Fighting Fire with Fire

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:1-3a ESV

I have always read our Scripture for today in light of when we're going through tough times that we will not be overcome by them, but rather we would overcome. And that's true, because His is also the Refiner's fire, burning out the dross, making us pure. It is the fire of purification. 

However, lately I've been thinking about God as a consuming fire and how if we want to be on fire for the Lord, we need to be closer to Him. Nothing can stand in the presence of God's holiness. I think the closer we get to God - the more we get in His presence - the more the junk in our lives is consumed and destroyed by His fire. 

Hebrews 1:7 reads, He sends His angels like the winds; His servants like flames of fire.  Don't you want to be sent like flames of fire to do His will - to fight the fires of hell in this world with the fire of God's holiness? Deuteronomy 4:24 tells us, For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Prayer:

Father,

           Light us up, Lord! Let Your fire so burn in us until every distraction, every other attraction is completely consumed like so much chaff. And then send us, Father, as flames of fire to accomplish Your will on Earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen