We have seen from John 21: 1-15 that through the net of the Gospel preaching, we sinners were brought
out of the world to live a life of total separation from its ways. Then we are taken through the fire of
suffering to be able to feed the people of God. The next fire is,
THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:3,4). "...Who maketh his...ministers a flame of fire" (Heb.1:
7).

We know that fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit plays a major and an important part in
the spiritual growth of the saints, and God wants His servants themselves to become flames of fire. It
means that the power of the Holy Spirit, like fire, must be manifested in the life and ministry of His
servants. When God's ministers become flames of fire, and the power of the Holy Ghost, like fire, is
released through them, their ministry brings cleansing and warmth in the lives of those who listen, and
God uses it for their spiritual growth.

John Sung, the well-known Chinese evangelist, was called "Flame", because of the power of the Holy
Ghost manifested in his ministry, which brought awakening and revival in many countries of South East
Asia. Alas! Many times the ministry of God's servants is not in the power of the Holy Ghost. As a result,
it only increases the Bible knowledge of God's children, without touching their spiritual inward life. That
is why, even after many years of ministry, there is no growth or maturity evident in the saints. On the
other hand, many believers do not allow the Spirit of God to work in their lives even though the Word is
presented in the power of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord remove both these defects and raise up ministers
who will become "flames of fire", -presenting the Word in the power of the Holy Ghost; and may He also
prepare the hearts of the hearers to receive that ministry which is released in the power and fire of the
Holy Ghost. Such ministry will bring spiritual growth and maturity among the believers.

BRINGING THE FISHES TO THE LORD

"Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No Jesus saith unto them,
Bring of the fish which ye have now caught" (John 21: 5, 10).
The Lord asked His disciples if they had any food to give Him, but they had nothing. How many
believers are there who are full of anger, wrath, bitterness, jealousy, strife and evil -speaking! Can such
things satisfy the Lord? How many believers, husbands and wives, quarrel among themselves, and have
no peace at home! Can this give satisfaction to the Lord? How many believers are unfaithful to the Word
of God in their business, and make money by unscriptural dealings! They have nothing that can give
satisfaction to the Lord. How many carnal Christians have fleshly desires! The Lord does not get any
pleasure from their lives. How many saints live inconsistent lives in their schools, colleges, hospitals and
offices, and do things, which are not pleasing to the Lord! Many servants of God labour hard in serving
Him, like Peter toiling the whole night. But they serve the Lord with fleshly zeal, and not in the power of
the Holy Spirit, nor in the perfect will of God and hence give no satisfaction to Him. The Lord is asking
you the same question that He asked His disciples, "Children, have ye any meat?" If the Lord shows you
your weaknesses, shortcomings, failures and sins, confess them frankly, immediately and fully, "0 Lord! I
have failed Thee in many matters. My walk, talk, family life, business life, behaviour in school or
college, have not given Thee full satisfaction". He will then cleanse you, and if you are prepared to go
through the different experiences, of fire, your life and ministry will be such as can satisfy the Lord.

FISH FOR THE LORD

"As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught" (John 21: 9,10). Oh dear brothers and
sisters, it is only those believers who have been through the fires of suffering and cleansing by the Holy
Ghost that can fully satisfy the Lord. Isaiah prophesied concerning the Lord: "He shall see of the travail
of his soul, and shall be satisfied" -(lsa.53: 11).

FISH FOR THE DISCIPLES

"Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise"(John 21: 13). First of all, our
lives and ministry should- satisfy the longing heart of the Lord. Then it should satisfy the believers. How
often the lives and ministry of God's servants do not satisfy the saints! Paul said to the elders of the
church in Ephesus, "...feed the church of God" (Acts 20:28).
The fish was first roasted, then the Lord took them and gave them to the disciples for the satisfaction of
their hunger. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled"(Matt.5: 6). Like the roasted fish you should first be made fit by the hands of God to feed His
people. Then, even as the fish was taken, broken and distributed by the Lord, so must you yield yourself
completely into His hands, so that He can use you to feed His people. Then they will be satisfied and
edified through your yielded life and ministry.

FISH FOR THE MULTITUDES

"...and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples,
Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost" (John 6: 11, 12). First you see the fish
satisfying the Lord, then satisfying the disciples, and finally satisfying the hunger of the multitudes. May
the Lord lead you through the experiences of deliverance, separation and fire, and make your life and
ministry satisfying to the Lord to feed His people, and also become a means of bringing true satisfaction
to many perishing souls.

SPIRITUAL WEAPONS -3
BAKHT SINGH

Many believers enjoy Bible Study, but they do not claim God's promises for their daily need. They
depend upon their own will power. We can claim God's promises for safety and protection to defeat the
enemy. We have to hold on to all the precious promises given to us to encourage us. Then we can see
God working in our midst according to His faithfulness, fulfilling the promises, which are given to us
during our quiet time or through the messages of God's servants. First of all, in Acts 4:23-31 we see how
the early believers lifted up their voices to God. They believed in the greatness of God and claimed the
promises, which God gave to David. "Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the
heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?" (Acts 4:25). They believed that all that had happened
was in fulfillment of the promises, and so they prayed, "Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy
servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word" (v.29). They did no wish their enemies any
harm, but wanted the Lord to give them boldness before the people to preach Christ.

When people oppose
us, we need not think of taking revenge but claim boldness for the message to be given.
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you" (1Thess.5: 16-18). These three verses go together. Pray without ceasing means
pray for every matter with burden not occasionally but always. We do not pray sufficiently but casually,
and that too on special occasions. Here it says, "Pray without ceasing", pray always, even for small
matters. Before giving the word we can pray, "Now Lord, help me, touch my tongue, throat and lips". In
an unconscious way we find our hearts crying to God even for small things.
The sixth weapon we find in Acts 12:5. "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without
ceasing of the church unto God for him". Agonising prayer is the sixth spiritual weapon. No1 just
occasional prayer but travailing in prayer with burden. There are times when we have to pray with agony
in our hearts, for those who are suffering, through sickness or by any other means. In Acts 12 it was a
wonderful prayer meeting. They were really travailing. Similarly, we read in Acts 13:2, "As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto I have called them". They prayed together to find God's perfect will or plan for them for the
future ministry. It was a very important matter. They prayed through till God spoke definitely. We do not
know how long they prayed, but God said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul". We must agonise in prayer
till we hear the voice of God for our personal matters as well as for ministry.

Seventhly, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and prisoners heard
them" (Acts16:25). They prayed by singing praises. They took no notice of the suffering they were going
through, even though they were beaten, scourged and thrown into prison. "And the multitude rose up
together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when
they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely"
(Acts16: 22-23). Without any fault they were beaten, their clothes were torn and their feet were made fast
in stocks. In their agony, they did not wish their persecutors any harm or wrath of God. They began to
sing praises and claimed salvation for those in the prison, including the jailor. They prayed for those who
beat them and falsely accused them and that is how the Lord shook the prison and worked mightily in
that area. They believed God had allowed that suffering in their lives to accomplish the work of salvation
in the prison. Instead of praying for the wrath of God to fall upon their enemies they prayed for their
salvation.

The Devil may use any weapon against us, but the Lord Jesus Christ will defeat all his weapons. We as
God' servants have to be extremely sensitive to all the devices of the enemy which he will use in the end
days. It is to bring spiritual poverty among God's people and spiritual weakness among God's servants to
prevent them from taking their full share in the inheritance of the saints in light. It is only by learning to
use all spiritual weapons of warfare effectively that we can defeat the enemy fully.