Today I would like to talk about something special that the Lord is calling us to today. He is calling us to fan a flame. And so I want to talk about fanning the flame of God. And I'm sure many of you at some point, as early as maybe yesterday - I know for me it’s almost been every day - every single person I talked to, at some point they bring up the Olympics. We know that the Olympics have kinda been going on, you know, every day, even through the night. I guess they’re at different timings. But we know that it's such a spectacular event, it's only so many years, and it’s not an annual thing so it’s special for all these nations and everyone to get together, right? And I know that all of us have had that conversation - something about the Olympics. Maybe some of the new games that they have - some of the stuff you thought would never happen, you know, skateboarding, and all sorts of different things that you would never imagine - but they are in the Games.

And so, as I’m talking to people, it's exciting to talk about some of the things that are happening and some of the performances. But what I’ve found to be so much more interesting and what I kinda began to look at, was how all of these people from the youngest to the oldest - how all the Olympians prepare. They’re training - it's a big deal! And for them, it's years and years of putting their body through consistent training. They don’t just train for a couple weeks, they don’t sign up for the gym and just go to the gym for a month and then call a day, right? They follow these intense programs, and it's like they have this flame on the inside. There’s this inner passion, and they keep that flame burning, with a great expectation to maybe one day be number one. And everything that they do is geared toward it. You know, they're constantly keeping up with their programs. They’re never gonna slack, and they dedicate their entire lives to a moment. For some of them it's just a moment - especially if they're only doing one game. But that medal, that moment is everything for ‘em - it's what keeps them burning on the inside.

" There’s something that God is calling us to constantly be bringing into flame which is the Spirit of God in our lives."

But church of God, there is also a fire that we are to be carrying today. There’s a flame that God is looking to spark within His people. There’s something that God is calling us to constantly be bringing into flame which is the Spirit of God in our lives. It’s to not be okay with mediocre prayers. It’s to not settle for, you know, our relationship with the Lord ever dwindling, but to be those who are always searching, always seeking, always listening, in this great hope - not of a medal, but the hope of being in Christ. The hope of experiencing God as the men of old. Experiencing the Lord as we read in the Book of Acts and all through the Scriptures - to know God, to know His presence, and to know His power. He is calling us to fan the flame of His Spirit in our lives.

Unfortunately, you know many Christians and churches or different Christian groups today, have been missing this fire. You know, rather than going deeper with God. Rather than looking to flame in the presence of God, many people have allowed it to be replaced with programs, with methods or books and all sorts of things, rather than truly going to the depths of fanning that flame with God.

For some, it may be that God has ignited something in our lives and began a great work, but because of our concern for the world - our concern for our own lives or the things of this life - we've allowed it to get into the way and cause that fire, that flame to dwindle away. For others, maybe we’ve become just satisfied with where we are. We’re happy with our good works of at least coming to church. Our good works of at least reading our Bible a little bit and saying a prayer and just staying right there, but I say today, it is time to dig deeper. We’ve got to understand that the Christian life isn't about being shallow - it isn't about accepting where we are today - but it's looking forward to tomorrow with God. It’s looking forward to increasing to coming to know Him, and to burn with a passion and to burn with a fire for Him.

Church, it's coming into Christ. And there is so much more in Him. Our greatest duty is to keep the flame of God burning in our lives. Where we’re never stagnant with Him, we’re never empty, we’re never dry, but always with a fresh Word on our lips. Always with a new prayer, always with something that we can grasp and say, ‘This is what God is doing.’ We can grasp to say, ‘Yes, this is what the Lord said today, this is what He's been speaking all week. He is alive and His Spirit is moving.

And so what does it mean to fan the flame - that's what I want to talk about today. Fanning the flame of God, fanning the presence - the Spirit of God in our lives. And so we’re gonna read from the book of 2 Timothy today. And it's a little bit of a shorter verse but there's so much even, you know just compacted in this Scripture. And it’s gonna be 2 Timothy chapter 1. We’ll be reading verses six and seven. And this is written to Timothy. And I love reading about Timothy, I can relate to him so much. You know he was a Christian who was entrusted with great responsibility, he was entrusted with overseeing the church and different churches at different times, but Paul was speaking to Timothy.

