There are many Christians, who long for the baptism with fire. Because of all the teachings about the baptism with fire, they have a certain expectation of the baptism with fire and want to receive this baptism with fire. But what does the Bible say about the baptism with fire? Did Jesus promise the baptism with fire to the believers or not? What is the meaning of the baptism with fire?
Do all physical manifestation derive from the Holy Spirit?
There are a lot of Christians, who want to receive the baptism with fire and go to conferences and church meetings that revolve around the fire of the Spirit and revival. During service, natural elements like music and neon lighting are used to create a certain atmosphere that should get them in a ‘spiritual mood’ and ensure that God’s presence will appear in their midst. They call upon the Holy Spirit and sing songs to invite the Holy Spirit to come in their midst. Because they want to experience God’s presence in their flesh (a.o. emotions, feelings).
They repeat the lyrics over and over again. Some people lay on the ground while they call and beg God for the Holy Spirit. They beg, scream, and yell until something happens and they experience feelings and emotions, which they think are from God.
They empty themselves and surrender themselves completely to their feelings. They allow themselves to be led by their feelings and emotions and enter some kind of trance. Some experience feelings of intense love, which they think derive from God, and begin to laugh, shout, scream, dance, tremble, etc.. Others crawl or meander on the floor and even behave and sound like animals.
They think that they have received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire. Because all kinds of manifestations take place, except one: the cry of the Spirit. The cry of the Spirit about the state of the Church and the sins that are committed in the Church.
The devil is an imitator
Although many believers think that the presence of the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire contains certain feelings and emotions, and (supernatural) manifestations, they are completely wrong.
The devil is an imitator and knows exactly what carnal Christians, who are sense ruled and are led by their flesh long for and what they are focused upon, namely on feelings and manifestations in the natural realm. They want to feel or hear something and experience a certain atmosphere, but above all, they want to see signs and wonders. That’s why they call out to God.
But God has already given some of them what they want. But the problem is that the image they have created about the Holy Spirit doesn’t line up with the true Holy Spirit.
Through false doctrines of man that originate from the devil, they have created an image of the Holy Spirit, that deviates from the Word.
Through a lack of knowledge of the Word, they don’t see that God has already given them all they need to establish His Kingdom on this earth.
The devil uses their ignorance and imitates ‘their holy spirit’ and attacks the believers with his angels. They start to laugh, scream, shake, tremble, experience uncontrollable muscle contractions and act like animals. They sing and dance, are enthusiastic, and have the time of their lives because that’s what they wanted.
But all these carnal manifestations are only temporary and can only satisfy the believers temporarily. Because as soon as they come home and continue their daily activities and get caught up in family life ‘the fire’ which they thought they received extinguishes.
But is the baptism with fire that is preached today and experienced, the same baptism with fire that is described in the Bible? Does the baptism with fire derive from the Holy Spirit and is this baptism with fire meant for believers?
The fire has many meanings
Fire is used in the Bible many times and has many different meanings. The fire can be looked at and explained from many angles. The fire is not only used literally but also symbolically for among others, God, Jesus; the Word, the Holy Spirit, angels, ministers of God, God’s holiness, God’s righteousness, trials, sanctification, purification, the destruction of sin (everything that is against God’s will), etc. Since this article is about the part in the Bible where John spoke about Jesus the Messiah and the baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire, the fire will be discussed in this context.
John the Baptist spoke about three baptisms
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:11-12, Luke 3:16-17).
Before John spoke about the different kinds of baptisms, John spoke to the Pharisees and Sadducees about the Day of Judgment and that everyone, who would not bring forth fruit meet for repentance, would be cast into the fire.
John baptized in water unto repentance, but the Messiah, who would come after John, would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Jesus Christ was and is the Messiah and Jesus is responsible for the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire.
Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12)
John didn’t stop after the word ‘fire’, but continued and spoke again about the Day of Judgment and Jesus His power. Because Jesus shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, which points to the eternal lake of fire; the final destination of the devil, his angels, and sinners; servants of sins and iniquities.
What is the fire of the Spirit?
