Baptism of Fire
ACTS 2:1-13 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesas the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
ACTS 1:4-5 NIV
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father PROMISED, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized withwater, but in a few days you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.”
MATTHEW 3:11-12 NIV
I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with THE HOLY SPIRIT and FIRE. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear his threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable FIRE.”
BIG QUESTION: “How much of your life are you willing to give to God?”
3 PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. PURIFICATION
MATTHEW 3:11b-12 NIV
“HE WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE. HIS WINNOWING FORK IS IN HIS HAND, AND HE WILL CLEAR HIS THRESHING FLOOR, GATHERING HIS WHEAT INTO THE BARN AND BURNING UP THE CHAFF WITH UNQUENCHABLE FIRE.”
MATTHEW 3:11-12 MSG
I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: the main character in this drama—compared to Him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a FIRE WITHIN YOU, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false He’ll put out with the trash to be BURNED.”
“God doesn’t want to manage your sin, He wants to consume your sin and set you free!”
3 PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. PURIFICATION
2. ILLUMINATION
ACTS 2:17 NIV
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
3 WAYS OF KNOWING THINGS
1. PERCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE: Five senses
2. CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE: Mind, reason, intellect
3. SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE: Revelation by the HOLY SPIRIT into the mind and will of God
JOHN 16:12-14 NIV
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of TRUTH, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”
3 PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. PURIFICATION
2. ILLUMINATION
3. EMPOWERMENT
ACTS 1:8 NKJV
“BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU…”
ACTS 10:38 NKJV
“… how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS YOU TO ACT LIKE JESUS ON THE EARTH
JOHN 14:12 NKJV
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I DO he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
ACTS 4:29-31 NIV
“Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with GREAT BOLDNESS. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and spoke the word of God BOLDLY.”
Maybe you made a decision to follow Jesus today, or maybe you’re curious what life with Him is all about. Wherever you are on your journey, we invite you to share with us so we can help you discover your next step.
