Elijah #24 The Fire and Smoke of a Christian

We read that the Lord Jesus is a merciful Savior who will not break the bruised reed nor quench or put out the smoking flax (Matthew 12:20). Dear ones, there is both the fire of God's effectual grace in the life of a Christian, and yet there is the smoking flax of corruption that yet evidences itself in the life of a Christian.
As Richard Sibbes states in his most excellent book (The Bruised Reed):
But grace is not only little, but mingled with corruption; therefore a Christian is said to be smoking flax. So we see that grace does not do away with corruption all at once, but some is left for believers to fight with. The purest actions of the purest men need Christ to perfume them; and this is his office... (p. 18).
King Jehoshaphat was such a man that had the fire of God's effectual grace and yet had the smoke of sinful corruption. The main points are the following: (1) The Fire of a Christian (1 Kings 22:41-43,45-47); (2) The Smoke of a Christian (1 Kings 22:44,48-53).