Newsletter from Gerald Davis THE BAPTISM OF FIRE
By GERALD DAVIS
In Mathew 3:11 three baptisms are mentioned:
Baptism in Water,- Baptism in the Holy Ghost,- and the Baptism Of Fire.
The baptism in water concerns your new birth; The Baptism in the Holy Ghost concerns the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of Fire is what promotes you to a transformed operator of the power gifts you received when you were baptized in the Holy Ghost. The three power gifts are:
1.Prophesy- 2. Gift of healings - 3. The Gift of the working of Miracles (1 Cor. 12)
It fascinates me that Jesus, who was the Holy Ghost in bodily form and was the baptizer In the Holy Ghost himself, had to go thru the BAPTISM OF FIRE to operate in the spirit realm with these power gifts. Think about it! As soon Jesus was baptized in water, at the very beginning of his ministry, he was led by the Spirit (the Holy Ghost) into the wilderness for a testing. For 40 days he fasted food and fought the devils approaches and overcame all three areas of the human lustful elements. "THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYE, and THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but of the world"; 1John 2:16). Something supernatural happened in the spirit realm. The scripture records, He returned from the wilderness "IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT". (Luke 4:14) Where was that power when He went into the wilderness? He paid a price for this power. He had been baptized in water, but this was a primary example of THE BAPTISM OF FIRE. Immediately following this experience He began to do and show the miracles and healings we are so familiar with. And of course his prophecies are still coming to pass.
The baptism of fire existed before Jesus ever came, but he continued its process when he baptized his disciples with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice, --" (1st Peter 4: 12,13)
Old covenant illustrations of the baptism of fire
When Elisha saw the miracles of Elijah he cried out, "I want that". Elijah told him to go back home.
Elisha said, "I will burn my oxen and do nothing but follow you". Finally, when Elijah saw he was determined, he asked him what he wanted. "I want double the power that is on you", Elisha pled. Notice Elijah's response, "You have asked a hard thing". No baptism of fire is experienced without self-sacrifice. Elijah followed Elisha's request with, "If you see me when I'm taken up it will come to you". Elisha wanted that more than he wanted food or anything else. He wouldn't take his eyes off Elijah. Did he get it? You know the rest of the story. He passed the test and got double the power of Elijah. You are unlimited what you can get from God through THE BAPTISM OF FIRE! Remember the words of Jesus; "Nothing shall be impossible unto you",
The three Hebrew children went through the fiery furnace and were immediately promoted to the top positions in the land. The test was not in the literal fire, - but in the decision they made. They passed the test! THE BAPTISM OF FIRE!
Daniel went through the lion's den and went directly to the top of the nation the next day. He passed the test because he wouldn't bend to the laws. Which is right, "to obey God or man"? THE BAPTISM OF FIRE!
Jacob wrestled with an angel all night and wouldn't turn him loose. He had a physical impediment in his hip until the day he died as a result of this importune battle. But the next day everything was changed in his situation between he and his brother who was on his way to meet him with murder on his mind. God even changed his name from Jacob to Israel, "Father of Nations". He became ‘another man' in the spirit realm. He passed the test! THE BAPTISM OF FIRE!
Hannah had a baptism of fire in the temple as she groaned at the altar and appeared to be drunk. She offered special sacrificial promises to God. The other wife bore children with no problem. Hannah passed the test! You know the story after that. She gave birth to Samuel, the most anointed prophet to ever come to Israel. "Not one of his words fell to the ground". HER BAPTISM OF FIRE!
MODERN DAY STORIES OF THE BAPTISM OF FIRE
Oral Roberts, builder of ORU, told me to my face that he had been in the ministry for 7 years when he went into his office and laid down on the floor behind his desk. I have his testimony on video that he and Evelyn told to me that day. He said he told God that he wasn't going to get up "until you do something for me. I can't go on like this". He didn't know how many hours he laid there, but said it was a long time. He wouldn't get up. He said the voice of the lord suddenly spoke to him and said "get up and drive your car to a certain street, turn right and I will tell you what I want to say". He continued, " I immediately arose and did exactly like he said". Bother Oral said when he got to the middle of the block God spoke again and said, " I am going put my healing power in your right hand and you will take my healing power to your generation". We all know the rest of that story. He passed the test! THE BAPTISM OF FIRE!
Time and space will not let me tell you of AA Allen, Jack Coe, Kenneth Hagin , and many other known and less known modern day ministers who all had their Baptism of Fire. Some of their stories you may know about.
