I was first introduced to the holy fire baptism through a book by brother Yong-Doo Kim, called Baptize by Blazing Fire. I encourage you to read all five books, as I have described in another blog (see here). There you will see from one church's experience how we receive it, why it is so important, and some of the practical aspects of it in the life of the disciple of Christ.I have personally experienced this and it has changed my life. But sometimes I meet people who say that the holy fire is not found in the Bible. I realize this is controversial, but I want to ask you to be very careful not to deny the Holy Spirit's work. Consider this matter reverently in fervent prayer to the Lord, searching the Scriptures and seeking to know whether it is truly from God.
In order to help you, I would like to first show you the Scriptures about God's holy fire. And then I would like to share some people other than brother Kim, who have had divine revelations regarding the holy fire that further corroborate this teaching, and confirm my own experiences. Lastly, I would like to explain what usually happens when a person receives the holy fire.
Jesus Baptizes in Holy Blazing Fire
John the Baptist said, "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. (Mat 3:11)
John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luk 3:16)
Some people make the mistake in thinking that when you are baptized in water, you simultaneously receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This is an incorrect belief. There is a second experience in which the Lord baptizes the believer with the Holy Spirit. Those who refuse to acknowledge this are missing one of the greatest blessings God has for His people. For more about the Holy Spirit baptism, you can read my blog about that (see here).
However, some people who have received both water baptism and the baptism with the Holy Spirit also fail to realize that the Lord has a third baptism. They assume that the fire baptism is one and the same as the Holy Spirit baptism. This too is error. The Lord truly has a third baptism for us. And John the Baptist made that clear when he said, "He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
God a consuming fire
For our God is a consuming fire. (Heb 12:29) Therefore it should not surprise you that the Lord is able to baptize His people with fire. In this same passage, He says that He is once again going to shake both the heavens and the earth, so that everything which can be shaken will be shaken.
Since God is holy, we know that He is a holy fire, as well. And when He baptizes you in fire, it is a holy fire.
The Lord says that before He comes, He will send His messenger to prepare His people. We know that He did this through John the Baptist before His first coming, and He is doing it again now right before His second coming. "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness." (Mal 3:3; cf., Zech 13:9)
When a refiner purifies gold or silver, he places it in a vessel and then puts intensely hot fire beneath it. The precious metal melts, and the worthless material inside of it comes to the surface, where it is scooped off and removed. Then the metal is cooled, and the process is repeated again later as many times as necessary until the gold or silver is pure.
I, for one, desire the refiner's fire to burn up all the worthless dross within me. I hope you do also.
A Burning Coal Purified the Prophet Isaiah
Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven." (Isa 6:5-7)
When the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord, he was ruined. He sensed his own uncleanness. But when he cried out in repentance, a seraphim took a burning coal in his hand and touched Isaiah's lips with it. When this flaming coal touched his lips, it purified him. The holy fire has a purifying effect, because it is from heaven where Jesus serves as our Great High Priest.
Now for a moment, I would like to share some extra-biblical testimonies that further corroborate this Biblical teaching. These are people who have had divine revelations. If you believe the Lord gives divine revelations like dreams, visions, prophecies, and visitations, according to Joel 2 and Acts 2, then you must acknowledge that this is one of the works of the Holy Spirit. Of course, we need to test these experiences. But if they are genuine, then we need to heed their message.
Holy Fire of God – from Anna Rountree’s books
The first one I will share is that of Anna Rountree. In the mid-1990's she visited heaven. During one visit, the Father said to her:
"The fire of My holiness, the fire of My love, the fire of My compassion, the fire of My wisdom, the fire of My understanding, the fire of My knowledge, the fire of My zeal, the fire of My purity, the fire of My mercy."
This fire will burn all that is wood, hay, and stubble in the lives of His children (1 Co 3:15). They must desire the fire and long for His holiness. His heart is turned toward them, and the fire of His love will reveal this. The hearts of the children will long to turn toward Him, to walk through the fire of purification, and to rest in His arms. As the enemy hates the fire, so must God’s children love it, for in and through the fire, they will see God. She went on to say that we must learn to live in the fire by allowing it to burn away all that will not pass through it as purely of the Lord. Learn to love the fire of God.
In her vision of judgment, she saw a plumb line being let down to earth. "As the plumb line reached earth, great rejoicing began in heaven. It was as though every created being there was singing, and the sound began to shake the celestial realms: 'His righteousness is from everlasting to everlasting. His judgments are sure and will be withheld no longer.' As the thunderous rejoicing increased, fire came out of heaven and traveled the plumb line, passing before us and sweeping down the line to the earth. Suddenly the whole world was aflame."
