The Fire of the Lord: Holiness

“Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning? He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; he who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil.” – Isaiah 33:14-15 NASB.

We serve a holy God who wants to live in the midst of His people. Scripture describes in this passage and others the Lord as a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), and who can live with Him:

“The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice . . . Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about . . .” – Psalm 97:1-3 NASB.

“His throne was ablaze with flames. Its wheels were a burning fire. 10A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him . . . ” – Daniel 7:9-10 NASB.

“Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him.” – Ezekiel 1:27 NASB.

“The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire” – Psalm 29:7 NASB.

Isaiah tells us that since our God is a consuming fire, only the righteous are allowed to dwell with Him. Then the prophet describes the holy way the righteous live as to how they walk, speak, do business, and shun evil personally.

In chapter thirty-three, the prophet Isaiah also describes how the Righteous Judge of all the earth will execute His vengeance on all sinners—those within His house, plus those far away:

“Now I will arise,” says the Lord . . . My breath will consume you like a fire.” – Isaiah 33:10-11 NASB.

Those sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord, saying, “. . . The calamity [judgment] will not overtake or confront us (Amos 9:10 NASB)” are not only rebellious people, but God also calls them false sons (Isaiah 30:9). No wonder Scripture says that sinners in Zion are terrified (Isaiah 33:14):

“All of them are stubbornly rebellious, going about as a talebearer, they are bronze and iron; they, all of them, are corrupt. The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, but the wicked are not separated. They call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.” – Jeremiah 6:30 NASB.

“How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Shall Your jealousy [which cannot endure a divided allegiance] burn like fire?” – Psalm 79:5 TAC.

God’s refining fires chasten and cleanse the repentant of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) so that we conform to and cling to Him and not to the world. He invites us to live with Him on His holy mountain under His canopy of glory, but to do so there must be nothing of the world’s filth that clings to us. 

As we have seen in the Word and experienced, there are refining fires that we must pass through in life, which God uses to destroy the bondages that enslave His children if we yield to His discipline. Otherwise, you risk becoming rejected silver, or a false son.

In other words, the more you draw near to God, the more you will walk in the fear of the Lord; and the more you hold the Lord in awe and reverence for His holiness, the more you are prepared to carry the fire of His presence and anointing.

To carry God’s holy presence and anointing is your destiny (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8). As a king and priest unto the Lord (Revelation 1:6), you are to keep God’s eternal fire alive in your life (Leviticus 6:12-13) so that you are aglow and burning with the Spirit (Romans 12:11 Amplified), for you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).

Prayer for Today:

Woe is me if I forsake the fear of the Lord! You have said, Lord, that all the sinners of Your people will die (Amos 9:8, 10)! Help me, Lord, to pay attention to Your refining fires in my life so that I may repent and be restored! I do not want to have an alliance that is in opposition to You. Lord, You said for me to be careful that I do not refuse Him who is warning me from heaven, since there will be no escape (Hebrews 12:25). Incline my heart to obey and open my ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying (Revelation 2:29). Lord, how I need You! Thank You for delivering me from the power and guilt of sin (Romans 6:14-23) so that I may walk in righteousness before You and with others.

Hearing from God:

As you go through God’s refining fires, is your refining in vain or for gain? Are you bitter, as one who complains of adversities, or better? How do you deal with the impurities that surface?

God’s Special Invitation to You Today:

I want to walk with you and talk with you, and for you to abide in Me and I in you. I hate mixture and do not allow it in My presence. Let Me thoroughly purge all your dross, and you will come forth as pure gold.

Adapted from God’s Special Invitation, How Will You R.S.V.P.? Volume II – Living in the Favor and Fear of the Lord by Sunny Wessel