Don't Run From the Fire — Embrace It

Small Group Discussion Guide | Pastor Willie Russell

1. SERMON RECAP

Pastor Willie Russell challenged the congregation to stop running from the fire of God and instead press deeper into His holy presence. He drew from the story of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 9 and 10 to show that familiarity with the things of God without genuine holiness is a dangerous place to stand. He reminded the group that the fire of God is not meant to frighten us away but to purify us, fill us, and send us out to set others ablaze.

2. KEY SCRIPTURE

1 Peter 1:15-16 (NKJV)

"But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

3. ICE BREAKER

Think of a time when you avoided something difficult — a hard workout, a tough conversation, a cold swimming pool — but once you finally did it, you were glad you did. Share that experience with the group.

4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Pastor Willie said that you cannot know what you are missing spiritually unless you have experienced it before. He compared it to not knowing what heat is if you have never been in a cold, dark, damp place. In your own life, has there been a season when you encountered a deeper level of God's presence that made you realize what you had been missing? What was that season like?

2. Pastor Willie pointed to Leviticus 9 and noted that Aaron and the people followed God's specific instructions exactly, and the fire of God fell and consumed the offering. He then contrasted that with Leviticus 10, where Nadab and Abihu offered a "strange fire" that God had not commanded, and it cost them their lives. What does it look like in everyday life when someone offers God a "strange fire" — going through the motions of religion while mixing in things that are not holy? Have you ever caught yourself doing this?

3. Pastor Willie described the tension of being so familiar with the presence of God that a person stops pressing in and starts taking it for granted. He described it as coming into the house of God with "wet wood" — throwing something onto the fire that only produces smoke, not flame. How does spiritual familiarity become dangerous, and what are some warning signs that a person has drifted into that place without realizing it?

4. He explained that when the Holy Spirit convicts our spirit, our responsibility is simple — repent. He also made the point that continuing to sin after Jesus has already paid the price is essentially saying that what Jesus did was not enough. How does understanding the cost of what Jesus paid change the way we think about choosing to remain in sin rather than repenting quickly?

5. Pastor Willie challenged the group not to settle for a church experience or a spiritual life that looks good on the outside but lacks the anointing and the fire of God. He was direct in saying that some people sit in dead, dry churches week after week and feel completely comfortable — but they do not know what they are missing. What practical steps can a person take to keep pressing for more of God rather than settling into spiritual comfort?

6. He closed by reminding the congregation that God loves us enough to chastise us, correct us, and send people across our path to speak truth into our lives. Pastor Willie framed this not as harshness but as the love of a Father who already knows our end from the beginning. How does receiving correction — from God, from the Word, or from a trusted leader — connect to the theme of embracing the fire rather than running from it?

5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE

This week, identify one specific area of your life where you have been spiritually comfortable or going through the motions — whether that is prayer, Bible reading, attendance, or a habit that has been grieving the Holy Spirit. Choose one concrete action to address it before the group meets again. Write it down, tell one person in the group what it is, and come back next week ready to share what happened when you stopped running and pressed in instead.

6. PRAYER POINTS

• Pray that each member of the group would have a fresh hunger for the holy fire of God and would stop settling for a spiritual life that looks right on the outside but lacks genuine anointing.

• Pray for the courage to repent quickly when the Holy Spirit convicts, trusting that the blood of Jesus is fully sufficient and that God's correction is an act of love, not rejection.

• Pray that the group as a whole would become people who press into the presence of God — not just on Sunday mornings, but consistently through the week — so that the fire they carry changes the people around them.

7. MEMORY VERSE

1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV)

"Because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

Prepare your heart before your group meets. Read Leviticus 9:22-24 and Leviticus 10:1-3 on your own this week and ask God to show you anything in your life that qualifies as a strange fire. Come ready to be honest.