Holy Ghost Baptism and Fire

Holy Ghost Baptism and Fire

 Mark 16

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

     The church world is a helpless entity without the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Why would anyone who loves the truth in our Bible ever deny the power of Pentecost? There is more wisdom, knowledge, and revelation in the nine gifts than all the theological institutions of the world. The more a person’s mind is sensitive to the Holy Ghost, the greater is the revealing of wonderful truths. I’m never more amazed at my own inspiration than when I’m involved in much prayer. Truth comes at me like a storm.

     Every believer is ordained of God to be full of the Holy Ghost. Second every believer is supposed to be used and experience the gifts of the Spirit. Listen to Apostle Paul make that plain: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (I Corinthians 12: 7) It’s so sad that the spiritual world is like a wilderness when glory and power is so available. Mother, you need these gifts to be a powerful influence on your children. This is true to every one of use in every capacity where our lives may touch.

Nine Gifts of Supernatural Powers:

  1. The Holy Ghost has nine supernatural powers that emanate from Him; they are totally His possession.
  2. He possesses these nine mighty anointing to distribute to His saints.
  3. No one possesses them, only the Spirit Himself.
  4. They are given to manifest in His godly servants.
  5. They are never given to make you look spiritual.
  6. He only uses holy saints.
  7. Jesus Christ is the center of all spiritual action.
  8. The gifts never become some possession (trying to use the gifts when you get ready will fail).
  9. Do not claim to be Holy Ghost filled if He is not using you.
  10. His language announces His arrival to possess you.
  11. Unknown tongues is the language of the Trinity (I believe the language of Adam and Eve was this language.)
  12. Adam and Eve understood God’s language.
  13. Moses probably spoke that language when he talked to God.
  14. Words of wisdom
  15. Words of knowledge
  16. Faith

17 Gifts of healing

18 Miracles

  1. Gift of Prophesy
  2. Discerning of spirits/Spirit
  3. Tongues
  4. Interpretation of Tongues

     Especially ministers must be Holy Ghost saturated and constantly used by “powerful gifts” of the Holy Ghost. Joseph Chambers is going to be used as never before. I have repented of so little anointing

Acts 2

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

      The person of the Holy Ghost is the Fire of God.  No truth is more basic to New Testament Christianity than the person and ministry of the Holy Ghost.  There is no possibility of an experience in which the believer is made a vibrant Christian disciple without the literal ministry of this Divine Person.  He is the Fire of God with which the Lord God told John the Baptist that Jesus would baptize His Believers.  “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire” (Matthew 3:11c).  That is too plain of a truth for the church world to deny.     

     This generation has witnessed more professing Christians turning away from the Baptism of the Holy Ghost than ever in church history.  I personally know many people that were either brought up in a Pentecostal church or were at one time excitedly filled with the Holy Ghost, but today they are not even a whisper.  The Holy Ghost that inspired every word of the Bible warned us of this day.  The primary message of Hebrews chapter six is a warning to anyone that has experienced the Holy Ghost but later turned back to the foundational truths but denied the power of the Spirit.  This is a shattering truth that you must remember.         

     They were warned with very revealing worlds that they were denying the deeper truth of our faith.  He named, “Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2).  There is no doubt that he is concerned with the loss of the power of a Holy Ghost baptism.  It is not water baptism that he speaks about but the baptism in the Fire of the Holy Ghost.     

     Notice carefully the next three verses.  “And this will we do, if God permit.  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:3-5).  Those words are powerful.  These souls were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted the Word of God and the power of the world to come.  All of this truth is Pentecostal in flavor and Holy Ghost filled words.     

     Why has this happened to a literal multitude of people? I will carefully give you what I know the Holy Ghost is saying to this unworthy writer.  This is the last of the last days and every deception in Satan’s arsenal is being cast at this generation.  If deception can be manifest, it is being manifest.  Satan hates the Fire of the Holy Ghost because he cannot resist it.     

     First, we must know what is happening in the world of iniquity.  Jesus issued a warning that everyone recognizes, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (St Matthew 24:12-14).   This passage describes our day perfectly.  This word iniquity clearly paints a picture of a church full of compromise and falling away from the deeper life.  Iniquity and the fashions of the world are concurrent and they are robbing the church world of separation to Christ and Godly living.  The Fire of the Holy Ghost cannot burn on an altar where the world reigns as king.

 1 Corinthians 14

1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

     The Pentecostal Fire that burned for much of the twentieth century was without question manifest in pure and Godly lives.  As the churches became bigger and wealthier, they became careless in lifestyle and the world robbed the fire.  Starting in the last years of this past century the Fire of God was replaced with emotional music and cheerleaders in the pulpit.  The church world started celebrating the Holy Spirit instead of fasting and praying for His Sovereign visitation.  The results have been devastating.     