Her books are available online (see here and here).
Holy Fire -- from Yong-Doo Kim’s books
As I mentioned earlier, I first heard about the holy fire through brother Yong-Doo Kim in his books called Baptized by Blazing Fire.
In his book, he and other learned the following lessons:
- Shout, “Holy Fire” whenever unnecessary or hindering thoughts come to you during prayer.
- If you are having a bad day, feeling sick, or anxious, then shout out, “Holy Fire!”
- The Fire that you long to receive is the power that the evil forces are most afraid of and fear. Therefore, once you receive it, you have to continuously accumulate it daily. Charge it up everyday!
- One of the most powerful weapons used in Spiritual Warfare is Blazing Fire. When this gift is granted to a saint, their entire Spiritual Body is fully engulfed in holy fire, with a blazing intensity. The fire is so intense, that a mere touch of a demonic spirit will incinerate it to ashes.
- The Holy Blazing Fire is enormously, unimaginably powerful and can be used as offensive weapons.
- The Fire that the Lord grants us can completely devastate the forces of evil. In fact, it is more than just fire. The fire is a powerful layer of light that can burn up all kinds of diseases on earth, which can heal.
- Any person who prays diligently and persistently will receive the power of fire.
- The fire ministry is a ministry that has the greatest reward in heaven, as well as on earth, but also the trials and testings are highest.
- Even though we once confessed and accepted the Lord as our Savior -- even though we believed in Him -- if we cannot get out from our sinful habitual lives, then our lives are not completely holy. The only way to save ourselves is to repent. If you repent and shout out, "Holy Fire," the evil spirits will have to leave and healing will come.
Then there is a pastor named Howard Pittman, who was raised from the dead. You can listen to his complete testimony online (see here). But one of his conclusions is this. He says, "He’s going to shake this world one more time. These things He did, you will do greater than these. But the church must be without spot or wrinkle or blemish. He’s getting ready to cleanse the church. How will He do it? He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire, according to Matt 3:11. You’ve been baptized in water. You’ve been baptized in the Holy Ghost. But now He’s going to baptize you with fire. Get ready. Yonder comes the fire! The third and final baptism with which He’s going to clean up His church is the baptism of fire. He’s going to take a blow torch! He’s going to scorch us up one side and down the other to make us ready to turn loose this world. But if you think God can do this with carnal-minded Christians, you’re mistaken. God’s got enough fire to get rid of all the chaff. If you don’t want the fire, get rid of the chaff."
Holy Fire – from James Agboola
In my article, James Agboola Revelation of Heaven and Hell, I wrote about how this brother was shown the international conference of the kingdom of darkness, presided over by the devil himself.
James was shown that one force for the devil and his demons to contend with on the earth in these last days is God’s end-time evangelists who are just appearing. They are clothed with clothes of fire, and the demons find it difficult to talk to them. Therefore, the devil has sent out his own demons into the earth to appear as humans, and clothed them with a garment of fire, so that he will be able to contend. This is his strategy to enable his demons to be able to stand and fight those end-time evangelists.
Holy Fire – from a woman named CJ
A woman named CJ, who saw Jesus in person and was born again, testifies to her experience in an interview online (see here). It's a very powerful testimony.
She had searched for the Lord all her life. And on the night she saw the Lord in her friend's living room, He spoke the following things to her: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:5); “You must keep the commandments” (Mt 19:17; Jn 14:15; 15:10); and “I will not share My temple with idols” (2 Co 6:16). She then repented and gave her life to Jesus.
In 1981, after she saw Jesus and had become born again, she had another experience where she had about 40 days of tests and trials. At the end of that time, Christ was really pleased with her obedience. He came and laid His hands on her and His fire went all through her. This is consistent with the experiences of many others who have received the holy fire.
She also gave warnings the Lord has given her in 2008 or 2009 about coming judgment against the United States (video 33:39). The Lord also gave her two Scriptures from Ezekiel and Jeremiah to confirm this: And say to the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. "Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north. "Thus all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again."' (Eze 21:3-5) "Perhaps their supplication will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people." (Jer 36:7)
Holy Fire in the Arctic
Something started to happen that was out of their control. A sound like a jet started softly and gradually became very loud. It was so strong! The whole place was shaking and everything in it. The youth leader says that fire went right through him and he started to shake. He began to shout, "Fire!! Fire!! Fire!! Hallelujah!"
