The divine consuming fire is the very substance of God. Any careful reader of the scripture will be aware that fire is often used therein as a symbol of the active presence of God.
“The Lord our God is a consuming fire.” Deuteronomy 4:24
“God is love.” I John 4:8
Those are not contradictory terms — they are complimentary terms. It is no straining of mind to say that the light of God’s love and the fire of God are of the same substance described from opposite points of view. How we experience God depends on the condition we are in when contacting Him.
Only God can change a man’s state of death into that of being in the full stature of the Son of God. His passion (wrath) has been written within our heart. God’s true revelation of scripture denotes God’s unchanging opposition to the sorrows of death for all of us. He is swallowing up our death condition in His abundant victory.
None of His kingdom people in the New Jerusalem order are held down by death's sorrows. They sail to the lasting heavens like eagles riding hot winds of God's passion released within the spirit of His worshipping people. He is coming by the Spirit into our spirit with righteous love. His holy passion is operating and extending to destroy any offending evil remaining within us.
We ask God for devouring flames to consume our death process. He has set a consuming fire against every lie. His passion resists the spirit of darkness that kills His people with lies and corruption. God Himself is a consuming fire. God’s Spirit is dwelling in overcomers as a consuming fire, burning up any and all foul rottenness in thought or cruel wickedness in action coming from us.
His testings for shame and wrong doing from which mankind's souls have long suffered have determined that it is not the evil in us which will have the last word, but the righteousness of Christ. It will not be sorrow but godly joy. No longer violence and hate but love; not damnation but salvation; not death but spiritual life will stand age lastingly within our spirit and soul.
God sheds love abroad in our heart, so we grow while consuming fiery trials are burning up our inner death conditions. He is moving away our collected dross to form purity of character within our spirit to be a being made one spirit with the Lord now. When the thoughts of God rule us, no other spirit can dominate us or threaten us with torment in hell.
Men are already in hell (separation from God) by being born of flesh, being here on earth. Heaven can be here too within our spirit when Christ is formed and functioning within us. God changes us when we pass from one glory to another. We are constantly being changed by His refining and consuming fire. All members of His corporate Son are given understanding to see the truth of His spiritual realities. They see by God’s Word and the Spirit that God’s consuming fire begins with and effects most powerfully those closest to Him, His people.
Although the saints shall judge the world, God’s judgment abides within each of us who are now made a tabernacle for His dwelling. Now Christ is sent to guide us through the devouring flames that pressure people with hurtful problems. Christ is come to shed light on every deceitful path presented to us. He can show the most religious human heart how to conquer every religious lie, how to stop every bit of accusation passing our lips.
He stops us from speaking condemnation about a brother, stops words that divide families, exposes the deceptions that national leaders hold. He makes us thankful for the people we work for, and so on. Christ conquers the hidden attitudes of hatred within the redeemed soul first. This presses us through to reveal God's loving awareness within as the fruit of it all. Our fleshly veils are being burnt up by the coming of Christ enlightening and shining into our spirit. We are shown Him as He is as we receive knowledge of a spiritual union breaking forth within us.
Charles Finney went into a mill up north one time, and as he walked through the mill he spoke not a word. He just looked at the people. As he looked at them, they broke before his gaze, weeping, repenting, and crying out to God for mercy. They had to close the mill and a great revival began in which multitudes of people turned to the Lord.
That move of God started with just a look — a piercing, penetrating gaze coming from man. Yet beyond the veil of Finney’s flesh, Christ touched the spiritual depth of their lives with eyes as a flame of fire. There is power in the spirit of a redeemed man reflecting Jesus. Says the wise man:
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good,” Proverb 15:3
Elihu declares,
“He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous, but as kings are they on the throne.” Job 36:7
“The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men.” Psalm 11:4-5
David knew the Lord’s eyes saw deep into his spirit and thoughts and could correct him when he prayed:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
David did not engage in the unproductive and defeating practice of introspection. He did not meditate to know himself but honestly asked God to examine his life to show him if he was harboring any fleshly way. Self-inspection is futile for all of us. Man has always protected those things that most need to be removed from him. Men have misunderstood and are prone to gloss over the truth to make allowance for their own certain faults:
"All the ways of a man seem spotless in his own eyes, yet it is Yahweh Who gauges the motives." Proverb 16:2
Men routinely practice self-justification. David was eager for God to search his life and make His light fully known. God can open the windows of a soul formed after His own heart to let the sin-destroying and life-giving breeze of the Holy Spirit blow through. Rather than justify himself, David asked for God’s help to find and destroy any remaining darkness that lurked within his own heart.
God did justify and make differences for David, for His eye is sharp, His judgment is true. The condition of our soul is transparent to His penetrating gaze now. Behold Christ doing a redeeming work in every event of our lives! How much better it is for us to present ourselves before Him like David and invite Him to judge us now, do His circumcising work on our heart, until our soul is saved!
If we cannot cut off our offending members, let us look to Him to rid us of them. Nothing in heaven or earth can withstand the fiery all-knowing power of omniscience, in which God sees all and knows all. He has therefore judged righteously in matters of man’s religious facades. He is come now to consume the name and reputations men build up around themselves, for this is the Lord’s Day.
There is no way Christians can keep anything for ourselves. No more building church programs for financial gain, no selfish motivation is hidden from Him. This Day will try every man’s work whether it has lasting quality or not. When we really think this way it should make us more honest and humble.
When Jesus was here living and walking in the earth, He knew what was in man. One great aspect of Jesus is that, before Him, the secrets of men’s hearts are revealed. We may lie and cover our selfishness to one another, but we can’t hide any lie from God or the Lord Jesus Christ. The spirit of sonship knows what a lie is and what it isn't. How powerfully Ananias and Sapphira found that out. God’s Christ sent within us sees right through all the pretense of church works:
To the church at Ephesus He announces, ‘I know thy works…’ ” (Revelation 2:2).
To the church at Smyrna He reveals, “I know thy works…” (Revelation 2:9).
To the church at Pergamos He says, “I know thy works…” (Revelation 2:13).
To the church at Thyatira He declares, “I know thy works…” (Revelation 2:19).
And to the churches at Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea He proclaims the same solemn truth, “I know thy works!”
Whatever Christians have experienced in the candlestick churches, up front the Lord says, “I know, I see behind the scenes. I perceive the underlying motives, the intents, the secret purposes, the hidden agendas, the covert schemes. I know thy works!” The Lord looks beyond what is projected to the public to see beyond what the billboard says, beyond what the church bulletin announces, beyond all the claims, promotions, boasts, propaganda, and phoniness.
The Lord’s eyes of fire see through the continually offered-up justifications of these external facades fixed on external standards of righteousness, with pure religiosity where it ought not be — in the church. The wonderful work of His judgment has been set forth. It is not a vengeful, implacable, destructive work. His judgment brings redeeming truth and transforming love into our own spirit.
Our enjoyment of truth, including the available inheritance of the Kingdom of God, depends to a considerable degree on our ability to YIELD UP what God wants consumed within us. We need to grow up spiritually to perceive Him consuming our dross, freeing us from the traditional misapplication of vital truths. God’s judgment conveys freedom to us by the spirit.
If we consider the Lord as being first in the order of our daily experience, we will have our confidence in being made like unto Him renewed daily. Soon our spirit, soul, and body are utterly invested and completely possessed by THE EONIAN SPIRIT of GOD ALMIGHTY, that EONIAN SPIRIT that is declared by scripture to LOVE US enough to save US! He is saving us now by spiritual revelations of His truth. The message of God is being refined within us as God consumes our dross.
The pressures Jesus encountered on earth were more intense than what any of us might imagine at this time! Many years ago the question was posed by wise old Solomon:
“Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?” Proverb 6:28
The answer is a resounding NO! Every man or woman who had ever passed through life on the broad paths that fulfill fleshly lusts are awaiting burning trials. They face unnecessary and harmful destruction that cause one to come out with “charred feet,” so to speak. Men have “flammable” elements in their “soles”; that is, elements which responded poorly to the heat! Oh, they might have been victorious in one situation, only to turn around and find themselves “flame-broiled” in another form of character testing. We know this to be true, because according to the divine record:
“All have sinned [missed the mark], and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
But when Jesus stepped forth on the human scene, He bore an entirely different testimony! We read that He:
“…was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
It mattered not whether He was being tempted with the common sensual allurements which appeal to the natural appetites in man, or whether He was being led along the deceptive pathways past the house of a “great religious harlot” whose sweet, seductive influences have slain many strong men (Proverbs 7:26-27).