     The Neo-Pentecostal movement was at first the old line Pentecostals reaching out to the nominal church world.  Certainly, there has been a mixture of good and bad in this phenomenon that occurred but the truth of scripture and doctrinal purity was never held as supreme.  Very early in this developing movement the Catholic Church saw the value of joining forces.  Leaders, like Katherine Kuhlman, welcomed the Catholic priests and nuns in their Catholic attire and with their misguided doctrine to stand equal with them.     

     Today, the Charismatic world is such a smorgasbord of ideas and experiences that millions of people are left confused and bewildered.  There are wonderful souls all over this religious movement that are desperately in need of a death to the flesh and Biblical purity of lifestyle.  The present personalities that represent this part of Pentecost are given to spiritualistic designs and false fire.  Many of the latest champions are persons like the tattooed and utterly confused Todd Bentley.  I fear that there is no recovery left for the majority of these dear people.    

      Let’s look at the first and last of the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three.  Ephesus was the first century church and Laodicea is the church of today.  The first church of Ephesus left their first love within less than one hundred years.  The Laodicea church is described different but the problem is the same.  They were neither hot nor cold.  Both are perfect matches for this present generation of Pentecostals.  Yes, there are still numerous churches and individuals that are standing fast and we praise the Lord for that.  These churches would quickly confess the need for a fresh visitation of the Holy Ghost.     

     The church at Ephesus was very similar to the Pentecostal churches still standing strong today.  We love the truth and are quick to defend ourselves against the false fire and questionable lifestyles.  Here is our Lord’s correction of us, “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:2-5).  We are desperate to recover the fire of a mighty Baptism in the Spirit.  When the fire is real, many will come to watch us burn and then come under conviction to experience that same joy and knowledge of the Lord.

 Revelation 2

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

     The church at Ephesus was very similar to the Pentecostal churches still standing strong today. We love the truth and are quick to defend ourselves against the false fire and questionable lifestyles. Here is our Lord’s correction of us, “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:2-5). We are desperate to recover the fire of a mighty Baptism in the Spirit. When the fire is real, many will come to watch us burn and then come under conviction to experience that same joy and knowledge of the Lord.

     The church of Laodicea certainly represents the multitudes of Pentecostals that no longer even want the Fire of Pentecost. These are the “made for television” churches that are rich and increased with goods. The Son of God that dictated these seven letters could not have described them better. Carefully read His words, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see” (Revelation 3:15-18). He stated clearly that this crowd is unprepared for His Rapture and will be spewed out into the Tribulation. They are part of the five virgins that had no oil (fire) in their vessels. He called them foolish.

     My burden is to awake the great company of former Pentecostals. Many of them would still call themselves by that name, but it is only in name and not in reality. Spirit-filled saints of God are a threat to Satan. A godly believer that stands solid on the Word of God is already powerful. When they are clothed and totally given to the gifts and power of the Holy Ghost, they change the landscape where they live. All you need for proof is to read the Book of Acts. Those saints were no different from any other saints since that day except they were baptized in the Holy Ghost Fire.

     Look at some of the truths that Jesus taught us about the results of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. In John chapter fourteen He begins to open their understanding of what would happen after His death and return to the Father, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father; But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:12; 26).

     Our understanding of the Baptism must be guided by Jesus Christ’s words. The results will be supernatural and we will again see multitudes converted. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me: Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of Judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (St John 16:7-11). This is the Lord’s description of a church full of His Holy Spirit.

     When He arose from the dead and was preparing to return to the Father, He did not leave any question about his command to the believers. Read carefully, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).

     They were to stay in Jerusalem until they were empowered for the task. Just before they saw Him go up into the clouds He added a strong statement, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

     Anyone that tries to do supernatural ministry without the supernatural anointing is going to fail. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (I Corinthians 2:14-16). He closes that great statement with the promise that a Holy Ghost possessed person has the “mind of Christ.”

     The Spirit of God is brooding over the saints of God and calling us back to a Baptism of Fire. Anyone that knows this truth, anyone that was raised by parents or grandparents that knew this truth, and, especially, anyone that  has experienced this truth are grieving the Holy Ghost if they turn away. It is a dangerous thing to reject the Holy Ghost. If you reject Him and then grieve Him, you will soon blaspheme Him. There is a great company of individuals that are in grave danger.

     When Apostle Paul warned the church in Hebrews about those that tasted this life-giving ministry but turned away, he declared the danger. He spoke of “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:6b). No one can experience the joy and power of this Baptism in the Holy Ghost and then turn away without consequences.

     The Spirit of God is calling us back to the Book of Acts and a Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire. The God of the Bible has promised a “Latter Rain” of His Spirit.  I believe the “Latter Rain” will be as great as the Day of Pentecost.  The Spirit said, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be save.  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17-21).

     The Lord is actually waiting for this great day.  He is patiently tarrying for the harvest that is coming.  “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.  Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:7-8).  You must be ready for the Rapture while you prepare for the outpouring of His mighty Holy Ghost.  He will decide which comes first.