No Heat, No Heart

The fire of the Holy Spirit will restore within you hope no earthly circumstance can take away. The fire of the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see yourself as seated with Christ on a throne that cannot be threatened by any earthly power: “And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). The fire of the Holy Spirit will redeem and restore the time you thought you lost forever. It will renew your youth and ignite within you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Word: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Ephesians 1:17). The fire of the Holy Spirit restores your childlike wonder and awakens your ability to see the Kingdom of God.

So then how is it when there are churches where the power of the Holy Spirit is ignored or unwelcome? Recently I was in Troy, NY at Redeeming Love Church and Pastor Stacy Medick shared a brilliant analogy during a meal one day. Picture this. You’re cozied up in your living room at Christmas, craving the soul-warming crackle of a real fire. But instead of logs and flames, you’ve got a YouTube video looping on your flatscreen. A cozy fireplace montage, complete with flickering visuals and the soothing pop-pop of burning wood. It’s got all the vibes, all the ambiance, and it’s almost convincing, until you stretch out your hands and realize there’s no heat. No warmth to thaw you to your core, no energy to stir your soul, and not enough power to blow the fuzz off a peanut. (As my Dad used to say.) It’s a counterfeit glow, a digital imposter that leaves you shivering in your Christmas socks. That, my friends, is what it’s like to preach the gospel without the Holy Spirit’s fire.

And let’s be real here: nobody’s crowding around a TV to get warm, walking away from that sermon with their heart ablaze, ready to storm the gates of hell with a squirt gun full of grace. The Holy Spirit isn’t some optional add-on, like a side of fries or a Spotify playlist for your spiritual road trip. Holy Spirit is the very heat, power, and energy of the gospel. The divine dynamite that makes the good news more than just a nice story. Without Holy Spirit, you’re left with a message that’s about as life-changing as a motivational poster in a dentist’s office. A message without the Holy Spirit is just like a TED Talk but less interesting. Without the power of the Spirit you don’t have the fire that burns away sin, heals the broken, or sends you out to love the unlovable. 

The fire is not optional, and Holy Spirit isn’t optional either. 

As Pastor Stacy’s analogy so brilliantly reminds me, a gospel without the Spirit is a fake fireplace: it looks the part, sounds the part, but it’s got no power to warm anybody’s soul, but leaves them untouched by the wild, untamable Spirit who once blew through Jerusalem and turned fishermen into world-changers. 

(From the new book "The Fire is Not Optional" by Bill Vanderbush. Coming Summer 2025.)

The Crimson Revolution: How Jesus’ Blood Rewrites Your Story

The blood of Jesus is the heartbeat of the gospel, not a relic or ritual, but a living reality declaring who you are and what Christ has done. I’ve called it the currency of heaven—the signature of the new covenant, the key to your identity as God’s beloved child. The cross isn’t about what you must do; it’s about what Jesus has done. The blood is evidence of the finished work, not a magic formula to plead. We believe and receive it. It speaks a better word than any accusation, shame, or lie.

Let’s unpack this through Scripture. 

First, the blood redeems you completely. It’s not a transaction, but the price Jesus paid—the greatest price possible. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (NASB). This freed us from sin’s slave market. You’re not a slave to sin, fear, or condemnation. First Peter 1:18-19 declares, “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (NASB).

I heard a story about a man in California who chained a young eagle to a stake. It walked in circles, seeing other eagles soar but bound by the chain. When it was strong enough to fly, he freed it, but the eagle kept walking the same path. That’s us sometimes. Jesus’ blood set us free. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (NASB). Ephesians 2:14-15 and Colossians 2:14 show the Law was nailed to the cross. Second Corinthians 5:17 proclaims, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (NASB). Galatians 2:20 adds, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (NASB). The blood is for you. It’s not cheap grace—it cost God everything. It doesn’t cover sin; it destroys it, giving you a new identity.

Second, the blood cleanses you completely. First John 1:7 says, “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (NASB). Notice the tense: “cleanses.” It’s ongoing—a fountain of grace. Walking in the light isn’t perfection; it’s living in God’s love. When you mess up, the blood speaks: forgiven, clean, whole. Romans 5:9 adds, “Much more then,media having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (NASB). The blood declares you righteous, satisfying God’s justice so you’re at peace with Him.

Third, the blood unites us with God. It tore the veil, opening access to His presence. Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh” (NASB). You don’t need a priest or ritual. The blood invites you into God’s life—where you live, not just visit. You’re family, seated with Christ (Ephesians 2:6).

Finally, the blood speaks. Hebrews 12:24 says we’ve come “to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (NASB). Abel’s blood cried for vengeance (Genesis 4:10); Jesus’ blood cries for mercy, grace, and restoration. It’s God’s megaphone shouting your freedom, silencing the enemy’s lies.

Living in the blood’s reality means trusting the finished work. Rest in it—don’t strive for approval. Ephesians 1:6 says you’re “accepted in the Beloved” (NASB). The blood speaks louder than any lie. Declare its truth: I am forgiven, righteous, whole, free. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (NASB). Walk in intimacy with God, knowing you’re a son or daughter. Share this gospel—the blood’s for the world. Tell others of Christ’s love poured out on the cross.

The blood is enough—the final word, the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, the victory in every battle. It’s not about what you do; it’s about what Christ has done. The blood has redeemed you, cleansed you, brought you near, and given you a new name.

Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You for redeeming us, cleansing us, and bringing us into Your presence. Holy Spirit, open our eyes to the beauty of the cross and the power of the blood. Let us live in the freedom and joy of the new covenant. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(Excerpt taken from the FMM podcast, May 10, 2025)