The fire of the Spirit has nothing to do with emotions, feelings, carnal manifestations or a special atmosphere. The fire of the Spirit has everything to do with purging His floor or to put it in other words, with the process of sanctification of man, who has become a new creation in Christ through regeneration. The holiness of God is the center and His holiness confronts people with their sins and calls them to repentance and the putting away of sins (disobedience to God).
God is a consuming fire and everything that stands in the way of His holiness and His righteousness shall be destroyed (Deuteronomy 4:24, Deuteronomy 9:3, Hebrew 12:29).
Every born again believer shall be refined (not baptized) with fire so that the flesh and the works of the old man shall be consumed.
Jesus said, that He had come to throw fire on the earth. He didn’t come to bring peace, but division (Lu 12:49). This fire refers to the division and persecution that will come due to His coming and His righteousness, which destroys the works of the devil.
Jesus exposed the sins of the people, because He walked in righteousness, doing the will of God on earth.
Jesus was not a Humanist, who tolerated and approved everything. Unfortunately, many believers have developed this image of Him. But if they would study the Bible themselves in the Holy Spirit and don’t rely ‘blindly’ on the words of all kinds of preachers, then they would get a whole other image of Him. They would get to know the real Jesus Christ; the living Word and Son of the living God. Because Jesus didn’t tolerate and accept everything and didn’t allow people to continue in their sins. But Jesus confronted God’s people with their sins and commanded them to change their lives and remove their sins. So that they would walk in the will of God and serve Him. Jesus was confronting and spoke admonishing and with authority. He spoke hard words and wasn’t afraid of the opinions of people or that they would leave Him.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit
Jesus spoke with His disciples about the coming of another Comforter; the Holy Spirit. He promised them that He would pray to the Father and that He would send the Holy Spirit to them. They would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and He would be with them and dwell inside of them (John 14:16-26, John 15:26, John 16:7, Acts 1:5-8). Nowhere, did Jesus speak about a second baptism, which they would receive. There was only one baptism, which Jesus promised them and that was the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
This baptism with the Holy Spirit would be enough to ‘set them on fire’. So that, they would become God’s ministers of fire or in other words, ministers of the righteousness of God, instead of timid collaborators of the world.
Because as God is a consuming fire, and represents His holiness and righteousness, and as His Word is as fire, so shall His sons be a consuming fire and represent His holiness and righteousness and speak words of fire.
They shall speak the truth of God and confront people with their sins and call them to repentance so that they will be saved from destruction
Jesus had given His disciples all His authority; His Name and by the baptism with the Holy Spirit they would receive power so that they would walk in authority and power according to the will of God and represent and establish His Kingdom on this earth. Just like Jesus walked in the authority of His Father and in the power of the Holy Spirit after the will of God and represented and established His Kingdom on this earth.
The baptism with fire
Jesus spoke many times about fire. But when Jesus talked about the fire, Jesus didn’t refer to the baptism with the Holy Spirit but Jesus referred to hell.
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:21-22)
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19)
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:37-42)
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:49-50)
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt (Mark 9:43-49, Matthew 18:8-9)
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41)
If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:6)
Jesus was baptized three times
Jesus was baptized in water and received the baptism with the Holy Spirit from His Father. But these were not the only baptisms Jesus received. Jesus was also baptized in the sufferings and eventually death (Mark 10:38-39, Luke 12:50). Jesus received this baptism from His Father for all sinners.
Jesus was baptized in the sufferings unto death and became the Substitute for sinners (1 Pe 3:18, Rom 5:19). Jesus, who was righteous took all the sins and the punishment for sinners upon Himself so that if they would believe in Him and be baptized in Him, they would not receive the baptism with fire, which is meant for every sinner, but eternal life.
God baptized Jesus in the sufferings unto death and when Jesus conquered death and was raised from the dead as Overcomer, He received the Kingdom and Kingship from His Father. Jesus shall deliver up the Kingdom to His Father, at the end, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power (1 Corinthians 15:24).
Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch (Malachi 4:1)
Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and He baptizes those, who believe in Him and are prepared to lay down their own lives to follow Him, with the Holy Spirit.
But the unbelievers; those who don’t believe and obey, but reject the Word of God, shall be rejected by Jesus; the living Word of God and He shall baptize them with fire in the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:15, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
‘Be the salt of the earth’
