Time For You To Get Burned

Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

What we are missing in the church today, and in this youth group, is a baptism of Holy Ghost fire. What is this Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire?

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

The Holy Spirit has been given by the Father in the physical absence of the Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is likened to and referenced with fire.

What do we know about fire?

1. If you have ever been burned by fire you don’t come out the same.

-You will be beyond recognition when you have been burned by fire.

The Holy Spirit wants to be the fire that burns you beyond recognition. People will see you as different and new, not the same person you were before. When the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost not one person who was filled was the same from that day forward. It marked a change in their life and walk with God.

Acts 18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit,[d] he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Apollos was saved, the Bible makes that clear. But he was missing the fire. He hadn’t been burned. Priscilla and Aquila explained the way of God “more accurately” meaning the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a necessary part of our Christian witness and faith. When we leave out the fire of the Holy Spirit from our doctrine, we quench the Spirit and falsely represent God.

120 people got baptized with fire in the Upper Room and the whole town noticed in minutes. Here we claim that people are being baptized in the Holy Spirit and the town never notices.

If we want to shake this community for the cause of Jesus Christ it is first going to take the Holy Spirit burning us beyond recognition. We can’t make the fire come. God alone sends the fire. We can call on him to send the fire, just as Elijah did at Mt. Carmel.

God burn me tonight. I need to be burned beyond recognition by your Holy Spirit.

Stories of Spirit-Filled Men and Women in Scripture

-Bezalel

Exodus 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

-Joshua

Deuteronomy 34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.

-Samson

Judges 14:5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring.6 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.

-John the Baptist

Luke 1:15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.