Carrying the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire, we can be fire-starters of revival across the nations. Do you want the Holy Spirit to move in and through you to start revival fires?
God desires to co-labor with us, and He also wants to take us on a personal journey to the next level, with the Holy Spirit moving within us from glory to glory:
2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 BUT WE ALL, WITH UNVEILED FACE, BEHOLDING AS IN A MIRROR THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY TO GLORY, JUST AS BY THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.
Revival fires will start moving from city to city by demonstrating the power of God.
Jesus Baptizes with Fire
As John the Baptist declared, Jesus is the one who baptizes with Holy Spirit and fire:
MATTHEW 3:11 I INDEED BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER UNTO REPENTANCE, BUT HE WHO IS COMING AFTER ME IS MIGHTIER THAN I, WHOSE SANDALS I AM NOT WORTHY TO CARRY. HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE.
Fire comes with the Holy Spirit baptism.
Every Human Will Go Through Fire
As we have seen, baptism with fire comes with Holy Spirit baptism.
But the fire of God is not limited to those who receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Baptism with fire does not mean that those who choose not to accept the Holy Spirit baptism will miss out on fire.
Whether a person does not receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a believer, or they choose not to believe in Jesus, they still will go through the fire.
Jesus said everybody will go through fire!
MARK 9:49 “FOR EVERYONE WILL BE SEASONED WITH FIRE, …
Fire consumes that which is not like God in our life.
This fire is through trials, persecution, and the Father’s discipline. As the apostle Peter teaches, it is a refining fire here on earth.
1 PETER 1:7 THAT THE GENUINENESS OF YOUR FAITH, BEING MUCH MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD THAT PERISHES, THOUGH IT IS TESTED BY FIRE, MAY BE FOUND TO PRAISE, HONOR, AND GLORY AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST,
We need to understand that the more we want to be a fire-starter for God, the more we will go through the refiner’s fire to purify us and transform us into the image of Jesus.
We need to welcome this refining process, although it can be difficult. During these times, we remember wonderful promises such as:
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.
Jesus also had trials that He could choose not to accept:
LUKE 22:42 SAYING, “FATHER, IF IT IS YOUR WILL, TAKE THIS CUP AWAY FROM ME; NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS, BE DONE.”
During these times when we would prefer to run from the pain of being disciplined or refined, we need to strengthen ourselves in God, as His grace will be sufficient.
Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
The righteousness that comes through the New Covenant allows the Holy Spirit to fill us at the new birth, then Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit separately.
Being baptized with fire should happen at the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Purpose of Baptism With Fire
The primary purpose of the baptism with fire has to do with setting us free from all that is not like God. The secondary purpose is to assist you in bringing forth the gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus said these words in the context of persecution:
LUKE 12:49 “I CAME TO SEND FIRE ON THE EARTH, AND HOW I WISH IT WERE ALREADY KINDLED!
He was saying once the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes at the first Pentecost, fire will come also. Likewise, enabling us to be effective witnesses is the purpose of the baptism with the Holy Spirit:
ACTS 1:8 BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”
Being made in the image of Jesus is part of what salvation means. We are reconciled through His death and saved through His resurrection.
So, the purpose of the refiner’s fire is part of the salvation process we all go through.
Manifestation of Baptism with Fire
The outward manifestation of fire is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Historically, every significant man or woman of God will refer to an event separate from conversion, where they encountered the Holy Spirit accompanied by the fire burning within.
Pentecost
We note that on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, visible tongues of fire appeared upon them:
ACTS 2:2-4 AND SUDDENLY THERE CAME A SOUND FROM HEAVEN, AS OF A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND, AND IT FILLED THE WHOLE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. THEN THERE APPEARED TO THEM DIVIDED TONGUES, AS OF FIRE, AND ONE SAT UPON EACH OF THEM. AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM
Tongues of Fire
This verse in Acts 2:2 states that it wasn’t just a little flame; it was divided tongues of fire.
In other words, it was a raging fire. The fire of God needs to burn intensely in each one of us once Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit.
