What is the "baptism by fire"...?

its baptism by the holy spirit

Luke 3:16

Luke 3:16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

fire refers to purification through the Holy Spirit

In my life the fire happened twice. It happened to burn sin out of my life.


I received God's grace at the weakest point in my life, when sin was so enticing it had a stranglehold on me. I would like to share with you my own testimony of the night I was saved, and my experience of receiving the "power" of grace.

Actually, I can relate to Saul's experience of being brought to Christ through seeing a manifestation of Jesus, because moments before I actually repented and experienced the saving power of God, He sovereignly let me see a vision. It was of my sin.

Here I was 29 years old, had gone to church all my life, though I wasn't presently, and I was having an affair with a married man! He was a rather powerful Jewish entertainment business man in Beverly Hills, and I became totally obsessed with him, as well as dependent upon him. He became my love, and my security. In fact, he was the love of my life. No one had done as much for me as he had.

After many months, I finally realized this affair was ruining my hope of a future, of a home and family. He wasn't going to leave his wife, nor did I want him to. But knowing all this didn't give me the strength to break off the affair. So, I did what you do in Beverly Hills, I went to a therapist.

After telling the therapist all about my relationship with my lover, he said these words, "Well, if it feels good, do it." I immediately felt a chill. It was like encountering Satan himself. I couldn't wait to leave, and I never went back. But the thought of Satan made me realize my only hope for finding strength was in God. So I went searching for a church.

I did quite a bit of church hopping, then I remembered years ago before moving to California from Tennessee, Pat Boone's mom and dad suggested I visit Pastor Jack Hayford's church, The Church On The Way, a Foursquare church in the San Fernando Valley outside Los Angeles. I made up my mind that instead of hopping to the next church on my list, I would attend every service this church held for two months to give it a chance before deciding if I needed to search elsewhere. But, from the first sermon I knew I would stay. Through the Holy Spirit, Jack seemed to be preaching just to me. That didn’t just happen on that first visit, but every service thereafter. I was home.

After a month of attending every service, I decided I was strong enough to break off the affair. So I did, but became so devastated, after three days I begged him to come back. Of course, he did. He loved me too.

After another month, I tried again. But within three days we were back together again.

Month after month I tried. But we always went back together within a couple days.

Then one Sunday, Pastor Jack gave a sermon on "integrity of heart." That was the turning point - humility. I learned to be very truthful with God. So I prayed, "Lord, I have tried to break off this affair, but I am weak (having done so in only my own strength). You are strong, so You do it. Make him break it off with me, and then give him the strength to stay away from me when I try to get him back - because You know I will." From that point on I just relaxed and didn’t ‘try’ to be good any longer. I recognized myself for what I was – a sinner who could do nothing in my own strength, especially when I was crazy in love and my flesh wanted what it wanted. But, the honest prayer was enough to make God start working.

One week later my lover came over and told me he finally realized that he couldn't be there when I needed him; that he needed to get out of my life. He broke up with me. I was overwhelmed with sorrow, but at the same time, in awe that possibly there really was a God. You see, it was the first prayer in my entire life that really seemed to have been answered!

After two weeks, I thought I better see if I could find another man to fill the tremendous void in my broken heart, but this time a Christian man. I knew a couple at church who were elders and asked them if they were friends with any single men they could set me up with.

They said, "Yes, we are good friends with Bill B., a movie producer, single and about 36. They knew I was already in the entertainment industry. He comes here every Wednesday night, and we always go out for coffee later. Why don't you come with us after church this Wednesday night?”

I couldn't wait for Wednesday night service. In fact, I was 45 minutes early. Finally, church began, and as was our custom at the beginning of the service, we turned to greet those around us. Someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind, and I turned to see a girl I had met at a girlfriend's house about six months before. She had come over from across the room to greet me. That in itself was extraordinary, as Jack Hayford wanted us to remain by our seats with no roaming around. “Everything must be done decently and in order.”

"Hi," I said, "what brings you here tonight"?

"Well, I haven't had a date in a year, and this guy came into my office today, we found out we were both Christians and he brought me to his church tonight."

"Oh, really? Who did you come with"? I asked.

"Bill B."

I was bewildered. I had really thought this was the answer to my intense pain. Was God behind the scenes orchestrating everything around me? Then what in the world did He think He was doing!

Wednesday evening service was our time to pray for the nation. Around 8:00 pm, we all knelt to pray and were to partner with whomever was sitting next to us. I excused myself, and told them I needed to pray by myself tonight. I thought to myself, I can't pray for the nation, I can't even get a date out of God, how can I expect anything good to happen if I am the one praying for the nation!

