Surrounded by a wall of Fire
Posted by appolus on June 25, 2009
Our God is a consuming fire. He seeks to set men ablaze with His love. He seeks to burn the chaff off men’s lives. He seeks to purify and refine and He does this through fire. This can only be achieved in men who have had their walls broken down. All of their own ambitions and hopes and dreams demolished by an all consuming God who shares His glory with no one.
SURROUNDED BY A WALL OF FIRE
Zec 2:4 And he said to him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited, as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle in her midst.
Zec 2:5 And I, says Jehovah, will be to her a wall of fire all around, and will be the glory in her midst.
At the particular time that this was written, Jerusalem was a city without a wall. She was naked and vulnerable, and open to attack. In those days, a city without a wall would be like an army without guns. Now , with broken down walls, God Himself would be a wall of fire to them. In these last days, the remnant people of God will be a people without walls. The conventional wisdom of the past will no longer apply. So, how does one attain a wall of fire around them? Not unlike the City of Jerusalem of that day, God’s remnant people will be a broken people, a vulnerable people, and a people without the traditional protection of the Church. They will seem lonely and isolated. Yet, when God brings this group of people together, He will be their wall. It will not be a wall that is built by human hands. Consider why Jerusalem was in such a position when the above Scripture was written. Their wall, built by human hands, had been breached, undermined, overcome, tore down and ultimately destroyed.
If we are God’s remnant people, we will be a people that has been breached, undermined, our brokenness will be apparent, we will seek God will all of our heart. In our brokenness, in our hunger and because of our driving thirst for the things of God and for His presence, we will seek Him with all of our hearts and we will become fully dependent upon Him. When we seek Him in this way, He will be found by us. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So, we will be a people without walls around our hearts. Walls are designed to contain, to keep out, to mark boundaries, to hide behind. We will not be a people who will be able to contain the things of God. As He pours out His latter rain upon us and it enlarges our capacity to receive, then we will freely give what has been given to us. We will love more and we will forgive more and we will do good to those who miss-treat us. And as we do all that, the world will hate us more and more. It’s ironic that the more love that will be poured out onto a dying and ever darkening world, the more that world will not receive us and in fact will hate us.
Luk 6:22 Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and when they shall reproach you and shall cast out your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.
We will also be a people that will be approachable. And the reason that we will be approachable is because we will be filled with the love of God. So, those who would be saved will be drawn to us and we would keep no one out of the Kingdom, we would that all men be saved. Despite what is happening to them, God’s remnant people will love the world because this is the heart of the Father and the Love of God burns in the hearts of His people. God’s remnant people will be a people without boundaries. There will be no “big names,” amongst the remnant people, only those who seek to glorify and lift up one name, the name of Jesus. So no one will be marking out their territory, they will be marking out His territory; they will be building His Kingdom for His purposes and His glory. And God’s people will not be hiding. They will be unashamed of the name of Jesus. In a world that is becoming more and more hostile to that name, they will lift it up all the higher.
When a man builds a Kingdom for himself he marks out his territory. When a man of God works for the Kingdom of God, he works without walls for he belongs to a kingdom yet to come. His kingdom is the kingdom of Jesus that exists within his heart and there must be no barriers between the Jesus that dwells in his heart and the people that he seeks to reach. Now, in ancient times, to be a city without a wall was to be a city that would easily be taken or destroyed. It would be almost impossible to defend such a city from attacks. Like these ancient cities, so like our hearts. People have walls around their hearts in order to protect themselves. Yet, the Christian must walk open-hearted and transparent to the world if the world is to see Jesus in them. Will that leave you vulnerable? Yes. Will you get hurt? Yes. Is there any other way? No.
Yet, you will not be destroyed for you have the promises of God that He would go before us, that Justice belongs to Him.
In Zechariah 2…..The Lord says “I the Lord will be a wall of fire all around her and I will be the glory in her midst.” You see, when we allow the Lord to be our defender then it is He who gets the Glory. He is glorified in our situations when we are dependent upon Him, when we seek not to defend ourselves but let Justice be His. He is a just God and He is able to defend His children.
The remnant Church will be called to be a church without walls, only then can we be salt and light to the nations. The established church has become an institution that lives almost entirely behind walls. While there may be much activity and noise going on, they are a people that is hidden and contained. Their walls denote their boundaries and of course they ever seek to enlarge their boundaries, increasing the length and height of their walls. The irony is that as these men’s kingdoms increase in size, they have an ever decreasing Spiritual impact on a dying world. There is no dual citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven. You are either seeking to increase His Kingdom, or you are seeking to increase yours, either corporately or personally, but you cannot do both. You cannot have your own walls and the wall of fire. The wall of fire is promised to those without walls.