And Paul, we find that he's actually imprisoned in these moments. And Paul - these could be his last days at any moment, so you know everything that he says is important, it's urgent, it's critical. And so he looks at Timothy and he's basically saying, you know, ‘Timothy fan into flame what God has given you. Fan into flame the gift of God - what He’s placed on the inside of you.’ In other words, don't waste your time in this season. Don't settle - don't shrink back. If there's any time to move with God, it’s now. Go after the Lord with everything, go after the Lord to burn with that inner flame - that inner flame that moves and has a passion to do the work and the will of God.

And so, as we talk about fanning the flame today, I would like to talk about what it really means. And so the first thing that we find to fan the flame of God is to keep God's power burning. To keep God's power burning.

So let's look at verse six, and a little bit of seven. It says, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power…” right? And this is such an important Scripture for each one of us. You know God is saying to fan in the flame - in other words, rekindle what you have constantly. It's almost as if you have a fire, and when that fire begins to go out, the embers are burning and you have to kind of blow on those embers and bring new life, new breath. You have to keep it going - kindle it so that the flames do not fully burn out, but we keep ‘em moving.

"The reflection of God's power is to be in me. It's to be in you, it's to be in our children, it’s to be in our families."

And Paul, he mentions the gift here, right? “...Fan into flame the gift of God...” and then he immediately talks about the Spirit! And so we can relate this Scripture to the many gifts that we have in the Lord, but ultimately, it's the Spirit of God. ‘Keep the Spirit alive and moving, Timothy.’ Keep the Spirit moving in your lives. Feed it! Nurture it! Take what God has given you and don't let it go - let it grow hotter and greater and bigger, amen!

This reminds us of how the priests of old - in the times of Israel - how the priests used to keep the flame on the altar in the temple. See in the temple of the Lord, the Lord commanded His priests - He literally told them - He said, ‘A fire shall always be burning on the altar, it shall never go out.’ That fire on the altar was a reflection of God's power moving. It was a reflection of what He was doing in His people - in all of Israel. But praise God today, it's no longer on the outer altar - it is now to be the fire in the altar of our heart. The reflection of God's power is to be in me. It's to be in you, it's to be in our children, it’s to be in our families. The power of God, that burning flaming altar, is now alive with those who are alive in Jesus.

So we have to ask ourselves today: What is it that we burn for on the inside? What consumes our minds? What are we burning for, what do we wake up to everyday thinking on, and having such a passion for? Is it for the Lord Jesus? Is it for the world? Is it for the Lord to where, you know, we refuse to settle for our prayers to just be stagnant prayers anymore? Where we decide that whatever we’re gonna do we’re gonna do whatever it takes to go deeper in the Lord, to receive a new Word, to get a new command from God today. To receive that breakthrough to come into something that God has had in store.

This is the most important thing that we can do in our lives, church. This is the greatest favor that we can do for our friends. The greatest favor we can do for our family. The greatest favor we can do to the church is to be filled with the Spirit of God, never lacking in zeal, as the Word says. We’re to be those that the book of Zechariah speaks about, where he says they are those who as a burning stick are snatched away from the fire. We are supposed to be those who were snatched away from the fire of hell, snatched away from the curse of the generations before us, snatched away from the depravity of our sin, and brought into the Lord. No longer in the fire but now carrying the fire! The fire of thankfulness in our life - thankful that God has been so kind to us to bring us into this great salvation.

Have we fanned the flame of the fire of the presence of God? Can the Lord come to us this day and find the altar on fire, never going out in burning? If not God is calling us back church to what truly matters today, where it's not enough to just read our Bibles and to come to church. He’s saying, ‘Fan into flame My Spirit - cry out for something different! Cry out for more, don't settle!’ And if you don't know what to do, come to the Lord even if it be a groan, even if it just be a cry from your heart, may we come to the Lord for more of His Spirit!