MY BROTHER BERNIE DAVIS
The following is the story of my brother Bernie Davis and his baptism of fire. My brother was two years older than me. The call to preach was on him. He watched AA Allen and then Jack Coe. Those men both had phenomenal, visible miracles before the tent crowds. My brother sat on the platform two nights in Birmingham, Alabama and watched Jack Coe as he worked those miracles. Bernie went to his motel room and lay on the floor all night long. He never got in the bed. He cried and prayed to God for that kind of ministry all night, both nights.
On the third night with a tent the size of a football field completely full and overflowing, Jack Coe didn't show up. The MC told the crowd that it was God that healed the sick and He would do it tonight through a different man. He turned to my brother (just 21 years old and trying to get started in the ministry) and said "brother Bernie, come up here and preach and pray for the sick."
Bernie had no pre -knowledge of this. He said, "suddenly something came over me" and I jumped up and grabbed the microphone and preached for about 10 minutes. He could not even remember what he said. He then called for the prayer line and said with boldness, "it is time to heal the sick". The line stretched around the tent. He told me that miracles came just like Jack Coe had. People got out of wheel chair and off their stretchers crying I'm healed, I'm healed! Immediately he went to Mexico and did his own meeting in a small church. He prayed for the sick and believed for miracles. A man came with a cast on his arm and said it was a compound fracture, broken yesterday. Bernie took a knife and cut off the cast from the man's arm. There was blood and matter in the cast, but not a sign of a broken arm. His wife still has the picture of Bernie holding that cast in his hand as the gauze trailed to the floor. The little man had his arms around him and lifted him completely off the floor. He operated in that for many years before he died and went on to heaven. He too, paid a price and passed the test. THE BAPTISM OF FIRE!
MY OWN STORY WHEN I WAS ABOUT TWENTY TWO YEARS OLD
I had been a pastor for about two and a half years. I was in a little country church about 12 miles west of Corpus Christi with about 35 people. I couldn't get my own sermon from the bible. I bought a few sermon books and tore out the outlines to have something to preach. A guest preacher came and preached for us on a Sunday morning. He preached for one hour. We laughed and cried and begged him not to stop. My three and a half year-old son said to me following the service, "Now that man is a professional preacher, huh dad". Like a fool, I asked him what he thought I was. The child answered, "Aw Dad, you're just a flat tire". It was that obvious. That preacher had something that I didn't have. For about six months following I kept going out to the little church building weeping and crying. I fasted quite often. I continually sought the Lord to do something for me. I believed God would give me something if I kept pounding on his door. I had to have it. I wanted to preach with that conviction and persuasion and authority and power. Suddenly, on a Wednesday afternoon while I was reading the bible, God opened my eyes and gave me a sermon from just reading the bible. I felt something come over me. It was the difference between watching a little 10 inch black and white TV, and going to a full color Hi-Def. 3D big screen. I leaned back in my chair as tears ran from my eyes and I cried out, "GOD HELP ME!
When I stood to preach that night I was only 10 minutes into my message when every person in the building stood up and started half way running to the altar. I couldn't even finish my message. From that time until now I have never had to search for a sermon. Everywhere I read in the bible the sermons just flowed and my understanding flourished. Revival broke out. People were coming out from the town churches to be in service with us in that little country church. We built a new auditorium to accommodate the growth. Three Sunday nights in a row as I stood to preach, I got no further than reading my text. Conviction was so strong I was not able to even begin my message. People started coming to the altars with no invitation, repenting and receiving the Holy Ghost and being healed.
R.C. Campbell said in his book, titled THE RIGHT WAY, "Moses turned to see a burning bush, -everybody turns to see a man on fire". I was on fire. I had experienced the BAPTISM OF FIRE. Years later I preached for John Osteen at Lakewood Church in Houston. He kept calling me to come back for over a period of 12 years until he died. I heard him say many times say, -"blessed are the short winded for they shall be heard again". I guess one of my most memorable compliments was when he introduced me on one occasion and said, "Gerald Davis can preach for an hour and nobody gets mad." I know this: IF YOU WANT GOD TO TURN YOU INTO ANOTHER MAN YOU HAVE TO BE HUNGRY FOR IT, -HUNGRY! Jesus said "They that do hunger and thirst--, shall be filled" (satisfied).
Pray and believe with me that God will find an Elijah, a Daniel, or Esther or Ruth or Paul somewhere in the wilderness of this great U.S of A and turn this nation around. It only takes ‘one person on fire' and God, to restore us to being the mighty force for God that this nation so desperately needs right now. "For the eyes of the Lord search to and fro throughout the earth, to show himself strong on behalf of those who believe--" (paraphrase 11 Chron. 16: 9) Selah!
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