All of this was recorded on a dual cassette deck used to record the service. In fact, it continued to record the event, even after the sound board was turned off. You can watch and listen to a short, three-minute video about this event, which includes the original recording of it (see here).
Holy Fire - from Charles and Frances Hunter
Charles and Frances Hunter "spent nearly forty years leading 'healing explosions,' where they prayed for the sick and taught Christians about the ministry of healing. Known as the Happy Hunters for their ready smiles and quick humor, the couple wrote more than 50 books about divine healing, including the best-seller How to Heal the Sick." -- Charisma Magazine, July 14, 2009. "Charles and Frances Hunter were the most effective couple I ever saw among healing evangelists," said Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan, dean emeritus of the Regent University School of Divinity.
In their video series, "How to Heal the Sick," Frances talked about the time when she saw liquid fire coming forth from the hands of her husband Charles in a meeting. It appeared like blue flames about four inches long, coming off his finger tips. Although the flames were not visible to him, she could see it. He prayed for the sick at that meeting, and they were powerfully healed. Many of them fell under the power of God. You can watch the three-minute section of that video (31:30 - 34:15), where she shares this wonderful testimony (see here).
On October 16, 1984, the Happy Hunters ministered at a church in Rotterdam, Holland, called Kom en Zie. On the final day of the conference, they ministered the baptism with fire. Let me encourage you to read what they said at that meeting on my other post called The Happy Hunters on Fire (see here).
Holy Fire - from Neville Johnson
A minister from Australia by the name of Neville Johnson, who has gone to be with the Lord, has an excellent testimony about being baptized in fire in the audio clip below:
If you would like to read more of Neville's preaching on the baptism of fire, you can find it on my post called "The Burning Ones."
Experiential Evidence
When people receive the holy fire, they usually sense some sort of tangible evidence. I have personally experienced this and witnessed it in others. It is not the same for everyone. Some people feel warmth or heat in their hands. It sometimes feels like heavy fireballs in their hands. Others get a stinging feeling in their hands, as if they have just clapped them together. Still others feel the fire on their lower back and a tingling sensation over their entire body. Others feel the presence of the Lord or a peace that passes all understanding. Still others find it difficult to stand straight. Some find it difficult to hold out their arms or even to stand. Some are completely unable to stand under the glory of God. Others begin to shake beneath the power of God. Some people begin sweating. Others feel the great joy of the Lord inside. The glory of God falls upon many who receive the fire. Most people have wonderful experiences receiving the holy fire.
It should be noted that if the person has any demons in their life, they cannot stand the holy fire and sometimes manifest themselves, so sometimes there can be demonic manifestations when the holy fire is imparted. Once the demons are cast out of their life, they will experience a wonderful freedom they did not know before.
Experiential Evidence
When people receive the holy fire, they usually sense some sort of tangible evidence. I have personally experienced this and witnessed it in others. It is not the same for everyone. Some people feel warmth or heat in their hands. It sometimes feels like heavy fireballs in their hands. Others get a stinging feeling in their hands, as if they have just clapped them together. Still others feel the fire on their lower back and a tingling sensation over their entire body. Others feel the presence of the Lord or a peace that passes all understanding. Still others find it difficult to stand straight. Some find it difficult to hold out their arms or even to stand. Some are completely unable to stand under the glory of God. Others begin to shake beneath the power of God. Some people begin sweating. Others feel the great joy of the Lord inside. The glory of God falls upon many who receive the fire. Most people have wonderful experiences receiving the holy fire.
It should be noted that if the person has any demons in their life, they cannot stand the holy fire and sometimes manifest themselves, so sometimes there can be demonic manifestations when the holy fire is imparted. Once the demons are cast out of their life, they will experience a wonderful freedom they did not know before.
Here is an article I've written containing Testimonies of People Who've Received the Holy Fire after I've prayed for them, as well as a video playlist of some more amazing testimonies like that.
Other Scriptures:
Now let's continue with more Scriptures about the holy fire.
Fire from on High in My Bones
Jeremiah said, "From on high He sent fire into my bones, And it prevailed over them." (Lam 1:13a). This verse makes it very clear that the Lord is able to send fire into His people, which prevails over their enemies.
Fire will devour Your enemies
Isaiah said, "O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies." (Isa 26:11). So we know that God's holy fire will consume His enemies. It does not consume His people though. But in warfare against spiritual forces of wickedness, the holy fire certainly consumes God's enemies.
Fire consumed the 250 rebels
Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. (Num 16:35)
The holy fire of God consumed the 250 rebels that came against Moses and Aaron. They are an example to us not to rebel against the Lord.
