Its Hot in Here

It’s hot in here.

My destiny is to lie with those who are aflame.

Psalms 57:4-8 My life is among lions; I must lie among those who are aflame—the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my very life was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody. Awake, my glory (my inner self); awake, harp and lyre! I will awake right early [I will awaken the dawn]!

But it is hot in here. The sun is scorching, the spirit is aflame within.

I want to cool off. I walk to the beach and step in. The water is refreshing but I can’t stay. I must step away from the waves that break I must come up from the water line and write.

My body craves the cool, but my spirit is aflame with the fire of God. It’s hot in here. You must understand what I’m saying. It is hot IN here, inside, inside me.

There is a fire that rages within, so that my body shakes, my head drips with sweat. The tension rises and I must burst forth in the spirit or explode in the flesh.

It’s War

For many years I’ve wrestled with this. This warring between the flesh and the spirit.

But now I have a new weapon in the battle. A strange unexpected one. Not a sword but a pen!

I must get it out of me. Let me out of this prison. Give me release. Does the one who holds me captive not care! If God is a God of love, why am I held captive in this body?

I cannot escape the confinement. I cannot be contained. I can try to put the fire out, but like water on a petrol fire, it has little impact. I’ve felt isolated but God tells me I’m set apart.

It has been more than I can bear. But like Jacob I refuse to let Him go!

So here I sit. Torn between the cool of the water and the fiery passion that burns within.

But now the revelation, the decision was made already, to let the fire out on paper, like a targeted flamethrower.

Burst Forth

Fire that which is contained must burst forth.

Here I sit with hundreds around but they do not see the shaking of the hand, the fire flowing from my hand.

For out of your belly, your in most being, will flow rivers of living water. It is the fire of God that is like no other fire. It brings life, not destruction. It appears like fire to those possessed by it. To those receiving it is like living water that refreshes the soul. John 7:38-39 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

When it is suppressed or held captive, it drys the soul of the bearer.

Thanks be to God for the instrument of release.

Truly obeying him is the only answer. Look for the key to your place of confinement. For He will place it in your hand if you are looking for it. As He recently said “why are you surprised that you are in the place of captivity. It is because I have anointed you to set the captives free.”

Today I encourage you to take the key, for as you turn it around, you will experience the turnaround in your situation as have I.