“But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil”. (Psalm 92:10).
In the Old Testament (Leviticus) we read that the fire in the altar was to burn continuously without quenching. It was to be fresh and full of fresh vigor without waning. The light must burn perpetually as demanded by the Lord not periodically.
Leviticus 6:13 says: “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”
What does the perpetual burning of the fire mean for us of the New Testament? It serves as a reminder and a warning that our passion for the Lord must be an ever-flowing stream of fire that must not wane or be put off at our convenience.
It means that spiritual batteries must be charged on a daily basis because each day comes with its own unique challenges therefore yesterday’s fire may not suffice for tomorrow’s need.
A classical example in this context is the case of King Asa of Judah, a man of faith who trusted the Lord in battle when the odds were stacked against him and he was greatly helped. The Lord rewarded his faith with a resounding victory over the great armies of Ethiopia and the Lubims. (2 Chronicles 16:7).
Asa had a streak of glorious success until he made one mistake: allowing his fire to wane, and therefore taking his eyes off God to trust in man to sustain his kingdom.
After his fire for God had waned, King Asa, much later in life when faced with the aggression of the Northern Kingdom of Israel could not muster the same faith he had in his previous battle against the Ethiopians but sought alliance with the King of Syria and not the Lord.
What lessons can we learn from the error of King Asa? He started his life burning for God but his fire went off leading him to take refuge in the arms of mortal men for help.
His life teaches us that faith applied yesterday that earned you a victory may not be sufficient to earn you another victory tomorrow because every battle has its unique features. Therefore the secret of continual victory is to keep burning for the Lord on a daily basis, recognizing that each day comes with a different challenge and would require a fresh fire.
Consequently, it is dangerous to embark on a spiritual vacation because you just won a victory. It is equally dangerous to rely on yesterday’s strength to confront tomorrow’s challenges: each day has new challenges and new strength will be required of the Lord to overcome.
In these days of high traffic of satanic attacks, the serious Christian will need fresh fires for revival and evangelism with proofs and wonders (Acts 1:8, 10:38).
The Lord wants us to lean on him continually for our daily sustenance and victories so how do we seek for fresh fire on a daily basis?
We have to seek him continually with all our hearts. The Lord will not release fresh fire if we seek him partially because of our concerns for the things of the world. He will not release fresh fire if we share Him with the seductive distractions of the world.
He will only release fresh fire for our daily needs if we intentionally seek Him in faith, love, and obedience. This is when he brings His presence into our lives and His presence alone brings the peace that mortal men can never comprehend. (John 14:27).
Reading
2 Chronicles 16: 1-9
