March 20, 2002
Devouring Fire
Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste – nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots, they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire, consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. Joel 2:3-5 (NIV)
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
2 Kings 2:11 (NIV)
And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked as saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.. 2 Kings 6:17 (NIV)
The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails and they had the power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon. Revelation 9:7-11 (NIV)
The war to end all wars and we don’t mean World War 1 or WWII or any such as that. When is the last time your eyes have been opened in the spirit to see the chariots of fire that surround you? These chariots of fire took Elijah to be with the Lord. The great and terrible day of the Lord is close at hand and on that day, these chariots of fire shall come to judge the earth and all its inhabitance. Before them, fire devours and behind them, the flames blaze. Elijah and Elisha both saw these chariots. These are not the same chariots as in the book of the Revelation, for the chariots seen by Elijah and Elisha were the chariots of the Lord and the ones spoken of in Revelation are the demons of satan who come to destroy the earth. In looking at these two passages, we can read them one of two ways, either the force in Joel is this same force as the one of satan or the force in Joel is the Lord’s army. Both armies come to do one thing, to bring about the judgment of God upon the earth and its inhabitants. Now, we are told that we shall endure trial as by fire and the stubble shall be burned away. Now, we can allow this to happen by humbling ourselves before the Lord, now, or we can endure the horrors of the judgment to come. The choice is ours.
Scripture makes it plain that those who do not live holy and upright lives shall not inherit the Kingdom and that sin shall never enter the Kingdom of God. What is your choice? Do you choose to be humble and to allow the Lord to work in you, or do you choose to endure the judgment to come. There is no middle ground. Come that day, you will be on one of two sides, the side of the Lord or the side of satan. Whose side do you choose? As for me, I choose the Lord. Ask the Lord this day to open the eyes of the spirit that you might see what Elijah and Elisha saw, the chariots that do surround us. We are protected by multitudes of heavenly hosts, if we love and serve the Lord Jesus. We are a fighting unit in training for that final battle. Do you wish to be one who is burned away, or one of the one who rides on the horses? This day of the Lord shall be a great day for those who are right in Jesus and it shall be a terrible day for those who are not. As for me, I choose Jesus!!
Father, it is so hard to put into words the things of the spirit, for this speech cannot convey your greatness. Lord, in Jesus name, I humble myself before you that I do not have to endure that great judgment that shall come upon this earth. Lord, you prepare me to ride in the army of the Lord in that great final battle. Father, in Jesus name, I praise you for showing that this day shall be a day of destruction and purifying. In Jesus name, make our hearts ready, pure and holy before you. In Jesus name, speed our growth, our training, and make us ready for the day to come, amen.
All rights reserved: Amy Seelbach
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