SERIES:  “This Is That”  SERMON:   “Holy Fire”

SERIES:  “This Is That”  SERMON:   “Holy Fire”

Acts 2:16  “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;”

(NLT) “No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:”

Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;”

John the Baptist summarised Jesus purpose for coming as:

Matthew 3:11  “… He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:”  

“Baptizo” :– to submerge, to immerse, to pickle, to saturate causing a permanent change.

Picture of the “Fire Fall,”  Began inadvertently in 1872 James McCailey pushed remnants of campfire over the hill … 3200 feet … waterfall of fire. People began to ask for it nightly

Stopped the practice  Jan 28, 1968.  “It was a manmade spectacle in a Natural park.”

Fellow went back to visit Yosemite Park. Went as a child and he remembered the “Fire Fall”.

He asked park Ranger: “When does the Fire Fall.” The Ranger responded: “The fire doesn’t fall here anymore.”

Very sad when people visit the house of God to see the fire fall, only to find out, “the fire doesn’t fall here anymore.”

The only thing that distinguishes the people of God is the FIRE FALL!!!

“You might as well try to hear without ears, or breathe without lungs, as try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart.”    D.L. Moody

Acts 1:4  “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me;’”

1 Thessalonians 5:19  “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;” (GW)   “Do not quench the Spirit.” (NKJV)

quench (sbennymi) :— to extinguish, of fire or things on fire, to stifle Divine influence.

I see everything a failure except that which is done in the Spirit. Many are brought into this new life through the power of the Spirit of God, … they try to perfect themselves on the lines of legalism. They go back from the life in the Spirit to a life on natural lines. God is not pleased with this, for He has no place for the man who has lost the vision.     Smith Wigglesworth

Galatians 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (NKJV)

“How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?”  (NLT)

Fire — a symbol of acceptance and approval. 

Fire fell on the tabernacle.     Fire fell on the temple.       Fire fell on the church.

The fire prepares and identifies God’s dwelling place on earth. 

Matthew 3:11 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” 

“They thought they got an experience. They kept trying to get another experience like that one … it was Someone – a Divine Personality – who came to live in them. He is a Heavenly Being: the Holy Spirit”     Kenneth Hagin

2 Timothy 3:5  (NLT)  “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

Strange Fire:– It is fire that you try to produce yourself rather than taking fire off the alter.

“Using carnal means to kindle devotion and praise.”  C.I. Schofield

“All not done in worship and service, in dependence upon the Holy Spirit of God and under His guidance, in obedience to the Word of God.”    A. Gabelein

Leveiticus 6:13   “The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”

Leviticus 9:10, 21  “Then Moses said, ‘This is the thing which the Lord commanded you to do, and the glory of the Lord will appear to you.’ … Aaron waved as a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses had commanded.”

Leviticus 9:23-24  “Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

Leviticus 10:1-2  “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane (Strange) fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”

You can’t be more or less anointed but you can be have more revelation on the benefits of the anointing.

You can also position yourself to be more effective in the flow and operation of the anointing … be more intentional.

Proverbs 1:23  (NLT) “Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you (pour my Sprit on you NKJV) and make you wise.”

Acts 13:52 (TPT)  “They left the new converts in Antioch overflowing with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”

Intentionally Lean Into Holy Spirit:

1. Be Rich In The Word

2. Commit To Learning 

3. Align With His Voice

4. Practice Divine Confidence

5. Fix Yourself In Joy