View from Mount Sinai 2008
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So many have spoken on: What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Here is a message that will dig deeper into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
and its fullness through the Fire, and finally linking into the 7 Spirit’s ~ The MENORAH!
No longer will you see the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as simple as
“Speaking in Tongues.”
Here is a message that will dig deeper into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
and its fullness through the Fire, and finally linking into the 7 Spirit’s ~ The MENORAH!
No longer will you see the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as simple as
“Speaking in Tongues.”
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Many articles have been written explaining the proof of it being speaking in tongues, but what about the things that have not been spoken of as often, such as the out working of that baptism, and being “Baptized with Fire.”
In this Article, I would like to take you through a study of the scriptures surrounding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Taking a deeper look into its mysteries, and what it means to have Jesus Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. Which I believe is the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit for each believer. I also hope this study will open the door for us to see some of the secrets behind the seven spirits, spoken of in Isaiah 11:2&3, that also came upon the Lord.
First though, we need to look at Jesus own words about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and its work in His life. Which was written as an example to prepare us for what was to come at Pentecost, and what we are to expect today.
Matthew 3:11-12 John is speaking of Jesus saying: “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.”
Within these two verses alone we find enough evidence to unveil the fuller meaning of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and what Jesus really was teaching us about it. However we will begin here, and complete the study - as this scripture, and others unfold into the book of acts.
In Matthew 3:11-12, we see not one event but a life process of Baptism for the believer. Along with this baptism is coming a sorting and sifting of the hearts of men, we are talking Jesus’ threshing floor in the scripture above, and I would like to suggest for the moment that we see this as His people, and not the sheep from the goats sorting, as some might say. It is His people, that will have the chaff burnt off them, and thrown into the fire. He is not speaking about this Baptism to come as a simple process, but something very powerful & complete. A work of Christ for each believer that will be with a winnowing fork.
Following this passage, we see Jesus Himself being Baptized, & of course this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not just some water Baptism as John was used to at this point.
“Coming out of the water…..he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him” (Jesus)v16
Whenever we see the Holy Spirit coming on a man as spoken of in the old Testament, we see the words written the Holy Spirit came UPON HIM, or was UPON HIM, and Now we see the Spirit descending upon Jesus. Isaiah also spoke of this in Isa 11:2-”The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him…” and I will come back to this later in reference to the continuation of the 7 spirit’s, for they belong together with this baptism.
For now though, we continue with Jesus next step after He, Himself, was Baptized with the Holy Spirit. What do we see? Mat 4:1 - Jesus is now being led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.
So what is the expectation of the believer at this point of Baptism? To go out joyfully speaking in tongues, which of course does and can happen, and I am not disputing that, or can we take from Jesus’ example a fuller message of what it means to be Baptized, and have the Spirit of the Lord come upon us? The scriptures are saying here, that - that same Spirit will lead you after that joyful time of baptism also into the desert, the desert He knows you need, (because for each believer it will be a different place), and allow a sifting and sorting of your heart. A place of preparation to find the power to resist the devil. It is also speaking of many tests to come through trials, to prepare God’s people.
This is just the beginning of the baptism and what it means for the Spirit of the Lord to come upon us. Jesus has been trying to teach us all along these simple truths, but many have somehow diverted this message of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as a single event reduced to speaking in tongues, as a sign of being saved.
In the book of Acts, we find evidence also of aspects of the completed work of this baptism of the holy Spirit. For although it is written many times that they were baptized and spoke in tongues, we have often over looked or missed the teaching of Christ to Paul, at Paul’s baptism. Saying, Acts 9:16-“I will show him how much he must suffer for my names sake.” There is a key here to walking with Jesus, and a key to being baptized with the Holy Spirit, and it involves a winnowing fork, a fire and much suffering, for God knows what we need to become like Him. He has written and spoken of it, to each believer. Why? So that we would trust Him with this baptism, and follow in His foot steps, so as not to give up.
Leonard Ravenhill once wrote: “Pentecost meant pain, Pentecost meant burden, it meant also prison…” and “If we were as scared to miss fire baptism as we are to miss water baptism, we would have a flaming Church and another Pentecost.” This is the message of Pentecost that until we are fire purged we are not ready to minister the cross.
