Being On Fire | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Being On Fire

Buying into the Lord's plan and sticking with it.

20
Being On Fire
orpics.com

When I posted the above picture on social media last fall, it started a chain reaction I never expected. It reminded me of Acts when the Holy Spirit came down and guided people to speak in tongues.

The tongue that people spoke on this October night was praise to the Lord of all. Tweets, messages, all of love and grace and encouragement and even questions, rained all over the place. I lay in my bed, refreshing the page again and again, ready for the next person to be changed for Jesus. Tangible, seen, proclaimed.

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to attend a mission trip or Bible camp or something of the sort, odds are you have experienced a “God high”. An unshakable feeling of joy and giddiness because you saw the Lord at work, in you or in others. These peak moments are awesome. You feel like nothing can stop you because God is on your side!

“I’m so in love with God now, I’m gonna bring it all back home and share it!”

Thing is, the world doesn’t know what being in love with God is. And how can you tell every single person about it? Sooner or later you slip back into old routines, occasionally living godly, more than occasionally not. Back to square one.

Consistency. How does it happen?

For me, it happened recently. Not overnight, not perfectly, not majestically. But it happened because I wanted it to. When you want Jesus, He’s not passing up that juicy offer. “Oooh, someone that is willing to lose their life for me! They’ll gain it back from me, I’ll see to it personally.”

This is surrender. This is giving it all up. This is being ALL-IN for Jesus Christ.

This is living.

It’s what I call a reset. That small little button on your handheld video game or TV remote that you can only press with the tip of a pen. Such a forgotten, overlooked component of the device… but if something starts to go wrong with the game, and nothing else can fix it, how does it go back to the original? The reset button.

Same goes for our commitment in Christ. Overlooked, taken for granted, however you want to tell of it. When we find ourselves in places of trouble, malice, terror, anger, hatred, and sin in general, we can still hit that button. By doing that, you are a new creation again in Christ, God’s image. We always have that opportunity to start over anew with Jesus.

Recommit yourself. Redefine where your worth is. Re-identify with the Lord. Reset your life; it’s not yours anymore. It’s all shaped and molded for God’s glory.

A lot of people are turned off by the idea of believing because there are so many things we are restricted from. There are so many rules and ways we must follow, that’s what a lot of people think. They just want freedom. Yet the most free they could get is in Jesus’ name. Yes, it is true, I’ll be blunt here.

If you want to be in a relationship with the Lord, you have to be all-in. You have to be all-in. No two ways about it. The “God high” probably won’t last, but God Himself is everlasting. Lean on His Word, speak with Him, love Him before all things. Be all-in.

Now to attack the specifics that I want to address. Being personally on fire for Jesus is really cool. But what I’ve learned lately is that it doesn’t have to be loud and out there. Take Matthew 6:5-8 (NIV):

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

God loves intimacy. All He wants is a relationship with you. Boasting gets you nowhere. You might find that privately strengthening yourself in Him is more rewarding than just talking it with people around you. Words only mean so much these days… Sometimes the best remedy is just to be. Be and feel His presence, ask for Him to invade and flood your heart and change it. Something has to give when you give yourself. It will work. Faith doesn’t lose. God is undefeated. And you can be on fire, your flames roaring silently in the wake of your reset into Jesus.

-JM

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2617
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1556
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200814
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21282
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments