Matthew 3:11 KJVS. [11] 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:

We’ve been looking at what happens when we have an encounter with Jesus.  His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness and we become new creatures as we yield to Him.  We have a new spirit within us and begin living a new life.  As we yield to God’s power, He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, as much as walk with us.  

We’ve looked at how Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and last week we talked about spiritual evidence that the Spirit is influencing our lives.  This week, allow me a few minutes to discuss how Jesus baptizes with fire as He baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  There are four things about the fire of God I want to share with you today.

Fire = Presence of God

In Exodus 3, God was present in the bush that wouldn’t burn up when He talked to Moses.  When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, in Exodus 13 He lead them by a pillar of fire by night and stood between the Egyptian army and His people in that fire.  In Exodus 19, God descended upon the mountain with fire and smoke and gave Moses the Ten Commandments.  In 2 Kings 2, God scooped up Elijah into a chariot of fire.  And on the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit, who is just as much God as the Father and the Son, descended on the disciples in flames of fire to let them know He had arrived.  Fire reveals the presence of God.

Just as assuredly as God is a God of love, mercy and grace, He is also a consuming fire.  His fire is hot with His love and concern for His creation.  His fire is full of His glorious light that dispels all darkness.  His fire possesses all power to give life and all righteousness to administer justice.  Wherever God goes, His fire goes, too.

Fire = Proof of God’s Sovereignty

When Elijah had the spiritual battle with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18, God proved He was God through fire as holy fire fell from heaven and consumed the burnt sacrifice, the wood, the stones used to build the altar, the dust around the altar and licked up all the water poured onto the sacrifice and into the trenches around the altar.

That’s not the only time God proved who He is through fire.  In 2 Kings 1, Elijah proved he was a prophet of the one true god when fire fell from heaven and consumed a captain and his fifty men.  The Psalmist declared in Psalm 97:3 that fire goes before God and burns up His enemies.  In 2 Chronicles 7, God showed Himself mighty during the dedication of His house by sending the fire of His presence and consuming the sacrifices and offerings and filling His house with so much of His power that the priests had to stop what they were doing and go outside.  His fire and glory showed up to let them know their God really was the God.  Folks, God proves His sovereignty through His consuming fire.

Fire = Purification

Fire reveals God’s presence and His sovereignty.  It also is used to purify that which is defiled, diseased or defective.  In Leviticus 13, fire is to be used to purify a home from leprosy by burning infected clothing.  In Numbers 13, fire was used to purify all that was seized from the Midianites in battle because there had been blood shed by the men who fought and killed the Midianites.  Malachi 3 declares that the coming judge would be like a refiner’s fire that would purify the priests of Israel, who had been offering diseased and defective animals as sacrifices to God.

In the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul tells the people that the works they perform will be tried by fire to see if they will endure inspection by God.  The works will have imperfections burned away to see whether or not they are built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  And 1 Peter 1 lets us know that the testing of our faith is just like the purifying fire that burns away the dross from gold so the gold can be pure.  Our faith will be purified in the same manner.  Fire is used to purify.

If we want to be holy like God is holy, then we must allow His purifying fire to work on our imperfections.  When we decide to yield to the Holy Spirit to be filled with His presence, we must also yield to God’s purifying fire.  The Holy Spirit brings with Him the ability to clean us up spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.  That fire will move in us to burn away all our evil desires and replace them with godliness.  It will make us shine spiritually so the world can see Jesus living in us.  Yield to God’s purifying fire, just like you yield to the Holy Spirit, because they both come from the presence of God.   

Fire = Judgment 

Finally, fire is used for judgment.  God used fire in Genesis 19 to bring destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin that ran rampant in those cities.  He sent fire mixed with hail as a plague on Egypt in Exodus 9.  In Leviticus 10, God punished two arrogant priests with consuming fire.  In Leviticus 20, those involved in incest were to be killed by fire.  In Numbers 11, complainers who were never satisfied by God’s provision were destroyed by fire.  

Jesus Himself described in Matthew 13 how those who offend God will be gathered together by angels and cast into the lake of fire.  Matthew 25 declares how those rejected by God will be sent into everlasting fire that is prepared for the devil and his angels.  

2 Thessalonians 1 tells of how Jesus will take vengeance by fire on those who don’t know God and refuse to obey the gospel about Him.  And Revelation 20 plainly states that whosoever does not have their name found written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire.

Fire reveals God’s presence and sovereignty.  The fire of God purifies and makes what and who it touches holy and acceptable to Him.  And the fire of God will bring judgment on all those who reject Him, rebel against Him and choose to disobey Him.

Now, I have a very serious question to ask.  When the fire of God is made evident to you, will it purify you, or will it bring destructive judgment on you?  The way to be purified is to yield to God’s cleansing power and accept Jesus as your savior.  Allow His blood to cleanse you from sin and the fire of God to make you holy in every aspect of your life.  The alternative to doing that is to admit that you will fall under the judgment of God.   Accept God’s offer to be purified instead of judged.  Accept God’s presence and recognize His sovereignty.  Submit to His purifying fire to escape His condemning fire.

Allow the baptism of fire into your life right now.