Spirit and Fire and Boiling Hot, Divine Love

This is the most effective, the most necessary thing of all. It is precisely what is always lacking. Without it, there is little or nothing at all that can be of help.

The opposite of this love is: indolence, lethargy, indifference, slackness, negligence, laziness, and lukewarmness.

From Jesus’ message to the church’s leader in Laodicea (Rev. 3:15-16), we learn that it is better to be cold (unconverted) than lukewarm (have a few degrees of warmth). Jesus will spew such people out of His mouth; He is disgusted by every lukewarm brother or sister! The word which is here translated “warm” (or hot), means, according to a Greek-German and a Greek-English dictionary: boiling (and not only warm or hot).

Dear brother and sister, wake up to utter seriousness before it is too late! The foolish (lukewarm) virgins came too late! They made it right up to the door, but they were not allowed in!!!

As soon as possible—which is today—be filled with the Holy Spirit and fire, be filled with this fervent, boiling hot reciprocal love for Jesus and for the brothers and sisters in the Lord, as well as for all people!

So that we do not live in a vain delusion, Jesus has informed us perfectly, plainly, simply, and clearly about what it means to love Him. “If anyone loves Me, he keeps My word.” Period!!! He does not say, “Would like to keep My word, is trying to keep My word,” but “keeps My word.” “He who does not love Me does not keep My words.” “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” This means everything He has commanded His disciples!

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” John 14:15, 21, 23. The others only say they love Him, but according to Jesus’ own words, this is simply not true!!!

The very first thing we must do is accept Jesus’ words concerning this most serious matter. Next, we must be radically converted from our disgusting and shameful lukewarmness! Spirit and fire! Fervent, boiling hot love! That is the solution! Then things will go ahead like a house on fire, and there will be progress on the narrow way of life!!!

For example, in practical terms this means—among very many other things—that we always overcome everything that is sin; that we humble ourselves; that we gladly associate with the humble; that we are completely free from money and everything that is earthly; that we are content instead of giving in to the lust to buy, and to greed; that we gladly suffer an injustice and the loss of everything that is earthly; that we rejoice always and are always of good courage; that we have good control over our tongue; that we are always thankful and satisfied; that we are always willing to serve and are fired up to get going in everything good that comes our way; that we are quick to pray out loud, to give thanks and praise, and to give our testimony at the meetings so that it flows along (as it were) in oil—which, of course, it then does; that we jump up like a rubber ball, or a rocket, and give a clear sound on the trumpet; that we are finished with all fumbling and mumbling; that we are quick, fast, and swift in everything we do, at home and away from home, at the meetings and in between meetings; that we exploit the golden opportunities to do all manner of good things, even to the point of being “as quick as lightning.”

I once had a superior in the navy who used an expression during the daily practice runs that was quite invigorating. He said, “Be as quick as greased lightning!” The speed of lightning is of course amazingly fast. However, the thought behind it was that if the lightning bolt was greased, its speed would be even greater.

When we consider the matter soberly, the point of all this is that when we are filled with the love of Christ, then and only then will our speed and swiftness increase incredibly, even much more than we can understand or suspect when we are in our lukewarm state!!!

Therefore: full speed away from this pitiable state of stagnation. Raise the flag of Christianity to the very top, instead of letting it flap at half-mast!

It is vital that we have the same perception that Jesus had: being a lukewarm Christian is something disgusting.