In an recent message, Pastor Jentezen Franklin reminded believers that the power of the Holy Spirit is not a thing of the past: He’s a present and necessary force for the church today.
“Who do you think you are that you’ve got God all figured up and put in a box and He can’t move like He wants to move?” Franklin asks the crowd. “I’m here to tell you when His fire falls, sometimes it’s an out of control fire. It’ll make you dance. It’ll make you shout. It’ll make you weep. It’ll make you talk in tongues.”
Franklin urged the congregation not to settle for lukewarm Christianity.
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“If you want it, you have to build the altar. You have to put the sacrifice of praise… on that altar,” he declares. “I want that fire. I want that fire to hit another generation. I want that fire to burn so deep in this church that the sparks start spreading all over Atlanta and all over the nation, all over the world.”
Referencing Proverbs 26, Franklin warns, “Put wood on the fire. Put wood on the fire. Put wood on the fire. Where there is… no wood, the fire goes out.” He passionately listed what that “wood” looks like: “Prayer is wood. Praise is wood. Giving is wood. Loving God, witnessing is wood. Standing against temptation, that’s the wood on the fire.”
Franklin called on the younger generation in particular to deepen their love of the Lord.
“I want a passion. I want a vision. I want a dream. I want a calling. I’m going to live for God. I’m going to live on fire. Not going to be a lukewarm Christian. Not going to be a lukewarm preacher.”
He also issued a stark warning against pride and spiritual complacency.
“You’re a legend in your own mind. He’s the King of kings. He’s the Lord of glory. When you get in His presence, you’ll fall like a dead man. You’ll fear and tremble. He’s the Creator. Hallelujah. And He’s here. And you’re going to need this fire.”
Criticizing the modern church’s tendency to replace power with programs, Franklin reminded his listeners of Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses.”
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For those seeking a deeper relationship with God, Franklin’s message was unmistakable: “This is not an hour to be lukewarm. This is not an hour to be casual. This is not an hour to have a distant relationship with Jesus. This is an hour to be filled with the [Holy] Spirit.”
Lord, let Your fire fall again.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
