It may look like some things need to be fan into flame that has lost their passion, purpose or excitement in your life: dreams that didn’t work out, a dormant gift, promises you were believing in that didn’t come to pass or your walk with God that is lacking the fire you envisaged. Now you are thinking it’s never going to happen or gain the good moments back, it’s been too long… Can I share the mind of God with you in this regard? The scripture says “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you… 2 Timothy 1:6
A flame is the visible portion of a fire. It eliminates any form of hindrances, barriers or obstacles! Underneath those ashes of disappointment, there is still some fire that needs to be fan into flame! You may not be able to see it, they are buried under disappointments, delays, people that did you wrong, and mistakes that you have made. All you have to do is fan the fire into flame. Fan your work with God into flame. Fan your dreams into flame, fan your creativity into flame, fan your gifts into flame, fan your hope into flame, fan your faith into flame. What God put in you didn’t go out.
The scripture says the word of God in my heart is “like a burning fire Shut up in my bones” Jeremiah 20:9. That fire may be little right now, but it’s still in you. The good news is that the enemy can’t put your fire out, depression can’t put your fire out, and loss, loneliness, opposition, and challenges can’t put it out. You may have gone through unfair things, but that didn’t stop God’s plan for your life. What He started, He is going to finish. Now, you have to do your part and fan the fire into flame.
You can’t live with no passion, no zeal, just get up, go to work, come home, and do it again – that fire is not going to grow without you fanning it into flame. Start dreaming again, start looking for new opportunities, and start praying boldly. There is greatness shut up in you, there are dreams shut up in you, there are new levels shut up in you… all they need is to be fanned into flames.
The scripture says “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13. Not with part of your heart. God is talking about passionate people, people who are full of praise, people who are talking like it’s going to happen, and people who are expecting His favour. Don’t let what hasn’t worked out in the past: the disappointments, the challenges, cause you to become half-hearted. Half-hearted in your praise, half-hearted in your marriage, half-hearted at work.
There is a fire in you right now, just waiting to be fan into flame like never before. Does that sickness look permanent? Start fanning the fire of healing. “Father, thank you that you are restoring health unto me. Thank you that the number of my days you will fulfil”(Exodus 23:26). Maybe you are struggling with your finances, business is slow, and it’s easy to get discouraged! There is the fire of increase, the fire of abundance, the fire of opportunity just waiting to be fan into flame. How do you do it? “Father, thank you that whatever I touch will prosper and succeed. Thank you that I will lend and not borrow, that I’m coming into overflow, abundance and into more than enough”.
I wonder what is shut up in you, that you haven’t tapped into? What dreams, what gifts, what abundance, what healing? It’s still burning. It’s a little fire waiting to be fan into a flame, by adding your passion to it, start believing, start acting like it’s going to happen, to step up with boldness. It’s easy to make excuses, pastor, I tried and it didn’t work out”. Try again. That didn’t put out your fire.
That person that walked out on you, yes that’s hurtful, but don’t give up on life. They didn’t put out your flame, and they can’t stop your destiny, you are going to love again, you are going to laugh again, and you are going to dream again. God has someone coming for you much better than who left. Your latter days will be better than your former days. Now get your fire back, get your passion back: those dreams you have given up on, you need to get them back and start pursuing them again.
The scripture says “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11. If you will stay passionate about your dreams, passionate about what God promised, you don’t lack in zeal, then whatever area you lack in will eventually turn around”. You may lack in resources, lack in good health, and friendships, but if you stay in zeal, burning with the spirit, God’s healing promises are coming, the right people are coming, abundance is coming… Zeal keeps the fire in flame.
Keep that passion in your spirit, because we all go through disappointments, and we all have things we don’t understand. You may be dealing with an illness, an addiction or a situation that looks like it’s never going to turn around. You could easily drag around discouraged – you have to put your foot down and say. “I am not going to let the enemy have my joy, my praise, my enthusiasm. I know this day is a gift from God, I’m going to stay on fire, burning with the spirit”.
