Message: A BURNING AND A SHINING LIGHT
Ministering: Pastor Dr. Raf Otono
Date: 16th April 2023
Text: Phil 2:13-15, John 5:35
Allow me to start this glorious afternoon by emphatically stating that burning and shining aren’t the same!
Not every light is a burning and a shining light, some are dim, cool and dull. Until your light is burning and shining, others can’t see and rejoice in it.
Listen: You are already the light of the world, Matt 5:14 Jesus said that, but for shining that’s on you – Matt 5:16 – Let your light so shine – that means even though you are a light the responsibility of shining has been given to you. – Isa 60:1 Arise, shine – No rising, no shining!
Today, decide to arise and be a burning and a shining light!
So, like I said burning and shining aren’t the same!
To burn in this context, is to set ablaze from within while to shine is to emit that which is within from outside for others to see.
To burn from within speaks of passion and the intensity of the fire of God you carry
To shine speaks of illumination and transfiguration – ie, how much of God’s light you have encountered begins to manifest for others to see – Luke 9:29
Listen: God does not want you to be just light, He wants you to be a burning shining Light!
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A BURNING AND A SHINING LIGHT?
- To be a burning and a shining light is to continuously, consistently and perpetually burn and remain on fire for God for the world to see – Lev 6:13
- To be a burning and a shining light is to be passionately passionate and fervent in the spirit as it concerns the things of God – Rom 12:11-12 – No Fluctuation! No up and down moment! – Hot, today – cold tomorrow!
- To be a burning and a shining light is to unapologetically carry God’s fire in your bones even in the midst of reproach and mockery – Jer 20:9 (You are perpetually high on the Holy Ghost) Daily dose of Holigomaquin!
- To be a burning and shining light is to become an ambassador of the kingdom of light on earth and an agent of change- Isa 42:6-7, Acts 13:47
Aya! This is our mandate! These are the scriptures that gave birth to this commission, VGC
I stand on the wings of these scriptures and I declare over your lives – your light must shine!
I prophesy, as an apostle of Light – anyone under the sound of my voice trapped in any form of darkness you are FREE! Your eyes are opened!
Anyone locked in a satanic spiritual prison – by the force of Light – you are coming out!
Every satanic cage and prison that has held you bound, today they are broken!
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall, I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for God is with me
And if God be for me, who can be against me?
He is the same yesterday; He is the same today, He is the same forever
He said let there be light and there was light
He wraps Himself in light as of with a garment
He shineth in darkness and darkness couldn’t comprehend
He is my light! My salvation! My law giver! My way maker! My refuge! My fortress! My Strong tower! My Helper! My Deliverer!
SOMEBODY HOLLA – I AM A BURNING AND A SHINING LIGHT!
To be a burning and a shining light is to display and showcase the fire of God you carry on the inside for the world to see
Listen: If you can burn enough on the inside – you must shine on the outside!
If you can maintain the burning fire inside then nothing can stop you from shining outside continuously.
The reason why many stopped shining is because they stopped burning on the inside! You cannot shine permanently until you burn perpetually!
The duration of your BURNING determines the duration of your SHINING!
John the Baptist was a shining & a burning light!
What a description from Jesus Himself! – Can God say that about you right now?
Why was John a burning light? – Because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Elijah was/is the custodian of fire. Luke 1:17, Matt 3:4, 2 Kings 1:8
He was a shining light – Because he operated in the frequency of Jesus’s light as the light of the world – John 8:12
We need both!
To burn is to carry fire –
Elijah is the custodian of fire – He commanded fire to a point that he didn’t die and went to heaven in a chariot of fire!
HOW DO I ACTIVATE THIS FIRE TO BURN & SHINE PERPETUALLY?
- DWELL IN HIS PRESENCE – 1 Kings 17:1 – (Before God whom I stand) Ps 91:1
The Hebrew word for Dwell is Yashab and it means To sit down, To settle in and To remain there
The Hebrew word for Secret place is Sether and it means A covering or hiding place
So that scripture actually means – He that settles in the covering of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. That means you disappear inside God’s presence! and guess what? He is the Father of lights!
The problem is that:
- Some of us only visit His presence when there is a problem
- Some of us only go there when they feel rejected and downcast
- Some of us only go there when they need money
- Some of us only come when there is a baby dedication like this
- And some of us only go there when our fire is low to charge up BUT there are those that dwell there perpetually! – (sing Pour Yourself on me Jehovah)
That’s what Elijah was saying- Before God whom I stand, not whom I visited, not whom I occasionally call on but whom I stand! That means I live there!
Listen: When you maintain a permanent stand in the presence of the consuming fire – you must contact the His fire and burn
You cannot Dwell in the presence of the consuming fire and not contact permanent fire
Whoever you spend most of your time with determines what you contact and carry
HOW DO I SPEND TIME & DWELL IN HIS PRESENCE?
- Maintain a constant atmosphere of Worship – Rev 4:5-11
Every time you worship in truth and spirit you create an atmosphere and join the 24 elders & 4 living creatures in His Presence
- Mountain top/wilderness experience (Separation) – Matt 3:1-3, 2 Kings 1:9
John the Baptist and Elijah lived a separated life at the wilderness and mountain top
Jesus maintained unbridled fellowship with the Father by always separating Himself from men
- A PERPETUAL LIFE OF PRAYER – Luke 18:1
- John was a man of prayer – Luke 11:1
- Elijah was a man of prayer – James 5:17
- Jesus was a man of prayer – Luke 18:1
- The apostles were praying when the fire fell – Acts 2:1-4
You cannot spend time with God in prayer and not shine! – Luke 9:29
No prayer, no fire! No prayer, no shining! – RISE ON YOUR FEET!
Prayer:
Father, as I pray – make me a burning and a shining light in the name of Jesus
- ALTAR CALL!!
