BAPTISM OF FIRE

By Bonnie Jones

November 2021

This message is part of a chapter from the 2022 Shepherd’s Rod. I feel it’s a NOW word and want to share it and encourage you to step out in faith and believe for the baptism of fire. It is only by our lack of trust that we limit what the Holy Spirit desires to do through every believer. I pray you are encouraged as you read this revelation.

Stoking The Fire

I believe we’re getting ready to see the greatest manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power in the history of mankind. It’s difficult to think that anything could be greater than the day of Pentecost. However the Spirit was being poured out in one location. What I’m seeing now is the Holy Spirit moving on the body of Christ around the world. When His Spirit is poured out all flesh will know it – there will be no doubt it is God!

This vision came at 3:41 a.m. on Day of Atonement. In the vision myself and another anointed prophetic seer were in a cabin. It appeared to be bare except for an old potbelly stove. Its door was open and the embers were red hot. As she and I stoked the fire lots of people began gathering inside the cabin near the stove to be warmed by its fire.

Later the Lord said, “I’m taking My bride into the baptism of fire.And once she commits to follow Me, there will be no turning back. However there is preparation for this baptism.

Water baptism requires water immersion where the whole body says “yes.”

Baptism of Holy Spirit is where the spirit of man must desire the fullness of the godhead to be activated within him so he can do the works of the gospel.

But the baptism of fire requires death to self – putting every earthly desire into the fiery furnace of God’s power of love and allowing it to burn away all the chaff and residue of life that formed over years of exposure. Then when the fire burns to embers, My bride walks forth from the furnace of affliction baptized in fire. And the ashes of the Holy Spirit reside to ignite fires in other saints as well as sinners. When sin comes into the presence of My holy fire it cannot stand the intensity of its heat. Holy fire burns away the dross and brings the sinner into salvation, healing and creative miracles.”

The Axe Is Laid To The Root

John the Baptist came preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”  And he baptized them in the Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:2 & 6) However when John saw many Pharisees coming to observe his baptism he rebuked them and called them a brood of vipers. He knew they would not repent; they only came to ridicule the fruit of his labor.

Then he said, “And even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10) Through salvation God made us trees of righteousness and Christians, like trees have many roots. Therefore any unholy root we have not totally surrendered to Christ He will cut off, because these things keep us from covenant blessings. Through this process we are being formed into the character of the glorified Christ. Because the baptism of fire is the power of the living God that changes everything.

John said, “ I indeed baptize you with water unto 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.” (Matthew 3:11) To fulfill scripture John baptized Jesus. Immediately the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness for His baptism of fire. After fasting forty days and nights Satan tested Him three times. Each test was more intense but the Lord stood on scripture and endured the heat. (Matthew 4:1-11) When Jesus emerged from the wilderness He came preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:17 & 19)

Purging For Purification

I believe we’re ready for the baptism of fire and it’s going to be contagious. In the same way the sparks of an ember lands on dry wood or paper, immediately it catches fire. Can the dry bones live? I believe they can. It’s going to take the breath of God to breathe on them – like starting a small fire. I believe many sparks will spread out and start fires everywhere.

Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven He said, “John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5) “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

On the Day of Pentecost Peter was among the 120 gathered in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit filled the whole house. Divided tongues of fire appeared and sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with tongues. (Acts 2:1-4) Peter ignited the embers in others by stoking the fire that began in the Upper Room when he declared, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:38-41)

Holy Spirit is baptizing the children of God in holy fire; purging any residue of the sin nature of man until there’s nothing left but pure gold refined in fire. (Revelation 3:18) The baptism of fire is the purification through tests and trials of life. Some are greater than others but they are all a refining process until the purest of gold is produced. If you’re born again you can witness to some of these trials whether mental, physical, emotional, financial or relational. It could be the loss of a loved one, divorce, illness, betrayal, loss of employment and the list goes on and on. In every unpleasant situation we have opportunity to allow the working of the Holy Spirit to refine us. These are pathways to His glory.

We can embrace the cross by surrendering to His will and let the purging process render us holy unto the Lord. Or we can choose to resist the Holy Spirit’s refining fire. You could call these situations suffering for Jesus. In Philippians 3:10-11 the Apostle Paul prayed, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” We all want to know the power of His resurrection and walk in the demonstration thereof. But we must know the fellowship of His sufferings first. It doesn’t come without a price.

Through each purging we emerge with a more complete surrender to God and a greater endowment of fire to ignite other fires. Each refinement comes with a greater cost. God wants a total surrender of our flesh unto His will until the only thing left is purest gold. Gold is refined in fire. In the purification process fire changes the nature of gold from solid to liquid until all the dross comes to the surface. Then the dross can be removed so its true nature of gold is beautified. Like gold, sons and daughters are being refined in the furnace of affliction right now so the true nature of Christ will be visible for all to see. Then when dry and weathered wood come in contact with these hot embers they will ignite and start another fire.

Word Of Our Testimony

Our testimony is vital! Sharing the goodness of God with others leads them to salvation. If Christ did it for one – He’ll do it for another. It is the power of our testimony that turns a sinner’s heart. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their

testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Like Peter your testimony will ignite fires and turn others to repentance. God makes winds His messengers; these are angels, but the flames of fire His ministers. (Psalms 104:4) I believe that as the wind of the Holy Spirit burns away the dross in the children of God they will come forth in power and glory to ignite fires every where they go.

Note:

If you are interested in obtaining a complete copy of the 2022 Shepherd’s Rod you can pre-order on our website didyoulearntolove.org