CLEANSED BY WATER AND FIRE. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, "This is the requirement of the law that the LORD gave Moses: 22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water.
Numbers 31:21-23

OBSERVATION
After the battle against the Midianites, Moses ordered the soldiers to purify themselves and their spoils following the requirements of the Law. Some things had to be purified by fire, but everything had to be purified by water. Things made of precious metals and anything hardened that was used for common use, and especially when those things were used for pagan rituals, had to be purified in the fire and be redeemed to be used for holy purposes in the future. Then after cleansing by fire, those things will go through cleansing by water. But clothing and others accessories that could be destroyed in a fire were to be purified by water only. That's how things were redeemed according to the heart of God.

APPLICATION
Even though we don't live to please God according to the Law, we can find principles in the Law that are helpful to find redemption in our own lives. As we walk with Christ in our journey through life, we will find ourselves contaminated by the things of this world. God doesn't want us to be germophobics, legalistic, or focused in external religious appearances. However, He wants us to have a redemptive desire for the things that were used for unholy purposes in our past. Samson's willingness to risk his life for a temporary sexual gratification, after being cleansed by fire and water, God redeemed Him and used Samson to be willing to risk his life for the urposes of God and the destructions on his enemies. The same zeal Saul used to persecute the church, after being cleansed by fire an water, God redeemed that zeal and used Paul to preach the gospel around the world. God wants everything to go through the cleansing process of water, but some things need to go through the fire.

Some things in my daily life can be cleansed in a regular process of prayer and repentance before God, just like the ritual of purification by water. When I catch myself thinking incorrectly, or feeding a bad attitude, I can go and wash myself under the love and grace of God. Daily repentance for such normal exposure to the polluting things of this world is necessary and healthy. But there are other things in my life that require fire. Water is not enough to find cleansing for those things. I need to submit them to the consuming fire of God's presence. Deep rooted compulsions, hard habits to break, destructive behaviors, and other serious roadblocks must be exposed to the holy fire. Only in that way, I will find the proper cleansing that I need.

The Lord is calling me to expose certain things in my life to the fire, not just to water. I've been trying to find cleansing by water for things that are only cleansed by fire. I need to go the holy furnace of God's grace and trust in His power to bring cleansing in my heart. Only in that way the impurities will be removed away!

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for your revelation about finding a consistent cleansing of my heart. Recently I've been noticing insecurities flaring up, wrong motives flirting with my decisions, and old and destructive bad habits trying to come back from the dead. I must take those things seriously. I cannot effectively deal with them just with water, with regular ways to find forgiveness through repentance. I need to walk into the furnace rather that into the basin. Take me into your consuming fire where corruption and impurities disappear. Bring me into a place where my life brings glory to your name and it's free from the things that do not honor you. I love you Lord! Purify my heart, let me be as refined gold and precious silver. Amen!