Good Morning Sunshine! Did You Give God Something To Work With? You Need Fuel To Start A Fire!

1 Kings 18:33–38 (NIV) ~ “Elijah arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’ … At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.”

This passage unfolds on Mount Carmel, where Elijah faced the prophets of Baal in a decisive moment of truth. Israel had wavered between worshiping God and following Baal. Elijah issued a challenge: whichever god answered by fire would be the true God. Baal’s prophets cried out for hours with no response. But Elijah carefully rebuilt the altar of the Lord, prepared the wood, placed the sacrifice, and drenched it with water to prove this was no human trick. Then he prayed, and God answered with fire from heaven. The fire fell, not on nothing, but on what Elijah had prepared. This is the principle you must hold onto today; God moves when His people gives Him something to work with.

Every move of God begins with preparation. Fire does not fall on nothing, it requires an altar, wood, and sacrifice. Just like in the natural, you cannot build a fire without fuel, in the spiritual you cannot expect God’s fire without giving Him something to consume. The altar is where heaven meets earth. Elijah knew that Israel’s altar had been broken and neglected. Before calling on God, he rebuilt the altar of the Lord. This act of restoration is here to teach you that God’s fire falls on order, reverence, and sacrifice. Revival doesn’t begin in the crowd; it begins at the altar (your heart).

This same challenge confronts you today, you long for revival, for miracles, for fire, but have you rebuilt the altar of your heart? Have you placed something on it that God can consume? The fire of God is not random; it falls where preparation has been made. In order to build a fire, you need more than just a spark. You need an altar, wood, and a sacrifice. Without the altar, there is no place for an encounter. Without wood, there is nothing to burn. Without sacrifice, there is nothing to consume. Each piece matters, and each represents something you must willingly offer to God.

In 1 Kings 18:33, Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and laid it on the altar. Then he prayed, and the fire of the Lord fell. Notice this, the fire didn’t fall on nothing; it fell on what Elijah prepared and placed before God. Too often, you want the fire of God without building the altar. You desire His presence but resist the preparation. The altar is a place of surrender, a place where self is laid down and God is lifted up. Without an altar, you are asking God to ignite ashes instead of sacrifice.

The wood represents your consistency, your daily offering of prayer, worship, and obedience. Wood is natural, but when it is surrendered to the flame, it becomes supernatural. If you want God to keep the fire burning, give Him wood to consume, your time, devotion, and trust. The sacrifice is the hardest part. It costs us something. David said in 2 Samuel 24:24, “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” God honors what costs you, because it proves you trust Him more than what you are giving up.

So, what are you offering Him today? Is it your time, your plans, your fears, your finances, your relationships, your talents? Or are you holding onto them, hoping God will move without your surrender? The truth is that fire doesn’t fall on empty altars. Romans 12:1 calls us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” This is the offering God is waiting on, your whole selves, yielded and ready for His fire.

When you offer God what’s in your hands, He multiplies it. Think of the boy with two fish and five loaves (John 6:9). What seemed small became more than enough when surrendered to Jesus. The miracle always begins with what you are willing to place on the altar. Giving God something to work with doesn’t mean perfection. It means obedience. He doesn’t require the most; He requires the surrendered. He doesn’t need polished wood; He just needs willing wood. He doesn’t need a spotless altar; He just needs an altar built in faith. So today, ask yourself, Did I give God something to work with? Did I bring my best? Did I surrender my all? If not, rebuild the altar, gather the wood, lay down the sacrifice, and watch as His fire falls again. Beloved, don’t wait for the fire without preparing the altar. Don’t wait for breakthrough without offering sacrifice. God is ready to move, but He’s waiting for what you will place in His hands. Remember: fire falls where there is fuel, and blessing flows where there is surrender.

Let’s Pray:

Father, I come before You with humility and reverence. I acknowledge that without You, I can do nothing, but with You, all things are possible. Today, I choose to rebuild my altar before You. Lord, I bring You the wood of my daily devotion, my prayers, my worship, my obedience. May it become fuel for the fire of Your Spirit within me. Let my consistency draw Your presence near. Father, I place on the altar my sacrifice. It may not seem like much, but I give it willingly. My plans, my pride, my fears, my resources, I lay them all at Your feet. Consume what is not of You, and refine what You can use for Your glory. Father, forgive me for the times I expected fire without offering sacrifice. Forgive me for holding back when You asked me to give freely. Lord, I don’t want to be empty-handed in Your presence. Teach me to offer myself daily as a living sacrifice. Help me not to despise the small things I place in Your hands. Remind me that You multiply what is surrendered, and You honor what is given in faith. Father, let Your fire fall on my life again. Not because of my worthiness, but because of Your grace and faithfulness. Ignite passion where there has been apathy. Ignite vision where there has been confusion. Ignite boldness where there has been fear. Thank You for being the God who provides the fire. Thank You that I don’t have to create it, I just need to prepare for it. Thank You that when I give You something to work with, You always exceed my expectations. Today, I choose to give You my all. Burn away what is not of You, and set me ablaze with Your presence. May my life be an altar that continually testifies of Your power and love. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Nugget: Give Him something to work with, and watch Him do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you could ask or think. The fire falls where the altar is full!

Blessings…

Love, Dr. Jean