Fire consumes Sabbath breakers
"But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched."'" (Jer 17:27)
The Lord hates it when His people don’t listen to Him and make money on Sundays. In doing so, they fail to keep the Sabbath day (now Sundays) holy. So He will kindle a fire in the gates of their city that will not be quenched. It’s the judgment of God against the disobedient. You can read more about keeping Sundays holy at my blog on the topic (see here).
Elijah commanded holy fire to consume the captain and his fifty
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'" Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, "O man of God, thus says the king, 'Come down quickly.'" Elijah replied to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. (2Ki 1:9-12)
In this passage, we learn that the holy prophet of God was able to command holy fire to come down out of heaven and consume the enemies of God, which in this case were soldiers.
Shouting, "holy fire!"
The disciples of Jesus knew that Elijah had called down fire on the Lord's enemies, and they were ready to do the same. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them (even as Elijah did)?" (Luk 9:54). The Lord did not tell them that this is impossible. He simply told them that they were operating in a wrong spirit to think they should do such a thing to people.
Yet this is something we can do to our invisible, spiritual enemies. When we have genuine faith and desire a weapon against the enemy (demons), we can call for it aloud and it will be given to us. We simply shout “Holy fire!” or "Fire of the Holy Spirit!"
How is that possible? The word is near you, even in your mouth. I believed therefore I spoke. When you speak what you believe, and you do it in genuine faith, there is spiritual power.
Your fire or God’s holy fire
“Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the Word of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.” (Isa 50:10-11)
If you fear the Lord and obey His Word, you must trust in the name of Jesus, rely on Him, and walk in His Light. But if you kindle your own fire and surround yourself with it, then the Lord says to go ahead and walk in the light of your own fire. He will let you do that, if you choose your own light, your own fire instead of His holy fire. Here is what you will receive from His hand: in the end, you will lie down in torment.
God’s holy fire or strange fire
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. (Lev 10:1)
And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD. (Num 26:61)
The punishment upon these two newly inaugurated priests was very severe. Their sin was that they offered unauthorized incense with fire that was not holy. This is why we must be very careful that we receive God's holy fire and do not operate with strange fire.
Fire to consume gates of Nineveh, the bloody city of lies
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars. (Nah 3:13)
This verse speaks of the gates of the city of lies consumed by holy fire. Lying spirits cannot stand before the holy fire of God. They are consumed by it just as the gates of the city of lies were.
Fire to burn and devour God’s enemies
Therefore the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors; And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day. (Isa 10:16-17).
His holy fire terrifies the sinners in Zion. As the Holy Spirit said through Isaiah: "The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: 'Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?' Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil..." (Is 33:14-15).
One commentator says, “The same God that is a rejoicing Light to those that serve him faithfully will be a consuming fire to those that trifle with him or rebel against him.” Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning? The righteous who serve Him faithfully.
"Fire goes before Him And burns up His adversaries round about." (Psa 97:3)
God will repay our enemies with flaming fire when Jesus returns
"For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire," (2Th 1:6-7)
We know that when the Lord returns, he will be revealed from heaven with His angels in flaming fire.
Fire from the mouths of the two witnesses
And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. (Rev 11:5)
This is how the two end-time witnesses will function. They will have a gift to be able to devour their enemies with holy fire that comes forth from their mouths. Notice there are only two who will do so against human enemies. But the idea is the same when dealing with evil spirits. This should not seem strange to anyone acquainted with the Word of God and spiritual warfare.
The Lord appeared as a fire
At the burning bush. “The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.” (Exo 3:2)
The angel of Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire. Just as the bush was on fire but was not consumed, when a child of God is baptized with holy fire, they are not consumed. Only the chaff in their lives and the demons are consumed by it.
The Lord's Fire is in Zion
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah, saying that the Lord is the One "whose fire is in Zion" (see Is 31:9b).
Putting it All Together
The Lord is going to shake this world one last time. He is coming right away. Only the ones who are truly seeking the Lord with all their heart will be spared from the coming judgment. The Lord is coming only for a holy people, ready, without blemish, without wrinkle and without defilement. He is not coming for those who have walked away from Him.
The only way we can have purity in our lives in these last and evil days is through repentance and the holy fire. The third and final baptism with which He’s going to clean up His church is the baptism of fire. He’s going to make us ready to turn loose this world.
It is a holy fire, because it is not produced by man. It is produced by the one, true, holy God. It is a promise for the believer, according to Mt 3:11.
Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the Holy Fire Series, including Songs of the Holy Fire, The Refiner's Fire, The Three Elijahs, The Burning Ones, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, Baptized with the Spirit, and Living Sacrifices in Consuming Fire. You find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Revival painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.
