Is holy fire a bad thing to pray for?

Introduction

Some commentators, in their criticism of charismatics, complain about those who would want the "fire of the Holy Spirit." These commentators would have us believe that fire from God is always a negative thing, it's always a manifestation of God's judgment or wrath.

We would suggest that the fire of God can be much more than judgment. But this doesn't set well with some. With the preconception that fire must always mean judgment, they prefer that people would not pray for holy fire because to them it represents the excesses of charismaticism. That is, if charismatics do it, it must be wrong.

In fact, if the reader will review the link we provided above, he will find that the author warns that God might give you a disease if you ask for His fire! He writes, Don’t ask for more 'holy fire' in your life; you might get cancer when God answers your prayers. 

This astonishing statement, offered almost in a joking manner, ought to offend any thinking Christian. He thinks that asking God for the wrong thing could lead Him to give you a disease.

Does anyone really believe that God would inflict cancer on someone who has called on His name, believed on His Son, and desires to serve Him with more adequately? Is this the capricious god we serve, one who would pour out curses and pain on those who love him?

This is reminiscent of Linus, Charlie Brown's little friend, who was terrified the Great Pumpkin would notice his slip of the tongue and pass him by. But our God is not like this. He does not punish His redeemed with disease and infirmity simply because we asked for the wrong thing. He does not torture us.

We are therefore spurred on to examine the Scriptures for ourselves. Is the fire of God always a bad thing? Does it always represent wrath or judgment? We don't think so. We think it can also represent  increased passion, purity, or devotion.

So let's examine the the other side of the issue. Is holy fire really judgment?

Let's briefly review God's fire and what it can mean.

The OT

It is certainly true that fire can represent judgment. We read of the fire of God's judgment in many places, like

Isaiah 29:6 From the LORD of hosts you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire.

This is a common picture of fire in the OT (Josh. 7:15, 2Kg. 1:10,

But we also read that He appeared as a pillar of fire by night as He led Israel:

Ex. 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

He also descended in fire upon Mt. Sinai when Moses ascended to receive the 10 commandments:

Ex. 24:17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 

Fire in the OT often represents the manifest Glory of God (Ex. 3:2, 2Sa. 22:9), or consuming a sacrifice (1Kg. 18:38, 1Ch. 21:26).

Fire can be deadly, or it can be awe or fear inspiring. Fire is not automatically judgment.

The NT


In the NT, the early church experienced a manifestation of God's fire at Pentecost, with the tongues of fire. No one was consumed here. Here again it represented the presence and glory of God, with supernatural manifestations.

1 Th. 5:19: 

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.

Clearly this is not referring to the fire of judgment, for it appears in a list of preferred behaviors, like joy, prayer, thankfulness, and avoiding evil.  This fire is some sort of positive, desirable work of God in our lives. And, we apparently can quench this fire, but should not.

2 Ti. 1:6-7: 

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Fanning the flame would be the opposite of putting out the Spirit's fire. The spiritual gifts, here imparted by the laying on of hands, requires action for them to increase. This has spiritual benefits and spiritual fruit, like power, of love and of self-discipline.

"Timidity" is the Greek word "deilia" (Strong's 1167), which can also be translated "cowardice." It's a spiritual condition, according to Paul, which needs to be supplanted via fanning the flame.

Here the fire of God is beneficial and desirable.

Matt. 3:11-12:

John the Baptist prophesies about the coming Savior:

11 I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

First we see that John the Baptist notes this man to come is more powerful. Second, His baptism is much better; it's a better thing for us. Third, it is He who will do the do the purifying work of burning up the chaff, with the valuable clean wheat being retained and put into the safe place of His barn.

On one hand we might view this burning of the chaff as an event at the end of days, like

Mt. 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

We would not exclude such an application, but it seems more appropriate to consider it in the context of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, contained in the subject verse. This baptism of the Holy Spirit is so important that this account is repeated in Mark 1:4-8, Luke 3:15-16 and John 1:33. Peter references it in his testimony (Acts 11:16). He doesn't include "with fire," but then, neither did Mark.

Jesus Himself referenced it after His resurrection:

Ac. 1:5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Clearly there is something notable about this baptism.

The word "you" (He will baptize you) is the second person singular. That is, this is an individual baptism. The ears of John's audience would have heard it this way: "He will baptize each one of you all at once." One act of the Holy Spirit for everyone individually. That is, Pentecost. We discuss this here.

We note the interesting juxtaposition of John's previous remarks directed to the Pharisees and Sadducees as he rebukes them for thinking being a Jew is enough, as compared with the subsequent individually applicable message. The national identity is reduced down to the individual, forming a people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. The Mosaic covenant with the Jews is about to be replaced with a new covenant, where

Ac. 2:17-18 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

Thus Acts 2:12, His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire, is not only the corporate winnowing, but also the individual sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

Peter continues:

Acts 2:32-33 God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses. Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear...

Here we have it. Peter affirms John the Baptist's testimony. The Holy Spirit comes just as both John the Baptist and Jesus said. Peter explains it by appealing to Joel, who said that all flesh would receive this outpouring. And finally, Peter confirms that what has just happened is indeed the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Having now established his case, that the baptism of the Holy Spirit has come and is available to everyone, he tells the crowd what to do:

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

The word "you" again is singular. This same great outpouring, this baptism, will be received by each one individually who repent and are baptized. Interesting how this mirrors the ministry of John the Baptist, isn't it?

Conclusion

Surely this baptism, mentioned by all four gospel writers, Peter, and quoted by Jesus Himself, is not a limited, isolated thing. It is not bad. It is not judgment.

Indeed, since both fire and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are mentioned together, we would consider them both to be good. Considering the sublimely positive gift that is the Holy Spirit, it is reasonable to conclude that the coupling of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire is good.

We can safely assert that this baptism, including the fire, is positive. We can and should ask for more of the Holy Spirit and fire.

We can also safely assert that fire is not always judgment.