Maintaining the Flame of Devotion | Leviticus 6

October 2025's Featured Sermon of the Month

Before any priest lifted a torch, the flame on Israel’s altar came directly from heaven. It was no human spark, no ritual invention; it was the fire of God Himself. When the Lord sent fire to consume the first burnt offering, He established a living symbol of His presence, His acceptance, and His power among His people. The priest’s task was not to create the flame, but to protect what God had begun. In the same way, every genuine spark of devotion in our hearts is first kindled by God’s grace, not by human emotion. He awakens the desire, convicts the heart, and ignites faith within us. Our responsibility is not to manufacture the Spirit’s work, but to keep alive what Heaven has already started.

“And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering.” (Leviticus 9:24, KJV)

THE OBLIGATION OF THE FIRE: KEEP IT BURNING

Once the altar burned, the priest’s duty never paused. Each morning, before the camp stirred, he cleared away the ashes of yesterday’s offering and laid new wood upon the coals. If he neglected that task, the flame would fade, and the sanctuary would grow cold. The same principle fuels spiritual life today, devotion must be tended daily. Prayer adds wood to the fire, Scripture gives it breath, obedience removes the ashes that choke it, and gratitude keeps it bright. Too often, we expect revival to arrive like a sudden wind, forgetting that the steady heat of discipline sustains what emotion cannot. The preacher urged the congregation to examine the ashes of their hearts, old habits, unconfessed sin, lingering bitterness, and to clear them away so the fire could breathe again. Revival begins not with noise, but with quiet faithfulness.

“The fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out.” (Leviticus 6:12, KJV)

THE OBJECT OF THE FIRE: TOTAL SURRENDER

The burnt offering differed from all the rest. Nothing was held back; the sacrifice was completely consumed. It pictured a life wholly yielded to God, no part reserved for self, no conditions attached. The preacher reminded the church that many want the warmth of God’s flame without the cost of full surrender. We prefer a partial offering, a safe devotion that does not touch our time, our comfort, or our pride. But the altar demands everything. When we place ourselves upon it, God’s fire refines us, burning away self-reliance and pride until only faith remains. The measure of our flame will always match the measure of our surrender.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren… that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.” (Romans 12:1, KJV)

THE OUTCOME OF THE FIRE: CONTINUAL FELLOWSHIP

That sacred flame never went out, not through the long nights of the wilderness, not through storms or silence. It was God’s visible reminder that His presence among His people did not flicker with their feelings. The preacher likened that steady glow to the believer’s daily communion with God: not seasonal, not emotional, but constant. Spiritual maturity is measured not by moments of excitement but by consistency in devotion, by choosing to pray when tired, to serve when unnoticed, and to worship even in the dark. When the fire burns through weariness, it becomes a quiet testimony that God is still near.

“The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.” (Leviticus 6:13, KJV)

THE OVERFLOW OF THE FIRE: FLAME THAT SPREADS

When the priests kept their fire alive, the whole nation saw God’s glory. The preacher urged the church to imagine what would happen if every believer guarded their personal altar with that same diligence. A heart set ablaze by God cannot help but ignite others, at home, in the workplace, in the community. Revival that begins in one soul can warm an entire church. Yet that flame must be protected. Ashes of apathy, distraction, or pride can quickly smother it. God started the fire; our call is to maintain it. When we do, our worship becomes a lighthouse in a dark world, proving again that the fire of Heaven still burns in human hearts.

“For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29, KJV)

Reflection Questions

1. God Himself started the altar fire. In what ways has He already kindled faith or calling in your life that you need to tend more carefully?

2. The priest had to remove ashes before adding new wood. What “ashes”, old habits, unconfessed sin, or distractions, might be smothering your spiritual fire right now?

3. The burnt offering represented total surrender. What areas of your life do you still hold back from God, and what would it mean to place them fully on the altar?

4. The fire was to burn continually, not occasionally. How can you build consistent rhythms of prayer, Scripture, and gratitude that keep your heart warm toward God even in weary seasons?

5. When the priests tended their flame faithfully, the whole nation saw God’s glory. How could your personal devotion influence your family, church, or community this week?

   
   

May the call of Leviticus 6 remind you that the God who started the fire is faithful to sustain it.

Attend Harvest Baptist Church