HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE—March 12, 2023—Marsha Burns:
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.”
(Also found in Luke 3:16)
Oswald Chambers MUH: “But He?” Until that moment comes, I will never know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit means. I indeed am at the end, and I cannot do anything more—but He begins right there—He does the things that no one else can every do…. When He comes to me, am I prepared for Him was to drag every wrong thing I have ever done into the light? That is exactly where He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean is where He sill put His feet and stand, and wherever I am clean is where He will remove His feet and walk away.
Repentance does not cause a sense of sin. It causes a sense of inexpressible unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am absolutely helpless, and I know that through and through I am not worthy even to carry His sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is not speaking here of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience, but as a work performed by Jesus Christ….
I indeed was in the past, but He came and something miraculous happened. Get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything.
Acts 2:
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We had known about the baptism of the Holy Spirit since before the beginning of this ministry and have walked and lived in the Spirit for at least 33 years.
However, I have not really ever stopped to consider the fire part of Matthew 3:11b He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and FIRE!
I don’t believe that baptism in fire is necessarily a separate thing, but something that is part of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
So, we need to understand the nature of fire.
It eats everything it touches that is of the flesh. When fire burns it can consume vegetation, entire forests, houses, towns and people.
But, when it is contained, it can produce warmth and light. It can purify and refine.
In the Old Testament the fire consumed the flesh or burnt offering and was a sweet aroma to the Lord.
The Lord became the fire that lead His chosen people out of Egypt (the world)…it was the Glory of the Lord:
Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
In Exodus 24:17 The sight of the GLORY of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.
After Solomon’s temple was finished…
2 Chronicles 7:1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
Remember the three Hebrew children thrown into the furnace?
Daniel 3:
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
The fire tests us and our faith and work:
1 Corinthians 3:13-15
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work [which he has built on it] endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
The fire purifies and refines:
1 Peter 1:6-8
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
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,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
The things of the earth are consumed, but the things of God are refined and purified.
Matthew 3:11-12 "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. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Isaiah 10:17 So the Light of Israel will be fore a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; it will burn and devour His thorns and briers in one day.
Fire also represents power and is part of warfare against the enemy.
Deuteronomy 9:3 Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them (the enemy combatants) and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly as the Lord has said to you.
It is the fire of God that produces internal work that results in
repentance.
Internal work has been a theme for us for several years.
In a recent vision I was shown a mountain that had been formed by a volcano now dormant had become a beautiful landscape.
A volcano is a rupture in crust of the Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape.
I asked the Lord about the meaning of this vision and I believe this is what He revealed:
The sin and unrighteousness are subject to God’s fire. The eruption is symbolic of the internal work that releases and expels that which is unclean before it can produce new life.
Baptism of Fire!!!
Conclusion:
Baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire…
The Holy Spirit produces His life and power in us (gifts and fruit).
Fire consumes the flesh.
Fire is the glory of God.
Fire tests our faith and work.
Fire purifies and refines.
Fire is a vital part of spiritual warfare.
Fire produces internal work that results in repentance and makes us beautiful!