Praying Down the Fire

Northwest Bible Church – March 12, 2006 – Worship Service – Alan Conner

2 Chron. 6–7:1

Praying Down the Fire

INTRO

Once the temple was completed, the glory of God descended in a cloud and filled the temple. But after the glory cloud of God descended and filled the house of the Lord, Solomon now turns and addresses the people in and then offers a prayer of dedication. It is then that 2 Chron. 7:1 tells us that fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifices. As I mentioned last week, the cloud of glory reveals God’s presence, but the fire reveals God’s power, His activity among His people.

It was the ark placed in the Holy of Holies that brought down the cloud of God’s presence, but it was prayer that brought down the fire of God’s power.

This teaches an important lesson about the Christian life. Every believer has the presence of God, but we are not all living in the power of God. We have the cloud, but not the fire.

1. PRAYER THAT BRINGS DOWN GOD’S FIRE POWER (2 Chron. 6:12-42).

1. THE CHARACTER OF THIS PRAYER (6:12-19).

1) The posture of prayer (6:12-13).

2) The praise of prayer (6:14-15).

3) The petitions of prayer (6:16-42).

1. a) Keep your promises (6:16-17).

1. b) Hear our prayers (6:18-20).

(1) Immensity of God (v. 18) –

(2) Immanence of God (v. 19a) -

(3) Listen to our cry (6:19-21).

1. c) Forgive us when we sin (6:21-42).

                  (1) When a man sins against his neighbor (vv. 21-23).

                                                                        (2) When Israel is defeated before an enemy due to sin (vv. 24-25).

                                                                        (3) When our sin brings drought (vv. 26-27).

                                                                        (4) When various afflictions come due to sin (vv. 28-31).

                                                                        (5) When the Gentile prays (vv. 32-33).

                                                                        (6) When they go out to battle (vv. 34-35).

                                                                        (7) When they go into captivity due to sin (vv. 36-39).

1. d) Hear our prayers and remember Your covenant (6:40-42).

Then the fire of God falls from heaven and consumes the sacrifices (7:1). God’s answer in 7:12-15 shows that God is responding to this prayer for forgiveness of sins.

1. THE CONTROLLING THEME OF THIS PRAYER.

The theme that dominates this prayer that ignites the fire of God from heaven is the humble desire for God to hear the confession of their sin. This is what brings down the active presence of God, the fire of God’s power. We cannot overlook the importance of confessing sin for those who desire more of God’s power.

God delights to bless the repentant heart:

Is. 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. God’s fire of revival falls to the contrite of spirit, the repentant heart.

Psa. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Is. 66:2 “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

Examples:

CONCLUSION