Singing in the Fire: How Worship Breaks the Ceramic Beam of Iniquity

Iniquity and deliverance - Prophetic Vision

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another edition of Coffee with Conrad. This is Conrad from ConradRocks.net. Pull up a chair and let’s get into the deep things of God. Today, I want to talk to you about something that I believe is a "right now" word for the Body of Christ. It’s about those struggles we all face—those habitual, nagging sins that seem to stay with us no matter how much we pray. I’m talking about the beam of iniquity.

Recently, I was in Houston, Texas, attending a corporate worship setting at a home church with some dear friends, Jonathan and Olivia. If you’ve never been to a house church in Houston, let me tell you, it’s a different kind of atmosphere. People there aren't looking at the back of someone's head for thirty minutes before rushing off to Luby's for lunch. They are hungry. They stay until two or three in the morning just seeking the face of God. The hunger in that room was palpable, like a physical weight, but in the best way possible.

As the music began to swell, I felt the corporate prophetic anointing start to move. It’s like what happened with King Saul in the Old Testament. He wasn't a prophet, but when he got around a company of prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him and he began to prophesy. There is something exponential that happens when we assemble. One can chase a thousand, but two can chase ten thousand. I like to think of it like candles in a dark room. One candle gives off a certain amount of light, but when you bring two or three together, the luminosity doesn't just double; it changes the entire clarity of the space.

In that room in Houston, the "spigot" was turned on. We weren't just ankle-deep or knee-deep in the river; we were swimming in the river of God. It was in this high-intensity spiritual environment that the Lord gave me an open vision. Now, when I say an open vision, I mean I could see it with my physical eyes open, superimposed right over the living room furniture and the people worshipping. It was vivid, it was strong, and it carried a message that shook me to my core.

The Vision of the Ceramic Log

In the vision, I saw a fireplace. Inside that fireplace was a massive wooden beam, or a log, and it was sitting right in the middle of a roaring fire. As I watched, I expected the wood to start charring and eventually turn to ash. That’s what fire does, right? But as I observed this beam, it wasn't burning. In fact, the longer it sat in the heat, the more it began to change into something else. It started looking like ceramic or pottery. It was becoming petrified.

It was incredibly frustrating to watch. The fire was hot, the environment was right for destruction, yet this log was just getting harder and harder. It was resisting the very element meant to consume it. I sat there in the middle of worship, watching this "ceramic log" and wondering what on earth I was looking at. Then, the Holy Spirit began to speak.

I realized that this beam represents the "beam of iniquity" that Jesus talked about in the Gospels. We often think of sin as just an outward act, but iniquity is something deeper. It’s the inward bend, the compulsive desire, the thing that remains even after we’ve asked for forgiveness for the act itself.

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Matthew 7:5 KJV)

Many of us are walking around with these beams in our eyes, and we’ve tried to "lay them on the altar." We’ve said, "Lord, take this from me," but then we just sit there and watch it get harder. The heat of our trials and the fire of our circumstances don't seem to be consuming the problem; they are just making us more rigid, more petrified, and more stuck in our ways.

The Science of Repentance and the Power of Song

As I was wrestling with this vision, I felt a shift in my own spirit. I wasn't singing at that particular moment; I was just observing. But then, I made a conscious decision to just start worshiping. I let the words come out of my mouth. I started singing to the Lord right there in the middle of that prophetic "fire."

The moment I began to sing, the Spirit of God shook me. I heard a phrase ring out in my spirit: "Sing in the fire."

You see, there is a "science of repentance" that we often miss. We think repentance is just a mental "I’m sorry," but true repentance is a gift from God. It’s an unlocking of the heart.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:25-26 KJV)

When we have iniquity eating away at us, we are "opposing ourselves." We are double-minded and unstable. We want to be free, but the "ceramic log" of our habit won't burn. The Lord showed me that the key to breaking that ceramic state is worship. When we sing in the fire—when we praise God in the middle of the struggle, the temptation, and the trial—the powers of heaven are shaken.

I remember a time years ago when I was leading worship for a house church in Houston. I was young in my faith, and I had a "beam" I didn't even know was there. I was still listening to heavy metal music, not realizing that it was poisoning the spiritual atmosphere I was trying to cultivate. The people I was with told me, "Conrad, you've got to stop. It's affecting the spiritual flow—the connection between heaven and earth that we're trying to maintain in our worship."

I didn't find a specific "thou shalt not" verse for heavy metal, but I borrowed their faith and decided to burn my CDs. I’ll never forget that day. As those CDs burned, I had a spiritual encounter. I saw what looked like "fowls of the air"—dark, crow-like or bat-like spirits—spinning up out of that fire and leaving my mind. It was a literal deliverance. I felt like I had lost fifty pounds in the spirit. I had "occluded vision" before that, a paradigm boxed in by demonic thoughts I wasn't even aware of. But once that beam was gone, I was free.

Understanding Iniquity: The Internal Bruise

To truly understand why we need to "sing in the fire," we have to understand the difference between sin and iniquity. I’ve written about this in my book, OPEN YOUR EYES: MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY, because it’s so vital for our walk with Jesus.

Isaiah gives us a powerful breakdown:

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 KJV)

Transgressions—our sins—are like outward wounds. They are the things we do. But a bruise is something that happens on the inside. A bruise is internal bleeding caused by an outward blow. When we sin, we are "calloused" against the Holy Spirit. If we keep doing it, that outward act creates an internal "bruise" or "iniquity."

