“Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning”
For the first time in my life, I have gotten much experience in buying and burning firewood. It’s a good lesson and reminder for things we already have been given to know in the Spirit. The major workings of the Lord are not seen with physical observation (Luk 17:20-21), yet they are revealed in His physical creation. This is a major revelation once you are in the Truth and have your heavens opened to such a great understanding.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the [physical] things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the [physical] worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Using the physical to ascertain things in the Spirit is a useful and needed tool for us to study the Scripture and grow in the knowledge of the Truth. Our primary way of learning the deep things of God (assuming we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see) is comparing spiritual to spiritual across the Old and New Testaments (2Ti 3:16, 1Co 10:11, Hos 12:10)
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (the entire Bible) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
One can take anything in the physical and outward world and with the mind of Christ, apply many spiritual truths and principles thus proving the macro truth of Romans 1:20. In this study, we are going to look at physical fire and apply its traits and characteristics in the physical to the truth of how the Lord works in the Spirit. At a bare minimum, this study should help refute the lie of an eternal hell where God burns his own creation alive forever and without end.
What is Physical Fire? – Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in a chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products (gases, ash, etc.)
This is interesting because it is the positive of spiritual fire that is the Word of God and that fire is making a quick work in making major changes within us that comes with much spiritual heat and light.
God’s Word is fire: The fire is what is remaking us from a natural firstborn Adam into a son of God via the process of our judgment.
Jer 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Having our old “natural” way of life burned up is not pleasant to our flesh and its desires, yet it is necessary for us to be saved and made partakers of His Holiness.
Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Men and our flesh are likened unto trees and wood in Scripture. In the negative meaning (as the word is two edged – Heb 4:11), trees and wood symbolize our physical life and life of being carnally minded. That is what God’s fire is making combustion within our day of judgment.
Jer 7:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Joe 1:19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
Eternal hellfire along with the delusion of free will is one of the biggest lies of orthodox Christianity and the “other jesus” billions know and worship. The Lord’s fire is what is saving us and burning up the wood that represents our flesh and carnality.
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Psa 89:46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Eze 5:4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
The question of how long is also answered in Scripture. It takes as long as God has ordained for every man as our entire lives have been predetermined (Psa 139:16). But we know the fire of judgment by the Word (Psa 19:9, Rev 1:3, Joh 12:48) will eventually go out when its work is finished and we have learned (been perfected) righteousness.
Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Sodom and Gomorrah are not still literally burning in an eternal hell. God’s spiritual fire worked its work and destroyed the sinfulness and the sinful city which is its purpose yet today in saving all men.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities …..
What is needed for fire to combust? Typically, physical fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and a fuel source (i.e. wood). The presence of these things is not enough, as combustion requires a spark and a heating of the wood to its ignition temperature. The heat needed to spark a fire can come from lots of different things for instance: a match, focused light, friction, or even lightning.
The Spirit of God is the oxygen (the air, the wind) that fuels His Word and is sparked to life by the many wonderful works of God to His children. The Lord who works all things (Eph 1:11) is the one who creates the sparks in our spiritual life and brings the trials that raise the temperature that burns up the wood and impure metals within us.
1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (spiritual match)
Isa 63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance (match)
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (spiritual friction)
Burning wood creates smoke: Smoke is a symptom of a burning fire and contains the trapped gases along with other organic matter. These are pollutants which are then driven away by the physical or spiritual winds that are God’s judgment by the Word.
Hos 13:3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Little pieces of wood burn quicker and faster than big pieces: A fuel’s size also affects how easily it will catch fire. A larger fuel, such as a thick tree, can absorb a lot of heat, so it takes a lot more energy to raise any particular piece to the ignition temperature. A toothpick catches fire more easily because it heats up very quickly. Chopping us up and burning our carnal mind results in fiery trials which come in all shapes and sizes according to what is needed. In the same way, the Lord gives us stripes (judgment) according to the size of the log (sin and carnal-mindedness) needing to be devoured.
Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
The Lord starts us out dealing with the small stuff before He moves on to the big stuff needing to be burned up.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The hardened parts of our wicked heart will take a hotter fire than the small sins. The Lord truly knows how to deliver the new man (the godly) out of those temptations.
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
The harder the wood or the more of it, the hotter the fire: Fire burns hotter when the wood is hard or there are lots of it. Here in South Africa, the best wood for braii is arguably Namibia hardwood. The Lord knows how to dial-up the heat in our lives accomplish His work in us by fiery grace. Our hardened rebellious hearts take a hot fire to burn the “I, me and my” out of us.
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Eze 24:9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
Eze 24:10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
Softer wood burns easy and quickly and there are some issues the Lord works that require much less heat and anguish than others to purify our heavens and our earth.
