"Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." (2 Timothy 1:6)
We believers are told to fan the flame that God has placed in us. We are told to stir up the gift that is placed in us so we can serve the Lord with all our might. When we do that, we will be able to do so much more for the Lord in His Kingdom.
That said, how do we fan that flame? How do we cause it to grow larger and larger that it gets to bring warmth to many who are getting cold?
Fanning the flame
In the verse indicated at the top of this article, we read that the apostle Paul was reminding Timothy of something very important: stirring up the gift of God in him. Many Christians do this the wrong way, simply because they don't know how to.
Some Christians think it's through some sort of emotional (even mystical) event where everyone cries while the minister is praying for them or speaking some declarations over them. While God does bring us to tears sometimes when He ministers to us, crying (and many other emotional expressions) is not a sure sign that a flame is being fanned.
Some others think it's by joining a group of passionate Christians. While that may be helpful indeed, some Christians who don't know or understand God's individual plan for them yet will end up carrying someone else's flame.
To help us understand what it takes to fan the flame, let's look at what is needed to make a fire:
1) Fuel - God's word
First, we'll need something to burn. If we want to keep God's flames burning bright inside of us, we'll need His word to keep it burning. Why God's word?
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
The Lord Jesus Himself said that only those things that the Father shows or tells Him to do are the things that He does:
"Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19)
If Jesus is like that, then we should be like that too.
2) Heat - God's love
Next, we'll need heat to burn the fuel. For this, we need the love of God and His compassion for everyone. We can have the gifts but if we don't have God's love, these gifts won't be used for His purposes.1 Corinthians 13:1-3 tells us,
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."
3) Oxygen - God's Holy Spirit
Lastly, we'll need an oxidizer or ambient air to allow the heat to burn the fuel. Without this component, fire will be extinguished. For this, we'll need the Spirit of God to allow us to grow in faith and love. The enemy strives to extinguish the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, because he knows that if the Spirit of God succeeds in doing His work in us, we will be very fruitful for the Lord's purposes.
So why do we need the Holy Spirit to fan the flames that God has placed in us? It's because these gifts are from Him.
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
God's Spirit is there to allow us to live the Christian life successfully. Without Him, we won't make it:
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." (see Zechariah 4:6)
In closing
Friends, let us fan the flame that God has placed in us. It's His gift, but it's our responsibility to make it grow with His help.
