Many Still Lack the Fire!
The sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking a deeper experience with God, specifically the infilling of the Spirit, in order to live a life consumed by God and be effective in ministry.
Vance Havner emphasizes the necessity of receiving the Holy Spirit's power in the life of a believer, arguing that while Pentecost was a historical event, each individual must personally seek and appropriate this experience through faith. He warns against the complacency of Christians who, despite being knowledgeable and sincere, still lack the spiritual fire that comes from a deep longing for the fullness of the Spirit. Havner calls for a genuine pursuit of God's presence, highlighting that true empowerment requires more than superficial faith; it demands a commitment to prayer, fasting, and a willingness to be consumed by God's purpose. He encourages believers to seek a transformative experience that ignites their faith and enables them to live boldly for God. Ultimately, he illustrates the profound impact of a life fully surrendered to God, ablaze with His glory.
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It is true that Pentecost, historically, took place once for all. So did Calvary. But each individual must personally appropriate the blood by faith and so must each believer receive by faith the Spirit for power. The promise of the Spirit is received by faith (Gal. 3: 14). It is an experience of spiritual thirst, then coming to Christ, drinking of the Spirit by faith, believing and overflowing (John 7: 37-39). So the blood and bread must be accompanied by fire. We have fundamentalism and facts; we have activity and earnestness and sincerity; we even have blood-washed and blood-nourished Christians, well-taught in the Word, WHO STILL LACK FIRE. Some are prejudiced against it, identifying any definite experience of the Spirit with fanaticism. Some see nothing but a gradual growth in grace. Some mistake the indwelling of the Spirit for the infilling. Some have "received" with a cheap and easy "believism" who somehow did not receive after all. For many reasons the church is largely behind closed doors as before Pentecost, and believers try to stir up a fire from their own sparks instead of being set on fire of God.
We are not here advocating some wild and weird emotional experience, but we do hold that he who seeks to burn out for God will have to go deeper than sentence prayers and occasional wishful thinking. There must be a holy burning and a consuming longing for the fullness of the Spirit. Tears and fastings and all night prayers have no value of themselves, but God will reward the man who forgets all else seeking the double portion of "power with God and men." It is not that God is stingy and must be coaxed, for He "giveth liberally and upbraideth not." It is that we ourselves are so shallow and sinful that we need to tarry before Him until our restless natures can be stilled and the clamor of outside voices be deadened so that we can hear His voice. Such a state is not easily reached, and the men God uses have paid a price in wrestlings and prevailing prayer. But it is such men who rise from their knees confident of His power and go forth to speak with authority and not as the scribes.
I saw a human life ablaze with God; I felt a power divine As through an empty vessel of frail clay I saw God's glory shine. Then woke I from a dream, and cried aloud: "My Father, give to me The blessing of a life consumed by God, That I may live for Thee!"
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Personal Experience
- The Problem of Lack of Fire
- The Need for a Deeper Experience
- Going deeper than sentence prayers and occasional wishful thinking
- Seeking a holy burning and a consuming longing for the fullness of the Spirit
Key Quotes
“We have fundamentalism and facts; we have activity and earnestness and sincerity; we even have blood-washed and blood-nourished Christians, well-taught in the Word, WHO STILL LACK FIRE.” — Vance Havner
“It is not that God is stingy and must be coaxed, for He 'giveth liberally and upbraideth not.'” — Vance Havner
“I saw a human life ablaze with God; I felt a power divine As through an empty vessel of frail clay I saw God's glory shine.” — Vance Havner
Application Points
- To seek a deeper experience with God, one must be willing to go deeper than superficial prayers and seek a holy burning and a consuming longing for the fullness of the Spirit.
- A life consumed by God is not easily reached, but it is a state that is necessary for effective ministry and witness.
- The infilling of the Spirit is not just a feeling, but a reality that can be experienced by faith and is necessary for living a life that is truly surrendered to God.