Have you ever heard someone say that a Christian person they know is “on fire” for the Lord? We may nod and agree when we hear a phrase such as this, especially if we’ve grown up in the church and Christian communities, but do we actually know what it means to be “on fire” for God?
To be on fire for the Lord means to be filled with Godly passion and fervor for God and the mission of the Gospel. Another word that relates to this concept of being on fire is “zeal.” After Jesus turned over the tables of those who were using the Temple as a place to make a profit, John 2:17 says that Jesus’ disciples remembered that it was said, “the zeal of your house consumes me,” which is a reference to David’s words in Psalm 69. This spiritual zeal inspires others and keeps your faith vibrant and alive.
Oftentimes, when someone first gives their life to Christ, they are especially passionate and fervent. They may jump head-first into ministry opportunities, take a ardent interest in studying the Bible and theology, and tell everyone they interact with about their new-found faith. For a true Christian--someone who has a genuine faith--this fervor will only be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the Lord, living for him and seeking to introduce others to him.
Sadly, having extreme fervor and being on fire for the Lord is not always something that lasts. As Jesus outlined in his teaching in the Parable of the Sower, some seeds will fall among rocky soil and will spring up quickly, but because the soil is shallow, when the sun beats down on it, it is scorched and dies because it did not have strong roots. Another way to put this is that this person was not abiding in the vine, as Jesus said in another place (John 15:5).
The Bible has much to say about fire in both the Old and New Testaments. Let's examine what the Bible says about fire and how this can shed light on what being on fire for the Lord means.
This powerful element is often used as a symbol for God’s judgment, eternal punishment (as in the Lake of Fire), God’s presence (Moses and the burning bush), or, in the New Testament, God’s power at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles and appeared on each of them as “tongues of fire” (Acts 2:3).
In his article “What is the Significance and Symbolism of Fire in the Bible?” Joel Ryan notes, “This ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit,’ in which redeemed believers are empowered, equipped, emboldened, and encouraged by the Spirit, is often represented by the imagery of fire. It is the same ‘baptism of fire’ that transforms and invigorates all believers to do the work of the Lord.”
That same Holy Spirit that was given to Jesus’ apostles is given to Christians today when we put our faith in Jesus. This Spirit is living and active in the believer’s life and allows us to bear fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) which is a testimony to the world that Christ is in us. It is as though Christ lights a fire in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, thus being on fire for the Lord is an apt metaphor.
The Bible contains many warnings against “lukewarm” Christians which can be considered the opposite of being on fire for God. We should never become complacent in our faith or take all the Lord has done and continues to do for us for granted. We have an amazing inheritance as Christians--we are called Christ’s brothers and sisters and have access to the Father and can live in the power of the Spirit. Many Christians allow the cares of this world to crowd out their focus on the eternal and the Kingdom of Heaven.
We will certainly have seasons when we feel that Scripture is more illuminated for us and feel more empowered by the Spirit to share the Gospel, but we must “continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel” (Col. 1:23).
This is the mystery of how we “work out our salvation” (Phil. 2:12) with the power of the Holy Spirit. We can be sure that God’s Spirit will continue to give us the passion and fire for the things of God as we seek to abide in Jesus.
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Veronica Olson Neffinger is a Content Editor for Salem Web Network. When she is not writing or editing articles, you can find her listening to baseball games, enjoying the outdoors, reading, or engaged in some form of home or garden care. She lives in Richmond, VA with her husband and two young sons.