"A FIRE IS KINDLED"

"A FIRE IS KINDLED"

Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020, the Year of Our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

During Pentecost 2020, Satan has lit a strange fire and the manifestation of the strange fire is in our cities.  Jeremiah carried God’s fire.  One king thought he would extinguish the fire in Jeremiah’s word by lighting his own fire and burning the prophet’s words.  This only increased the fire in Jeremiah’s heart.  God gave him the words again---and even more than he had written the first time.   These words became the Book of Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah 36:27-28:  Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying:  “Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned…(32) Then Jeremiah took another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

As many believe or perhaps hope for, this Pentecost is ushering the Church into a new era.  We can identify this at the time God removed the Urim and Thummim from the breastplate of the high priest.

Urim: Lights, from a word that means a flame, something luminous, glorious shining.

Thummim: “Perfections” from a word meaning to complete accomplish, make an end, to the full, be made perfect. 

It was a source of great perplexity in Israel to discover, after every season of restoration and revival, that the precious gems of Urim and Thummim were still not to be found in the breastplate of the high priest.  They did not understand that God had placed these gems in His chosen ones, the prophets, hidden away in the secret pockets of their hearts.

They did not understand the Lord had moved and changed the way He was speaking directly to mankind.

They did not understand that even in their time the prophetic ministry was the beginning of a great transition from an old covenant to a new, from an old order to a new.  Even the prophets, themselves, though speaking a very clear and precise word from God did not understand the nature of the times they wrote about.  They knew they spoke clear words of warning to an apostate nation.  But intermingled with their message were words of hope and promise for a day of glory that was yet to appear.  They sought God in the matter (for we are told that they inquired and searched diligently’ what they were prophesying about).  God showed them they were really speaking of the Church, the people of God, who would be living after the resurrection of Christ. 

1 Peter 1: 10-12: - Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

God revealed to the prophets that their ministry was not for their own benefit but for ours.  The prophets probed the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place.

Acts 3:24:  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

Four hundred years passed from Malachi who was the last prophet before John the Baptist to give a clear word from God.  Then God raised up the greatest prophet ever given to Israel.  Jesus said that of all born of women, “There has not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11).  

Never was there greater apostasy in Israel than when John arose in the Spirit and Power of Elijah, and sounded forth the call to repentance.  He came to a very highly organized political and religions world.  Luke elaborates on the highly organized governments of the earth, just to give the setting in the midst which “a man sent from God” would suddenly appear on the scene with a clear word. 

Right in the midst of an apostate nation, God introduces a clear and distinct Voice from all the rest---a Voice that would herald the coming of an entirely new Kingdom.  The word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias .in the wilderness (Luke 3:2).  “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  The message was very clear; only one thing was acceptable to God: “Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8). 

You cannot trust in your racial heritage---even if you are the sons of Abraham.  You cannot trust in your religious heritage- even if you are Pentecostal.  If you bear no fruit that is pleasing to God, the axe of God is ready to cut down every fruitless tree.  The fan is in God’s hand to blow away the chaff and burn it with unquenchable fire.

Last Sunday, May 17, 2020, I preached and prophesied a message on Holy Ghost and Fire.  Well, we have it!   Passover laid us on an altar of fire through COVID19.    Pentecost has Suddenly on the day of Pentecost given us a fire of judgment manifest in the burning of our cities.  But for those who are repentant let us expect power and glory.

A fire is kindled for the One has come is baptizing us with Holy Ghost and fire.  We asked for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  We are receiving a judgment and justice by fire for the root of racism and lawlessness. 

Isa 5:24: - As the fire devours the stubble,
And the flame consumes the chaff,
So their root will be as rottenness,
And their blossom will ascend like dust;
Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts,
And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

The fires started on the Day of Pentecost.  This is no happenstance.  The right arm of God is still sweeping across the nations of the earth in judgment.  He is overturning all “deep darkness.”  Let us not fear; but trust it is the Lord’s justice on the earth.    

Judgment?  Of Course! There are dual manifestations of God’s fire.  We must know the judgments of God’s fire in our hearts is to purge us and cleanse us from all defilement.  We are to anticipate the fire of God’s Holy Presence, to consume all the chaff and dross in the House of God. 

The Holy Spirit will kindle the fire of the Burnt Offering---and to bring us into the Presence of the Shekinah Fire in the Holy of Holies.  As priests of God we must come into His presence, and stand before Him---that this Holy Fire might be ignited in our own hearts.

Once again God is raising up a people with Urim and Thummim in their hearts, who will seek after the righteousness of Christ and speak a pure, clear Word in the midst of apostasy. 

God who spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets has in these lst days spoken unto by His Son (Heb. 1:1-2).  John was a Voice in the wilderness.  Jesus was Himself the Word, the incarnate expression of the Word of God. 

He is now speaking from heaven.   His word is just as effective as it was when he was on earth.  The voice of the Son speaks through us by His Holy Spirit.  The Spirit of Truth that was in Him in earth, is now implanted in our hearts. 

He is in the heavens bearing the breastplate of judgment upon which are written the names of His people---the Holy Spirit speaks through God’s chosen by Urim and Thummim with a clear, infallible, precise, pure word from the Father.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.  He is “another Comforter” for the Man, Christ Jesus is our advocate on the throne.  “I (Jesus) will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you (Jn. 14:18).

The Holy Spirit will do greater works than when Jesus was here.  The Father is “glorified in the Son” and the Son is “glorified” in His brethren in the earth (Jn. 14: 13; 17:10).

Jesus is the Way---then and now.  “Where I go you know, and the way you know.”  The Spirit of Truth takes up His habitation in His own.  We are only able to follow Him and know “the way” as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

The Holy Spirit assures us of intimacy with Christ.  This new intimacy of fellowship in the Holy Spirit is the same as that which Jesus had with the Father.

We, (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) will come unto us and make their abode in us.  (Jn. 14:23).  This is the promise to those who keep His words, and love Him.  The eternal longing in the heart of God for fellowship with man is realized by the Father abiding in the heart of the people.

The Holy Spirit will not fall short in His ministration of truth to His chosen ones.  “He (The Holy Spirit) shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 16:13).

Union with Him is as real as the union of a branch in the Vine!  “I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman…abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me” (Jn. 15:1,4).

In this abiding relationship in the Vine, the prayers of His people will be just as effectual as the prayers of the Son Himself.  In union with Him, it is His desire that we are praying.  His desire becomes our desire.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. (Jn. 15:7).

The New Covenant must be ministered to the hearts of men by the same Spirit who caused scribes to write it.  It must be a “ministration of the Spirit.”  Even though we have the Holy Spirit, there is further enduement of the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  The eyes of our understanding must be enlightened.

The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus Christ.  He does not glorify Himself or the vessel through which He flows.  It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, abiding in His people in the earth, to bring forth all riches from the heart of God and make them known to the people.

The holy Spirit shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come (Jn. 15:13).  The Word from the throne will be accurately and precisely declared in the earth.  His ministers in the earth will be under obligation to speak only what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

We are in strange times on the earth.  The Lord is doing His strange work.

Isa 28:21:  For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be angry as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

Truly a fire is kindled.  The fire of the Holy Ghost has again touched the earth.   It has come in judgment.  We were laid on the altar of fire at Passover. 

\Luke 12:49: I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Matt. 13:40-42:  As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so, shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries Church

www.eastgateministries.com

Scripture from K.J.V. and N.K.J.V.