barely burning. Jessen took his rake and moved the papers around so the fire would get to them again. Of course, being country people, we have had fires many times, but he said something that caught my attention. He said, "even though that fire is burning hot underneath, that stack of papers was smothering it." I thought about how true that is in our own lives and what Paul said to Timothy, Stir up the the gift of God that is in you, or some translations say "fan into flame" . You see, we have the Holy Spirit in us and yet if we don't keep stirring up the fire we can let the cares of this world smother it out. I started thinking about my personal life and the things I have let cover up and smother the fire in me. I had allowed the cares of this world to come in little by little and smother the fire inside me. Instead of dealing with them daily I had simply let them pile up until the fire was just flickering. I knew it was still there but it wasn't burning bright. I decided in that moment that I needed to stir up the fire inside and let it burn up those silly cares and things that come at each of us daily. I exposed the lies of the enemy to the fire of God and burned those lies up! I worshiped Jesus and remembered who I am and who lives inside of me. I prayed in the Spirit and proclaimed I am redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb! I cast off guilt and shame that tried to creep in even as I was doing this. I knew I hadn't been living up to what I was supposed to be. That didn't mean I had to stay there. The victory comes when we stir up the fire and get back to living in the Spirit. We have been given this precious gift. Don't allow it to be smothered another minute! The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. Stir it up and walk in the spirit today my friend. The power to do so is inside you. If you are reading this and don't know my Jesus and this gift he offers freely to all, reach out to me and I will introduce you. He is all you need. Unending love, joy and peace.