Dry wood burns best and green wood is difficult to burn: The Lord prepares us to be burned in His fire by drying us up of good works and draining us of confidence in our flesh. The Lord promised there would always be seasons on the earth (Gen 8:22) that are used to prepare the wood for further chastening. The best wood is seasoned wood that has been prepared and dried out waiting it’s time to be burned in a fireplace or a stove.
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jud 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Truly wet wood will not burn: Two different perspectives I will mention on this criteria as there are always two sides to the Word, it being a double-edged sword. In the negative sense, water or wetness is associated with the flesh and our walking by that mindset. When we are still wet with that mindset, we have not been prepared for judgment and the Word of God is not yet burning up our old man and we remain carnal beasts.
On the other hand, when we are full of the Spirit, drenched in God’s rain which is His doctrines the fire does not harm us. Those raised in the first harvest of men (the second harvest of the three) will be the completed new man and have the fullness of the Spirit and hence there is nothing left to be hurt by the Lake of Fire has already been through that in this age.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The new man who stands on faith abides in the fire and is never hurt.
Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Fire generates heat which warms us physically and also warms us up spiritually and helps get us through the non-fruit producing seasons of life.
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Fire generates light in times of darkness to show us the path and bring others that need help to us.
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Mat 5:14 Ye (My disciples, the Body of Christ) are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Heb 1:7 And of the angels (messengers) he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Flame color indicates relative temperature: Generally speaking blue and white flames are the hottest which ties wonderfully to the symbolism of colors in Scripture. Blue symbolizes the things of God and the goal of our going through the fiery process now and in turn becoming a fire to save others.
Isa 10:17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day(the day of the Lord)
When the fire is truly intense there will be blue flames present. In the same vein, the goals of achieving the righteousness of Christ (white linen) is only found in the fire of judgment with white also being an indicator of a very hot flame.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
More air equals a faster burning and hotter fire: A poorly burning fire is usually solved quickly by giving it more air (oxygen). Our measure of faith (Rom 12:3) and infilling with the Spirit of God is all of the Lord’s determination. Only the Lord had the fullness of the Spirit in a clay body (Joh 3:34). Yet we can look forward to growing in our anointing as we mature abiding in the Holy City (The Body of Christ) waiting for the fullness to come (Rom 8:23).
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We should welcome the fire and seek it knowing it is what hastens the coming of the Lord within us more each day Lord willing (2Pe 3:11-13).
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
To keep our fires burning and grow in the power of God, we need spiritual air to tap into the power the Lord has given to His Christ (Joh 20:21)
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
A fire goes out when the wood is consumed: The fire of God is used for good to remake us into sons of God. Our God and Heavenly Father is inseparable from His Word which is consuming our wood (carnal mindedness) more each and every day
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
The wood won’t be gone fully until the clay vessels are gone. Hence we persevere.
Pro 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.
The priests of God in the making (Rev 5:10); we are the bearers of the Lord’s fire and work to keep that fire burning always in the temple of God which temple each we are.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
It is the Lord’s temple that the altar resides and where His fire will be forever burning. It has nothing to do with the lie of eternal hell.
Lev 6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
Lev 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
The residue of a wood fire is ash: Ash is a very fine dust particle that has many good uses. Physical ash is an unburnable mineral that is very useful in fertilizing gardens, trees and promoting new life. Interesting that ash is also used in making soaps that clean and purify us, controlling foul odors (landfills), and even deter and kill insects. All of this has great spiritual significance when we apply Romans 1:20 to what the Lord is doing with us in this age where judgment is now fallen (1Pe 4:17).
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (losing your life), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
I have even learned the hard way that ash retains its heat for a long time which in the Spirit is very positive in our ability to minister and help others when we are humble and our selfish lives have been burned up.
It is after our life is sacrificed, the wood has been burned that we are given new garment that is white as the ashes of wood burned in the fire.
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Fire is made up of many burning pieces of wood: It is difficult to light and keep burning a single piece of wood. But if one puts multiple pieces in building his fire, the fire will burn much longer and more consistently. This brings to mind the truth that the Body of Christ is being made into a spiritual fire right now in this age as the first to be judged.
Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
The cloud of many witnesses (Heb 12:1) and the infolding fire are one in the same description and vision of the Elect (Body of Christ) who are being made into saviours.
Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Oba 1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
As we come thru the fire, we become saviours who in turn will help save others including all mankind in the lake of fire.
Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.
It is the Body of Christ who will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment.
1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
We saw just some of the attributes of physical fire and how that reveals how the Lord is working things in the Spirit. One could take virtually anything in the physical world and deduce much about the ways of the Spirit. But they are going to need to be prepared of the Lord, we cannot give the gift.
Pro 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
I hope this study stirs your memory and recollection of these spiritual truths. As winter comes to those in the northern hemisphere, making a fire and watching the wood burn can become a time of reflection and examination of ourselves and all the good works the Lord is doing to the children of men.
Isa 66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Comments and questions are welcome. You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com