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The fire that is coming vs. the fire that is here Deut. 32:22 “ For a fire is kindled by my anger, And shall burn to the lowest hell ; It shall consume the earth with her increase, And set on fire the foundations of the mountains”. Fire is associated with hell and judgment Mark 9:43-44 “ If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' This is known as the eternal fire. Jude 7 speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah -suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Peter spoke of the flood being universal and relates this to a future judgment by fire that will be as pervasive as the flood. 2 Peter 3:7-8 “ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” Jesus said in Luke 12:49 "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled !” This fire will take place at his second coming to set up his kingdom. “In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”(2 Thess. 1:8-10). No Christian should be seeking, nor receiving or passing a fire to another believer, it is exclusive for unbelievers at the judgment. Fire as they teach is not a Bible concept for the believer, occult energies are also like fire, they are described in feelings like electricity. Being formerly involved in the new age movement I experienced the energy released in spiritual experiences and they are just like what I see taking place in these revivals, exactly what they describe and the same chaotic affect it has on the body and mind. There is no biblical precedent for this and the energy does not set one free but brings them into bondage. Fire was associated with judgment. The only apostles who wanted to bring fire down like Elijah were John and James. Jesus rebuked them when they wanted to call down fire “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them” (Luke 9:55-56). In the epistles fire is also linked to judgment, we are to “save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 23). But we have revivalists wanting to put fire on you, calling it down from heaven. That is dangerous. Do you know of what spirit these men are? Have you tested them by the Word of God? In fact His disciples James and John asked, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. “ (Luke 9:54-56) This is how Jesus saw fire, not as a blessing, a second baptism but a judgment. In fact Jesus describes to us “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matt 7:19-20) John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” Jesus is speaking about branches not connected with him that did not produce fruit. Matt 13:30 “ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." It is the tares that are associated with the fire. You can’t find any passage of fire being a blessing Matt 3:12 “he will gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The next time you are invited to a revival meeting you need to find out what the revivalists practice and what they are involved with or you may just end up with a spirit of strange fire, a fire that will consume you. |
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