Getting All Fired Up

Matthew 3:7-11 (NASB)   7.        But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?   8.        "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;     9.        and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.     10.    "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.       11.    "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 3:7-11 (BRV)   7.        When John saw all the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him for baptism, he said to them, "You bunch of snakes!  Who told you that you could escape from the wrath to come?   8.        The only way to escape the coming judgment is to prove true repentance by a changed life.   9.        Don’t think for a second that God is somehow impressed that you are descendants of Abraham and will give you special treatment.  God can make these stones around us into Abraham’s descendants if He wants to.   10.   With unbiased swiftness, He will bring judgment against every person who does not bear the fruit of righteousness.  He has already instructed His field hands to cut down all unfruitful trees, and throw them into the flames of the pit.   11.   I merely immerse you with water symbolizing repentance, but there is one coming later Who is mightier than I – I am not even fit to remove His sandals, but He will immerse you with the power of the Holy Spirit and set you ablaze to do the work of God."

 

God has a purpose for each of us.  You are not here merely to take up space and consume the earth’s resources for a few years.  What is your ministry?  What is your purpose?  Are you a missionary or a mission field?  Whichever the answer is, God is calling you, even at this moment, to make the greatest discovery you’ll ever find in this life – Jesus.

Even if you have already received Him, there is more than you know; for just when you feel you have explored all of the rooms, He shows you a whole wing you did not know about.  His grace is like that – deeper than the deepest ocean, higher than the highest mountain.

 

What is the “fire” that Jesus baptizes (immerses) into?  We sing the song, “There’s a fire burning, falling from the sky – awesome tongues of fire consuming you and I.  Can you feel it burning?  Burn the sacrifice – let it burn over me.  Oh sweet fire, let it burn over me.”

 

Let us first examine some of the characteristics of fire:

 

1)     It’s hot, brings warmth, but also intense heat

 

a)     Healing – Luke 8:43-48

b)     Warmth – acceptance; forgiveness of sins Luke 5:18-26

 

2)     It purifies by burning off impurities

 

a)     Sanctification – John 17:19 – Sanctified in Truth, i.e., thru revelation

 

3)     It melts so that molding can take place and rough edges are smoothed out

 

a)     Conformity to the image of Christ – John 14:6 (How it’s done) Romans 8:29

b)     Intimacy with God – John 14:16-21

 

4)     It makes smoke so that its presence can be seen by many

 

a)     Glorification – 1 Peter 1:7

b)     Guidance – John 16:13

 

5)     It changes what it burns into ashes

 

a)     Humility – James 4:5-8

b)     Exaltation – Philippians 2:7-9

 

Managing the barbeque – tempered by spraying water on the flames, the heat is made just right for cooking – flavor is maximized.  The Fire is the Spirit; the Water is the Truth; the Flavor is Worship: they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).  God is seeking for such worshipers.

 

 

CASE IN POINT – Ephesians 5:6-11 “Unearthing the Truth, exposing the lies.”

 

“Tradition” is always suspect.  Doing it the way we always have done it reeks of missed truth, i.e., Communion.  Some think it should be done every Sunday while others do it once a month and still others once a year.  Some serve little cups while others share just one cup and use intinction; some use only unleavened bread and others use leavened bread; some are kosher and some are not.  The specifications for this memorial are found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32.  Using this same passage, believers have concluded that the Supper should be restricted, while others say it should be open to all.  Which is correct?  All of these questions must be answered by a revelatory experience – not tradition.

 

Preparing the way – the job of a forerunner – devoted to uncompromised Truth – a demonstration of God’s power.  Difficult and dangerous days lay ahead.  Are you ready for the persecution?

 

Are you ready to be translated into His presence?  Will you know Him when your five sense have ceased to function?

 

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the empowerment (Acts 1:5-8) to become conformed to His image (Romans 8:29); to become the true children of God (John 1:12; 1 John 3:2); to discover and do His will thru intimate revelatory worship (Romans 12:1-2) outside the realm of the sensual.

 

HOW CAN WE DO WHAT JESUS DID – THE ESSENTIAL W.O.G.

 

·        The words of Jesus are special – they are Spirit and they are life! – John 6:63

 

·        His Words have cleaned you – John 15:3

 

·        There is nowhere else we can go to find the Words of eternal life. – John 6:68

 

·        It is not a matter of traditional education thru “book learning,” but thru “righteous judgment.”  This is “relationship” learning. – John 7:16-17, 24

 

·        What is your modus operandi?  Do you evaluate subjectively or objectively?  Dealing in only the objective, you will be misled. – John 7:41

 

·        Spirit or flesh?  Walking in the flesh leads only to death – but thru the Spirit you will find life. – Romans 8:5-8; Galatians 5:16-18, 25.

 

Abundant Life is found in the rhema Word of God – Matthew 4:4