Fire in Your Heart

Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So, all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” 1 Kings 18:19 (NKJV)

The Lord called on Elijah to go see Ahab and address the sin that all of Israel was led into because of him. Elijah appeared before the people and asked, how long will they falter between two opinions. They called themselves children of God, yet they were worshipping the god, Baal. He then challenged 450 prophets of Baal to prove his power by having their god bring down fire on a sacrifice. The prophets try all day long, leaping around and cutting themselves, with no results. Elijah's turn came up and he had the people douse the sacrifice with water three times, causing a trench dug around the alter that he had restored to fill with water. Elijah said a simple prayer and the fire of heaven fell down on the offering, consuming everything and causing the people to fall on their faces and proclaim "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"

How do we know if we have the fire of God in our hearts? The fire of God comes into our hearts and consumes all else, leaving us with a passion for the Lord. James 2:18 says, "But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." The outward signs of a heart on fire for the Lord are the works that show our faith. When we have a heart on fire for the Lord, we have a spiritual hunger, always seeking ways to apply His teaching in our lives. We become bold in witnessing and are willing to share our experiences and beliefs with others. We have an unshakable joy, even in the face of challenges and trials. These signs show our faith and that our hearts are on fire for the Lord.

Choose to let the fire of God come into your heart. Seek a personal relationship with Him, seek knowledge of His Word, and engage in daily prayer. Fill your heart with God's love and develop a deeper commitment to living out His will in your life. Choose to acknowledge the sins in your life that are keeping you from a relationship with the Lord, giving them up to the Him to consume. When you give your life and will to God, your heart will burn with a fire for Him, and the world will see it and say, "The Lord, He is our God!"