The Soul Winner’s Fire!

By DR. CECIL TODD

In Luke 12:49 Jesus says, “I am come to send fire on the earth, but what will I, if it be already kindled!”

For years, I read right over this verse, not realizing what our Lord was telling us. Another translation of this text makes it
even plainer … “I AM COME TO SET A FIRE ON THE EARTH, AND WHAT WILL I DO IF IT IS ALREADY ABLAZE?”

What a powerful statement! What an exciting verse … I AM COME TO SET A FIRE!

Another scripture verse tells us that Jesus came that “We might have life and have it more abundant!” (John 10:10);
again He says, “I am come to seek and to save the lost!” (Luke 19:10), In Luke 4:18 it says, “I am come to preach
the gospel to the poor … bind-up the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, give sight to the
blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised!”

But in Luke 12:49 He says, “I AM COME TO SET YOU ON FIRE!” Sad to say, many have been baptized and joined the
church, but they have never been “set on fire” for Christ! Why? Many people pay their tithes, pray daily and even go to
church regular, but still they have never been “set on fire” for God! Why? Many churches have more fire in the kitchen
under the coffee pot, than they do in the pulpit or the pew!

The fire of God is the power of God! I believe the “fire” is the Holy Spirit! I am concerned that many do not possess the
Holy Spirit, or I should say, “THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT POSSESS (CONTROL) THEM!” So many church-goers do
not know Him … they only know “about Him!” That’s why, I believe, there is “no fire” for Christ in their lives.

When we are “on fire” for God, people will not ask, “Are you a Christian?” They will already know we are Christians,
because we have His indwelling presence in our everyday living, His anointed power in our preaching and the soul winner’s
fire in our personal witnessing!

When we are “on fire” for God people will not ask, “If we go to church?” But they will ask, “WHERE DO YOU GO TO
CHURCH? I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE!”

To be on fire is to be a “fanatic” for the Father …a radical for the redeemer. Don’t feel bad if people call you a “fanatic”, or
a “radical” for a “religious nut!” Just as long as they call you “gone,” when He comes!

Once as Linda and I were driving down the highway, I noticed a sign on a warehouse building that read, “FIRE-WORKS
INSIDE!” I said, “I wish we could put that sign up over the front door of every church building in America …
‘FIRE-WORKS INSIDE’ … spiritual fire-works ... souls are being saved … marriages are being restored … the sick are
being healed, and prayers are being answered, because God’s people are being ‘set on fire’ for Christ!”

As the song says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire burning!” One person on fire for God can get the whole church on fire!
One church on fire for Christ can get a whole city on fire!

Has our Lord, “lit your fire?” Filled you with His Holy Spirit fire? God says, “Don’t be drunk with wine, but be filled
with the Spirit!” (Eph. 5:18) I believe we should be so filled with the Spirit, that if a mosquito bit us, it would go away
singing, “THERE’S POWER IN THE BLOOD!” The next time a mosquito bites you, listen to what he sings!

I’ll never forget a one week revival I had in the small Oklahoma town of Glenco, many years ago. It was an example of the
“fire of God” and the “power of God” engulfing a whole
area. On the opening Monday evening, I was preparing everything at the church, before the first service, when one of the
church leaders politely informed me that it would be impossible to have much of a crowd for our revival, until the local
basketball tournament was over. He said, “It’s an invitational tournament at the local high school, but everybody goes.

“When is it over?” I asked. “On Friday night,” he replied. “Well, we’ll see,” I said. Here’s the exciting end of that story … on
Wednesday night, they had to close down this basketball tournament, because they said, “MOST EVERYBODY IS GOING
TO THAT REVIVAL!”

It was not “Todd” that did that … it was God! The fire of God fell and the whole area was brought to its knees in
repentance and prayer!

Another occasion like this happened in Port Limon, Costa Rica, Central America. We opened a three day crusade in an out-
door ball field. We had seating for 5,000! On the opening Monday evening all 5,000 seats were filled! On Tuesday evening
all seats were again taken, plus another 5,000 people stood for the service! On the closing night over 20,000 people had
swarmed the grounds to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ – 15,000 people had to stand for the entire two hour service!

But even more thrilling than the huge crowds was the number of people who came to Christ – over 4,000! They would
literally come running across that ball field to accept Christ as their Savior! At the closing service over 2,000 people
confessed Christ as the Son of God and as their personal Savior!(Arrangements were made for them to follow in
Christian baptism after our departure!)

But something else happened that was thrilling too! I didn’t know about it until we were getting ready to fly out of the Port
Limon Airport on Thursday morning. A man from the airport tower sought me out when he learned I was there getting
ready to depart.

He explained, “For seventeen years I have worked in this airport tower. In all

those years the wind has always blown-out to sea every evening. But during the past three days, during your
crusade – the wind blew in from the sea – it picked up the sound from your services and carried your service
to that hillside up above the ball field. Hundreds of us live up there on that mountain-side. Many of us set in
our front yards and heard the singing and your preaching. I don’t know what kind of power you have, but the
wind changed its course for the first time in 17 years so we too could hear the gospel!”

Dear people, this was not “Todd,” this was God! He cares more about the lost hearing the gospel and being saved than we
do! Perhaps this old gospel hymn by William J. Kirkpatrick says it best:

“Give the winds a mighty voice, Jesus saves, Jesus saves!

Let the nations now rejoice, Jesus saves, Jesus saves!

Shout salvation full and free, Highest hills and deepest caves;

This our song of victory,

Jesus saves, Jesus saves!”

When Jesus said, “I COME TO SET A FIRE,” it starts with us as individuals, then it spreads throughout the whole church
and then it goes across the community!

A preacher friend of mine once told me, “I think I will put mannequins in the pews throughout my church!” I said, “Why
would you do that?” “I think I could get more response,” he replied. It made me stop and think – what do I do in church
that a mannequin couldn’t do? That’s something to think about!

Let me remind you, the Holy Spirit is God’s “fire-power” from heaven. He endues us with power from on high (Luke
24:49). Electrical appliances (T.V., Micro-wave, Fridge, Washer, Dryer, etc.), may all look good, but unless they are
“plugged-in” and “turned-on” they are of little value! And have you ever noticed that most electrical outlets are so close to
the floor, that you have to get down on your knees, to plug-in to the power!

I believe it’s that way with our spiritual power too! Because …

“ON OUR KNEES, WE ARE TALLER THAN TREES!”

I AM PRAYING THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THIS “SOUL-WINNER’S FIRE” TODAY!