GIVE YOUR ALL!
David said, (Psalm 103:1), “Bless the Lord, o, my soul, and all that is within me”. Not halfway, not partial, he was saying, “God, I’m giving you a fire-up praise, giving you my all, not a praise when everything turns around, not a praise that’s dependent on the circumstances”. “Well, pastor, I will have a good attitude when my boss, spouse, friends or government starts treating me better. I will be more enthusiastic when my finances improve”. No, you have it backwards, the fan into flame praise is what causes things to turn around!
What would happen if you would start blessing the Lord with all that is within you? Getting up in the morning, thanking Him for the day. Going out with enthusiasm, pursuing your dreams, expecting His favour, and passionate about your life. Everything may not be perfect, but we can all find a reason to be joyful, this is a decision that we have to make, “I will bless the Lord. I will have a good attitude. I will be good to others. I will enjoy this day”. You can’t wait till you feel like it, you have to decide, that’s what it means to fan the fire into flame.
You have not reached your final destiny, but too often we want to settle. We don’t like to stretch or get out of our comfort zones, especially when we try and it doesn’t work out. But God is saying to you “Fan the fire of your gifts into flame. Fan the dreams you have been given into flame. Fan that fire of healing, that fire of freedom, that you stopped believing for”. Don’t let what hasn’t happened yet, talk you out of what God has in your future. You may have some big obstacles, but the forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are against you. You and God are a majority, He is breathing in your direction right now.
Now if you are going to stay fired up, you need to get around other fired-up people. Don’t hang around people who drain your energy, take all your enthusiasm, and try to talk you out of what you believe in. “Well, I don’t see how you can get well. My grandmother died of that same thing. I wouldn’t try to start that business, what if it doesn’t work out? Do you still think you are going to meet someone? You have been single for a long time”.
There will always be people who try to throw water on your fire, tell you what you can’t do, how it’s not going to work out, and how you should just settle where you are. They may mean well, they may even be good people, but the enemy uses people to try to discourage us, to keep us from our destiny. Do yourself a favour: distance yourself from them. Your time is too valuable to spend with negative people, people who have no vision, no passion. You need to be around people that help you stay fired up.
Beloved, life is flying by, don’t waste another minute dragging through the day, focused on what’s wrong, thinking you have reached your limits. The truth is that you are just starting, God is about to do a new thing, and you are about to see unprecedented favour. Get ready for overflow, get ready for new levels, and get ready for something that you have never seen before that will blow the minds of many!
The scripture says, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available”. (James chapter 5:16). That word fervent in the original language is where we get our word for “Energy”. You can plug a lamp into an outlet, but if the power is not on, it’s not going to do any good. This says, “The effectual fervent prayer” – not a passive prayer, not a weak, lethargic prayer, when you just say the same thing over and over, with no passion. But when you pray a fire-up prayer, a passionate prayer, a bold prayer, it will make tremendous power available.
“Father, thank you that you are opening doors for me, no man can shut. Thank you that you are taking me where I can’t go on my own. Thank you that I’m coming into a year of abundance“. Don’t pray depressing prayers, “God, my back has been hurting. These people are getting on my nerves, I don’t think I can take it anymore” – that’s not activating any power. Turn it around, “Father, thank you that you are fighting my battles, that no weapon formed against me will prosper. That as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”.
You have to show God that you want what you are praying about. There has to be some fervency, some zeal, some enthusiasm. I’m asking you to fan the flame of what you are praying about, fan the flame of your dreams, fan the flame of your gifts, fan the flame of your desired results. It may just be a little fire right now, but as you keep fanning it, I decree and declare that greatness is going to come out of you, new doors are about to open, negative situations are turning around, transformation, healing, promotion, peace, the fullness of your destiny is coming to pass, in Jesus name.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
