The God Who Answers by Fire

by Ian Johnson

God appeared to Moses in a burning bush; that burnt but didn't consume. Then In the wilderness the sign of Gods presence was that of a pillar of fire. So is it any wonder that when Elijah came along God answered by fire.

There was a confrontation on Mt Carmel between the God of Israel and the gods of the surrounding nations which were just Idols designed in the mind of men inspired by demons.. The people had run off after strange gods whom their fathers did not know. The only action in town it seems was in the temple of the Baals . Where the people of Israel prostituted themselves, doing silly things in order to please their demonic masters. Cutting themselves burning their children making sacrifice to cruel and unforgiving demons. 

The call went out from Elijah in a season where there wasn't a lot happening among the people of God. There was a drought in the natural and a drought in the revelation of YHVH to his people. Their hearts were divided between serving YHVH or serving the false idols.

1 Kings 18:20-21 Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent.

How Long Will You Waiver?

The call was how long will you waiver between two opinions?

Here is the key the people were wavering between two opinions. Much of the church is in the same position today. Saying one minute we want the power of God and next minute saying this is too scary take me back to Baal.

The prophetic word is falling in this age again "How long will you waver between opinions?"  Elijah is calling out again from Mt Carmel to the people of God.

The prophet says "the God who answers by fire He is God."  1 Kings 18: 24

Elijah looked back toward the people and they said "Your word is good" The prophets of Baal had no option but to enter the challenge. The Prophets of Baal called out for most of the day. No answer! Then Elijah took charge. Elijah healed the altar of the Lord. One by one he put the twelve stones representing the tribes back into their place.  What a contrast to the wild show the prophets of Baal had just put on with no effect. By rebuilding the altar he was taking them back to their roots.

Acts 3:20-21 says Messiah will remain in heaven until the restoration of all things. In the same way John the Baptist came before Jesus first appearance and was compared to Elijah. So Elijah will come again not as a man but as the corporate Bride of Messiah.

As soon as Elijah had healed the Altar of the Lord; the place of laid down love of total abandonment before the Lord the following happened.

1 Kings 18:36-39  At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself." Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, "The LORD-he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!"

He Was God

The God who answered by fire YHVH proved he was God.

He devoured the flesh.  He devoured the wood Hay & Stubble…The structures of men.  He devoured the water a rare commodity considering there had just been three years of serious drought. Rare and un-common ministry must give way to the Lord.  He even devoured the stones.  All that was left was ash; when God burns in holy fire nothing is left except ash, you see from ash you can never rebuild in your own strength again. All the material is burnt in the fire.

The glory is more than a few good meetings or a few interesting words, the Glory is God himself claiming what he owns. Think about it right now. If God claimed everything that belonged to him in your life what would be left?  When the glory comes it releases a glory fire.

Isaiah 60…Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord shall rise upon you.

This is a powerful messianic prophecy "Light" comes from the Hebrew root (Ore) it means to combust in flame to illuminate in every possible way. This is the glory fire.

The glory fire is different than the revival fire we have seen in our meetings where the anointing has fallen, we have seen amazing things but we are yet to see the God who answers by fire come and claim what belongs to Him. He is coming to baptize us with fire (Acts 2)

It's his all consuming presence; it's his amazing holiness, its all of the kingdom of God manifest in one place. This is the glory now being manifest in small ways but which is about to be released as an all consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:26-29 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.

Malachi 3:2-3 Who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD.

Revelation 1:12-16 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.

How long will we waiver between two opinions? Its time to stop playing around the edges and call out to the God who answers by fire. He is the one who created the world in Six days by His word and he is the one who sustains it by that same word.

Elijah is crying out from Carmel again, he is calling and bringing a challenge to the people of God. Its time to stop pretending to move in great power and to stop the hype that whips the people up with well oiled messages and slick programs. Its time to bend down low and find the stones of the altar again in the grass to lay down our own ministries and churches to rebuild the altar of his presence.

The best place to see a demonstration of the God who answers by fire is in the power of an Elijah call to demonstrate His glory to the unbelieving prophets of a false way who claim one thing and demonstrate another. God is a great God an all consuming God an all powerful God an all knowing God,. So when He comes even the mountains tremble and bow down low. This is the God who answers by fire, this is the God of all Glory.  This is the God of Elijah.

Ian Johnson

www.hisamazinggloryministries.org