Fires in the natural realm can be devastating. They are all-consuming and have no respect for life or property. If you are in their path, you will be burned.
Many firefighters fight fire with fire. They set a backfire which will burn toward the first fire. When the fires meet, they will consume each other. Recently Florida firefighters used the same strategy to try to stop the state from being completely destroyed by numerous massive fires.
When we look at the condition of the world today, it is not difficult to realize that it is ablaze with sin. Every evil work spoken of in Scripture seems to be burning and out of control right before our eyes. And it seems that the more strategies and plans we have to put the fire out, the more it burns out of control. The Moral Majority has not put it out. Legislation can’t stop it. All the best efforts of men to douse the raging fires of sin have had little impact.
It is time for Holy Ghost, fire-filled believers to set a backfire!
Our God is an all-consuming fire, and His power dwells in YOU.
For too long we have been quenching the fire of the Holy Spirit and merely surviving, while Satan’s flames lap up everything around us. But the Church is beginning to wake up and realize that it will take the fire of the Holy Ghost to cause Satan’s plans to back-fire on him.
“John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16 NIV).
Get fired up! Stir up the flame that is within your spirit. Together we can set the world ablaze for Jesus Christ and drive the devil out!
Excerpt permission granted by Albury Publishing
Carman Domenic Licciardello is an enigma in Christian music, often described as part evangelist, part Vegas Showman. His concerts were more like a rock and roll Billy Graham Crusade than a Christian music event. After all the singing, dancing, clapping, and preaching, crowds of people would stream down to the counseling area to accept Christ-many times as many as 5,000 in an evening.
Admission was usually free; a simple offering was taken, similar to 30,000 churches on Sunday mornings. And he filled the largest stadiums the world over. Carman held the record for the largest Christian concert ever in Dallas, Texas. But it even goes beyond that. Take the Mega Stadium acts that played the famed landmark such as Pink Floyd, U 2, Madonna, The Jackson Five, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and even Metallic. As the newspapers noted, you'll see that the one-act that drew the highest attendance in Texas Stadium was Carman, with 71,132.
Carman (1956-2021) was a popular contemporary Christian singer and songwriter.
Born Carman Licciardello, he began recording under his first name and released his debut album in 1980. Carman began charting contemporary Christian hits in 1984 with "Sunday's on the Way," reaching No. 1 with "The Champion" (1986) and "Radically Saved" (1988). His other hit songs include "Lord of All," "Jesus Is the Light," and "Satan, Bite the Dust!" Carman reportedly holds the world record for the largest audience at a Christian concert. His popularity was at its height in the 1980s and early '90s, but he continued releasing albums for years, including his most recent release, 2014's "No Plan B." In 2018, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