So I knelt at my chair and thought about why God would thwart my going out with Bill B. I was beginning to feel really punished. It was then with my eyes closed, I saw a wide field with a huge round vertical glass pipe or silo about 50 feet across erected from the field up into the clouds above. About 300 feet up the clear pipe, I could see what looked like an enormous hairball. As I focused on it, I saw that the hair was moving. It was a gigantic nest of snakes!

All at once I "knew" the meaning of the vision I was seeing. The nest of snakes was my sin which was preventing all God's blessings from reaching me.

"Oh, I had never asked for forgiveness for the adultery," I thought to myself. I’ll ask for forgiveness, and then, maybe He’ll bring me a man.

I started to pray for God to forgive me for the adultery, and to cleanse me of all my sins. I prayed the same prayer as King David did after he had sinned with Bathsheba, a verse I had memorized as a child. "Create in me a clean heart, Oh Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me."

You would think I was now happy, but I wasn't. I was still very sad and lonely. I began to think about my old relationship, and how meeting someone new would have been so great. And on top of that, Bill B. was a Christian! I knew it must have been God that prevented me from meeting him... Thick-headed as I was, I prayed, "Don't you want me to date a Christian?"

The response was like thunder! "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Boy that shut me up! I had never heard God's voice before. And even though it wasn't an audible voice, I heard it loud and clear.

And He said, No????? I suddenly felt He was going to say more, so I stilled myself and started listening expectantly... He continued,

"YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR YOUR LOVE. I WANT TO BE YOUR LOVE.

YOU LOOK TO MAN FOR YOUR SECURITY. I WANT TO BE YOUR SECURITY.

YOU WILL NOT DATE FOR A SEASON. YOU WILL BE IN DROUGHT. AND WHEN YOUR HEART MELTS, I WILL SEND THE RAIN."

Suddenly, I knew that I knew that I knew God existed! I don't think in all my life I ever knew for sure until that moment. And what's more, He was speaking to me!

I was in such awe I repented again whole-heartedly this time and was saved, and filled with unshakable faith. This was immediately followed by His awesome outpouring of His Spirit and with power. I felt it physically. It felt like being drenched with a vessel of warm oil pouring over the top of my head and quickly engulfing me. My prior grief I had been burdened with for months while I was entrenched in the destructive sin suddenly disappeared and was replaced with extreme joy that caused my cheeks to hurt from smiling. The sudden departure of that burden made me feel buoyed up by love, and light as a feather. Isaiah 61:3 describes it best. "The oil of joy for mourning." It's literal! I even looked at my feet to see if they were still on the floor!

That night I saw the heart of Jesus for the first time, how crushed He was by my sin. It broke my heart, and I truly repented for the first time in my life. That repentance was real. It wasn't the usual apathetic, or even formal, just mouthing the words, "oh, yes, and forgive me of my sins." Nor, was it even what I had prayed just moments before after seeing the vision of the clog of snakes preventing God from bringing the blessing of another man into my life! It was saving repentance. I wanted to turn away from, and to be cleansed of every sin I could think of, and those I couldn't. I wanted to be scrubbed clean and never get dirty ever again! Not because I was afraid of hell or wanted blessings, but because when I finally knew He existed, loved me and wanted my love, I fell madly in love with him! He then filled me with His Holy Spirit to overflowing. He not only had a clean vessel to enter, He had my whole heart and soul.

I was now saved! Oh, what a sobering thought! You see, I had grown up in church, and attended as an adult for most my life for nearly 30 years, always feeling the call on my life, but "many are called, few are chosen." I loved the Lord, or maybe the idea of the Lord, but I didn't respect or "fear" Him enough to not willfully sin. My sensual desires always came first.

And now, every week after that, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were ever present in my life, which up until then I had never known, and I was drawn closer and closer to God. All I wanted to do was study God's Word, listen to teaching tapes and Christian music, and listen for His voice. But, the true confirmation and evidence that I was now saved and filled with His Holy Spirit was I could now see sin as He did. I no longer wanted to sin. It didn't "call" to me. My desires had taken a 180 degree about face immediately, though I still loved my lover and always would for the rest of my life, and even though it wasn’t long before he wanted me back, I knew if I wanted God, I had to give up everything for Him, no matter how painful. But God’s grace was sufficient. It gave me power over my flesh I had never known before, no matter the cost. I was truly a new creation. It wasn't merely a scripture to quote, but a reality. I had a new mind, an obedient heart and a sensitive spirit for God to nurture and sustain.

