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A Baptism of Fire (Part 2)

Praise the Lord church family! God is so wonderful and I love Him with all my heart! Before I begin and share what is on my heart this last month, I again want to say how thankful I am for all of you, and know that you are what makes Shepherd’s Gate Church so amazing.

What is on my heart this month? Well actually the Holy Spirit, and more directly the “FIRE” of the Holy Spirit.” After I shared my testimony with you all last month, little did I know I was just getting warmed up. On the following Tuesday, I was on a 3 way phone call with a parishioner and his son who is going to college in Florida. He is young enthusiastic student who loves the Lord but had never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit yet either. I had never prayed for someone to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit over the phone before but he was hungry...and after a short time praying with him, he was pouring out the gift he had just received and flowing in his tongue language!

So with that let me ask this question? “Does the Spirit Burn within you?” We read these words in the Gospel of Matthew, “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 (Matthew 3:11). John the Baptist, speaking here, was referring to the spiritual fire that would blaze out through the life of Jesus and then through the lives of His totally obedient who would go on to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Although John baptized in water, Jesus knew the disciples would need more to carry on His work after He was gone: the power that would come through the baptism in the Holy Ghost with its initial evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. With this, also boldness!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Gives Boldness

In the face of great persecution, the Early Church prayed for boldness, boldness that came through the greatness of the fire of the Spirit. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul (Acts 4:31,32). When I first gave my life to Christ I remember going to a bookstore in the mall in Galesburg and bought my first Bible. It was a really nice NIV Study Bible, and it really stood out, because it was a beautiful dark blue hardcover Bible, “my first Bible!”

used to take it with me to work to read at night while I was on my night shift. The people I worked with were my past party friends and they really knew me, and so that they wouldn’t know I had my Bible with me, I would hide it when I first got to work. After they would leave, and I would be the only staff there, I would then read. But something happened a month after I was saved, I was filled the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at a Bible study in Roseville, Ill. Suddenly a new boldness came over me. I would take my Bible to work, and instead of hiding it, I would lay it out confidently on the desk where everyone could see it. Some of my friends asked me, “Doug! You have a Bible?” “Are you really reading the Bible...you?” And with great boldness, (and unashamed confidence) I said, “Yes it is...why? Because I am a Christian, I gave my life to Jesus Christ!” Many of my co-workers were astonished that I could be saved, that I could be a Christian, and that was my Bible but, the Holy Spirit had empowered me with a new boldness. I new confidence came over me, and a strong confession as Jesus as Lord filled my mouth. 1 Cor. 12:3 reads, “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. “ The Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us the boldness to say, “Jesus is Lord!” And not just “the” Lord, but “my” Lord. Internally in me is a witness of my personal savior Jesus Christ, I know Him, and He knows me, and I am unashamed of the “Good News” the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After I received the Baptism of the Holy I began to walk in this new boldness, even a boldness to endure the FEAR of persecution.

Boldness to Overcome Fear

A wise teacher once taught me, “Every time we are given an opportunity to witness and share the Good News with someone, and we don’t, we put another brick on our wall. When we do share though, we take one down.” Think of each brick as a brick of fear, that if each brick had a label on it, it would be FEAR. This is why when I got to work I would hide my Bible; in my mind I had rehearsed the moment, heard the awkwardness in my voice, heard the laughter and the ridicule from my friends etc. I was fearful of not knowing what to say, or even how I would be so unequipped to answer any of their questions. (Remember I was babe in Christ) I had just given my life to Jesus. I was so afraid, so I tried to avoid any confrontation. 1 John 4:18-19 reads, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” To take down bricks means you need more love. The Baptism the Holy also does this, it empowers your heart with a new boldness to love more. 1) To Love Jesus more 2) To love other more. A new boldness to love others compelled me, a new boldness to confess Jesus compelled me, and I no longer feared the moment that was to come. When I got to work I put my Bible right on the desk, knowing it’s going to come now! But I had determined...a brick is going to come down today, I am not afraid, and I was ready for the questions, the stares, the doubts, the ridicule, the laughter, why? Because I was empowered with a new boldness to “LOVE MORE!” And “FEAR LESS!”

Jesus loves you and so do I!

May you have a blessed and Merry Christmas!

Pastor Doug