Fan Into Flame the Gift of God

By the grace of God, we receive the Holy Spirit at our conversion. By the power of God, His Spiritual presence now dwells within our souls. The flame is aglow, but it doesn’t end there. We have a responsibility to fan into flame the gift of God to keep it burning bright. 

Fan the Flame of the Holy Spirit- swirling flames on a black background

Fan the Flame Scripture

At the end of his life, the apostle Paul penned his last letters to his beloved Timothy. They had been traveling companions and Paul was a wonderful mentor to Timothy, calling him “my dear son.” (1 Timothy 1:2) He gives him advice and encouragement for the tough days of persecution that loomed in Timothy’s future.

2 Timothy 1:5-6

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” 

Paul’s words were meant to encourage Timothy’s faith and to tend to the spiritual gift God gave him; the special endowment of serving the church as a leader. (1 Timothy 4:14.) In both of his letters to Timothy, Paul encourages him many times to be bold, not shy away from confrontation and to stand up and be strong.

He encourages him with these instructions in his second letter:

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and of love and a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ nor of me his prisoner, but share with me in sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” 2 Timothy 1:7-9 NKJV.

Timothy may have been a bit timid, but he also faced great responsibilities in Ephesus. Whatever the reason, Timothy needed to be bold and Paul had the perfect answer.

Fanning the Flame

He strongly encouraged him to fan the flame, to help it grow, just as a small flame grows into a roaring fire.

The Greek word Paul used meant to rekindle, to “stir up” the inner fire within him. The goal was to keep his fire burning bright and strong. Timothy hadn’t lost his fire, but Paul gives him encouragement to keep his fire burning bright.

This encouragement holds true for us today.

As Christians, we can be most effective when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and exhibit His characteristics of power, love, and self-discipline (sound mind.)

We are in a holy partnership with Him- submitting to His will and empowered by Him to do His work. That includes being attentive and diligent in fanning the flame.

Paul gives us a warning about our personal responsibility:

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11

That spiritual fervor translates as “boiling hot.” Have you ever made candy or jam? You need to bring it to a full rolling boil- it’s sputtering and popping out of the pan with intensity!

That’s the spiritual fervor Jesus is looking for. We are to keep our Holy Spirit fire boiling hot no matter what is going on around us. We can’t let our circumstances or other people dampen our fire.

Bible Verses about the Holy Spirit

The fire of the Holy Spirit is a God’s gift, freely given and now present within us. It is God’s own Spirit, His promise kept. It is a Holy fire that sparks a spiritual passion to use our God-given gifts and talents.

John 14:16-17

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to help you and be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” 

Romans 8:9

“You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.” 

Ephesians 1:13

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” 

 2 Timothy 1:13-14

“What you have heard from me, keep as a pattern of the sound teaching that you have heard from me. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you- guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

Hold on tightly to the resources God has given us!

Bible study lessons- fan into flame the gift of God- white dove graphic on yellow /orange netting background
Pin me for later!

Fan the Flame of the Holy Spirit 

Is your fire new, a small steady flame? Or maybe you’ve let it burn down to coals. Just as with actual fire, our spiritual fire needs tending in able to burn bright.

1. Begin by adding some “tinder” to your flame or coals. It is the small dry stuff that catches fire quickly with just a small spark, helping to build a larger fire.

You might just need a bit of curiosity as your “tinder.” Sit in Jesus’s presence for a while. Ask Him what His plans are for you and the best ways to fan your personal flame. 

2. Next you need “kindling”- the small pieces of wood that catch fire from the tinder.

Add the kindling of God’s Word, little by little, as a solid base for your fire. Add on simple acts of kindness and express gratitude for His blessings. They can ignite our joy and faith. Offer worship and praise to raise the heat.

3. Now you’re ready to add the larger logs onto your flame. Grow your fire by growing in your relationship with Him. “Logs” of consistent Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and acts of service fan the flame of the Holy Spirit.

No two fires will ever be the same, and so it is with us. As we learn and grow throughout our lives, He reveals our different gifts to us by the Holy Spirit. He will guide you into His marvelous plans and show you what gifts He has given you for your season of life.

Resisting the Holy Spirit 

“Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19. 

Have you ever tried to keep a fire going using wet wood? It produces a fire with less heat and more smoke. Not only is it less efficient, but it can also be a hazard to your (spiritual) health.

Paul warns us about putting out the fire of the Holy Spirit in the same way.

We dampen the Spirit’s fire when we add the “wet wood” of indifference or busynessprioritizing other aspects of our lives. Our flame diminishes and choking smoke fills the surrounding air. That environment is not conducive to keeping our fire alive and burning bright.

The sin in our life can do the same. Unforgiveness, doubts, bitterness, fear, worry– whatever personal thought, word, or deed that goes against God is not the environment the flame of God thrives on.

The Holy Spirit aims to purify our lives– a lifelong process of transformation into His likeness. Fan the flame with the right fuel! Remain in His Word, seek His presence, and practice repentance.

Once you have a mature fire going, the flame burns hot and bright. You emit heat and light. Your base is full of glowing coals. Another way to tend your Holy Spirit fire is to light someone’s else’s log by adding it to yours.

Spiritual Gifts 

God gave us all different Spiritual gifts, so fueling the fires of others will not look the same.

Nevertheless, we can all start with the great commandment to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39.

Remember that boiling hot fervor Paul encouraged us to show? Imagine living out this verse in your world with the bright, passionate fire of the Holy Spirit to inspire and light the fires of others.

To rekindle, stir up, and fan the flame of the Holy Spirit takes intentional work. We can’t let “life” get in the way of seeking God and living for Him. Our enemy would love to quench our fire! Fanning the flame is not as demanding as it may seem.

On the contrary, once we commit to fueling our Holy Spirit fire, we love the warmth and light so much, we can’t help but to add to it.

Let’s be intentional in keeping our eyes on the things above. Let’s sit near the flame, soaking in His presence. With the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence, we are refined and purified. We can be the bold gift for God’s kingdom that Paul saw in Timothy.

We are each given gifts that match our personalities and God’s plan. They are already within us, whether or not we are using them. Paul compares the body of Christ with the human body. Each part has a different purpose but must work together.

“But in fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” 1 Corinthian 12:18.

You are here now, in this place and time that God lovingly planned; endowed with gifts to use for His Kingdom!

Fan your flame, keep it burning bright and strong, so that you would bring Him the glory, feel His joy in your life, and live through every trial and season with courage and strength.

Blessings!

AnnMarie

All Scripture is taken from the NIV unless specified otherwise.

Photo Credit: Canva

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top