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This Blog was Posted by: @Pastor 🙌 | on July 27, 2025
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🔥 Bible Study: The Fire of God
— Consuming, Purifying, Empowering

By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas

📖 Theme Scripture

“For our God is a consuming fire.” — Hebrews 12:29 (KJV)

In this bible study we will look at scripture that speaks clearly about the fire of God and how the Lord desires to “baptize” his people with the “fire of the Holy Spirit” that transforms their life and empowers them for the work of the ministry in the kingdom of God.

The scriptures teach us that the Lord does not like a “lukewarmness” which is complacency.

Revelation 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Many today including many Christians are living their life consumed by a fire that is not the fire of God. This strange fire is demonic and is what is causing all kinds of evil in people’s lives.

In the biblical story of Leviticus 10, Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered “strange fire” before the Lord, which resulted in their death. This unauthorized fire offering was a transgression against God’s explicit instructions, leading to divine judgment.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

The Offense:
Nadab and Abihu took their censers, placed fire in them, added incense, and offered it to God, but the fire was not the kind God had commanded. The Hebrew term ʾesh zarah, translated as “strange fire,” can also mean unauthorized, foreign, or loathsome fire.

God’s Command:
God had specifically instructed that the fire used for incense offerings was to be taken from the altar where He had kindled the fire.

Consequences:
God sent fire from His presence, consuming Nadab and Abihu. This event served as a stark reminder of God’s holiness and the consequences of disrespecting His commands.

Significance:
The incident highlights the importance of obedience to God’s instructions and the seriousness of unauthorized worship. It also emphasizes the need to distinguish between the holy and the common in religious spiritual practice.

God wants you and I to be consumed with the fire of God so the Lord can use us in ministering to others. As we minister to people, the fire of God’s Holy Spirit will begin to consume any evil fire in the persons life. This evil fire are the stains on their spiritual body that sin caused and only the Holy Spirit can burn and consume this evil fire that many are experiencing in their life.

Jude 1:23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

🔥 1. GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE

🔹 Meaning:

God’s fire is symbolic of His holiness, power, judgment, and presence. It consumes sin, purifies hearts, and ignites passion so His will can be fulfilled in ones life.

🔹 Key Verses:

Deuteronomy 4:24 – “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
Exodus 24:17 – “And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount…”

God’s fire is consuming and devouring.

🔥 2. BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND FIRE

Jesus wants to “baptize” all new testament believers with the fire of God. There are three baptisms for every disciple of Jesus. One is water baptism, the Holy Spirit baptism, and the baptism of fire. The gospel of Matthew makes a clear distinction of the Holy Spirit baptism and and the baptism of fire.

🔹 John the Baptist Prophesied of Jesus baptizing his followers:

Matthew 3:11 – “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I… he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, “and” with fire.”

Jesus is the one who baptizes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire!

Every believer in Christ should desire to have the Lord baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire so they can reach others with boldness ministering in the power of God!

Acts 1:8 “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.”

🔹 What is the Baptism of Fire?

🔥 Purification – The burning away sin and self.
Malachi 3:2-4
“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: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.”
🔥 Passion – The refiners fire will naturally create a zeal for God’s presence and purpose.
🔥 Power – God’s fire gives boldness to witness and do mighty works in the kingdom of God.

🔥 3. STORIES OF THE FIRE OF GOD ON PEOPLE’S LIVES

When Moses met with God on top of Mount Sinai the fire of God was all over him. Moses was in the very presence of God and God revealed himself in fire!

🔥 a. Moses and the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-6)
“1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”

God revealed Himself in fire that did not consume the bush.
When you are in the presence of God, the fire of God is holy. (v.5)
Fire represented God’s holy calling and presence. (v.4)

The fire of God represents the very presence of God — “And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush…” (v.2)

👉 Lesson: God’s fire can draw us in, call us, and sanctify our path.

🔥 b. Elijah and the Fire on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-40)

“36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”

Elijah prayed, and fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. (v.38)
When the fire of God is present, it will cause everyone present to bow before the Lord, everyone fell on their faces. (v.39)
The fire showed that God alone is Lord. (v.39)

“Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice…” (v.38)

👉 Lesson: God’s fire vindicates His servants and consumes doubt. The fire of God will always oppose and consume the fire of Satan and any falsehood in peoples lives and cause them to bow before the Lord.

