Topic: The Consuming Fire
Text: Philippians 2:12-16

I have discovered from personal experience what the Bible says about the fear of God being the beginning of wisdom is true. There are some of us who would keep living a life of holiness because of the fear of God. Others may take liberty for license. I will not.

Sometime ago, I was having a nice time with the Lord, fellowshipping with Him. God told me to bend down and draw the figure of a man. I did. He then said I should wipe it off. I did. I knew that something serious was coming. God then asked me whether anybody could challenge me for what I had just done. I couldn’t think of any, since I drew the picture by myself and wiped it off by myself. God then asked that is anyone passed by where I drew the picture, would he or she know that I once drew a picture? I said no. He then said the picture was me. He said He formed me with His hand and that if I crossed my boundary, He would wipe me out and nobody would remember that there was someone ever called Pastor E. A. Adeboye. If you were in my shoes, how would you have felt at that point? I was terrified. I was transfixed to the spot.

If God had not encouraged me on the spot, I would not have been able to move. He said to me, “I love you”. Then I regained myself. Anybody who tells you not to fear God is your enemy. Many of us treat the Almighty God the way we do out of ignorance of whom we are dealing with. He is the consuming fire. Many of us claim to be children of God while we behave like the children of the devil. This problem is common among Pentecostals. We say wherever there is spirit of God, there is liberty. Really? What kind of liberty? Liberty to do what you wish? I doubt it. What amount of liberty do you have with fire? Anybody who touches fire will be burnt.

Philippians 2:12 says: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” God is a consuming. Although God is your Father, you must serve Him with fear and trembling.

Memory Verse: Exodus 15:11 - “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”