How to Build Your Spiritual Fire

When people ask me how they can stay on fire for God, I am often reminded of the story where Paul is gathering sticks because it is raining and he is wanting to add to the fire, when all of the sudden a viper comes out to bite him. Instead of dying, he shook of the snake and continued on (Acts 28:2-5).

This story is a perfect example of what we must do as believers. It teaches us three important things.

How to Add Fuel to Your Fire

1. You can only build fire to the extent that you overcome the excuses of the flesh.

Sometimes people say they can’t pray, fast or start giving because it’s currently “raining” in their lives. In other words, they may be battling certain sickness, weakness, or addictions. I want to encourage you to not let that stop you from going hard after God.

You can battle with things in your flesh but if you choose to build a fire in spite of that, you will conquer the lust of the flesh. Getting another deliverance is not going to change your lack of discipline.

2. Somebody will start the fire but it is your logs of wood that will keep the fire burning.

Secondly, you must remember that often somebody or something else in your life will be used to start the fire. Maybe you went to a conference, a retreat, a small group meeting or a regular Sunday service – even a crisis or a situation in your life can kindle it. In Leviticus 6:12, we see that God always starts the fire but God doesn’t keep it burning. That is our responsibility.

Many of us have been disappointed because instead of going from faith to faith, we go from conference to conference. What keeps your fire burning are your logs of wood – your prayer, fasting, giving and your reading of the Word. Don’t allow what someone started within you to die out because you haven’t been adding your own wood to that flame. Your contribution is required.

3. When you start to build fire, vipers will come out.

One thing to keep in mind when you decide to go hard after God is that you may notice that problems that were once suppressed begin to surface. The fire did not create a snake, it only exposed it.

In other words, in times like these don’t blame God if it seems like now that you’re getting closer to Him all hell is breaking loose. The reality is that you didn’t always walk in obedience to God and when you got close to God, you finally stopped going with the current and experienced resistance. Just like in football, the moment you get the ball, the other team for some weird reason starts hating you. You have to overcome the resistance.

At first the fire will make you warm and then, the warfare starts. When the fire comes, it doesn’t bring snakes; it exposes what is already there. The most beautiful part about building God’s fire in your life is that if His fire exposed it, then it can kill it.

What God wants to teach you is not to depend on the fire of your pastor but to build a fire in your own home so that if something comes against you, you have a place to drop that snake (nightmare, depression, sickness) into.

Your goal should be to get to a place in your life where you can walk in dominion; But, you can’t walk in dominion if you don’t have devotion (Genesis 1:28).

Build a flame. Even if it will expose problems in your life, continue to burn, fight, press in, stand in your faith and you will see a great victory.

Read: 4 Things that Kill the Fire of God