It will be a process however, because that is what it takes to have us conformed to His likeness, we can go all the way back to Deuteronomy to see God had for written it in advance: Deut 7:22-23 “The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little, You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.” We see here in parable form for us in the days of Christ, that on delivering us, God would also help us, to drive out the sins of our own heart, one by one, doing it slowly lest the beast of the field, that is the evil of pride and arrogance would rise up inside us, and would forfeit God’s work. He has promised us a completion of this work of His Holy Spirit, but He has promised it to be a process over time, and one completed in the same way, as silver is purified removing its dross.
Jesus also spoke may times in the scriptures the individual effects of receiving this work of His Spirit, and that it would also depend on us, and our willingness to submit to the Spirit that was trying to work, and complete this baptism in us.
He taught that those who are given much and trusted with much, much more will be given. Mat 25:21-”You have been faithful with a few things I will put you in charge of many things.” Put in charge of many possessions, explaining that we can have more or less of this Spirits work within us. Acts also explains: 5:32-”We are witnesses .. & so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey.” The same teaching is being instilled here, that this work of the Holy Spirit is not just a one off act, but a continuation depending on our will to submit to it.
This is just the basic framework to understand that there is much more to this baptism then speaking in tongues, and presto you will have power to move the heavens. No, it is the Obedient who will be given more of the Spirit, and those able to be trusted with what God has given them, to whether He will give them more.
Once we have established this, we can move onto what it means to be baptized with Fire, and I am sure, I will only be able to explain parts of it, but hope to begin to prepare your minds for moving onto maturity, and so find all that Christ would have you be.
We have spoken on two aspects: one of the process of time needed for the Holy Spirit to do His work and our willingness in involved to complete it, and two the emphasis on this outworking, being one of suffering, and difficulty (as Jesus revealed to Paul in Acts 9:16) for those who would continue through into the Baptism of Fire.
Some will choose to stop at this point, and refrain from entering too deep, but I will show you that it is the Spirit, who will teach not only us, but also all those who would come into this fire after us, to keep going, and that He is saying to us also, to urge one another on this path of the fullness of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
There is more refining to come, more fire, more pruning, for the Lord has said: “That each tree that bears fruit He will prune, so it will be able to bear even greater fruit.” See John 15:2. This is the expectation for those who choose to move on for Him, but we must also train those to walk behind us, and follow this path to go deeper and deeper with the Lord.
In the book of Mark, Jesus asks His disciples: Mark 10:38-“Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Jesus is explaining a fuller baptism, one that is going to take you into the fire, the fire that Jesus walked through. A life of sacrifice, a life given and laid down for others, this is what He is asking of them and of us. “Can you, or are you willing to walk this path? For this is the true baptism of my Spirit having His way over your life.” Then He completes this sentence by saying: v39-”You will drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.”
It is time for us to be speaking amongst ourselves, more of this truth, on the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so the babes can begin to walk this path and not stop at the cross roads of a gift of speaking in tongues.
It is time for the 7 Spirit’s (or sevenfold Spirit) to have their/His way. A time to listen to the voice of the seven Spirit’s of God, and let Him complete His work on earth, as He has ordained from the beginning of time.
Below is the unveiling of just a piece of a puzzle that is ours to understand. Where the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, begins to allow us to move in the seven fold spirits of God, as they also moved in our Lord.
Isaiah 11:2-”The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him-the Spirit of Wisdom and of Understanding,
the Spirit of Counsel and of Power, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord.
The SPIRIT OF THE LORD will rest on Him. The initiation for us here is the baptism of the Holy Spirit coming upon us! Resting on us. On the candelabra it is the center light or candle where all others flow from, this is the Holy Spirit coming upon us and Jesus living HIS life in us. This is step one of the Baptism, “The Spirit of the Lord will come/rest upon you.”
The fulfillment of this baptism is now one of accepting the Guidance of the Holy Spirit as He leads us into wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge and the fear of God. A process involving a refining of our hearts with a winnowing fork and a baptism of fire.
Jesus says: “I will show you how much you must suffer for my names sake,” and so begins the work of His Holy Spirit to take us into suffering, just as He also explained to Paul at his baptism. It is during this time, and as we are lead by Him, we begin to see His wisdom, and have understanding to the work that this suffering must do in us, to make us like Him.
