Shirer was among 50 other Christian leaders, musicians, speakers, and pastors who participated in a 10-hour livestream event called “Leader Check In” hosted by PULSE and Year of the Bible founder Nick Hall on Wednesday. During her segment, she preached from 1 Kings 18:21, 23 and 24.

“I’ve been thinking about something this morning, just in preparation for the opportunity to share today with everybody who would be gathered in this particular week when we’re heading into Easter when we are celebrating the sacrifice of our Lord. With the power of our Lord that He got up out of the grave, that He still lives, ever making intercession for us, ever the mediator that bridges the gap between us and the Father. So the thoughts that have been on my mind have been in and around Elijah, one of the premier Old Testament prophets,” Shirer said.

The daughter of Dallas megachurch pastor Tony Evans taught from Elijah’s example when he proved that His God, not Baal, was the one true God. She said Elijah understood that as believers we are to provide the sacrifice and God is who provides the fire. 

“We’re supposed to do our part but not step into the margin — that’s supposed to be God’s part,” Shirer explained. “It’s the Spirit’s part to light the fire, the anointing, the favor that will be required for every single one of our churches’ streams to be effective in the lives of people. That they reach all over the globe on this coming Sunday, when for the first time, definitely in my lifetime, maybe in history, that as many people have been reached on Easter Sunday as will be reached this Easter. 

She said Easter won’t just be a “good production” or “good technology,” but it will be a service that will have to “impact the souls of human beings.”

“What that means is, is that it’s gonna have some fire on it. And it can’t be a fire that we have manufactured in our own humanity. Emotionalism is not gonna cut it, promotion is not going to cut it,” Shirer continued. “All the gimmicks and the stories and the emotionalism, the veneer of actually having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

“The charisma, the talent, all that stuff that may have been able to carry us in front of a crowd, now that we’ve been stripped down, one of the things that I believe the Lord is inviting us back to is this reminder that we’re supposed to present ourselves, a living sacrifice to Him. That we give Him our best. That we study to show ourselves approved, that we walk in integrity, and in characters as leaders in the body of Christ. That we continue to cultivate an actual real-life friendship with God that doesn’t need an audience to sustain it.”

The Texas native whose mother recently died of cancer said this fire is only cultivated behind closed doors during one’s personal time with God.

Shirer emphasized that during one-on-one time with God is when everyone gets the ability to “resist the urge to do what we humans have a hard time resisting the urge to do. We refuse to manufacture our own fire. We refuse to try to set a flame for the part of our ministry that is supposed to be reserved for God and God alone.”

“Only He can make the heart of a human be penetrated by the message of the Good News. Only the Holy Spirit can open blind spiritual eyes so that they can actually come to know, this Easter, that it’s not about emotionalism, and it’s not about the gimmicks and it’s not about the fog machines and the spotlights and the HD screens in our churches. It’s not about the cappuccino maker that we might have in a cafe nearby. It’s not about the kids’ ministry or the great parking lot, and all the things that we can enjoy,” she added.

“There’s no problem with enjoying any of those things. But unfortunately, we can become dependent upon them. Until we don’t even recognize the fact that we’re not even depending on God to light the fire anymore because we’ve gotten so used to the crutches of our conveniences.”

She stressed that God’s Holy Fire and how He offers that to His believers is what separates Christianity from every other “so-called faith on the face of the Earth.” 

Shirer also celebrated the fact that Christians can talk to God and because of Jesus, He hears.

“Because of His Word, and because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and revelation from God’s Spirit, I can hear the voice of God. That means that our God is alive,” Shirer declared. “If we really believe that, if we really believe that this is not just some fairy tale that we’ve been spouting, but we actually for real believe that our God lives, then that means we will step back from trying to go into the margin that’s supposed to be reserved for Him. We will trust Him to light the fire. 

“Please know that if you see that gap that exists where you’ve done the best you can, and now you recognize that unless God comes through this ain’t gonna go so well. Trust me that gap is supposed to exist. God allows it. He asks us to trust Him with that margin. Because as the Apostle Paul would say, come the New Testament, it is in that gap, that weakness, that His strength is made perfect. 

She ended by encouraging leaders worldwide that as the “Lord has stripped all of us down” to not try and “manufacture what He is now inviting you to let Him light an ignite in your life.”

“By the way, can I just say, just in case you’re wondering what that fire represents. It is the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Now more than ever, y’all will need a relationship with the Holy Spirit of God,” Shirer concluded.

If you have never nurtured a fervent and consistent relationship with the Spirit of God, I’m telling you now is the time.” 

Leader Check-In was a joint initiative of Pulse and Year of the Bible and happened in partnership with thousands of churches and organizations worldwide. Every speaker volunteered their time to give a word from God to a hurting world.

Source: christianpost.com

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The Great Chasm

As a student in Bible college and seminary, I was given tools, “rightly handling the word of truth,” (2 Tim. 2:15). Bible study methods and the art of studying Scripture were taught by great professors and scholars. However, I had a hard time combining what the Holy Spirit said in the Bible and what He is saying in the present through spiritual gifts and in my personal time spent with Him.

Most literature said we could not combine both for fear of taking Scripture out of context. There seemed to be a great chasm between studying the Scripture and the present work of the Holy Spirit. Many Spirit-filled denominations and associations are guilty of teaching this disconnect, confusing their ministers in training.

But that is far from the truth. We need both the Spirit and Scripture. Through ongoing study and revelation, I learned that the wonderful Holy Spirit is still speaking through Scripture. The great chasm can be bridged. Not only has He spoken as recorded in Scripture, but He is speaking. Continually revealing Himself to us through the Bible and through present circumstances.

Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Many people tend to think this only refers to hearing the preaching of the gospel. But it actually refers to preaching and prophesying. It includes the written Word of the past but also the Spirit-empowered spoken word of the present. And what He is saying to us personally, to our churches and movements, will not contradict what He has said in the Bible.

Jesus, the Living Word of God

Our time reading the Bible should be exciting and adventurous. Studying is a treasure hunt and personal encounter with Him. Reading and studying the Bible should be a real encounter with Jesus, the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart. There is no creature that is not revealed in His sight, for all things are bare and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” I thank God we have the written word of Scripture pointing to Jesus. And we should approach our daily study of Scripture as personally encountering our Savior through the Holy Spirit.

The Simple Question

The wonderful Holy Spirit must be included in our study of Scripture. He is the best teacher (Neh. 9:20, John 14:26, 1 John 2:27). Fellowshipping with Him enhances our understanding of the Bible. Increasing our faith as we continue growing in friendship and community with Him and one another.

This week in your Bible study, please continue your observations, interpreting and applying what you’ve read. But add one simple question to your study. Ask the Holy Spirit directly: “What are you showing me through this Scripture, Holy Spirit?” Then wait on Him, writing down what He says to you.

Author: Jared Laskey, GOD TV

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