Other Scriptures:
Now let's continue with more Scriptures about the holy fire.
Fire from on High in My Bones
Jeremiah said, "From on high He sent fire into my bones, And it prevailed over them." (Lam 1:13a). This verse makes it very clear that the Lord is able to send fire into His people, which prevails over their enemies.
Fire will devour Your enemies
Isaiah said, "O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies." (Isa 26:11). So we know that God's holy fire will consume His enemies. It does not consume His people though. But in warfare against spiritual forces of wickedness, the holy fire certainly consumes God's enemies.
Fire consumed the 250 rebels
Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense. (Num 16:35)
The holy fire of God consumed the 250 rebels that came against Moses and Aaron. They are an example to us not to rebel against the Lord.
Fire consumes Sabbath breakers
"But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched."'" (Jer 17:27)
The Lord hates it when His people don’t listen to Him and make money on Sundays. In doing so, they fail to keep the Sabbath day (now Sundays) holy. So He will kindle a fire in the gates of their city that will not be quenched. It’s the judgment of God against the disobedient. You can read more about keeping Sundays holy at my blog on the topic (see here).
Elijah commanded holy fire to consume the captain and his fifty
Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, "O man of God, the king says, 'Come down.'" Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, "O man of God, thus says the king, 'Come down quickly.'" Elijah replied to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. (2Ki 1:9-12)
In this passage, we learn that the holy prophet of God was able to command holy fire to come down out of heaven and consume the enemies of God, which in this case were soldiers.
Shouting, "holy fire!"
The disciples of Jesus knew that Elijah had called down fire on the Lord's enemies, and they were ready to do the same. When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them (even as Elijah did)?" (Luk 9:54). The Lord did not tell them that this is impossible. He simply told them that they were operating in a wrong spirit to think they should do such a thing to people.
Yet this is something we can do to our invisible, spiritual enemies. When we have genuine faith and desire a weapon against the enemy (demons), we can call for it aloud and it will be given to us. We simply shout “Holy fire!” or "Fire of the Holy Spirit!"
How is that possible? The word is near you, even in your mouth. I believed therefore I spoke. When you speak what you believe, and you do it in genuine faith, there is spiritual power.
Your fire or God’s holy fire
“Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the Word of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God. Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.” (Isa 50:10-11)
If you fear the Lord and obey His Word, you must trust in the name of Jesus, rely on Him, and walk in His Light. But if you kindle your own fire and surround yourself with it, then the Lord says to go ahead and walk in the light of your own fire. He will let you do that, if you choose your own light, your own fire instead of His holy fire. Here is what you will receive from His hand: in the end, you will lie down in torment.
God’s holy fire or strange fire
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. (Lev 10:1)
And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD. (Num 26:61)
The punishment upon these two newly inaugurated priests was very severe. Their sin was that they offered unauthorized incense with fire that was not holy. This is why we must be very careful that we receive God's holy fire and do not operate with strange fire.
Fire to consume gates of Nineveh, the bloody city of lies
Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; Fire consumes your gate bars. (Nah 3:13)
This verse speaks of the gates of the city of lies consumed by holy fire. Lying spirits cannot stand before the holy fire of God. They are consumed by it just as the gates of the city of lies were.
Fire to burn and devour God’s enemies
Therefore the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors; And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day. (Isa 10:16-17).
His holy fire terrifies the sinners in Zion. As the Holy Spirit said through Isaiah: "The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: 'Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?' Those who walk righteously and speak what is right, who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes, who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil..." (Is 33:14-15).
One commentator says, “The same God that is a rejoicing Light to those that serve him faithfully will be a consuming fire to those that trifle with him or rebel against him.” Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning? The righteous who serve Him faithfully.
"Fire goes before Him And burns up His adversaries round about." (Psa 97:3)
God will repay our enemies with flaming fire when Jesus returns
"For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire," (2Th 1:6-7)
We know that when the Lord returns, he will be revealed from heaven with His angels in flaming fire.
Fire from the mouths of the two witnesses
And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. (Rev 11:5)
This is how the two end-time witnesses will function. They will have a gift to be able to devour their enemies with holy fire that comes forth from their mouths. Notice there are only two who will do so against human enemies. But the idea is the same when dealing with evil spirits. This should not seem strange to anyone acquainted with the Word of God and spiritual warfare.
The Lord appeared as a fire
At the burning bush. “The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.” (Exo 3:2)
The angel of Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire. Just as the bush was on fire but was not consumed, when a child of God is baptized with holy fire, they are not consumed. Only the chaff in their lives and the demons are consumed by it.
