The Fire That Transforms | Jax Armstrong
- Free Church
- Jul 13
- 4 min read
Follow The Fire | The Fire That Transforms | Jax Armstrong | 12 July 2026
Fire is fascinating. It's beautiful, powerful, unpredictable, and wherever it goes, it leaves nothing untouched.
Throughout our Follow the Fire series, we've discovered that God's presence is like fire. It speaks. It guides. It protects. And this week, we explored perhaps the most personal aspect of all:
God's fire transforms.
From Raw Material to Purpose
Imagine a piece of raw steel sitting in a foundry.
Cold.
Heavy.
Rough around the edges.
Far from its final purpose.
Before it ever becomes something beautiful, it must pass through intense heat. In the process of smelting, impurities are removed, the metal becomes molten, and only then can it be poured, shaped, and crafted into something with purpose.
That picture beautifully reflects what God does in us.
Many of us can identify with feeling unfinished. We know our failures, our disappointments, our wounds, and our past. We see ourselves as the raw material.
But God doesn't see us that way.
He sees what He created us to become.
When God's Glory Came Down
In Exodus 40, after Moses faithfully followed every instruction God had given him, the Tabernacle was completed.
"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." (Exodus 40:34)
God's glory was so overwhelming that even Moses could not enter.
The message was clear:
God is holy.
Humanity cannot approach Him on its own.
A gap existed between God's holiness and our brokenness.
Jesus Closed the Gap
Fast forward to Matthew 17, where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John.
Once again, God's glory is revealed.
Once again, people fall face down in fear.
But this time something changes.
Jesus walks over.
He touches them.
"Get up," He says. "Don't be afraid."
What was impossible in Exodus becomes possible through Jesus.
Because of His death and resurrection, the separation between us and God has been removed. We no longer stand at a distance from His presence - we're invited into relationship with Him.
The same God who filled the Tabernacle now chooses to dwell within His people through the Holy Spirit.
The Refiner's Fire
Malachi describes God as a refiner.
"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..." (Malachi 3:3)
Refining isn't about destroying something.
It's about removing everything that doesn't belong.
God doesn't expose our brokenness to shame us.
He transforms us because He loves us.
His fire burns away what holds us back so that His purpose can shine through.
You're Not Just a Billet
One of the most powerful illustrations from the message came through the image of a billet - a rough block of steel waiting to be shaped.
It's easy to become fixated on the billet.
Our past. Our mistakes. Our scars. Our sharp edges.
But God isn't focused on the raw material.
He's focused on the masterpiece He's creating.
A sword doesn't begin looking impressive.
It is heated. Hammered. Reshaped. Refined. Quenched.
Only then does its purpose become visible.
In the same way, God often uses seasons of pressure, waiting, healing, and growth to shape us into who He has always intended us to be.
Your current season is not your final form.
The Oil That Strengthens
An interesting detail from sword making is that when a blade is quenched in oil rather than water, it cools more slowly, making it stronger.
What a beautiful picture of God's Spirit.
The Holy Spirit doesn't simply rescue us from difficult seasons.
He strengthens us through them.
God's transforming work isn't rushed. It's intentional.
Every stage has purpose.
Following the Fire
Transformation isn't something we manufacture through effort.
It's something we surrender to.
As followers of Jesus, our role is simply to keep our eyes on Him.
Some practical ways we respond include:
Follow — Wherever Jesus leads, we choose to follow.
Obey — God's Word becomes the lamp that guides our next step.
Repent — We allow God's refining fire to remove what doesn't belong.
Glorify — We offer our whole lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2).
Expand — As God transforms us, the fruit of the Spirit naturally grows from the inside out.
Transformation isn't about trying harder.
It's about staying close to Jesus.
Purification Meets Purpose
Wherever you find yourself today, perhaps you're in a season of healing.
Maybe you feel like life is applying pressure.
Maybe God is reshaping areas you've held onto for years.
Or perhaps you're simply waiting for clarity about your purpose.
Whatever stage you're in, remember this:
God has not forgotten you.
The same God whose glory filled the Tabernacle now dwells within every believer through the Holy Spirit.
His presence doesn't just comfort us.
It transforms us.
As we follow Him one step at a time, He removes what is holding us back, strengthens what He is building within us, and shapes us into the people He created us to be.
Purification meets purpose.
And every life God touches is transformed for His glory.
Comments