Calling Down the Fire of God
Many proven prophetic voices are declaring a great move of God that is burgeoning and about to break forth. This is a move that will be marked by the fire of God sweeping across the earth, burning up the things of the enemy and of the flesh to reveal the presence and power of the Lord and His kingdom in notable and remarkable ways. It won’t just be a burning bush here or there but entire cities, nations and regions set ablaze with the reality of God so that everyone everywhere has a chance to tangibly encounter Him and know His love, His goodness and the reality of His salvation.
The earth will be covered in the bright and brilliant burning reality of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. This move will break out in so many places and in so many ways, it will seem sovereign—as if it came out of nowhere. I believe that even now the Lord is speaking to many about this coming move so that we can partner with Him to birth it, to call it forth, to declare it and to pray it into existence.
Since day six of creation, the Lord has loved partnering with His sons and daughters to accomplish His agenda in the earth. He worked with Adam to call forth the names of the animals on that sixth day, and ever since He has worked with His beloved to call forth His plans and purposes in the earth. Amos 3:7 makes this clear when it says, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the fireprophets.”
I believe that the Lord is speaking to many right now—yes, about the coming move of God, but also about how we can partner with Him to birth this move of holy fire in the earth. The Lord is seeking those who will listen and who are willing to be taught how to call down His fire.
Jesus Discipling His Heart
In Luke 9:51-56, we read a brief but enlightening story of when the Lord and His disciples were walking across the desert. Jesus planned to visit a Samaritan village, but the people refused to have anything to do with Him because He was headed to Jerusalem. When James and John heard about this, they approached Jesus and said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?” (v. 54).
It is interesting that Jesus does not reply to them, “You can’t call down the fire of God,” or, “I don’t want you to call down the fire of God.” No, Jesus says to His disciples, “You don’t know what your hearts are like. For the Son of Man has not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (vv. 55-56).
James and John wanted to call the fire of God down upon the Samaritans to punish them for turning them away. But what Jesus wanted was for James and John to know God’s heart for the Samaritans—His love for them. Because if they did, they would not want to call the fire of God down upon the Samaritans, but instead upon the things of the enemy that had caused the Samaritans to take offense and which stole from them a visitation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are not to call the fire of God down in anger or offense but in love. We are not to call the fire of God down as a judgment against men but as a judgment against the things of the enemy that keep men from knowing the fullness of God.
We see a powerful example of this in 1 Kings 18. Israel had turned away from the Lord and embraced false gods. It seemed an impossible situation until Elijah stood on Mount Carmel, full of the revelation of God’s heart for the people. Elijah knew that while Israel had turned away from the Lord, the Lord would never turn away from Israel.
With this revelation of the everlasting love of God, Elijah cried out for the Lord to make Himself known to His people in that place and in that hour (vv. 36-37). Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven (v. 38) and the “strongholds” of the enemy were destroyed. The people realized that day that the Lord was God, and the nation of Israel returned to Him.
His Burning Love for All
The fire of God is His burning love for all people and all places for all time. Elijah knew the heart of God for Israel; that’s why he was able to call down the fire of God. When we connect to God’s heart, when we know His love for people—no matter what they’ve done, where they’ve been or how they’re behaving—we can call forth the fire of God upon the things of the enemy that are stealing the fullness of God from them.
God’s Arrow of Love
The Lord wants to use you to help birth this coming move of God. He wants to empower you to call His fire into the earth. And it all begins by knowing His heart and His love for all people and all places at all times.
