Not Consumed

For the Lord, your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. – Deuteronomy 4:24

By definition, the word 'consume' means to 'use up.' While this word is most often heard when talking about eating a meal, consuming groceries or logs that are ‘used up’ in a fire- Sometimes, we ourselves can feel as though we are used up- overtaken and consumed. –Along with all of our time and resources that we have available.

This can be a result of internal emotions, like depression, exhaustion, shame, insecurity. –You know the stories that we tell ourselves and things that we rehash. But it can also be caused by a job, an issue, or a relationship.

In fact, even things we love, like hobbies, church, or other Godly activities can drain us, if we get them out of order or allow them to have more power over us than God.

This can be tricky because good things, important things, can get out of whack. For example:

God should come before everything. Many of us go to church and even help run it in order to partake in the lessons and fellowship that strengthens our faith.

Relationships are important. Otherwise a good “love walk” wouldn’t be written in the commandments.

Work is important too. I mean, you do need an income in order to consume other basic necessities, right?

So where do you draw the line? How do you know when things have crossed over? Well consider these next few items and think of your current situation. Could any of them be said about you?

*You're up at night, full of anxiety, fear, stress or worry?

*You cannot rest and your health is suffering because this thing keeps you ‘on.'

*You don’t have time for reading your Bible, going for a walk or enjoying something little or new is just a luxury.

*You don’t even offer to help others because your time is tied up or you’re too afraid that your contribution wouldn’t be enough.

*Perhaps normal ‘interruptions’ from your family frustrate you because you are trying to work on or look at this thing.

*You can’t even begin to plan ahead or even think of anything else because [it] always has ‘one more thing’ that needs to be taken care of first…

*What about being a martyr? Are you the only one that can do something when it comes to [it]?

*Or survival mode. You are literally just trying to get through each day.
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Boy, those are some hard statements aren’t they?  - I can safely list each of these because I have been in every single one of them. –And learning it once or discovering this about yourself in an area doesn’t inoculate you from getting stuck there again somewhere else.

So, if any part of this has picked a scab for you, I pray that you hang in there and hear my heart. –Because I have to tell you this is not the path of walking in victory.

Exodus 20:3 is part of the 10 commandments that reads ‘that you shall have no other Gods before me.’

So, if everything in your life has to bow to this thing before anything else can be taken care of, then you might have an idol or a stronghold on your hands. If we’re 'consumed' and all used up by something other than God, His purpose, His plans, or His love for others. -That's not just a problem, it’s a sin.
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The funny thing is, when it's God consuming us, we are inspired and strengthened. Isaiah 40:31 says "but those who hope in the LORD will RENEW their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and NOT grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Even Psalm 40 is a passage called “God Sustains His Servant’. I encourage you to read it.

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I can’t help but find the timing for this message to be perfect. This week, on March 1^st, marks the first day of the Lenten season. Lent represents the 40 days between Jesus’s baptism and then going into Galilea. He was in the desert, fasting and prayerfully seeking God, but he was also tempted by the devil.

Many believers of various denominations will choose to fast from something themselves, each day during this time. As an effort to draw closer to the Lord and remember His sacrifice for us.

You can read more about Lent on the Upperroom but let's look at Matthew 4 together.

¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil.² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[c]”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. 

Here are some of the things that stand out to me from that passage.

·       *Fasting doesn’t keep you from getting tempted (v2)

·       *The devil looks for those who are tired and weary. (v2)

·       *The devil uses scripture (v6)

·       *Each time that Jesus was tempted, He made it a point to recall the word of God too.  –And he was part God. (v4,7,10)

·       *Angels came to assist when he resisted. (v11)

Like Jesus, we have a holy spirit who is with us.

Psalm 34:7 says that The Angel of the Lord also encamps around us when we fear him.

Think about your own temptations for a moment. When temptation comes our way be it chocolate, cake, a cigarette, spending five dollars, DOESN’T doing it one more time, only lead to wanting to do it again just one more time? How is that any different from a job or a relationship or this thing you feel compelled to do or can’t pull away from?

Our verse today in Deuteronomy 4 reads “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” He wants to be the only thing that consumes us. In doing so, he refines the very offerings that we have to give everything else.

So how do we uncross those lines? Well, I believe that you fast from those things. But the way that we do that will look different to each of us. So, I encourage you to try this lenten season, maybe for the first time. Ask the Lord to reveal the area of your life that has more of you than he does. Maybe you already know what it is. Then ask him to help you give a little bit of it up every day for the next 40 days. It’s okay if that looks different every single day of that challenge. But seek a way to honor him, in replacement of it. Which can be in the form of prayer, it can be loving your family, it can be choosing a healthier option.

*You can prepare to be tempted through this season, like Jesus.

*You need scripture to meditate on, so go ahead and pick some verses out.

*Make some boundaries. Preferably with your spouse, a mentor, a group or friend, someone that can pray with you and/or keep you accountable.

Then have a date to check in and talk it out. Then do it again!

I’m going to end with a quote that I heard from Pastor Fred City Life, and it’s a good one so pay attention:

You will never have dominion over any appetite of your body until you give it over and make fasting a regular part of your diet.

I’d like to tweak that to say that you nor God will never have dominion over your life, as long as we let other things keep draining/claiming the power. 

Friend, if you’re feeling consumed, maybe it’s time to reprioritize and let the ‘thing’ go. If you can't quit it, maybe you should change the way you've been feeding it.

If any part of this message has been offensive, I hear you. I would encourage you to pray that if you didn’t feel like the message applied, but you were offended, ask God what he wants YOU to know instead. Let me assure you that God uses those deep things to take us higher. –Not to lead us into condemnation or to convert into anger.

I pray that this message ignites not only a new passion but a new area of faith for you that blows your mind. I would love to hear about your challenges and how you see the Lord working in them. Know that I am praying with you all the way to victory.

Until next time- Thanks for tuning in!