And He says specifically it’s not a ‘spirit of timidity.’ The Spirit of God is not timid. Now Paul makes this clear because he wants us to see what this flame looks like, and also what it doesn't look like. He wants us to come to the Word of the Lord today and be able to examine ourselves, and understand, you know, that it is not the spirit of the world that is timid, but we are to be flaming with the Spirit of God.

Now when he says ‘timid,’ it's not just that it's quiet - it's not just the spirit of kinda being scared - but it literally means to cringe and back down. Where, rather than asking the Lord to expand and move, you sorta settle in the place where you are. You cringe at any change, you kinda cringe at anything that would challenge that, and you’d rather stay on the sidelines where it’s kinda comfortable. Everybody around you could be moving in the Lord, everybody around you can be pushing into this great power of God, but yet, you’re okay with just being far - timid cringing away.

I'm reminded of how Israel, you know, at times they failed to move in this power of God. When they were called to enter into the promised land for example, right? They sent out the spies to kinda spy out the land and to see this land that God was calling them into. And what did they see there? They saw giants! And what happened? Much of the spies in Israel began to cringe! And they begin to back down and, rather than moving in the power of God and trusting Him, they bowed down to this fear - they bowed down to this evil spirit of the world. And what was the result? Many of ‘em lost their chance to enter into the promised land of God.

Have you lost your moment today with God? Have you lost moments where God has called you to trust Him? Where maybe the Lord wanted to use you in a situation that would require you to seek Him and to trust Him. And maybe to face a challenge that you didn't want to face, but He said, ‘I will be there.’ But instead, you’ve backed down to remain in the flesh to remain comfortable. God is saying today if that be you, may we turn and repent from the evil ways of the spirit of timidity but may we come into the power of God.

Now some of us may say, ‘Listen, it’s my personality. I'm just a little timid. I'm not that type of person to kinda stand out. I like being comfortable - I mean come on, this is me!’ And the reality is, I can attest to one thing. I've spoken to many timid people - and to some that may be here today. And I've spoken to many who are timid, but all of a sudden they start bringing up that cable bill. That electric bill that shot up 40 or 50 bucks, right? Unannounced. You guys have all gotten that bill before, and I've seen that timid person all of a sudden start to rally themself up. And all of a sudden becoming strong and powerful, talkin’ about - ‘I’m about to make a phone call. I’m gonna let these people know that my bill is coming down today.’ Finding that that timid person is no longer so timid, but strong right? But my question is: Why for the things of the world? Why for the bills? Why for everything else but not for God? Could it be that we have not been fanning the flame of God in our life - the flame of the Spirit?

See the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of power. To fan the flame is to burn with God's power - not a power for us to get comfortable and sort of fold our hands together but it's a power to do the impossible. A power not to cringe. A power not to shrink back but to go forward. You know, back to the spies right? When they spied out the land of the promised land with the giants there, there were ten spies. Eight of ‘em were cringing! Oh, but there were two. There was Joshua and Caleb. Joshua and Caleb, they were burning with something on the inside. They must’ve been kindling something with God. They must’ve been carrying the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of power. Is there a Joshua in the house of the Lord today? Is there a Caleb today? Where although the enemy has been throwing some giants of sickness, maybe the enemy has been throwing some giants of trials and situations - but yet hallelujah! You have been kindling the power of the Spirit of God! Where others are running, you're going full front saying, ‘God here I am. I'm trusting You. You’ve called me, and You are my King!’

"Is the Spirit of God moving in you?"

