The Fires of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Dear John:

Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 17:9-10,

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately-sick; who can understand it? I, Yehovah, search the heart, I test the reigns, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.”

Only God knows what is sin in our lives. For this reason we must spend time before Him and ask Him to baptize us with the Holy Spirit of fire to reveal our sins to us and to purge us of our sins.

“Submit therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-souled. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:7-10)

Some Christians say, “God only wants you to be happy!” The Bible teaches us, however, that we are not to lift our own heads, but to morn and weep before God and wait for Him to exalt us. If God seems to be continually bringing us down, humbling us, it is because we are lifting up our own heads and not waiting before Him to lift our heads.

This is the key to crucifying the flesh: you crucify the flesh when you humble yourself and wait before the Lord and morn and weep before Him and then not lift your head until He lifts it. If you are lifting your own head ahead of the Lord, you are catering to your flesh, energizing and lifting up your flesh. This will only result in sin and downfall and Jesus then having to humble you and bring you down.

1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 105:4 state that we are to seek Yehovah and His face and that we are to seek Him continually. Rebecca Brown writes in her book Prepare for War

“Any servant of God must spend much more time on his face before God than he ever does in the work God gives him to do. Lack of holiness in our lives blocks the flow of the Holy Spirit and transforms our work into worthless ashes in the sight of God.”^1/73

Jesus said in Luke 12:48-49,

“But the one who did not know it [God’s will], and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!”

When Jesus was on the earth the fire was already kindled. Everywhere Jesus went, when men came into contact with Him they were convicted of their sins. As a result He was hated by everyone. We must spend time before the Lord daily so that as we come into contact with Him our sins can be revealed so we can then repent of them and be cleansed of them through His blood. Rebecca writes:

“Those who should most welcome the fire of God to consume the sin in their lives, welcome it the least. They serve God in their own strength and for their own gain.”^1/75

What matters in this life is not whether we are doing well, whether we are approved by men or even whether our bills are paid. What matters is whether we have God’s approval over our lives. This approval only comes about through our spending time on our faces before Him and waiting before Him until we hear Him say, “I am pleased with your life. Well done good and faithful servant.” The only thing that matters is not whether we are successful in this life before men, but whether we are walking in obedience to Him and have His approval. The only thing we should be seeking in life is God’s approval and whatever is necessary for that approval. He promises that if we do this that He will take care of whatever our true needs are.

“But seek-continually first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt 6:33)

“We must ask Jesus to baptize us with fire. We must get on our faces before the Lord and ask Him to burn away all that is not pleasing to Him. . . . The baptism of fire should be just as evident in our lives as the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, any supposed manifestations of the power of God through our ministry are only deception. We cannot have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives without first having the fire of the Holy Spirit.”^1/75

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

It is better for us to allow Jesus to baptize us with fire now on earth than to wait until the judgment seat of Christ. If we wait until we die, we will find that all our works were worthless in God’s sight. No matter how good our works appear before men, if they are done with one thought for self and self gain, they will be ashes before the Lord.

Jesus said in Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” The Baptism of the Holy Spirit makes us the salt of the earth.

How do we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire? By daily getting on our knees and asking for it and meaning it and not getting off our knees until God gives it to us or assures us that we are clean before Him and He is pleased with us. Jesus said, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?” (John 5:44)

Rebecca writes,

“We cannot truly serve this God of ours if we have any sin remaining in our hearts. If we allow sin to remain in our lives, we may be sure that sooner or later Satan will have a great victory over us.”^1/76

Power from the Lord comes through a cleansed heart. The Apostle Peter said, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:32)

Sincerely in Jesus,

Dale P. Kruse
Pastor Evangelist
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