How to Keep Your Spiritual Fire Burning

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 2:1-4The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 marked the birth of the Church, and the burst of the Holy Flame that is the Holy Spirit. One of the most important things we can do is learn how to keep our spiritual fire burning.Acts 2:1-4 says, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”In this passage, the Holy Spirit was symbolized by sound, fire, and the speaking of tongues. These miracles illustrated the mighty power and the filling of the Spirit of God.Adrian Rogers says, “Bethlehem is God with us, Calvary is God for us, Pentecost is God in us.”Pentecost teaches us that as children of God, we are baptized and sealed into the Body of Christ as the Spirit dwells in us. And when we are filled with the Spirit, it acts as a Holy Flame: it illumines, consumes, transforms, empowers, and attracts us.There are four ways to keep this fire burning.First, don’t lie to the Spirit; the example of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 shows that lying to Him is like playing with fire: we will get burned.Second, don’t grieve the Spirit. The Holy Spirit loves us so much that His heart is broken by our unconfessed sin. We grieve Him when we allow unrepented sin to remain in our lives.Third, don’t quench the Spirit; we must be sensitive to this guiding, God-sent Spirit because it is so easily quenched when we aren’t obedient. When God’s Spirit speaks to us, we should be quick to answer Him.Finally, we must be completely committed to Him. We must give Him continual control, constantly claiming Him as Lord.Adrian Rogers says, “Where the Spirit is Lord, there’s liberty.”Apply it to your lifeDo you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Resist lying to, grieving, and quenching the Spirit, and be totally committed to Him. Give Him continual control and constantly claim Him as Lord.