But that was only the first fire of the Holy Spirit. The next came fifteen years later through suffering, just as Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Except mine was because I didn't listen to God's warning.

About four years after God spoke to me for the first time, I asked the Lord how long I would have to wait before my heart melted completely, so He would send the rain. He spoke to me and said, "Ten years." (Yikes!)

But at nine years I became engaged to a man from work I thought was a Christian. Very soft spoken and gentle and seemed to love the Lord. So I just didn't want to wait any longer. I had a friend who God also spoke to from time to time and she told me she saw me on a slab with a toe tag. I didn't believe her. For the entire week before the wedding, God was checking my spirit. In other words, cautioning me not to marry him. But with all that, I did it anyway.

After one month of marriage I talked him into Christian counseling. I could see he needed professional help. I could also see that I didn't know this man at all before I married him. We came from two different worlds. I grew up in a pleasant, sober Christian home. He grew up with parents that got drunk every weekend, wife-swapped with another couple, beat him, and the other woman in the wife swapping foursome sexually molested him from five years old to at least 14 years old. It is no wonder that one night in his bedroom he saw a blacker than the dark room figure who spoke to him and said, "I will always be with you." It was a demon. When he was sixteen he almost killed his father in a rage, and would have if people hadn't tackled him off his father. On his second marriage he had a home church, with him as the leader. One of the women was still a virgin, and he raped her to show her the meaning of love. As far as with me, I had never before in my life been abused. Never struck with fists. Never broken emotionally. Never in my wildest dreams was asked to be into sexual bondage - I refused. He began to hate me, and never failed to let me know how much. I didn't care if I lived or died. But then as he declined further and further, I rose. I asked God to forgive me for not listening to all the warnings. Not listening was sin. I saw what disobedience to God was costing me. I knew God hates divorce, so I told Him that even if my husband killed me, I would not leave him. I would rather die than disobey God ever again. And there were a few times I thought he might.

Then one Memorial Day weekend, I drove over from Arizona to California for a Spirit-filled Living Seminar at my old church, Church On The Way with Pastor Jack Hayford. During one of the meetings that weekend, I was asked by the speaker to come up for a blessing. It turned into prophecy, and the first words were "I release you." I bought the tape from that session and played it all the way home, over and over. I couldn't see how the whole prophecy could apply to me. I was stuck in an abusive confining marriage in a tiny village up in the mountains of Arizona. I had no idea that my husband was in the middle of an affair, and a week after I got home, he left me for the wife of his best friend, after seducing her with talks about Jesus. I was released, and free, and moved to Tennessee.

So that is a brief version of my 13 year marriage to a sadist. But, I praise God for it. I learned the fear of the Lord in a whole knew dimension, and absolute obedience, and now live in total peace. And one miracle after another. Jesus is my husband, and I am perfectly content.

http://www.jakekail.com/holy-spirit-symbols/ = REF

Matthew 3:11...John the Baptizer
“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.(spiritual power)

1. Water
“‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:38-39). Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be like rivers of living water flowing through the heart of the believer. Water is a symbol of life. It is also a symbol of refreshing and a symbol of cleansing.

John 4:14
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

2. Oil
In the Old Testament oil was used to anoint priests, prophets, and kings. In the New Testament we see that Jesus was anointed “with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10: 38). Jesus Himself, quoting Isaiah 61, claimed that He was anointed with the Spirit of the Lord to fulfill His mission of preaching the good news and healing the sick. Oil represents empowerment and the healing presence of God.

1 Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.

3. Wine
There are several times in the Bible where the Holy Spirit is compared or contrasted to wine. For example, Paul said “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Wine, as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, represents joy.

John 15:11...Believers are the BRANCHES who bear "fruit"/grapes
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

4. Fire
“Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:3-4). Fire is often associated with the presence of God in the Bible. It symbolizes power, cleansing, and holiness.

Revelation 4:5
Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.
And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;

SEE ALSO BELOW!

5. Wind
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Although you cannot see wind, you can discern its presence by watching its effect on its surroundings (for example, leaves rustling). It is the same with the Holy Spirit. You cannot see Him with your physical eyes, but when He manifests Himself you can discern His presence.

Acts 2(NASB)...The Day of Pentecost: WIND + FIRE
When the day of Pentecost had come, they (11 apostles) were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from HEAVEN a noise like a violent rushing WIND,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared to them tongues as of FIRE distributing themselves,
and they (tongues as of FIRE) rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with (BAPTIZED INTO GOD) the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other "tongues" (GLOSSA=dialects), as (God) the (Holy)Spirit was giving them utterance.

