Paul Backholer - The Baptism of Fire, Personal Revival: Renewal and the Anointing for Supernatural Living

The Baptism of Fire. Personal Revival, Renewal and the Anointing for Supernatural Living by Paul Backholer.

This book is also available as a paperback.

Copyright Paul Backholer 2016-2020, ByFaith Media. All Rights Reserved - www.ByFaith.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible:

The New King James Version (NKJV). Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Authorised Version (AV) also known as the King James Version (first printed in 1611).

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This book is also available as a paperback.

- Jesus Christ is Lord -

Introduction

A personal revival is possible! John the Baptist said of Jesus, He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). Did you notice the two distinct baptisms outlined by John? Many have been baptised in the Holy Spirit, but how many have been baptised into Gods fire?

The baptism of fire is a real experience with the Holy Spirit and you dont have to wait for others to be ready. It is something that can happen to you, if you want it. You can have a personal spiritual awakening, a renewal and revitalisation!

Many have experienced this baptism of fire and throughout this book there are testimonies of those who have walked closely with God through His fire. I call these people disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were hungry for God and decided to move on with Him, regardless of others. They decided not to be held back in their relationship with God by religious structures, or unbiblical doctrines.

In the Bible we are given numerous examples of men and women of faith who walked closely with the Lord, who saw their lives transformed. Many received the baptism of the Spirit, others the baptism of fire and some were clothed with Gods Spirit. Their lives teach us that the only restriction we have with moving on with God, is the restrictions we place upon ourselves through disobedience, indifference, or submission to empty religious tradition.

In this book, we will find how the Holy Spirit works in peoples lives, what it costs to walk with God and how we can move on with Him. This book is filled with Scripture so that we can learn how the ministry of the Holy Spirit was outworked throughout the Bible and find how others abided in the presence of God.

To walk with the Lord by His Holy Spirit we must make room for Him. We have to be prepared to give up the empty loves in order to embrace the eternal love and fire of God. As with Elijah and Elisha, the baptism of fire will burn away the chaff.

As we will find, the baptism of fire is more than a one-off experience we can have with the Holy Spirit. It is an ongoing lifestyle of abiding in Him, as we allow the fire of God to burn away all He wants to remove, to fill us with His Spirit, in order to make us true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Everything that is worth having comes at a cost, so it is with the baptism of fire. As the missionary and martyr Jim Elliot said, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.

Chapter One

Meeting the Holy Spirit

I used to think of the Holy Spirit as an influence a mystical power or force, said a disciple of the Lord. Back then we referred to Him as the Holy Ghost because of the older translations of the Bible, but we knew nothing of Him as a Person.

When I became a Christian most of the emphasis in the churches was directed towards the Father and the Son, and the Spirit of God was a mystery to us. Most of us were ignorant of the work of the Spirit, but things began to change as God began to pour out His Holy Spirit in fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel (Acts 2:14-21).

When I had my first encounter with the Holy Spirit He came as the Dove of peace and joy, and baptised me in Himself. How wonderful was His infilling of peace! Then He convicted me of sin, showing me I was bound and poisoned by my rebellion (Acts 18:23). He desired to make Jesus Christ my true Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). He exposed much hypocrisy, selfishness and pride, all to help make me be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

As the Holy Spirit began moving in the churches He showed us that He is also the Gift Giver (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). He came and dispersed the gifts of the Spirit to the believers He chose, and we were thrilled that He worked amongst us. But after many years, we realised that most of our experiences with God were still shallow and there had to be a deeper walk in Him (Ezekiel 47:3-5).

Then, as I read of great Christian leaders from Church history, I discovered that many of them had deep and powerful relationships with God the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles had. Duncan Campbell (1898-1972), the Hebridean revivalist in the UK, witnessed the presence of the Spirit come down upon a community in such power that people fell down in the streets weeping under conviction of sin.

Evan Roberts (1879-1951), sought God desperately for the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Lord came and met with him, and revival soon flowed in Wales, UK, and changed the nation.

I learnt much from Rees Howells (1879-1950). God showed Him that the Spirit wants to come and live in and through us, like He did with the prophets and apostles. Rees Howells was taught by the Holy Spirit how to prevail in intercession and he was a channel for Gods blessing to the world. He led countless thousands to the Lord, was an instrument used in revival, witnessed many healings and his prayers shaped world events. His ministry was so powerful that his biography touched the lives of millions of people! The secret to the powerful ministry Rees Howells exercised was that it was not him doing the work, but the Holy Spirit living in and through him.

Through testimonies like these and many others from servants of God, it became clear to me that there is much more for us all to experience with God the Holy Spirit. Many of Gods great servants from the past taught that it is possible to give oneself completely over to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to come in and possess every area of ones life. This is what Paul wrote about concerning being filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). These people experienced the baptism of fire!

As I studied the teaching of Jesus Christ the anointed One Himself on the ministry of the Spirit, I learnt He told the disciples it was a good thing that He was going away, because the Holy Spirit would be our Teacher and Guide to continue Christs ministry (John 14:25-28, 15:26-27). As I examined the New Testament, the Holy Spirit showed me it was He who led the early Church and sent people out: Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake this chariot (Acts 8:29), and, While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them (Acts 10:19-20) and, As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them (Acts 13:2).