God of Fire
July Theme: God of Fire
Memory Verse: Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
We live in a time when many portray God in extremes: either as a powerless, permissive figure who excuses everything, or as harsh, angry, distant, and indifferent to human suffering and injustice. The truth is that our God is loving, kind, gracious, merciful, and compassionate, yet He also has holy standards. He calls us to righteousness, devotion, loyalty, sacrifice, obedience to His Word, and sincerity in worship. When humanity continually violates those standards through idolatry without repentance, He remains the God who answers by fire. Join us this month as we continue in the series The Awakening and come to know the God of fire, who answers by fire and is a consuming fire.
Freedom Before the Fire Falls -7-5-2026
Sermon Summary:
The service centers on exalting Jesus as the only true and living God—Alpha and Omega, Jehovah Jireh and Jehovah Nissi—and calling the church to approach Him with reverence, repentance, and confident faith. Prayer is offered for forgiveness of known and unknown sin, for the Holy Spirit to dwell among the people, and for God to move powerfully in the worship and the Word so the congregation is strengthened and God alone receives the glory.
A key emphasis is that believers should not be passive. The congregation is urged to rise with spiritual boldness, trusting that God can do “exceeding, abundantly, above all” and refusing to let the enemy take anything else. Worship reinforces this message by celebrating God’s tangible presence and power, declaring that blessings, glory, honor, and praise all belong to Him, and expressing a desire to praise Him continually for all He has done.
In light of the message theme “Freedom Before the Fire Falls” (Revelation 18:1–8), the atmosphere prepares hearts to choose spiritual freedom now—turning fully to God, separating from what opposes Him, and standing in prayerful readiness—so that God’s people live delivered, worship-filled, and uncompromised as His glory moves among them.
Freedom Before the Fire Falls 
7-12-2026- When God Answers by Fire
Sermon Summary:
The sermon calls believers to refocus their hearts when life feels uncertain: when all else fails, look to God—because with Him all things are possible. The congregation is urged not to be distracted “to the left or the right,” but to stay steadfast, resisting discouragement and refusing to fall away. Instead, they are invited to stand firm, serve God wholeheartedly, and love Him with their whole heart.
Worship and prayer are presented as more than a Sunday moment; they are a lifestyle of surrender that continues into Monday through the rest of the week. The message emphasizes saying “yes” to God even when obedience is difficult—when He asks us to let go, leave something alone, or grow beyond comfort. God’s presence is described as the place of healing, peace, joy, unity, and freedom, and the church prays for deliverance and healing “from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet.”
Drawing from the theme “When God Answers by Fire” (1 Kings 18:20–24), the sermon points to the need for genuine devotion that proves who God truly is—trusting Him to respond in power rather than relying on alternatives. Referencing 2 Kings 2:10–12, it also highlights spiritual hunger and perseverance—staying close, seeking more of God, and continuing faithful worship no matter the conditions, even if the church must go “underground.” The takeaway is clear: seek God first, stay faithful, and keep worshiping and obeying—trusting Him to answer, sustain, and add what is needed.
7-12-2026 ” When God Answers by Fire”
7-19-2026 ” The Fire and The Oil
Sermon Summary:
The sermon calls the church to recognize that God is consistently good, holy, and reliable—worthy of worship regardless of current circumstances. Believers are urged to “hold up the shield of faith” and strengthen that faith by soaking it in God’s Word and the Spirit so they can withstand attacks and remain confident that God will come through.
From Leviticus 10:1–11 (Nadab and Abihu), Dr. Johnson warns that God’s presence is not something to handle casually. The central message is “don’t play with God—be set apart.” God is a consuming fire, and when people ignore His instructions, compromise, or break the pattern of worship and obedience, they lose spiritual power and put themselves in danger.
“The fire and the oil” represent God’s purifying presence and empowering anointing that are meant to produce holiness, boldness, and real life change—not just emotional worship moments. The sermon emphasizes that holiness is not merely something you do, but who you are, and that the church should not blend into the culture in ways that erase the difference God calls His people to show.
A major focus is returning to God’s pattern: bringing God our best (not leftovers), honoring sacred order in worship, and living with reverence for His holiness. When the process is right—repentance, consecration, and true devotion—God’s fire comes, bringing a tangible demonstration of His power.
The message also highlights that through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers have access to God’s presence and are made a “chosen generation” and “royal priesthood,” called out of darkness to proclaim His praise. Dr. Johnson urges people to come out of counterfeit spiritual practices and compromises, and instead pursue the real power of God that frees people from sin, breaks bondage, and brings healing and deliverance.
The sermon closes with a passionate call for a Book of Acts–type church marked by holiness, prayer, and the power of God—where the blood of Jesus is still preached, lives are transformed, and God is honored as holy.
The Fire and the Oil 7-19-2026
Fire-Proof Protection 7-26-26
Sermon Summary:
God is loving, gracious, and compassionate, but He also has holy standards. The sermon emphasizes that when God’s people live within His Word—devoted, obedient, sincere in worship, and unwilling to participate in the idolatry and values of the surrounding culture—those standards become a kind of “fireproof protection” in unstable and hostile times.
Using Daniel 3:19–25, Dr. Johnson highlights Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as believers who were promoted in Babylon yet refused to let Babylon get inside them. Though pressured to bow, they chose loyalty to God over cultural acceptance, and God met them in the furnace: the fire did not destroy them, their bonds were broken, and God’s presence was visible with them in the flames. The message is that tight places are not pointless—they reveal motives, expose hidden enemies, and become the stage where God shows His power, peace, and faithfulness.
The sermon also warns against “friendship with the world” (James 4:4): prioritizing anything above God—whether money, approval, pleasure, or ungodly media and relationships—leads people away from protection and toward spiritual danger. Instead, believers are called to seek God first (Matthew 6:33), meditate on His Word (Joshua 1:8), and stand firm in righteousness. Even when the economy shifts, anxiety rises, or opposition intensifies, God’s peace becomes a weapon that keeps the mind clear and strengthens prayer and spiritual authority.
Ultimately, the central encouragement is: you are not alone, and you are protected. God can allow the heat to rise, not to consume you, but to perfect you, expose what’s false, and display His presence—sometimes even before you fully enter the fire—so your life becomes a testimony and a reason for praise even in the hardest moments.
Fireproof Protection 7-26-26