The Healing Word with Rev Joe. Ikhine

How to Keep the Fire Burning on Your Altar

In a quiet village surrounded by dry fields and dusty roads, there lived a young man named Daniel. Every evening, while others hurried home after work, Daniel climbed a small hill behind his house carrying an old wooden stool and a worn-out Bible. That hill was his altar.

Years earlier, Daniel had encountered God in a powerful way during a difficult season of his life. He had been broken, confused, and nearly hopeless. But one night, while praying with tears, he felt the presence of God so strongly that everything changed. From that day forward, he promised himself that he would never allow the fire of God in his life to die.

At first, the fire burned strongly.

Daniel prayed for hours. He worshipped passionately. He fasted regularly. He woke up before sunrise just to spend time with God. People around him noticed a difference. His words carried peace. His prayers carried authority. Even his face seemed to shine with joy.

But as time passed, life became busy.

Business opportunities came. Responsibilities increased. Friends mocked his seriousness. Some told him, “You don’t have to pray that much anymore. God already knows your heart.”

Slowly, Daniel reduced his prayer time.

One missed morning became two. Worship became occasional. The Bible remained closed for days. The altar that once burned with fire slowly became cold ashes.

At first, he did not notice the difference.

But little by little, anger increased in his life. Temptations became stronger. Fear returned. His spiritual sensitivity disappeared. He could no longer hear God clearly like before.

One night, after a stressful day, Daniel climbed the hill again for the first time in many weeks. The place that once carried fire now felt empty. He knelt down and tried to pray, but no words came out.

Then suddenly, he remembered the story of the priests in the Old Testament. God had commanded them never to let the fire on the altar go out.

The problem was not that God stopped sending fire.

The problem was that someone stopped tending the altar.

Daniel wept bitterly that night.

He realized something powerful: fire does not remain automatically. It must be maintained intentionally.

The next morning, before the sun rose, Daniel returned to the altar again. This time, he came with fresh wood.

The wood was prayer.

He prayed even when he did not feel anything.

The wood was worship.

He sang songs to God in the middle of silence.

The wood was the Word of God.

He began reading the scriptures daily again.

The wood was obedience.

He stopped compromising with sin and distractions.

Day after day, week after week, something began to happen.

The fire slowly returned.

Not with noise at first, but with consistency.

His spiritual hunger came back. His peace returned. His discernment became sharper again. The same people who once mocked him now came asking for prayer and counsel.

One evening, while praying on the hill, Daniel felt the presence of God stronger than ever before. It was then he understood a mystery many believers miss:

Great fire does not come from one emotional moment.
It comes from daily sacrifice upon the altar.

An altar remains burning when it is fed continually.

Prayer keeps the altar alive.
Worship invites God’s presence.
The Word of God becomes fuel.
Holiness protects the fire.
Obedience sustains it.
Consistency strengthens it.

Many people want the fire of Elijah, but they do not want the discipline of maintaining the altar.

Fire falls suddenly.
But it is preserved daily.

And just like Daniel learned on that lonely hill, the secret is not merely starting the fire —
the secret is refusing to let it die.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

The Healing Word with Rev Joe. Ikhine

The Sovereignty of the Cross: He Laid It Down
Have you ever stopped to consider the sheer power behind the statement, "I lay down my life that I may take it again"?

There is a common misconception that Jesus was simply a victim of political circumstance or a martyr caught in the gears of a Roman execution machine. But the scriptures tell a much deeper, more profound story of divine authority.

1. It Wasn't Murder; It Was an Offering
While human hands carried out the crucifixion, they were not the ones in control. Jesus made it clear in John 10:18:

"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again."

Think about that. The hands that were nailed to the wood were the same hands that sculpted the stars. He didn't lose His life; He gave it.

2. The Owner of Life and Death
How do you kill the One who invented breath? How do you bury the One who is the Resurrection and the Life?

At the Garden of Gethsemane: With a single word, the soldiers fell to the ground.

Before Pilate: Jesus reminded him that he would have no power unless it were given from above.

On the Cross: He didn't wait for His body to fail; He cried out, "It is finished," and yielded His spirit.

3. Why Does This Matter?
If Jesus was "killed" against His will, He’s just another tragic figure in history. But because He laid down His life, He is the Savior.

He stepped into death not as a prisoner, but as an invading King. He went into the grave to hold the keys, to disarm the power of death, and to ensure that for those who believe, the grave is no longer a destination—it’s a doorway.

The Takeaway:
You serve a God who was never a victim. Every drop of blood was a deliberate act of love. He gave His life so that He could give you yours.

#Faith #Jesus #TheCross #Grace #TheResurrection #Victory

1 month ago | [YT] | 0