See, as Christians we kindle the power of transformation. Where in the beginning - when we look in the book of Genesis - in the beginning before God spoke His Word of power, we saw that the earth was formless, that it was dark and covered in the waters. It was chaotic. It was chaos! But then the Lord began to speak, and by the power of His Word, that chaos turned into something beautiful - that which was dark became light. See that same power still moves today - it's still burning on the inside of those who will not settle for religion, who will not settle for going through the motions but will kindle the fire of the Lord! Where maybe you were a coward at some point, cringing at every single thing, but the power of God has touched you, and that fire has begun to burn. Now there's something that makes you courageous. Where you knew before you would run, but now you're standing. Maybe before you didn’t know how to love anybody. Maybe before you didn’t love those even in your own house let alone God, but something has touched you - something has begun to kindle, and just burn within you to love the Lord your God, and to love those around you!

I ask today: Is the Spirit of God moving in you? Have you been fanning in the flame of God? If not I’m praying this season that we would repent and turn back to what matters. Maybe we would skip some lunch breaks. Maybe we will put aside some distractions and come into the power of God - to burn in the power of God, to allow it to arise in our lives.

"When a man is touched by the Spirit of God, they are compelled to do the things of God."

And so to fan into flame is to fan the burning power of God in our lives to keep God's power burning. Secondly, to fan the flame is to keep God's love burning. Let's look at verse seven again. It says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power…” Now there's more to this Scripture we’re gonna continue to move into that - it gives us power and love. And as we keep going we’re gonna look at this whole piece - but He gives us the spirit of “...power [and of] love…” And this love is a burning love. When we fan into flame the Spirit of God there's this burning love that compels us. To fan into flame the Spirit of God is to fan into flame God's love that is not the world’s idea of love that has infiltrated so many Christians today - so many churches today. A love that is soft and kinda just goes along with everything - that is not the love of God. See the love of God is a love that compels you.

Now see some find it crazy of how demonic power can compel a person to do really evil things. But I praise God today for something so much even more amazing: It’s that when a man is touched by the spirit of God, that they are compelled to do the things of God. A man or woman can be compelled by the Holy Spirit to do holy things, to do powerful things - to do the things of love.

"As God was compelled to give His Son as a sacrifice for us on the cross, we too are compelled to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the Lord. "

What does God's Spirit compel us to? It compels us to love the Lord. It compels us to not, you know, allow even others in our houses and in our church to settle, but it compels us to long for others to come into the holiness to be sanctified to be used by the Lord. It compels us not to just be so concerned with the job, with the scratch on the new car, but to be concerned whether the Lord is being worshiped. As God was compelled to give His Son as a sacrifice for us on the cross, we too are compelled to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the Lord. We compel one another! And I ask today: Can we fan into flame the gift of God? Can we go deeper in the love that causes us to stop and begin to think of somebody else's needs, to stop and to begin to think of somebody else's struggle? Where we begin to have a heart for the very people within our church. See if we can’t learn to be compelled to love those who are right in front of us, how can we ever be compelled to love the broken and hurting world that lies before us?

But see those who have the Spirit of the Lord who are fanning into flame have such a love. A love that cares more about their child's walk rather than them being the best scorer on the basketball team. A love that begins to move because somebody else is going through some trial or some challenge and their heart is moved to pray - their heart is moved to stand beside them, to be as a crutch, to be as one who would support their brother and sister. We are to keep burning with the love that unites us to one another.

See, this love unites us. It says in Colossians - Paul says and speaks about a love that binds us together in perfect harmony. See church, we know that the flames of God are burning bright in our lives when we experience such a unity with one another. When you read the Book of Acts and you read through some of the Scriptures you know the Lord was moving powerfully. And we see that when the Spirit of God was moving, and as He was moving among these men and women they were united. It says, literally in the Book of Acts that, “All the believers were one heart and mind. No one claimed any of their possessions for themselves, but shared everything that they had.” How is that even possible?

