The Fire of God

"...after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Matthew 3:11-12

- John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. What is the purpose of fire? Fire consumes anything in its path, it purges and cleanses uncleanness. Precious metals are melted down by fire so that the impurities can be skimmed away. Fields are purposely burned to cleanse the old and make way for the new.

As Christians we also need the fire of God to cleanse us and purge us of our old life. That is why Jesus came baptizing with fire to purge His followers of the old ways and to bring new life. It says that He will burn up the chaff, that is all the unwanted and useless material from the wheat. We need the fire of God to burn up the chaff in our lives.

If we want the manifest Presence of God to dwell in our lives we first need the purging and cleansing of the fire of God.

When Solomon dedicated the Temple in the Old Testament it says that fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple (2Chronicles 7:1). The glory of God did not fill the temple until the burnt offerings and sacrifices were consumed by the fire from heaven first. The fire purged then the glory filled the temple.

We need a fresh baptism, immersion in the fire of the Lord to cleanse us and purge the dross and sin away, then His Presence can abide with us. In Romans 12: 1 it says present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God. As we present ourselves and our lives to God He will consume us and it will allow His Presence to be manifested in our lives.

prayer:

Jesus consume me with your fire, baptize me and purge me from all sin and uncleanness even hidden sins that I am not aware of, cleanse me and fill me with your Presence. I praise Your Name, I glorify Your holy Name. Amen