Raging Fire
by Rain Palko

There is a raging forest fire.  The fire is rapidly spreading from limb to limb, tree to tree; spread by tornado-like winds.  The firefighters are extremely well trained and very experienced in putting out fires.  But there seems to be something about this fire, something making it more difficult than usual forest fires.  To the fire fighters, the fire is looking more and more impossible to put out, like someone is pouring fuel on it to keep it going.  

But being the best of all firefighters, they keep trying to contain the fires.  They put out a few small fires only to have a spark from one of the others trees to get the fire going again.  They put out another and another fire, but again, the fires start up again.  The trees seem to want to be on fire.  The fire seems more and more determined, more and more uncompromising.  The trees, at times, seem almost human.  They seem to be purposely helping this fire grow, a burning tree re-starting the fire once the firemen put it out. 

The firefighters are getting more and more weary.  They are having more and more trouble fighting this fire.  Their strategy just isn't working very good today, like it used to.  The fire seems more and more determined to triumph.  It's getting hotter and spreading faster than anyone has every seen, consuming more trees than ever. 

The firefighters wearily keep working, determined not to give up.  But the injuries to the firefighters are escalating.  Smoke inhalation, burns-first degree, third degree, scorched and burned uniforms, thirsts, exhaustion...The fire chief encourages them to keep going, "You can't give up" he says.  "You must put this fire out". 

After hours and hours of such demanding work with no rest, the firefighters are getting weaker and weaker.  The fire is still raging and trying hard to engulf more and more trees.  Another firefighter falls victim to the fire.  The number of firefighters is now only half of what they started with.  The reserve firefighters have all been used.  Another falls victim to the out-of-control fire.  Yet the fire is still getting hotter, faster and stronger, determined to have it's way. 

You see, the fire chief is satan.  The firefighters are satan's helpers.  The fire was started by GOD.  PASTOR is the one constantly, constantly pouring fuel on the fire.  The YOUTH PASTOR is the non-ceasing tornado-like wind which is helping to spread the fire.  The YOUNG ADULTS and YOUTH are using GOD'S WORD to map out the course of the fire.  The trees?  Well, the trees are our CHILDREN and YOUTH from about age 5 and up with the FIRE OF GOD raging in their hearts. 

THIS RAPIDLY GROWING, RAGING FIRE
IS
UNDER CONTROL
BY
JESUS