Summer 1996
The Baptism of Fire
Wade E Taylor

"I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance. But he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I
am not worthy to bear: HE SHALL BAPTIZE
YOU with the Holy Ghost, AND WITH
FIRE" Matt 3:11.

Notice that the baptizer is Jesus, and that this experience is one of being immersed IN the Holy Spirit. Thus, this is "The Baptism of Jesus IN the Holy Spirit." There is also a Baptism OF the Holy Spirit, by which we are immersed into, and made a member of, the Body of Christ. Many do not separate these so they can be rightly related to the context of Scripture.

The Charismatic movement centered upon and stopped with "speaking in tongues" as the result of receiving this immersion into the Holy Spirit. But there is more. This experience is to go further, into an operation of Holy Spirit fire.

Fire is used in the refining process that purifies gold. It burns away the dross. Because the Charismatic visitation stopped short of this purifying fire, many impurities surfaced, bringing this visitation to an end.

There is coming however, the full outworking of this baptism; a visitation of fire. Holy Spirit fire speaks of the manifestation of His presence. This fire goes beyond the experience of receiving the Baptism with its accompanying blessings, gifts, and evidences.

There is an initial infilling of the Spirit with which many become satisfied. They fail to continue to seek until the fire is experienced with its subsequent purgings of impurities, that His nature might be formed within.

There should be many subsequent refillings, which are designed to enhance the outworking of this refining processes in us. If we are to meet the challenges of our day, we must go beyond the gifts and the blessings to experience the refining fire.

This fire results from an experiential entering into His presence. In this Shekinah fire we are warmed, enlightened, and quickened. Through this means, the Lord is able to change us.

"But we all, with open face beholding
as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord" II Cor 3:18.

As we seek Him and contend for an "open heaven" which releases His presence along with the moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst, God will intervene with a mighty work beyond anything that we have seen, heard, or even desired.

This involves our going beyond the fact of His presence and determining that we will not be satisfied until we come into the influence of the "SON;" the radiant, visible, moving Holy Spirit Shekinah fire in our midst.

In the 1950's the Lord blessed me with a personal visitation of His power and glory, which marvelously transformed my life. Presently, in a greater measure, the Lord's people are being stirred to seek Him for this immersion of "Holy Spirit fire" that they might be "changed into the same image, from glory to glory." We are to become a place for His habitation, in which He can be more fully known and experienced.

The temptation is to settle for methodology. Rather, we must contend for an open heaven through which the "SON" is able to brightly shine upon His saints, as they abide in the warmth of His presence and are changed.