Regardless of whether He was walking through one of those challenging circumstances which is of a frustrating nature having the potential of causing Him to “lose His cool,” or whether He was being forced to confront the flaming words and the false accusations of His chief critics, He always did what was right in God’s eyes!
No matter how hot the fiery trial “the smith that blows the coals in the fire” made them (Isaiah 54:16), and no matter how intense the heat under His feet, there was absolutely nothing in Him that would ignite! Much to the devil’s dismay, Jesus simply would not burn with frustration! No combustible material was found within Him! He had no hay, wood, or stubble to start a fire as kindling within Him! Why, He wouldn’t even blister!
In fact, the hotter the adversary made the trials, the more freely the feet of Jesus walked through the crowd. Today the feet members of the body of Christ “burn as white bronze”! Jesus radiates much intense purity in His body, such indescribable peace, such absolute discipline and self-control, the multitudes will still be astonished by Him!
I cannot help but admire this man. He is totally above reproach. It is because of this very thing that God has granted Jesus ruling authority and influence over all mankind. His people understand what He teaches them. His Spirit not only instructs us in the overcoming life but also has demonstrated for two thousand years what it takes to have the the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwell in a people.
As the consuming fires of God remove characteristics of our earthly life, the question might be asked: how was it that Jesus was able to walk through the midst of such tremendous testing fires and remain unsinged, with no sin? How did He keep from being overwhelmed? He must have stayed focused in His inner being on what He knew of his Father.
He surely kept His inner spiritual eye on what God had revealed to Him while moving through the passionate earthly trials life presented. We are baptized into His death in order to see that as His feet were walking out the purposes of God on the earth, His head was already in the heavens. He was not the least bit overwhelmed by the fiery trials he faced on earth while looking at spiritual things above.
To walk after the Spirit is the destiny of all who yield themselves unreservedly to the Lord Jesus. Even now, the feet members of God’s great company of priest “Kingdom fire walkers” are being conditioned in the flames of their own daily tribulation. The stage is set with the breathtaking sight of His whole body appearing openly. We who believe do not fear once He has consumed what needs to be burned up. His spiritual mind intensifies the quality of our inward being.
We too shine in the highest degree of purity possible, regardless of past earthly conditions. We are simply growing into the grace and glory of God. You see, at such a time as this, God has already taken the BURNING out of the refining process for a great host of overcomers. There is nothing that threatens them or makes them afraid. God's consuming fire completely burns up the dark thoughts and dispositions in us that respond negatively and are afraid of losing things we want.
We are given to light, love and truth because when we truly embrace Christ long enough, we wake up to discover He has transformed us into His image! Our life is open testimony to His victory over our fear, our hell, our death and our grave:
“For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us." Romans 8:18 concordant
As did our Lord Jesus, we too GLORIFY GOD IN THE FIRES by walking in a way that magnifies and radiates His holy nature within us — even while walking through severe problems. As prophetic confirmation, Isaiah says of Jacob who formed the nation of Israel:
“Fear not; for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you art mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; when you walk through the fire, you shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you…” Isaiah 43:1-2
Praise God for the hope in His calling to spiritual Israel! Even now, we are able to stand calmly and triumphantly before the judgment seat of God because Christ has come to abide within our spirit. He is making of us a new standard that is spiritually raised to a peaceful “sea of glass mingled with fire.” Here we now have nothing to hide or to be embarrassed about. We are standing with feet shod with an everlasting gospel of understanding spiritual revelation. This has caused a manifestation of God to glow in our inner man like white bronze:
"Now His head and hair are white as white wool, as snow, and His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like white bronze, as fired in a furnace, and His voice is as the sound of many waters. And He has in His right hand seven stars, and out of His mouth a sharp two-edged blade is issuing, and His countenance is as the sun appearing in its power." Revelation 1:14-16 concordant