When we turn on the news today, we see that it's almost as if nobody gets along. We see every group against each other. We see division in our nation nonstop, just divisions growing, just, you know, tackling every group, every movement but hallelujah! See those who are in the Lord, are fanning a flame - that makes us one. We are burning as one flame that cannot be snuffed out. We are to burn as one flame that although the world may be rising in darkness, we are burning brighter. That they are seeing this oneness, that they are seeing the love of God that unites us - this fire that each and every one of us are fanning into flame.

See the Lord Jesus broke down that wall of hostility that was once between man and God, but He also breaks down that wall of hostility between those who are in Christ. Where the wall of hostility that has taken out relationships, that wall of hostility that has broken down families and destroyed - and He takes us out of that self, out of that independent spirit, and makes us one. One under one roof - no longer a part and divided - but one in the house of the Lord.

Is the Spirit of the Lord kindling on the inside? Is there a love burning for unity within to no longer be on the sidelines? To no longer be okay with being in the corner? To no longer be okay with just kinda making our way through? To showing up but not being one at heart? God is saying today, ‘Come out of the darkness!’ He is saying, ‘Come out of that independent wicked spirit that is not of God, and be united as one in the Lord - be united as one in the church!’

"To fan into flame of the Spirit of God - the spirit of love to unite, to show the world that God is still moving..."

I believe truly from the depths of my heart: We are in a time of warning that Jesus spoke about long ago - a time that He said would be a time of lawlessness. A time where the love of many would grow cold. We see it! Again we can turn on the television, read the news just for a moment, and we see just the coldness of heart wherever we look. Violence that is unheard of, lawlessness that we never thought would breach even our nation. But see as the world grows cold, this is our time church, to grow warm. To fan into flame of the Spirit of God - the spirit of love to unite to show the world that God is still moving, that He is still here, that He is still walking in the flesh as He moves in the body of Christ, as He moves in the body of the church. As each one of us take up our stance to be burning to fanning that flame of unity. To fan into flame of the Spirit is to not be okay with being on the outside, to not being okay with being separate, but saying, ‘Father take me in. Take me in God I want to be one with You. I want to be with my brothers, I want to be with my sisters!’

See they will know us by this love. I had to laugh for a moment as I was talking, you know, to my sister you know she reminded me that growing up in youth group this was like our banner: That they will know us by the love that we have for one another. Out of all the youth group games we did all the trips and all the times that we had together, the one thing you knew in youth group is that nothing else mattered in life but the love that we would have for each other that was birthed from God. And so, you know, the Word makes so clear that we will be recognized by our love. Not our music. You know not our words, not our building, but simply by our love. Not by the amount of people that we have. Not by how nice we dress or how well we dress, but they will know that we are Christians by our love for one another - by a people who are fanning into flame of the Spirit of God, that causes a love to grow in each one of us and to fill us. To fill us with a love for God, to fill us with a love and a concern for each other.

This is to be our substance: Literally the tangible evidence of the flame that we've been burning throughout the week. It's to be the tangible evidence of what's truly on the inside - that we've been growing the spirit of love. Where the world sees maybe a young man here today. Where you’re supposed to be the one just kind of going out, getting to know the world yourself and being wild and about - but God has touched you in the spirit of love, the spirit of unity, and now you find this young man, this young woman, this teenager that just needs to be at the church. Because they love their brothers and sisters, they can’t get away - they can't get enough because there’s something burning inside. Something's been kindling that just can't be put out - the power of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of love.

See, they will know us by the love that we have. This is not just talking about those on the outside of these walls. Not just talking about those who are on the outside of the church, but our very youth here will know that we are Christians by our love. They would see it demonstrated! By each one of us they are to see it demonstrated by our love for God in our homes. By our love for one another in our very homes because a fire has been burning because it's been so real - where we've been fanning that flame crying out for the Lord, saying, ‘Father I need to be in the love of God! I need to be a demonstrator of the true love compelling me to love You - the true love that is burning bright, the true love that is evident and tangible to my son, to my daughter, to my wife, and to my spouse - and to those that are all around me! Father form Your Son in me! Form the Lord Jesus in me - let His power be burning and fanning every day!’