Wind of the Spirit
When the wind of the Spirit came, the breath of God also came to fan the flame. The Hebrew name for the Spirit of God is ruach, meaning and sounding like breath.
ACTS 2:2-4 AND SUDDENLY THERE CAME A SOUND FROM HEAVEN, AS OF A RUSHING MIGHTY WIND, AND IT FILLED THE WHOLE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. THEN THERE APPEARED TO THEM DIVIDED TONGUES, AS OF FIRE, AND ONE SAT UPON EACH OF THEM. AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.
Note that it does not say it was wind, rather the sound of the wind.
Revival Fire is Public
In Acts 2, we note that people from many different nations and people groups saw the fire fall on the first Pentecost.
We must share the revival fire, or it will soon die out. Holy Spirit fire is not just for us; it is for spreading the gospel.
ACTS 2:6-7 AND WHEN THIS SOUND OCCURRED, THE MULTITUDE CAME TOGETHER, AND WERE CONFUSED, BECAUSE EVERYONE HEARD THEM SPEAK IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE. THEN THEY WERE ALL AMAZED AND MARVELED, SAYING TO ONE ANOTHER, “LOOK, ARE NOT ALL THESE WHO SPEAK GALILEANS?
Baptism with Fire Brings Light, Heat and Glory
It is the anointing of the Spirit that burns in an enclosed lamp – your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Matthew teaches us we need to take the anointing oil into our lamps so the fire may burn.
MATTHEW 25:4 BUT THE WISE TOOK OIL IN THEIR VESSELS WITH THEIR LAMPS.
Your body is a vessel, the temple of the Holy Spirit, where the Trinity lives. God wants us to be sanctified oil lamps, walking holy and blameless before Him in love. This walk of righteousness is honoring to God, and therefore He will honor you for walking in righteousness.
2 TIMOTHY 2:20-21 BUT IN A GREAT HOUSE THERE ARE NOT ONLY VESSELS OF GOLD AND SILVER, BUT ALSO OF WOOD AND CLAY, SOME FOR HONOR AND SOME FOR DISHONOR. THEREFORE IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOR, SANCTIFIED AND USEFUL FOR THE MASTER, PREPARED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.
The Refiner’s Fire
All vessels go through the fire; what remains is gold or silver that God has refined. We see this portrayed in the parable of the one who would not forgive his brother concerning a small debt, casting him into jail. Jesus had this to say about such a person:
MATTHEW 18:32-34 THEN HIS MASTER, AFTER HE HAD CALLED HIM, SAID TO HIM, ‘YOU WICKED SERVANT! I FORGAVE YOU ALL THAT DEBT BECAUSE YOU BEGGED ME. SHOULD YOU NOT ALSO HAVE HAD COMPASSION ON YOUR FELLOW SERVANT, JUST AS I HAD PITY ON YOU?’ AND HIS MASTER WAS ANGRY, AND DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORTURERS UNTIL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT WAS DUE TO HIM.
The master’s anger seems to support the idea that God will send you to tormenting demons if you do not forgive. I agree that people who walk in unforgiveness are often troubled by the internal conflict that unforgiveness produces.
But when we look closely at the Greek word for tormentors, we find an insight not first apparent.
The root word for tormentor is basanos.
Basanos is referring to testing metals by the touchstone. The touchstone is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver. The touchstone once rubbed against the gold or silver, leaves a colored streak. Refined precious metals make a different colored streak than unrefined gold or silver.
God is Our Holiness
However, the refining process is not about walking in your holiness. One of God’s Old Testament attributes was Yahweh M’Kadesh, meaning God Our Holiness. Yahweh M’KAdesh declares that God provides us with holiness. We need to allow change through His refiner’s fire that He gives to us.
Speaking to the lukewarm Laodicean church, Jesus says:
REVELATION 3:18 I COUNSEL YOU TO BUY FROM ME GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE, THAT YOU MAY BE RICH; AND WHITE GARMENTS, THAT YOU MAY BE CLOTHED, THAT THE SHAME OF YOUR NAKEDNESS MAY NOT BE REVEALED; AND ANOINT YOUR EYES WITH EYE SALVE, THAT YOU MAY SEE.