Our God is a consuming fire. He seeks to set men ablaze with His love. He seeks to burn the chaff off men’s lives. He seeks to purify and refine and He does this through fire. This can only be achieved in men who have had their walls broken down. All of their own ambitions and hopes and dreams demolished by an all consuming God who shares His glory with no one. While men still rely on their own walls to promote or protect or to establish, they cannot have God’s fire in their life. To go to the world and truly represent God, one must walk through the fire that surrounds them, to come into that place of refuge, again we pass through the fires. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit to go to the world, the fire of the brazen alter to come back into His presence. What surrounds your heart, your church? Is it walls built by men or is it the fire of God?
A Call To The Remnant 
joycourville said
Thank you for sharing this, brother Frank. There is much to ponder here.
appolus said
Thanks for dropping by Joy.Let me know any results of your pondering :)……..Frank
timbob said
Good evening. I’ll have to make it a practice to routinely link to everything that you place here. This has been a recurring theme; not only for me but for several other bloggers as well. (This is good because it keeps me from wondering if I’m out of touch) The remnant church will be those who have abandoned all affection for this worlds system and they place no confidence in the establishments therein. They are small groups, gathered in the name of Jesus and he is in their midst. The Lord alone is their strong tower.
The following link is to a recounting of a vision that was posted on Steve Quayles site. While we cannot know for certain the authenticity of it, the content does fall in line with what may well face us in the days ahead. Two things struck me. One was the saints who were “hidden in plain site” as invading armed forces failed to see them. The other was the telling of saints who “arrived late” to these places of refuge. They “had business to attend to first.” Here’s the link:
http://www.stevequayle.com/News.alert/09_Prophetic/090622.last.roundup.html
I hope that works. if not, it’s also in a post on my blog entitled “The Last roundup.”
Thanks for another post that continues to bring clarity to the issue of this holy remnant that will maintain the testimony of Jesus in the midst of a perfect storm. Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
appolus said
HI Timbob,a couple of thoughts about the vision. First of, I believe that the true saints are hidden in plain site right now. There is an enemy that has tried to silence us. he has marginalized us, he has tried to gather us up in his religious sytems which have swallowed vasts a mounts of peoples whole. They have been fed by the things of the world which at first seems pleasent mut turns bitter as it progresses, eating away at the fat and tha marrow and the sinew and the muscle until only dry bones are left.
I do believe that we, the saints, will actually be rounded up for “hate speech,” and other pretenses. That is us being gathered into the valley of Acasias or Shittim. After that? We will be killed, perhaps us or perhaps some soon following generation. And then the martys under the altar will have been heard….
Rev 6:9 And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Until when, Master, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given to each one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little time, until both their fellow servants and their brothers (those about to be killed as they were ) should have their number made complete.
Would someone thik it a strange thing that people will be gathered up and killed , in big numbers, simply because of what they believe, and this in the West? How quickly we forget. Jewish people, rounded up by the millions from all over Europe, and shoveled into furnaces like so much trash, and all that a mere 60 years ago.
timbob said
Hello again. David Meyers newsletter this month told about a situation in San Diego where a pastor and his wife were taken in for questioning because of a bible study that they were holding in their home. The official charge was “unlawful use of land” and David gives a reference from where the report originated. (A local news report) Even though I know that such times are approaching, I must admit that upon reading this, I found it very hard to believe. When prophecy makes the transition from scripture into the realm of atoms, it can catch us by surprise.
Something else that I’ve been thinking and I would like your thoughts on it. I love the saints in my local fellowship. Yet there seems to be a lack of understanding as to the lateness of the hour. In other words, they’re sincere, but “status quo-ish.” I’ve thought of looking elsewhere, but anywhere that I visit is certain to have the same situation. The home church idea keeps gnawing at the back of my mind, but the logisitcs of such a thing are well hidden from me. Other than being a thought that I cannot shake, there’s absolutely no accompanying direction. As such, if and/or when such a thing is manifest, it will be “a thing done suddenly” and assembled by the Lord.
I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Without a doubt, the established “christianesque” empires are becoming hostile territory for anyone who has laid their all on the altar and desires only to serve the Lord Jesus. Such a level of dedication makes some folks uncomfortable. Well I’m rambling. It’s after 3:30am and our son Matthew has been awake for hours. Thanks for always offering up posts and comments that bring about serious cogitations.
Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
appolus said
Timbob writes…
“When prophecy makes the transition from scripture into the realm of atoms, it can catch us by surprise.”