What do people recognize and know about us? What Christianity have they been shown? Is it a Christianity of kinda just singing and just having Bible studies, or is there a tangible love that cannot be denied? A flame that cannot be denied that is burning, that you’ve been fanning, and going on and on every day - the true love of God? And so to fan the flame is to burn with God's burning love.

Lastly, to fan the flame is to keep God’s self-discipline burning. We keep His power burning, we keep His love burning, but also His self-discipline. Again, the last part of verse 7 here. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Now I remember - years ago, when my wife and I first got married - I remember the house we were in and it was a little chilly, we needed a little boost, right? We didn’t have a fireplace but we had one of those old-school kerosene heaters. Now some of you guys from the 80’s, you know exactly what that heater is. It was an all-in-one unit, it not only heated the house but you could boil some water on it, right? And you just had to keep it filled with kerosene and as long as that gas was in it and you kept that flame burning you were good. And I remember at times, it would keep the house so warm and you’d fall asleep and just all kinda, you know, perfect and comfortable - but then you forgot to wake up in the middle of the night. You didn't keep it burning, and you’d wake up in the morning frigid. Freezing, right? Just like, ‘Aw, man I shoulda woke up! And I shoulda kept that lamp in there, that wick in there burning!’ But see, it's no different today - we've got to keep the burning of our discipline in our lives the burning of our walk of obedience with God. We can never let it go cold, but we need to keep that fire burning that wick lit up all through the night, so that when we awaken, it’s God. When we go to sleep, it is God. When we walk, it is God and God and God and God and more of God!

And see, His Spirit brings a discipline in our minds. We’re told to take captive every thought that sets itself up against the Lord and make it obedient to God. This takes a discipline that comes from the Spirit of the Lord. See, our minds have a tendency to always be filled with something. Unfortunately it's not always good things. Now I’m not just talking about lustful or evil thoughts, but I'm even talking about thoughts that are empty. Thoughts that are void - those moments of just apathy kind of just flooding our minds and almost being asleep. And you know we live in a time where there's constant overloads of information and distractions. You know, I can guarantee you that if I were to stand in the room with any of us just a few of us, that within ten minutes, by the end of those ten minutes all of us on our phones would probably have three or four notifications right? One of ‘em could be an alert. We’d probably have all sorts of advertisements, and all these dings kinda going nonstop, and by the end of those ten minutes we’d all probably look at our phones and see just millions of informations and nonstop just information hitting our hearts and our minds. But the thing about it is this: We’re very disciplined at knowing what those ‘dings’ mean, right? We’re very disciplined at when our phone vibrates we know certain sounds are, you know a phone call from somebody or a text and we’re so disciplined in knowing and how to interpret and what it means - but can we be so disciplined in the voice of God today? Can we be those who put away the distractions for a moment? Who put away the bombardment of info for a moment, and train ourselves to be disciplined in the voice of God, to know His voice to know that when He's ringing in our heart - to know when He's ringing in our minds - to be able to stop, to be disciplined enough to say, ‘That’s God.’ To be disciplined enough to say, ‘The Father is calling.’ To be disciplined enough to say, ‘This is what I need to speak to this man. This is what I need to say to this woman. This is where I need to go!’

"We are those who are supposed to have the mind of Christ. And this will only come to those who are willing."

See there's nothing wrong with television. There's nothing wrong with phones. There's nothing wrong even with a little bit of rest and kinda catching up with things, but the reality is today church, we are so bombarded at times - we are so distracted at times with entertainment, with things with work, and even the voice of the enemy that lurks to destroy and to distract. But praise God! We can fan into flame the Lord's presence in our minds. We can come into the discipline of the Lord. We can discipline in the power of the Spirit and transform beginning right here so that God would have His way even in our minds.