The Lord's Fire is in Zion
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Isaiah, saying that the Lord is the One "whose fire is in Zion" (see Is 31:9b).
Putting it All Together
The Lord is going to shake this world one last time. He is coming right away. Only the ones who are truly seeking the Lord with all their heart will be spared from the coming judgment. The Lord is coming only for a holy people, ready, without blemish, without wrinkle and without defilement. He is not coming for those who have walked away from Him.
The only way we can have purity in our lives in these last and evil days is through repentance and the holy fire. The third and final baptism with which He’s going to clean up His church is the baptism of fire. He’s going to make us ready to turn loose this world.
It is a holy fire, because it is not produced by man. It is produced by the one, true, holy God. It is a promise for the believer, according to Mt 3:11.
Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the Holy Fire Series, including Songs of the Holy Fire, The Refiner's Fire, The Three Elijahs, The Burning Ones, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, Baptized with the Spirit, and Living Sacrifices in Consuming Fire. You find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Revival painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________
Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.
thanks len for this very inspiring information about the Holy Fire. it certainly proved to me the Scriptural basis of the gift. Praise Jesus Christ!
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome Jenny. I'm very encouraged that you found it so helpful. That was my intent. Praise the LORD!
ReplyDeleteLen, thank you so much for your blog. I have recently experienced the still small voice of God. And recently a few times I would get this feeling in the palms of my hands. I have been having dreams as well. I have been seeking the LORD for the past 4 months. I had been water baptized previously. In your estimation would you believe that I have received the Holy Fire baptism as well? Thank you again Len and God Bless you and yours!
ReplyDeleteHi, HT. It's difficult to say without more info. Send me an email and we can discuss. Keep seeking the Lord with all your heart, Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI recently received God into my life I wasn't baptized in water yet when I got baptized in the holy spirit I had little knowledge of the lord so its something big for me.also I'm actually in the process of getting baptized in water and my life has changed a lot this past month 1/2 and reading this is amazing!
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord, Andrea! Welcome to the kingdom of God. I'm so glad to hear you got baptized with the Holy Spirit, and are going to be water baptized. Now start praying, "Lord, baptize me with your holy fire!"
ReplyDeleteThanks I am just on my way home frome a Holy fire meeting in Holland, and it was good to get and presentation from the word and others of what we have been practesing all this weekend. I am a changed man on fire for God and will live diffrent after this. Thanks God for his fire, love and mercy!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, brother! I'm glad to hear you got to experience one of the holy fire revival meetings. God bless you!
DeleteIn July 2011, I encountered the baptism of the Holy Fire! I was at a conference in Washington DC, and was lying on my face in the congregation, praying for the Fire of God to fall upon the heads of his people. When suddenly, the Holy Fire was poured out upon my head! It was as liquid fire which dripped from the crown of my head downward to my ears, nose and vocal cords! I have never been the same since this has occurred. I cannot begin to tell it all! Actually, many Christians did not believe me. God will give you the baptism of the Holy Fire if you desire it with all of your heart. I cried out (aloud) for the Holy Fire to Fall on the Church, and my God! By HIS GRACE the Holy Fire fell upon me! I'm on fire for the Lord! Since then I have written two books! And there is more to come! All for the glory of the Lord!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, thanks for reading and commenting. I love how the Lord did that for you. How wonderful! I'm so glad you love the fire of God, too. Keep burning brightly for the Lord. John Wesley used to say that God would light him on fire and people would watch him burn. Shalom!
DeleteHi Len,
DeleteGod is so gracious and kind. Like a good Father, he provides us with what we need. My prayer is that Father would pour out the Holy Fire upon the heads & hearts of His people everywhere. Let there be a new awakening in the Body of Christ to the power of God working in and through His people! The Holy Fire is real, and not some concept that we have imagined in our minds. Besides, I do not believe we are that smart to even imagine such a thing. God's Fire is incomprehensible. I believe with all of my heart that I have been consecrated to God's service. I function in ministry, and am always amazed at how the Holy Fire seems to seep through my pours when I teach. I can hardly stand still and the participants in my class sense the presence of the Lord's fire too! I pray that more of God's people will be set ablaze by the Holy Fire of God and leave a trail of disciples behind them! All to the glory of God! Blessings, Len
Great testimony, sister! Glory to God!