This is the 2nd and 3rd Spirit having its way in our lives. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, I speak of them together, because they flow together, as they are joined as the second and third candle sticks are joined (please see diagram below). So God has His work moving in us, through this suffering to unveil a wisdom and an understanding of it. The same wisdom and understanding that Jesus had going to the cross, that it was this work of the Holy Spirit, of His death and suffering, that would bring about the most amazing power on earth, to save the souls of mankind.
It is also written in Hebrews 5:8-that “he(JESUS) learned obedience from what He suffered.” and so will we.
That is the power of suffering, but we must understand and embrace it, for it is God’s wisdom to take us through it to make us obedient, and make perfect those that are Christ’s. For our author and perfector was made perfect through suffering. What else do we expect? Except to walk in His shoes. 1 Peter 4:1-”Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body. Arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.”
There are many who will not embrace it however, and with much of the teaching these days being: “God blesses and protects,” without unveiling the full truth of the Gospel, they cannot be expected to know any better, and this is why, so many have given up at this point of trial. Therefore the message of the fullness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit must be taught, and proclaimed from the mountain tops. So that we will encourage one another when trials, and sufferings do come. Saying to one another, “It is, the Lord’s work being completed in us.” Hold on! We must embrace it, and understand this truth. For it will bring about a great harvest of souls.
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Sure there will be some stumbling and falling in this place of trial and suffering for God’s people, but even in that, God will bring about a great refining for our hearts. We will not always all be able to get up straight away, but that is ok. We just need to be encouraged to hold on through it, to trust the Lord, and know that He is completing this Baptism of fire for our growth.
There will be no right or wrong way, just a whole lot of His servants spurring one another on. Because we know in ourselves, we have also walked our own path of fire and often failed. Leaving us with the knowledge, that each trial, and each burning, had left some scars.... but on allowing this purging of our souls those same scars had instilled in us, a little more of Christ’s character. Day by day, scar by scar, little by little, each beast of the field was being subdued.
Jesus explained to Peter: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat” and, “I am going to allow it for your growth, but when you cannot hold on, and you fail. After that, come back and strengthen your brothers.”(emphasis added) Why is Jesus saying this? Because, He knows even falling in the trial will have great affect for the heart to be trained in humility, and that one cannot help learn from it. Only after falling can we help others to walk through the fire also, something Peter finally understood, he no longer had pride to say - “I will not leave you Jesus!” For he failed and left, but now he is the stronger for it, for pride has been removed, only humility remains, and now he is ready to strengthen his brothers, and so it will be for us also.
Later, we find Peter himself is explaining this to the church, saying: “After you have suffered a little while, will Himself(God) restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast.” -1 Peter 5:10. You may fall in the suffering and sometimes even find it too difficult, but know, God is at work to bring about a great refining of your soul, in purging out the dross, and what will remain will be stronger, and more steadfast. For you will be more like Him.
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Then follows The Spirit of Counsel and Power, the 4th and 5th Spirit: We are not left only with the knowledge of God’s wisdom of suffering, and understanding it, but on accepting it we find at work the promises of God for each believer, the promise of a new and wonderful Spiritual guidance, the Holy Spirits Counsel and Power given to us.
Isaiah 30:20-”Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction , your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them, whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”…..Then you will defile your idols….and Say to them away with you!”
The Lord is promising here, that on having drunk the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, and accepted the fiery trials of God as being good for you, then He is promising to have His Holy Spirit guide you as your Counselor and give you His Might. The Might of His Power to be given to us, to use at His guidance. Power from heaven, an authority working its way into your very flesh, because you have taken this path of Christ, and have trained your self in it, or are, allowing God to train you in it, and have chosen and agreed that it is good!
He is promising here a protection, not one from the fire, but a protection that is within the fire, Knowing He is always with you, and will not forsake or leave you, but now on trusting Him, He will guide you. No matter what it looks like or how hot the fire becomes, even seven times hotter than any other, He will still do what is best for you. Even bringing you through to greater maturity, for this is the Counsel of His Spirit.
Also He is saying that once you have taken to listening to His voice of Counsel, you will be able to discern all things, removing all idols and unclean things from your life. For it is the Spirits Counsel, that will truly help us to conquer the sins of the flesh.
There is a power promised here to be given the believer, and it is one that comes with having walked through the fire, in trusting the Lord with His hand of discipline upon your life, and so becoming like Christ, saying along with Him, “not my will but yours be done.” From this place the Holy Spirit really begins to have His way with us, a time for Him to Counsel us is at hand, and in this Counsel He will begin to teach us to walk in the heavenly places with Spiritual Power, with His Might, just as Christ did when He walked on the earth. For we have begun to be like Jesus in every way in embracing our cross as He did His.