We are those who are supposed to have the mind of Christ. And this will only come to those who are willing. Willing to discipline their minds. Training themselves to take captive every thought - every evil thought as well as every empty thought - and bring it into obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Not to allow our minds to fall asleep, but to ever be fanning into flame the awakening fire and Spirit of God - thinking of the Lord, coming back constantly for Him to be moving. We are to burn with His discipline in our prayers.

Prayer has been so critical for our church. Prayer has been so critical - I know for me personally, for every one of us in this church. You see when the prayers are going, God moves in a tremendous way. I believe many of us can attest to the miracles that God has done, that many of us can attest to the power of the prayer of God in our lives, right? But see, God doesn't - and He will never move - on a prayer that isn’t kindled. That isn’t inflaming with the fire of the Lord.

See when God is moving, when the Spirit of God is moving prayer is not dead - it's not just something to get through quickly. It’s just not something we kinda check off the checklist but it is something powerful for God. And God calls us to be disciplined in our prayers. Not by setting a clock for a certain time - maybe that's something that some of us do, that's fine - but really that whenever we do pray, that we would be disciplined to not let up until His Kingdom touches earth. To not let go until we know that something has shifted. It’s where maybe you begin to pray, right? And at first, you feel like you're kinda not connecting - maybe you begin to pray at first and it's a little bit dry. Maybe you’re not hearing, but you continue to fan the flame - where even to the point, if all you've got is a groan it's the groan that touches heaven. It’s the groan that shakes the earth. It’s the groan that says, ‘I'm not stopping, God! We are coming!’

I pray that some of us will begin to groan in this season. I pray that some of us would lose a bunch of words - that we would forget some of the prayers that we always say, and that there would be something new. Even if it's just a groan, even if it’s just a cry on the inside!

"Not just to preach but to shake! Not to just walk but to trample! Not to just speak, but to tear down! Tear down everything that is not of God!?"

Even now, you know I’m just thinking of the youth group - for those of you in the youth group. For those of you who are young. I'm praying that you wouldn’t just kinda pray a little bit here and there. I'm praying that before you go to school in this season, you're not just kinda saying a little something to God, but I’m praying that in your youth you would begin to groan. I’m praying that you would grow up in your groaning. I’m praying that ten years from now - even five years from now that a week from now - you will be touching heaven because you’ve learned to groan to God! To not stop but to burn!

I remember the day before I preached my first sermon I remember being, you know, thirteen fourteen years old. And I remember the first day just coming into the Lord, just sitting saying, ‘Father, let me love You let me be touched by you!’ And I remember that day my life was never the same, that there was not a stopping of the burning - that each and every time I've come to God and said, ‘Father let it burn!’ that He’s touched me to groan, touched me to groan, touched me to go deeper! Not just to preach but to shake! Not to just walk but to trample! Not to just speak, but to tear down! Tear down everything that is not of God! God will come and fan the flame this day!

See, we’re not called just to do a lip service for God! If that’d be all that we do then just forget it all! Just shut the doors! But God is calling us to connect! He is calling us to cause a shifting! Where maybe today you’ve never connected to God in such a way - I'm praying that the walls will be torn! I’m praying that something would move in you! Do not settle but go deeper! To be disciplined! To not stop to say, ‘Father, more, more, more, God! I’m coming!’

I pray we repent from our lacking of fire. I pray we repent from allowing all the distractions and all the things that we allow into our lives to kinda let us fall asleep in and devour His people and devour us - that today we would repent and turn and be awakened! To be fanning into flame the work of God in our lives! To fan into flame prayer. Never being okay with a few words, but always pressing in. Even if it means that somebody’s gotta fast a meal for this day. Even if it means for your lunch break you just gotta get in the car and lock the door. You’ve gotta roll up the windows and say, ‘Father I need it. I need You. The coals are starting to kinda go out, Father. Let the fire burn, Holy Spirit. Something new, something different - but I'm not gonna let up, God. I'm not gonna stop until I see Your face. I'm not gonna stop until Your presence comes.

