Do not put out the fire

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire." 1 Thessalonians 5:19 ISV

The standard running rule of increasing distance by no more than ten percent each week is a guideline I strongly encourage all of the runners I coach to follow. And it's not because I want to hold them back from their dream to be able to run farther but to keep them from getting injured. So when one of the ladies in the Thursday night running group I'm blessed to teach at our local health department went from doing her longest run ever of three miles to four miles within a matter of days, I had to remind her to slow down. "You're right about doing too much," she later said. "I'm feeling it. But I was having a Rocky moment."

And you know, while many times you and I might have to sprinkle a little water on someone's fire, or enthusiasm, to keep them from getting hurt, we should never extinguish someone's passion to serve the Lord. You see, when a person has been given a dream or a divine assignment by the Holy Spirit and is on fire to complete it, you and I can sometimes smother that flame by casting doubt, fear or any other negative emotion as to why that person might not be worthy of the task or capable of accomplishing it. 

So today, let us be people on fire for Jesus - people that "do not put out the Spirit's fire" either in our own lives or in the lives of others. But let us be people that heed the Spirit's prompting, encouraging others to do the same. Let us be people who fan the flames rather than put them out!

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us your Spirit so that your will would be made known. Help us to be people that listen for that instruction and then act upon it, encouraging others to do the same. And no matter how impossible the calling You have placed on our lives or the lives of others might seem, help us to remember that Your power in us can accomplish anything. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Impossible - Building 429

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zegqjuz4Cro