The Baptism with the Holy Spirit and Fire
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August 16, 2009 |
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 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matthew 3:12)
Baptism by fire is when the fire of the Holy Spirit comes upon us and the power of God is given to us. When we tear down the walls of sin and please God with our praises and prayers, sinful natures are cast away, diseases are healed, and all kinds of problems become solved.
So what is "baptism by the Holy Spirit and fire", and how can we receive this? For children of God, baptism by the Holy Spirit is the first step to becoming a Christian. And while receiving the baptism by fire on a daily basis, just like the believers of the early church, we should long for the Lord's return by being faithful to the bitter end.
1. The Importance of the Baptism by the Holy Spirit
After attending church on a regular basis, and becoming a believer, today's Christians are taught and baptized according to the denominational rules and orders of the church they attend.
This type of baptism for new believers is done with water, which symbolizes the word of God. According to the Bible, being baptized with water symbolizes that one has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and has received the right to become a child of God. Baptism by water symbolizes that one has been cleansed of his sins and has become a holy child of God. People in the Old Testament times received salvation according to their deeds of observing the law, so they were physically circumcised as a sign that they are people of God. But in the New Testament times, those who accept Jesus Christ receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and their hearts become circumcised, meaning they go through an internal transformation. Then through baptism by water they proclaim and testify that they have become children of God.
The baptism of water is simply a symbolic act of receiving salvation for those who have accepted Jesus Christ, so even if someone is baptized with water, if he or she does not receive the Holy Spirit, they cannot be saved.
Since we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit when we open our hearts and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, it is more correct to be baptized by water after receiving the Holy Spirit; however, some believers are baptized by water first, and then later receive the Holy Spirit. But the important matter here is not which kind of baptism we receive first, but that as children of God, we receive the Holy Spirit in order to truly be saved (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
2. He Will Baptize You with the Holy Spirit and Fire
What should we do in order to receive the Holy Spirit? First of all, we have to understand why Jesus is our only Savior and why we need to believe in the Lord Jesus to be saved. We should also repent for all the sins we committed here on earth, but we must acknowledge that the biggest sin is not believing in Jesus Christ and repent of that sin. Then we should open our hearts, and believe and accept Jesus as our Savior. Then, we can receive the Holy Spirit as a gift from God (Acts 2:38).
Baptism by the Holy Spirit is the surest testimony of salvation (John 1:12). Simply going to church does not guarantee us of salvation and the ticket to enter into the kingdom of heaven. No matter how long one might have been attending church, they can only gain the assurance of salvation after receiving the Holy Spirit. And only after we are born again by water and the Holy Spirit is our name recorded in the book of life. And only after we receive the Holy Spirit can we call God "Abba Father," and believe that God will answer our prayers. And since the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and teaches us about the way of righteousness and about the last judgment, we should feel the strong need to cast out our sins and live according to the word of God.
When we receive the Holy Spirit, yes, we are forgiven of our sins and become children of God, but this doesn't mean our sinful natures disappear. Only when we constantly struggle to cast off our sins and try to walk in the light, can we reach complete salvation. Even if we have received the Holy Spirit and gained the right to receive salvation, if we continue to live in the midst of sins and befriend the world, we are no different from the people of this world.
Therefore, throwing away sins, becoming sanctified, and living according to the word of God cannot be fulfilled by one simple baptism of the Holy Spirit. We have to keep our hearts filled with the Holy Spirit at all times and be baptized by fire every day to receive the power to overcome the dark world through faith.
3. The Baptism of Fire and the Works of the Holy Spirit
Baptism by fire is when the fire of the Holy Spirit comes upon us and the power of God is given to us. When we are baptized by fire, the holy fire scorches our diseases and sinful natures, and the enemy devil departs from our families, work places, and businesses.
When we are baptized by the Holy Spirit, we are cleansed from all our sins. But since the roots of sin remain in our hearts, we may not be able to live completely by the word of God, and the enemy Satan can still accuse us of our remaining sins and bring diseases, tribulations, or problems to our homes and workplaces.
This is why even after we receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God, we should constantly be baptized by fire, have the roots of sin scorched by the Holy Spirit's fire, strive for sanctification, and walk in the light. By doing this, we can be protected in our homes and workplaces by the fiery walls of the Holy Spirit. Because the enemy Satan won't have anything to accuse you of, trials and afflictions will depart from your lives, and you can always enjoy God's blessings in all areas of your life.
Just as fire burns and destroys, when we are baptized with fire of the Holy Spirit, fleshly diseases and sinful natures of our hearts become scorched, and then all kinds of problems that may be present in our lives can be solved. Thus, if God surrounds us with the fire of the Holy Spirit, the evil spirits, including the enemy devil cannot approach us, and flee from us instead. If the evil spirits including the enemy devil and Satan are touched by the fire of the Holy Spirit, they lose their power and become paralyzed like dead beings.
What shall we do in order to be constantly baptized by fire? Baptism by fire is given to us when we are full of the Holy Spirit, so we must first destroy the walls of sin built between us and God. That's why the first thing we have to do at divine healing meetings is to destroy the walls of sin through prayers of repentance. Then we pray for the inspiration, influence, and fullness of the Holy Spirit. And then lastly, we begin the prayer for the sick. Only then can the fire of the Holy Spirit scorch all diseases, sins are cast out, and our prayers are answered.
Next, in order to be baptized with fire, we have to offer the praises and prayers that are pleasing to God. If we store up the fragrance of praises and prayers that can move the throne of heaven, the fire of the Holy Spirit comes down on us and we can cast off sinful attributes and receive the solutions to various problems. Thus, you can become sanctified, and become true sons who worthy to receive power of God so that as many souls can be guided to the path.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I eagerly pray that you will be baptized by fire and be prepared for the end times with oil burning in your lamps while leading as many people to the path to salvation as possible and become true believers that enjoy the glory as bright as the sun in the kingdom of heaven.
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