Lastly, when you read through this book and I encourage you to always read you know not just these verses but I encourage you to read, you know the Book of 2 Timothy. When you read through these chapters you get a full glimpse of Paul's urgency for the church for Timothy for each and every one of us. He’s telling Timothy, ‘There's gonna be terrible times to come.’ He says that people will become, “...lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,...” and he goes on and on - just evil, wicked and heavy. He says they’ll have a form of godliness but deny its power - in other words, they’ll talk about God. They may even have a form of religion - but there's no fire there. There's no flame. ‘Trust me, listen to me Timothy!’ And at first you read and you think about it. And yes, it's terrible. It's dangerous and eye-opening but praise God - this is why He came, this is why the Lord Jesus has come. That we would not fall asleep that we’d not allow this flame to kind of burn out, but that while the world increases in evil we would be those increasing in the Spirit of God. We wouldn’t be those who are those found unfaithful, but we would be those found faithful to all that God has given us, faithful to keep His altar light. Faithful to not waste away with the rest of the world, but to be alive, amen!

And so today, Timothy, Mike, John! Even if this is your first time here! God is saying fan into flame the Spirit of God! Fan into flame what I have placed inside of you! Don't come, don't continue to settle for anything less. Don't settle for this mediocre Christianity, don’t settle just to have a little bit of reading of the Bible in your lives or maybe a little bit of prayer - but God is saying there is something bigger, church! God is calling us for something bigger, and to be honest? Nothing else will work! That is the reality! If there's ever anything in us that wants to make a difference for God, if there's somebody here that is looking to truly do the work of the Kingdom, nothing else will work. Only the fire, the presence and the Spirit of God in our lives.

For some of us today, maybe God has touched you at some point. Maybe God has ignited something in you, but you've allowed it to dwindle. I don't know if it's the world that kinda has pulled you away, I don't know if all the distractions and maybe you’ve got lost in your job. Maybe it's been the money. Maybe it's been the boyfriend, the girlfriend - I don't know what it is, but you've allowed the fire to dwindle away - the presence of God. Today God is saying, ‘Would you turn?’ Would you repent for the dwindling away? Would you repent from just allowing all these distractions, would you repent from the wickedness of heart that has said, ‘Father, You know, You're there and I know that You're special You're good, but God, I gotta make this money. God, I’ve got to raise my children -I’ve gotta do this and I gotta do that.’ God is saying, ‘Would you turn today, and repent from the idolatry? Repent from all the other things that you’ve chased and given up for the flame of God and come back to the Lord Jesus Christ?’

Some of us may look at our families, and we see that there's been a fire but it has not been a fire for God. Maybe our children have just been so on fire for the games. On fire to score the goal and show everybody how good they are. Maybe on fire for the summer job and all this other stuff and God is just a sideline thought. May we turn back! ‘Father I am so sorry! I am so sorry for letting the fire dwindle in my home! I am so sorry that we have not been fanning into flame, God! There's been a flame for the world, a flame for every demonic evil thing, God, but not for You. Father, we come back today! Father in Your mercy would You allow us to once again burn for You? Relight the flame!’

For some of us, maybe we’ve just settled. Fine you're not going out doing crazy things right? You’re at home. But that's just it. Nothing else - settled to be in the same seat. Settled to just, you know, you join in a little bit of prayer here and there maybe, you know, a good study of the Word. You have some good Christian fellowship. But that’s it. God is saying, ‘No more.’ God is saying, ‘Would you get off the sidelines? Would you get out of the comfort zone, and begin to fan something new? See we’re no good on the sidelines, we’re no good without the fire of God. He's saying, ‘Would You decide today to no longer be so settled, to no longer be so comfortable?’ To no longer just be okay with being on the outside but say today, ‘Father I'm coming back. Forgive me for the wasted time. Forgive me for just kinda being okay God with this tiny just dwindling away. But Father today let the light, the fire of Jesus burn! Father, I'm coming back to You. There is no other point to this life - there's no other reason, God, but You and You alone!’