Shane Idleman emphasizes the necessity of spiritual fire in sermons, drawing inspiration from John Bunyan's humble beginnings as a tinker and his profound impact despite lacking formal education. He contrasts Bunyan's passionate preaching with the often sterile, degree-driven approach of modern sermons, urging believers to seek a genuine relationship with God that transforms lives. Idleman calls for a return to spiritual hunger and repentance, highlighting that true change comes from a broken and contrite heart before God. He passionately asserts that God desires to fill us with His Spirit and that we must actively engage in the fight against evil and stand for truth in our society.

Hope is yours to take, peace is found in grace. Anybody ever read Pilgrim's Progress? It was written by John Bunyan. 12 years in prison for doing what I'm doing. And America's going back there pretty soon, if we don't wake up and leadership matters. Again, here we go. But he was what they would call a tinker. Did you know that? How many of you knew that? Tinker. He would work on metal. Fix metal things. Pots, pans, a break. Not like us today. What's your background? Construction. Oh, wow. You don't have a degree at the upper echelons of a university? No, give me a shovel and a digging bar and I'll be pretty happy. Actually, if you could drop off a 410SG John Deere bat coil, I'd be really happy. But see, God takes the least likely so He can confound the foolish people. No flesh will glory in His presence. What in the world am I going to say? I've written 12 books. I have no degree. I shouldn't be writing books. I laugh at that. I barely got through high school with a 1.8. Stuttering. Speech impediment. Couldn't read. Don't want to be in front of people. And I write, give me a break. God has got a sense of humor. And so no flesh is going to glory in His presence. So John Bunyan the Tinker. And a man by the name of John Owen. Ever heard that name? Prolific author. A Puritan. That's serious. Very deep theology. Two hour sermons. Puritan John Owen had a theological degree, a doctorate degree in theology. And they'd say, John Owen, why do you go and listen to this Tinker? And he said, I would give up all of my education if I could preach like that man. With the fire, the unction of that Tinker. See, we rest too much in our degrees. Our pedigrees, whatever you call that. And it's self-promotion. It's self-exaltation. It's a stench in the nostrils of God. That's why I truly believe. I don't get excited or passionate for no reason. I believe that the living God, when the Bible says, thus saith the Lord, he who dwells in the high and holy place, he will be with those who have a broken and contrite heart. I am just naive enough to believe it. That God can fill you above capacity. That you can leave here with a passion and desire for God more than you've ever felt before. I run to people every single week. We hear from people, God has changed my life by the power of the Spirit. I was arrogant, now I'm broken. I was carnal, but now I'm full. And I've never experienced so much joy in my life. See, this isn't just a social event. Hey, that was pretty cool. What are we doing after this? This is a life-changing time where we hear from God himself through his word. Through his word. I used to listen to the ACDC song, Highway to Hell with those brakes just pumping and a six-pack on the next seat. And God says, young man, I'm going to call you to call the prodigal sons back to me in the way we're daughters. So shouldn't we be excited? Shouldn't we be excited? We see felons on our altar with correctional officers. We see those that have a crystal myth addiction, alcohol addiction, pornography, brokenness at the altar, being broken by God, broken by God, because we believe in a Jesus Christ who can change lives. Not just a sanctified Savior who's way up there. He says, I am way up there, high and lofty, but I dwell among the people who are broken and contrite. I will fill you with my Spirit. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of El Shaddai. The greatest power in the universe wants that relationship with you. Quantum physics can't explain Him. The law of thermodynamics can't contain Him. Calculus can't duplicate Him. Psychologists can't understand Him. Politicians cannot govern God Almighty. The media can't mislead Him. Armies can't overthrow Him. Kings can't rule Him. Satan can't defeat Him. So who can stop God Almighty? There needs to be a heart cry back to God. The Bible I read says, Exposium, Fruitful Works of Darkness. It says to do business till I come back. It says to be a voice for those who have no voice. It says to protect the fatherless, to stand up for truth, to tremble at God's Word, and to make a difference, and to fight what is evil, and to expose it, and to put people in positions of leadership that can govern according to God's Word, so I will fight until the day I die. I'm not jumping off the Titanic just because it's hit. I know the welder who can fix it. Did you know Jesus said, I am the only way, the only truth, the only life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Me. Now that's pretty narrow. C.S. Lewis said, He's either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord Jesus Christ. You can't just find your happy... He's a good teacher, man. No, actually he said some very weird things. If He's not the Messiah. Whoever drinks of My blood and consumes My flesh, is that representing communion? I will go to My Father. I will return. I will be raised from the dead in three days, destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it. One choice. I am the way, the truth, the life. Nobody comes to the Father. No other way. There's no other way. He cried out in the Garden of Gethsemane, Father, if there be any other way, if there's any other way, take the cup, the cup of Your wrath and indignation. Take it from Me. But Father, not My will. Your will be done. And that one time price on the cross, the sacrificial offering for our sins, He said, it is finished. It is over. It is done. And you have to repent of your sin. You have to repent and acknowledge it. And so Lord, I repent of my hard heart. I repent of my attitude. I repent that I treated that person this way. I repent that I haven't been in Your Word. I repent that I've been arrogant and hard. I repent that I've been a difficult spouse and condescending and bitter. I repent of rebuking Biden, but I'm not broken. Four hour drive, now we can't sit through a 40 minute worship service. What's the difference? There's no spiritual hunger. The things of God have died in your life and you need to repent and restore those. Oh, God created me a clean heart. Renew a right spirit in me. Do a deep work in my heart. I've sinned, I've drifted, and I need to come back to the loving arms of a Father. How long will you waver between two opinions? If God be God, follow Him.