🔥 c. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3)

Thrown into the fiery furnace, but God’s presence was with them in the fire.

The very presence of God that was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego while they were in a furnace protected them because the Lord who is an all consuming fire was with them! “…the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (v.25)

👉 Lesson: When you walk with God, fire cannot destroy you—it becomes a place of divine encounter and an opportunity to demonstrate the power of God that is with you if in fact you have been baptized in the fire of the Holy Spirit!

🔥 d. Pentecost: Baptized with Fire (Acts 2:1–4)

Disciples received the Holy Ghost and fire. The fire of God is what brings spiritual miraculous gifts to the body of Christ! These encounters can not be explained with human reasoning or human logic, it is the power of God manifesting.

“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” (v.3)

They began to speak with other tongues, filled with supernatural power and boldness.

👉 Lesson: The fire of God empowers us for witness, miracles, and holy living.

🔥 4. PURPOSE OF GOD’S FIRE IN OUR LIVES

🔥 Purification

Malachi 3:2-3 – “He is like a refiner’s fire… he shall purify the sons of Levi…”

God’s fire cleanses our hearts from impurities.

🔥 Passion and Zeal

Jeremiah 20:9 – “…His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones…”

God’s fire gives us a burning passion to speak His Word boldly and unapologetic because the fire of God is in you when you’ve been baptized in the fire of God!

🔥 Empowerment

Luke 24:32 – “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way…?”

The fire of God penetrates as the word of God is being proclaimed. His Word brings revelation and transformation to the very core of ones being. It will cause a burning sensation within a persons heart when the fire of God is present and the word of God is being declared to others.
Preaching the word of God is good, but if the fire of the Holy Spirit is not present then the power of God is also not present and those hearing the word being preached will be misled because the scriptures can be preached without the fire of God’s presence and power and people will misunderstand and will not hear what the Spirit is saying and the word will have no effect the hearers as Jesus taught in the scriptures, but when the fire of the Holy Spirit is present when the word is being preached, it will penetrate the very heart of the hearers and will have a “powerful” effect the hearers!

Matthew 22:29 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

🔥 5. HOW TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF FIRE

Desire it deeply

Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness…”
Repent and be clean

Acts 2:38 – “Repent, and be baptized… and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Wait on God in prayer

Acts 1:14 – “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…”
Ask the Father for it

Luke 11:13 – “How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

🔥 6. BELIEVERS WHO WALKED IN GOD’S FIRE (BIBLICAL EXAMPLES)

🔥 Isaiah

Had a vision of God’s holiness and was purified by fire.

Isaiah 6:6-7 – “…a live coal… laid it upon my mouth… thine iniquity is taken away.”

🔥 Paul the Apostle

So full of fire, he endured shipwrecks, beatings, prisons—all with passion and boldness and he rejoiced in all of it because the fire of God was with him.

Romans 12:11 – “Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”

🔥 Stephen the Martyr

Filled with the Holy Ghost, boldly preached and saw heaven open.

Acts 7:55 – “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven…”

🔥 7. WARNING: GOD’S FIRE CAN JUDGE AS WELL AS PURIFY

Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire – judged (Leviticus 10:1-2)
Sodom and Gomorrah – judged by fire (Genesis 19:24)
Hebrews 10:27 – “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation…”

🔥 CONCLUSION: CARRY THE FIRE!

God wants every believer to be:

Purified by the holy fire of God
Empowered by fire
Driven by fire
Consumed with His purpose and will

Romans 12:1 – “Present your bodies a living sacrifice… holy, acceptable unto God…”

2 Timothy 1:6 – “Stir up the gift of God….”

🙏 Prayer for Baptism of Fire

“Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I ask You to purify my heart with Your holy fire. Baptize me with the Holy Ghost and fire. Let every dead thing in me be burned away, and let Your power, passion, and presence consume my life. Make me a vessel of revival and holiness. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Watch the actual bible study on this blog on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/live/oMEDDUzSQTU

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