This is very true. It is extremely difficult for anyone to get their heads around the supernatural. And when we see things coming to pass that has been foretold, then it is still difficult to put the pieces together and come up with the bigger picture. And of course, what the clouds the issue even more is the amount of groups that have come before who talked about “the end of the world,” and named the day and so on. So in general, the world thinks any talk of the end of all things is in the ralm of the whacko’s. And since the church is so much like the world, that attitude has filtered through, even if it is not always verbalized. I think the remnant church reacts to the coming Christ with excitement and anticipation. I think the religious folk just really get scared and angry at the thought of persecution which is why they depend so heavily on their politicians to “guarantee their rights,” which is sad because one catastrophic terrorist attack and not only will all those “rights,” be gone, they will be gladly given away. It has been said that if the people have to choose between anarchy and dictatorship, they will choose dictatorship every time. Ultimately, the remnant people understand that we have no rights on this planet, accept the right to follow God wherever He leads. We know that the freedom we have was wrought for us on the bloody battlfield of Calvary and that since Jesus gave us our freedom, then only He could take it away. We are free indeed because the Lord Jesus set us free. We will always be free to share the Gospel. Now, we may pay a price for doing so, but no government or lawas can stop us sharing the Gospel. We just have to be a people that cares more for our spiritual freedom than for our personal freedoms. If ot was personal freedom that was importnat, then the Apostles would never have shared because death was the end result for them and millions other. “They loved not their lives unto death.”
timbob said
I really wish that we were in the same geographical area. You made a statement here that really hit me. “if the people have to choose between anarchy and dictatorship, they will choose dictatorsahip every time.” What makes this hit home even more is that I’m currently reading through I Samuel and ysterday was in the place where the children of Israel desired a king. They literally pleaded to have a man rule over them; not only because Samuels sons were corrupt, but so that they could be like the other nations. (Interestingly, I don’t think there was much in the way of democracy in those days.)
There really is nothing new under the sun. Thanks for the interesting dialog. Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
appolus said
HI Timbob,
If we lived close by we would be a best friends 🙂 It seems to me that the remnant are a scattered people and that this is by design. It compells them to seek God first and foremost and establish this primary relationship before all else. Once that is established, then fellowship can begin. We must be able to find evrything we need in Him and Him alone, and then we will be truly ready for good fellowship when the Lord makes it so.
The most ironic thing, I believe, will be that when the people desire a dictator, when something really scary happens and all our “rights,” will be taken away, it will be because the people demanded it. And the most ironic thing of all will be that it will be the religious right who will lead in the call for dictarship because they too operate in fear.
That is why it is so important that all of our identity is found in HIm. Nationalism and patriotism will be used in the call for dictatorship. It will all be done in the guise of “securing our country.” And the people who are doing it will absolutly believe they are doing the right thing. If any of these comments scare people, then I would say that you need to get grounded in God. The knowledge that the end is coming,that these things may even happen in our lifetime, should not be the precursor for political action to try and stop any of this, one may as well try and stop the tide from coming in. This is not a fatalistic approach on my part, its simply an acknowledgemt of the teachings of Scripture. If indeed we are the generation that will see the culmination of humanity, that is a great priveledge…………Frank
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1stChurch said
Hi! I found myself here from following timbob’s breadcrumbs… Have enjoyed the dialog. The 1st paragraph grabbed me. It speaks to my life’s experiences perfectly.
“Our God is a consuming fire. He seeks to set men ablaze with His love. He seeks to burn the chaff off men’s lives. He seeks to purify and refine and He does this through fire. This can only be achieved in men who have had their walls broken down. All of their own ambitions and hopes and dreams demolished by an all consuming God who shares His glory with no one.”
I have been a believer for almost 50 years, but only in the last few have I begun to catch fire! I was broken in body, soul and spirit. Not broken because I was a bad person, broken because I was a good person. Then, God graciously chose to begin the process of rebuilding me in His image.
Today, I am consumed by His fire and never burned or smell of smoke!
appolus said
Hi , thanks for dropping by. You write
“Not broken because I was a bad person, broken because I was a good person. Then, God graciously chose to begin the process of rebuilding me in His image.”
Praise God for His work in your life. It is often so much more difficult to reach “good people,” typically because of the pride that goes along with our own righteousness. Ultimately, “good people,” are more of a threat to God’s people than the “bad.” Its the David and Saul syndrome, or the prodigal son and the brother syndrome. The more Christ like one becomes, the more that we walk in His presence, the more of an irritant we become to the “religious,” folks. Ultimately this irritability becomes anger which in turn becomes hatred……………………Frank
Christine said
“Not broken because I was a bad person, broken because I was a good person. Then, God graciously chose to begin the process of rebuilding me in His image.”
That is so true, before the Holy spirit started to stir me up, I felt I was a good christian (never did anything bad)but had settled & had become lukewarm without knowing it. We so often have to make choices about what we will do in certain situations, often we want to feel sorry for ourselves & the situations we are in. But then Paul talks about clothing ourselves, so I know it is part God at work in us & then we have to make the choice to clothe ourselves with Him. Christ in me the hope of glory.
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