6. A Dove
When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove (see John 1:32). The dove is a symbol of gentleness and purity. Sometimes the Spirit comes like a rushing wind or a powerful fire, but sometimes He comes LIKE a gentle dove.

MATTHEW 3...The symbolic water baptism of Jesus by His forerunner, John...The TRI-UNE GOD revealed!
(God the Son, Jesus):“Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (prophecy?) Then he permitted Him.
16 After being baptized (immersed), Jesus came up immediately from the water;
and behold, the HEAVENS were opened,
and he (John the Baptizer+crowd) saw the Spirit of God (God the Holy Spirit) descending as (like) a DOVE and lighting on Him,
17 and behold, a VOICE (God the Father) out of the HEAVENS said,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

As you can see, (God) the Holy Spirit is portrayed in many different ways throughout the Bible. But always remember; these are only symbols. He is a Prson and He is God. Let us seek to be filled continually with the Spirit and to grow in fellowship with Him!

"FIRE" as God's "tool" of JUSTICE and the eternal spiritual realm of the "lake of fire"

Malachi 3:3
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.

Matthew 13:40
So just as the tares (weeds=unbelievers) are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at "the end of the age".(of Grace)

1 Corinthians 3:15
If any man’s WORK is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
(Judgment of the Believers' WORKS)

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night,
those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 19:20[ Doom of the "Beast" (ANTI-CHRIST 666) and "False Prophet" (ANTI-SPIRIT) ]
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence,
by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the "lake of fire" which burns with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10
And the "devil" (satan/dragon/serpent,etc) who deceived them was thrown into the "lake of fire" and brimstone,
where the beast and the false prophet are also; \and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 21:8
But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the "lake that burns with fire and brimstone", which is the second death.”

Neogaia777 said:

What is the "baptism by fire" (to you)...?

Who of you feels like they have gone or are currently going through this baptism...?

Can you say "why" you feel you have or are currently, and what the baptism by fire that you went or are currently going through is all about...?

I feel that I have, but, I want to hear from others first, then I'll post mine...

To me it has to do with "firey trials" and tests and battles and struggles...

What does the "baptism by fire" mean (to you)...?

Scripture is definitely welcome as well...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Click to expand...

It's either baptism for these who were not baptised by Holy Spirit , meaning eternal baptism in hell or it's baptism at Judgement Seat Christ while our works are baptised by fire to test them , i rather think it's the first option but second one could be possible .

To me the test of fire is just that, a fiery test, although surely of the Holy Spirit I don't believe that is the baptism of fire. At the end of the test you should have come through following God's will and all the stronger in Him vs weaker. This is the sign of the true saints and body of Christ. The baptism of fire to me is the simple indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it's a done deal when you accepted Jesus, but tests of fire absolutely will follow.

Baptism of/by fire has nothing to do with going to hell, LOL. If that's what someone thinks they should join a good bible study.

Baptism of fire is not good. It could stand for severe persecution.

Neogaia777 said:

What is the "baptism by fire" (to you)...?

Who of you feels like they have gone or are currently going through this baptism...?

Can you say "why" you feel you have or are currently, and what the baptism by fire that you went or are currently going through is all about...?

I feel that I have, but, I want to hear from others first, then I'll post mine...

To me it has to do with "firey trials" and tests and battles and struggles...

What does the "baptism by fire" mean (to you)...?

Scripture is definitely welcome as well...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Click to expand...

referring to a Baptism by Fire is a colloquial expression meaning having gone through a life-changing trial or experience of some sort. But there are several different theological meanings of the term, all going back to a line in the Gospel of Matthew which appears to be an analogy. Some say it refers to a de facto baptism that it considered valid because of the intention of the person, although no actual sacramental baptism with water is available to him for various reasons.

Neogaia777 said:

What is the "baptism by fire" (to you)...?

Who of you feels like they have gone or are currently going through this baptism...?

Can you say "why" you feel you have or are currently, and what the baptism by fire that you went or are currently going through is all about...?

I feel that I have, but, I want to hear from others first, then I'll post mine...

To me it has to do with "firey trials" and tests and battles and struggles...

What does the "baptism by fire" mean (to you)...?

Scripture is definitely welcome as well...

Comments...?

God Bless!

Click to expand...

It was John the Baptist who spoke of baptism with fire. We can see from the surrounding context it is the fire of judgement. Some people will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (when they believe) and others with fire (at the final judgement).