DeleteThank You
ReplyDeleteHi Len, I prayed for the Holy Spirit baptism with a friend. I did not speak in tongues. But after a while, I started having this intense sensation of heat waves in my body, moving around and lightening like Christmas lights.It will even come inside my stomach all the way up and sometimes I feel like my mouth is all burned. It has been going on for about 2 weeks now. I prayed to the Holy Spirit and believe God baptized me in the fire. But I do not know why it is lasting this long. Please share any experience that you had. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDear Princy Paul, praise the Lord. Each person's experience is a little different. I think you got baptized with fire. Keep seeking Him and enjoying what you have received. The Lord bless you.
DeleteThank you Len. Lord bless you too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog learned more than I thought I knew!!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if I can call this baptism with fire, but every time I worship God my body turns on fire and it begins with my chest going to my back and spreading through to my entire spine. Then I feel my muscles tingling and when I stand up I feel heavy. This fire intensifies when I pray to the point that I would have to stop because it feels like I am about to explode, this becomes very uncomfortable. I noticed ever since I received this fire when ever I am next to a person that particular person begins to burp, to cough and even yawn without any reason and saying anything to her. One time I looked into the eyes of a Christian who was raised a Christian. This person’s father was a pastor as well and still demons kept coming out of that person I did not even have to tell them to come out, they were coming out without that person noticing anything different. This person claimed she has no demons but yet they kept coming out.
ReplyDeleteNobody laid hands on me to receive this fire; I was alone in my room praying and worshiping God for hours a day for a few years until suddenly I began to feel fire in my chest which over time increased spreading to my spine and than my body. I am water baptized and Holy Spirit filled with speaking in tongues. Nobody in my church is able to explain this, so I need help please. I can call this a confirmation to what I believe that I am fire baptized and if not I need someone to explain it to me what could it be. There’s a lot to talk about what the Holy Spirit does through me ever since I feel this fire.
Help please.
Dear sister Lidia, That's glorious! Praise the Lord! You closed by saying you needed help, but I'm not sure what you need help with. You've done a great job already of seeking the Lord, receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire, and you are positively impacting others for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for the comment, which further helps others to understand the types of things that happen when one receives the baptism with fire. It's wonderful. The Lord bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for answering my request for answers. I was not sure if I was baptize with fire or not. I thought I was supposed to see something like visible fire nobody taught me nothing about it. I didn't see fire over me, except feel fire inside of me. I just wanted a confirmation that what is happening inside of me is the baptism with fire. I am shedding tears of joy. As someone said that once you are baptized with fire, warrior angels are released to war on your behalf and I really see things happening when I war against the enemy. I see things manifesting in the physical.
DeleteBless the Lord oh my soul and bless everyone else too. Amen
Thank you Len
Hey guys! GOD bless you all in JESUS name, I am currently seeking Jesus Christ with all of my heart and with all of my soul, I am 18 and Jesus baptized me with His Holy Fire on June 10th 2015, when I was fasting and praying for 3 days dry without food or water, I pleaded the blood of Jesus Christ with all of my heart while speaking in tongues yet not having the baptism of the Holy Ghost yet but having the Spirit of God inside of me, being born of the Spirit, then later on a day later He sent a pastor to pray for me and immediately as I was talking to him I said, "WHY IS MY FACE TINGLING?!" and the pastor was like, "THAT'S THE FIRE BRO!" "FIRE IN JESUS NAME!" and then Jesus baptized me with Fire it shocked me to my core and had me to shake violently like an earthquake and I was crying and praising God and Jesus Christ and I was crying so hard I felt like my guts were going to burst and it almost did because of the love I felt for Him because He first loved me, even as I am typing this I am in pain because of that day that He did that to me, He is almost here, the Fire goes around your body in different ways according to the Lord's will, for me it goes from the right part of my chest, and as I fast and pray, it goes to the right part of my chest, then fills up my chest, then my body, then my arms, legs, head, and then lastly, face, and when I am very much filled, it would be at the center, signifying me being one with Jesus and desiring nothing but Him, as having one that a heart doth deeply cry out to another, like Him, the Lord, but anyway, what I do know is this, once you are baptized it gets stronger as you pray to God and fast but it is different for everyone, this is how it happens for me, everyone's Fire is different according to the will of the Lord, ALSO YOU CAN CHARGE IT UP AS MUCH AS YOU WANT AS YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE TO, FOR ME I BREATHE IN AND OUT AND THE FIRE GETS STRONGER AND STRONGER UNTIL IT UTTERLY CONSUMES ME AND I CAN FEEL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE HOLINESS OF THE LORD, AND THE LORD'S LOVE. Also yes I do yawn/sneeze/burp (sometimes fart too excuse me!) and demons are cast out while this happens! And I can hear God so clearly as it happens, it is the Fire of Zion and the glory of his tabernacle, and altar, wherein ye can enter in the holy of holies, the shikenah glory of God. Jesus bless! This world is ending!!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI experinced also the holy fire, and it was really painful to me.. I couldn't handle it, make me cry and scream to the top of the roof, and after that I could felt empowered by the Holy spirit, it was for me like a sword of fire caming from above, first from my head to half of my body, it was so painful and scary, on a sunday service, next sunday, I could feel the sword fire moving above my head, to one side to another, I was terrified, I really didnt want it again.. but after this, this just stoped.. but suddlendly in worship service for women, I was praying and after a group of women prayed for me and II felt down to the floor, and while I was down on the floor a woman profeth put oil on my head and it that instant, that holy fire sword came down direcly to my heart, and stayed there for around 3 minutes, it was so painful, that I scream of pain and I grab that woman by her shoulder becasue she was on the floor with me , she was praying in tongues, and I told her, please help me, I cant support this,, it is too much pain, please help me..and when the pain was gone after screaming for 1 minute, I was just crying with so much pain in my heart still.. while that women was giving me profecy about my life, the Lord told me beautiful things... anyways.. I was an amazing experienced... a cleansing experience, and power.. Amen,, Praise the Lord!