Think of it like a gateway. That first compromise, that first step away from the Spirit's leading, creates a pathway. Over time, that pathway becomes a compulsive desire. You might be standing in a church with your hands lifted, truly wanting to love God, yet your flesh is screaming for that cigarette, that drink, or that lustful thought. You’ve developed an iniquity.

When you try to burn that iniquity through sheer willpower (the "fire" of your own effort), it often just turns to ceramic. It gets harder. You become the "hypocrite" with the beam because you’re trying to manage the sin rather than be delivered from the iniquity.

The breakthrough comes when you stop trying to "fix" yourself and start worshipping the One who can. When you sing in the fire, you are acknowledging that God is greater than the furnace.

Personal Reflections: Lessons from the Furnace

Looking back on my own journey, I can see so many times where I "opposed myself." I would grit my teeth like David in the Psalms, trying to keep myself from mine iniquity.

I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. (Psalm 18:23 KJV)

There is a place for "gritting your teeth," but David also knew the power of the harp. He knew that when the "evil spirit" came upon Saul, the music of worship drove it away. We need to be humble. We need to realize that we can’t even repent without God’s help.

There was another time I was worshipping with a guitar player friend named Michael. We were just in my living room, and what was supposed to be a twenty-minute session turned into hours. We were "singing in the spirit," letting the songs of the Lord flow. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. It was as if the Lord stepped into the room and asked, "What do you want?"

We asked for deliverance. I was sitting on a plastic cooler, playing my guitar, when something literally picked me up and dropped me back down. I didn't even miss a beat on the guitar, but I knew something had left me. I was delivered from things I hadn't even named yet. That is the power of worshipping in the fire.

We have to stop comparing ourselves among ourselves. It’s easy to see the speck in someone else’s eye when you’ve got a ceramic log in your own. But when you’ve been through the fire and seen your own beam consumed by the grace of God, you gain a heart of compassion. You stop being a judge and start being an ambassador of the Kingdom.

Biblical References: The Precedent for Praise

The Bible is full of examples of people who found their victory not in the absence of the fire, but right in the middle of it.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

These three Hebrew boys are the ultimate example of singing in the fire. They didn't get delivered from the furnace; they were delivered in it. And the most beautiful part is that when they were in the fire, they weren't alone. The Fourth Man was there with them.

He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:25 KJV)

Their faithfulness in the fire didn't just save them; it saved a nation. Nebuchadnezzar was so shaken by the supernatural encounter that he changed the laws of the entire land to honor the Living God. Your deliverance from iniquity isn't just for you—it’s a testimony that can bring a whole city to Jesus.

Job’s Worship in Loss

When Job lost everything—his children, his wealth, his health—he didn't charge God foolishly. He didn't let his heart turn to ceramic. Instead, he fell down and worshipped.

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:20-21 KJV)

Job went through a long, drawn-out trial, but because he maintained a heart of worship, his latter end was greater than his beginning.

Jehoshaphat’s Ambush of Praise

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was facing a massive army. The Lord told him to stand still and see the salvation of God. What did they do? They put the singers out in front!

And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. (2 Chronicles 20:22 KJV)

The "ambushment" against your iniquity is set when you begin to sing. The enemy doesn't know how to handle a believer who praises God while the "beam" is still in the fire.

Key Takeaways

• Iniquity is an internal "bruise" that results from repeated sin, creating a compulsive gateway for the enemy.
• The "Ceramic State" occurs when we try to deal with our issues through willpower or carnal means, making our hearts harder rather than freer.
• Corporate Anointing is exponential. Getting around prophetic mentors and a "company of prophets" can trigger breakthroughs you can't get alone.
• Worship is the Catalyst. Singing in the fire shakes the powers of heaven and allows God to grant repentance and deliverance.
• Your Victory is a Testimony. Like Joseph or the three Hebrew boys, your endurance in the fire is meant to "save much people alive."

Conclusion and Call to Action

If you are struggling today with a "beam" that just won't burn, I want to encourage you to stop fighting it with your own strength. The Lord is calling you to a deeper place of worship. Don't wait for the problem to be gone before you praise Him. Sing in the fire. Let the "Rocks of Revelation" be poured out into your heart as you seek the biblical Jesus.

If you’ve found this helpful, please explore more of the resources I’ve put together for your spiritual growth. You can find more teachings and podcast episodes at ConradRocks.net. If you’re dealing with spiritual attacks or need to understand the supernatural realm more clearly, check out my books: OPEN YOUR EYES: MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY and Overcoming Night Terror: Making the Demons Leave.

I’d love to hear your story. Have you ever experienced a breakthrough while worshipping in the middle of a trial? Leave a comment below or reach out to me on social media.

Until we meet again, dig deeper and go higher. God bless you.

Action Items

• Identify the Beam: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any "occluded vision" or hidden iniquities that you’ve been trying to hide or manage on your own.
• Find Your "Company of Prophets": Seek out a prophetic mentor or a group of believers who are hungry for the things of God. Don't stay on the couch; get into the corporate anointing.
• Initiate the "Science of Repentance": Spend time in the Word, specifically focusing on the character of Jesus, and ask Him to "grant" you repentance for specific areas of struggle.
• Practice "Singing in the Fire": The next time you feel the "compulsion" of an old iniquity or the heat of a trial, stop what you are doing and sing a song of praise to God for at least fifteen minutes.
• Purge the Atmosphere: Like I did with my old CDs, look for anything in your physical or digital environment that might be poisoning your spiritual atmosphere and remove it.

 Here is the original video describing the vision.