The document discusses how God uses fire to refine and purify believers. It notes that fire destroys what is evil and brings out the best in people. God allows trials and afflictions in life to test believers' faith and remove anything that endangers it. Through difficulties, God purifies believers like silver and makes their faith stronger. The document urges readers to accept trials, knowing God is with them during difficulties and will strengthen their faith as they pass through "the fire."

1. THANK GOD FOR THE FIRE

2. 1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though
now for a little while, if need be, you have
been grieved by various trials, 7 that the
genuineness of your faith, [being] much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it is
tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor,
and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8
whom having not seen you love. Though now
you do not see [Him], yet believing, you rejoice
with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9
receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of
[your] souls.

3. FIRE?
A. Is fire good or bad?
B. Like many things it can be good or it can be bad
depending on how it is used.
C. The truth is, the text read a few moments ago tells us
that we will be tried by fire.
D. What does that mean?
E. Following Jesus is a process of sifting, saving, and
burning
F. Fire destroys what is evil. And brings out the best in us.
G. To save the body from gangrene, a festering limb must
be cut off. War amputees and victims of severe cases of
diabetes know this far too well.
H. A testing of fire will remove what endangers our faith. If
there were no trials and difficulties, there would be no
means of testing our faith;

4. I. GOD USES FIRE TO REFINE HIS PEOPLE
A. Malachi 3:1-5 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will
prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of
the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,"
Says the LORD of hosts. 2 "But who can endure the day of
His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is
like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as
a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of
Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer
to the LORD An offering in righteousness. 4 "Then the
offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the
LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years. 5 And I will
come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and
orphans, And against those who turn away an alien--
Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts.

5. I. GOD USES FIRE TO REFINE HIS PEOPLE
B. After the Israelites returned from captivity,
their hearts were not in tune with worship;
they thought their motions were acceptable
to God. Malachi came to tell them they
needed to go through the cleansing and
renewal of a refiner’s fire.
C. He does the same today as we will see.

6. II. WE WILL GO THROUGH THE FIRE
A. Matthew 3:11-12 I indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to
carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He
will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and
gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn
up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
B. Mark 9:49 "For everyone will be seasoned with
fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
C. All who live godly lives will suffer persecution – 2
Tim 3:12

7. III. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF AFFLICTION
A. Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as
silver; I have tested you in the furnace of
affliction.
B. Psalm 66:10-12 For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined. 11 You
brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our
backs. 12 You have caused men to ride over our
heads; We went through fire and through water;
But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

8. III. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF AFFLICTION
C. 1 Thessalonians 3:3 that no one should be
shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves
know that we are appointed to this.
D. Christ was afflicted and we should expect no
less. - John 15:20 Remember the word that I said
to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.'
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute
you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours
also.

9. III. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF AFFLICTION
E. Sometimes God allows affliction to remain with
us so we will depend on His grace. - 2 Corinthians
12:7-9 And lest I should be exalted above
measure by the abundance of the revelations, a
thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of
Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above
measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with
the Lord three times that it might depart from
me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient
for you, for My strength is made perfect in
weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather
boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.

10. IV. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF TRIALS
A. Tried by fire - the test looking for authenticity which
therefore exposes that which is imitation. It exposes
our hypocrisy, our inconsistency.
B. Jeremiah 9:7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
"Behold, I will refine them and try them; For how shall I
deal with the daughter of My people?
C. 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for
a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by
various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being
much more precious than gold that perishes, though it
is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and
glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

11. IV. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF TRIALS
D. James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when
you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the
testing of your faith produces patience.
E. Trials produce patience which brings praise,
honor and glory to Christ and God.

12. V. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF TESTING
A. Tested by fire - to see what you got in you! To
see what you are made of. To see what you are
afraid of.
B. Zechariah 13:9 I will bring the one-third through
the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And
test them as gold is tested. They will call on My
name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is
My people'; And each one will say, 'The LORD is
my God.' "

13. V. GOD REFINES US THROUGH THE
FIRE OF TESTING
C. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 For no other foundation can
anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus
Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation
with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day
will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire;
and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it
is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it
endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's
work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself
will be saved, yet so as through fire.
D. Sometimes God tests us to see what is inside of us
and to bring out the best in us.

14. VII. GOD’S REFINING MAY NOT
PRODUCE A DESIRABLE EFFECT
A. Jeremiah 6:27-30 "I have set you as an assayer and a
fortress among My people, That you may know and test
their way. 28 They are all stubborn rebels, walking as
slanderers. They are bronze and iron, They are all
corrupters; 29 The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is
consumed by the fire; The smelter refines in vain, For the
wicked are not drawn off. 30 People will call them rejected
silver, Because the LORD has rejected them."
B. Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, made white, and
refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the
wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
C. Sometime people reject the purifying of God’s refining
fire. Saint and sinner alike.

15. VIII. GOD IS WITH US DURING OUR
TESTING OF FIRE
A. Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will
be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not
overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you
shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
B. Andrae Crouch said it well when he wrote,
“Through It All.” "I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow, There’ve been
times I didn’t know right from wrong; But is every
situation God gave blessed consolation That my
trials come to only make me strong."
C. God will never allow us to go through the fire
without Him being with us to comfort and
strengthen us.

16. IX. WE CAN HELP SINNERS TO GO
THROUGH THE PURIFYING FIRE
A. Romans 12:19-21 Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it
is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says
the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry,
feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in
so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.
B. Our doing good to our enemy can be refined and
become our friend by our doing good to them.

17. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
A. What is inside a sponge only comes out under pressure.
B. When Cain was put under pressure, his anger came out. -
Genesis 4:3-8 And in the process of time it came to pass
that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to
the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock
and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his
offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering.
And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the
LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be
accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.
And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." 8
Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to
pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother and killed him.

18. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
C. When Abraham was put under pressure to sacrifice
Isaac, his faith came out. - Hebrews 11:17 By faith
Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises offered up
his only begotten son,
D. When Job was put under pressure, his perseverance
came out. - James 5:11 Indeed we count them
blessed who endure. You have heard of the
perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by
the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and
merciful.
E. What comes out of you when you are under
pressure by trials and testing?

19. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
F. In spite of our following Jesus Christ, there will
be times we go through the fire.
G. But we will be purified, coming out cleaner,
brighter, and tested.
H. We will "shine like the sun in the kingdom of our
Father" - Matthew 13:43
I. Thank God for the fire!

21. TONIGHT’S SERMON
DO YOU NOT KNOW?