ReplyDeleteDear Marlith, thanks for sharing that. It's good that you said at the end it was beautiful, amazing, and cleansing with power. Praise the Lord for that.
DeleteI have not experienced this, but I was prayed over very recently that I would "receive my fire crown." Is this the same thing as the fire baptism or would this be more in reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (also have not received but have been looking into for a month+)? I was told that the fire crown was the baptism of the Holy Spirit but stumbled upon this page and would like to have clarification. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDear Emily, the "fire crown" term is something someone made up. There is no such thing in the Bible. But the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire is in the Bible. Just seek the Lord for that and forget about the term "fire crown." God will fulfill His promise to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. God bless you.
DeleteLast Sunday I was in church and before the pastor started preaching he asked people to come to the front and I felt the fire baptism or at least I think. It was excruciating and it still burns today (Wednesday). I feel different and am not sure if it's a good thing. I know God told me I would receive 3 of them and that was the first. I am a prophet. Just finished a 40 day fast. But I'm still not sure what happened and there isn't that much on the internet about this. The fire baptism had me moving at His will and screaming fire really loudly. I was a little embarrassed but thankful that God kept his word. He also said the next two will be more intense. Not sure if I want them now lol jk I do but it was so intense. Any advice would help
ReplyDeleteChristopher, based on your testimony, I cannot say for sure what you received. You mentioned, "I felt the fire baptism or at least I think. It was excruciating and it still burns today (Wednesday). I feel different and am not sure if it's a good thing...screaming fire really loudly." I have never seen anyone have this type of experience that I have ministered to, nor have I had that kind of experience myself.
DeleteIs this pastor someone you know personally and know that his fruit is good fruit? Did he lay hands on you? Be careful out there, as there are plenty of counterfeits.
Hallo Len, I came accross your blog here and will go and watch the videos. Thanks for writing about it. I have been searching for years for the Fire Baptism. I received the water and Holy Spirit baptism and was drunk also the day I met Jesus. Now almost 16 years ago. After three days I said to the Lord that I cannot walk about drunk at work and I felt Him withdraw. I must have grieved Him. I didnt realise it. Many trials came into my life over the years and I slowly fell into unforgiveness and eventually lost my way. The Lord also turned His face away and allowed me to go into a very dark place. I had major depression for a number of years and asked the Lord if I would die in it, but He said no. I have been slowly coming back into the Light. I desire to be close to Him as I once was. Could you pray and believe with me that I can once again come close to Him and stay close, never straying again. I do not believe that I had the fire baptism as there are certain things in my life over which I cannot get victory such as selfishness, gluttony etc. I have come to believe the fire baptism must be what I need to complete that which I lack in my life and walk. I take full responsibility for my disobedience and hard heartedness. Len, could you please believe with me and possibly pray with me? I dont want to disobey and displease Father God any longer. Beth - South Africa
DeleteHi Beth, Amen! I agree with you and pray for your specific request to be granted. Remember that the Lord Jesus loves you with an unfailing love.
DeleteI too have become obsessed with recurring the baptism of fire. The Lord has told me that I am and end times warrior and though I am going through a very difficult time right now hearing demonic voices due to years of drug abuse I am believing for this life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Believe with me and pay for me. But He has never failed me yet and His promises are true.
ReplyDelete