There is a reminder here however, and one that needs to be re-instated for the growth of the church to this Baptism and its fullness, a command spoken in Jeremiah 31;21-”Set up the road signs; put up guideposts, Take note of the highway, the road that you take.” It is a command to tell the others to follow this path of suffering, to walk upon this highway for it leads to Holiness, and Without Holiness no one will see the Lord.
Paul had also come to understand this command, and the importance of it to tell others of this path we must take. He himself finally knows how passing on this knowledge will strengthen the believers for walking through this Baptism of Fire, and for what is to come. Acts 14:21-”They returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, STRENGTHENING the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. saying “We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” Paul had learned what Jesus had taught him so very well, and now himself was passing this message on to the other disciples, and so must we.
Finally comes The Spirit of the Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. This knowledge learned in the fear of His counsel, as the Spirit begins to reveal the heart of God to us, His ways, His judgements. It is written that when the Kingdom comes on earth, the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. This is what we are speaking of here, when we understand His knowledge coming on us the believer, to complete this baptism.
A knowledge of His thoughts, for it says: “His ways are not our ways, nor our thoughts His thoughts.” So He will need to begin to show us how He thinks, and what is important to Him. Not only will He need to, but He also loves to share His thoughts with all who have chosen to walk this path, and love and worship Him no matter what. (please read: When God even breaks your faith for more on this)
Why does He need to share this with the sons of God? Because He is preparing His bride to make Judgements on the earth, for His reign on earth to take full effect. He has given his saints in this the last days a command to make Judgments on the earth, to prepare for His coming. But we cannot do it, without knowing His heart, understanding what He understands, feeling what He feels, and with this knowledge will come also a fear of Him, knowing what He has planned to do from the beginning of time, as He begins to share His secrets with us, and reveals to us, that He is mighty, wonderful, and a gracious God, but also that His Spirit will not contend with men forever!
There is a time of Judgement to come that the saints will take part in, but we must first have the Spirit of the knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord, and so continues Isaiah 11:3 after the Spirit of the Lord came upon HIM (and us) saying:
“He/we will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt & faithfulness the sash around his waist.”
This is what he has been preparing us for, in this Baptism of Fire.
Have you found and chosen the path of righteousness, and obedience that is proven through the fire of suffering? Have you accepted this Fire of Baptism in being conformed into the image of Christ? Who Himself, became obedient by what He suffered! Have you been faithful on this path of our Lord, the perfector of our faith, and kept worshipping our God through the midst of the fire, Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Then you also will be ready to judge as He has, as written above.
There is so much to learn of this 7 Candled Menorah or light of Christ, as the 7 Spirit’s have their way with us.
It is written that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel, that it is their/our Mission to be “a light unto the nations.” The sages emphasize that the light is not a violent force however; but that Israel and we are to accomplish God’s work on earth by setting our lives out as an example and not by that of using force. How ironic is that message in light of this baptism of the Holy Spirit training us to be like Christ. When it also was the message of Christ at Calvary: He conquered the powers of darkness by submission and giving his life for others, and so shall we.
Zechariah 4:1-6 “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit” says the Lord.
Please note: that all that I have written above on the 7 Spirit’s is far from being the fullness of what God has to unveil and teach us about them, this is just one aspect that I felt the Holy Spirit unfold, during a time of seeking His face for understanding, on being Baptized with the Holy Spirit, and with Fire. The Holy Spirit’s work of course is one of continuous unveiling, and although I have spoken that one aspect in fact precedes the other, in His great mercy and knowledge He also allows a propitiation of each aspect of His Spirit, to have its way with us, according to His will, and timing.
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR THE 7 CANDLE MENORAH: The center stem is singular, representing the pathway of Christ as the center as He fills us with His Holy Spirit, as His Spirit comes upon us. The 2nd and 3rd are linked together, (as the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding) and flows as one lighting the other, the 4th and 5th (the Spirit of Counsel and of Might) also flow in one stream and finally the 6th and 7th (the Spirit of Knowledge and the fear of the Lord) as flames on the out sides are ignited as one lamp by the priests.
May the Father continue to unveil His mysteries to each of us, as we continue to seek His face.
God bless us all!
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