The Laodiceans were known for paying money to receive counsel on becoming rich. There is refined gold from heaven available to anyone who diligently seeks it. If you are seeking to be purified and be more like Jesus, you will receive exactly that:
JOHN 15:7 IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YOU WILL ASK WHAT YOU DESIRE, AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU.
Trimming the Wick
We need to trim the wick of yesterday’s fire, so we burn cleanly with no smoke.
MATTHEW 25:7 THEN ALL THOSE VIRGINS AROSE AND TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS.
Spending time in prayer is especially important for leaders. It is futile to try and minister on yesterday’s fire, thinking it is burning bright.
However it is flickering with smoke. Although doing this might work for a while, we may not realize the anointing has lifted off us one day, as it did with Samson.
JUDGES 16:20 AND SHE SAID, “THE PHILISTINES ARE UPON YOU, SAMSON!” SO HE AWOKE FROM HIS SLEEP, AND SAID, “I WILL GO OUT AS BEFORE, AT OTHER TIMES, AND SHAKE MYSELF FREE!” BUT HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THE LORD HAD DEPARTED FROM HIM.
Fresh oil
We need to get fresh oil EVERY DAY by spending time with Holy Spirit.
MATTHEW 25:8 AND THE FOOLISH SAID TO THE WISE, ‘GIVE US SOME OF YOUR OIL, FOR OUR LAMPS ARE GOING OUT.’
Our fire will eventually go out if we do not get new oil from the Holy Spirit anointing and Jesus the anointed One.
Drawing From Ministry Gifts
The following scripture talks about those who sell the oil. The ones who have oil to “sell” are like those with an anointed ministry gift.
MATTHEW 25:9 BUT THE WISE ANSWERED, SAYING, ‘NO, LEST THERE SHOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FOR US AND YOU; BUT GO RATHER TO THOSE WHO SELL, AND BUY FOR YOURSELVES.’
The ministry gifted persons have a responsibility to equip saints for ministry and edify the body of Christ:
EPHESIANS 4:11-12 AND HE HIMSELF GAVE SOME TO BE APOSTLES, SOME PROPHETS, SOME EVANGELISTS, AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS, FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST,
It is good to draw from the anointed ministry gifts, BUT this should not be the primary source of the anointing.
We need to go to God ourselves that He may give us everything for our personal life (the anointing within) and the power ministry (anointing upon us).
Baptism with Fire Comes from Abiding.
The fire comes from ABIDING -making a home for Abba Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Abiding in the Vine
In Jesus’ parable of the true vine, Abba Father prunes unfruitful branches to produce more fruit. Therefore, this parable is referring to those who are already followers of Jesus.
JOHN 15:1-2,6 “I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER. EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE TAKES AWAY; AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT. IF ANYONE DOES NOT ABIDE IN ME, HE IS CAST OUT AS A BRANCH AND IS WITHERED; AND THEY GATHER THEM AND THROW THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED.
Here Jesus is referring to us as believers. It is not saying that the believers will go to hell because He says they will bear more fruit.
We can maintain this fire through abiding in Him.
Baptism with Fire produces Fruitfulness.
God desires to bless us. He does this by making us more fruitful:
1 CORINTHIANS 3:14-16 IF ANYONE’S WORK WHICH HE HAS BUILT ON IT ENDURES, HE WILL RECEIVE A REWARD. IF ANYONE’S WORK IS BURNED, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS; BUT HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, YET SO AS THROUGH FIRE. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU?
Jesus baptizes in Holy Spirit and fire.
Those who do not believe in Jesus will be consumed with fire.
Believers in Jesus will be refined by fire whilst alive as part of their transformation through salvation.
We are vessels to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit so that we may burn brightly, bringing the light of the gospel to the world.
We have a responsibility to look after our lamps, oil and wick so that we burn brightly and with purity.
In Revelation the two witnesses are the two anointings of Zechariah 4. The two anointings are the priestly anointing (Zerubbabel was a royal prince) and the kingly anointing (Joshua was a High Priest).