THE BURNING BUSH
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that thought the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought "I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up."
God appoints Moses to lead the captives out of Egypt. Moses humbly replies with "who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelite s out of Egypt?" God says to him. I will be with you. Moses says to God, "suppose I go to the Israelite s, and say to them "The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they ask me "what is his name?" What shall I tell them?"
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM This is what you tell them." I AM has sent me to you. God also said to Moses, "say to the Israelite's, the Lord, the God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Issac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you."
"This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation."
Moses, who once fled his enemy because of fear, now returns to confront him-because the I AM is now with him. The more time Moses spent with God, the more confident he became. During the time when the Lord was giving the ten commandments to Moses, he was on the mountain of God for forty days and forty nights. When he came down from the mountain, his face was radiant and they were afraid to come near him.
As Moses grew in his relationship with the Lord, he was continually drawn to the fiery presence of I AM. So much that he became so hungry that he asked the Lord-"show me your glory." As if there was no glory in the miracles, the fire, even the presence of the Great I AM, yet he still wanted more of God.
Before Moses encountered the fire of God, he was ordinary, cold, and powerless on his own. After his "burning bush" encounter, everything changed!
Moses said, "if your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all other people on the face of the earth?"
Without the presence of God, we can not become free nor can we set anyone else free. Without the baptism of fire, freedom ministry doesn't even begin. It's like going to war without any ammunition. The enemy will look at you and laugh because without ammo, he can take you, but...he will run from a holy vessel that is filled with the fire of God, because it will consume every enemy.
The ministry of Jesus Christ began after his baptism in the Holy Spirit.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, his promised 'Spirit of truth' showed up on the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:2 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound, from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 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 and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
The church began to grow as a result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
Once you've encountered the fire of the Holy Spirit, the fire of His presence, and the fiery gaze of his eyes, you'll never be the same. Once you surrender your will for his and allow him to purge you and burn up all the junk, as you offer yourself upon his altar, you will become a "burning bush" for his glory.
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