The idea that the ‘fire of the Holy Spirit’ or Slain in the Spirit; i.e, calling down fire (from Heaven), reigning fire (reign of fire), winds of fire, waves of fire, let the fire burn, fire of burning coals in your heart, fire wall, fire tunnels, consuming fire of God, setting the world ablaze, being a fire bride and the list goes on is actually a Christian thing to say and to do.

Calling down fire

Here is a quote from Nancy Flint who worked for John Wimber (Vinyard Movement / Toronto Blessing) and had this to say about their devious practices that sums up just how demonic this ‘slain in the spirit / calling fire’ thing ;

“… run the gamut from introducing heretical doctrine, to manipulation of spiritual forces through the bringing down of “fire” from heaven, virtually all pockets of resistance to this global movement have been overcome… Literally thousands of church leaders have been trained and “deployed” into “power” positions from this seminary.” [Emphasis added] —http://www.seekgod.ca/fuller2.htm

If this above mentioned underlined does not scare you, then…I don’t know what will.  Actually that entire quote above is frightening because it also tells us that these false preachers have infiltrated the very core of the church. That practically every church (if not all) is infected and any resistance to this poisonous takeover has been overcome.

What does the bible have to say:

Let’s have a look at this verse:

Mat 3:10-12   “10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 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: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

So what we have here is a verse to supposedly back up the anointing by fire that so many pastors (Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, Todd Bentley, even Hillsong bands) like to throw out at their audience as they gleefully catch the ‘fire anointing’.

But let me show you something, this fire is seen in a bad way in the above verse. John says that Jesus will baptise you with the Holy Spirit (for believers) and fire (for non believers).  Not the Holy Spirit and fire or the Holy Spirit is actual fire. John carries on saying that Jesus will gather His wheat into the barn (believeres) BUT burn up the chaff (unbelievers) with unquenchable fire. Those who do not produce good fruit will be cast into the fire (v 10).  Fire is judgement people, Jesus saves those who accept Him (the real Jesus that is) and judges those who don’t.

The day of Pentecost

However in the bible God uses fire in a good way too. The Holy Spirit appeared like tongues of fire (not actual fire) on the day of Penetcost. What happened on the day of Pentecost was also a once off occurrence.

Act 1:4-5; 8  “4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Act 2:3-4 3 “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Fire in the Old Testament

In Isaiah in the Old Testament the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit was symbolized by fireary hot coals. Notice the Holy Spirit is not fire but ‘the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit’ symbolises fire. Fire was a symbol of purification. So Isiah is standing outside the temple and the Seraph was  in the temple. The Seraphim then came to Isaiah with a buring hot coal from the altar and literally placed it on his lips and purged his sin away.

Isa 6:5-7   “5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”

Mal 3:2  “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:”

In the Old Testament when God accepted a sacrifice He showed His pleasure in the sacrifice by sending fire down to consume it.

1Chr 21:26 “And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.”

The same happened with Cain and Abel sacrifice – God consumed the sacrifices by fire.

Elijah also prayed to God to consume his sacrifice with fire on Mount Carmel.

1Kin 18:24 “24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”

In the Old Testament God also provided the fire. This was the continuous fire on the altar in the tabernacle.

Lev 6:12-13 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. 14 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Coals were then taken from this fire to the altar of incense. The High priest would enter the holy of holies with the incense and place the incense on the fire before God where the lamb was slain. The fragrance of the incense would go towards heaven, clouding the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant, symbolizing the prayer life of a child of God. The reason the burning coals were placed in the alter where the Lamb was slain is because God is telling us there is no way to come to Him unless we came to Him through the Lamb of God, that being Jesus Christ who shed His precious blood for us.

Lev 16:12; 13 “12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:”

Strange fire

There was strange fire as well in the Old Testament. Nadab and Abihu offered fire on the altar of incense which God commanded them not too. This fire was unacceptable too God because it did not come from the brazen altar where the Lamb was slain. This fire means nothing to God unless it came from the cross of Calvary where Jesus Christ the Lamb of God gave his life for the sins of the world. Only coals with lambs blood on them were allowed by God to send up the fragrance to the throne of God in heaven.

Lev 10:1; 2  “1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”

It is of vital importance that you make sure which Jesus your are following. There is a false Jesus with false fire and it is used by preachers in nearly all churches today. They call this fire down from heaven onto people. You will notice that biblical fire can’t be called down or summoned and used they way the churches do today. This fire is ‘strange fire’ that is demonic and has nothing to do with the Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.

2Cor 11:3-4   “3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”

Conclusion

If you don’t hold fast to the truth you will be led astray. How do you hold fast to the truth? You make sure everything you hear and see can be found in scripture (obviously in the correct context as well).

For example, just because the Bible mentions fire and the Holy Spirit in the same sentence then that gives people the right to ‘call down fire’. Um, no, his is not biblical.

And because you don’t read your bible, now you all hold your hands in the air at those biblical conferences or gospel concerts and catch that so called Holy Spirit fire or anointing of the Holy Spirit. Wrong, it’s not the Holy Spirit, it’s demonic a demonic spirit of fire.

They know you will not check the bible you carry around with you, and are relying on the verses they supply to back up their ‘news’ gospel is just foolish.

by: Discerning the World

www.discerningtheworld.com