The Bible has a lot of examples of fire, from the burning bush Moses saw to the flames that landed on the apostles at Pentecost. But what does it mean when God uses fire in these stories, and how does it relate to our relationship with Jesus and growing as Christians?
What is the fire of God in the Bible?
The fire of God is referenced in the Bible as a symbol of purification and refinement. Malachi speaks of a “refiner’s fire” that purifies the people of God. Just like a refiner’s fire melts down gold to remove impurities, the Fire of God melts down our hearts to remove the trash of our sinful ways.
- Malachi, the prophet, speaks of a coming “refiner’s fire” that will purify the people of God. The fire purifies and refines our hearts.
- Isaiah 4:4, the Lord speaks of a coming day when He will “purge” His people “with fire.”
Feeling Supernatural Fire After Prayer
In my own life, I have experienced the Fire of God in various ways. One experience was during a personal struggle when I felt distant from God. Then, after a prayer meeting with a group of guys, I experienced an unmistakable fire all over my body, from head to toe to the center of my chest, inside and outside my entire being. It was like it went on, in, and through me. It was a supernatural experience.
I experienced a deliverance that day and further sanctification.
I felt the heat of God’s presence burn away the dross in my heart like a blow torch. It purified me in an instant. After that, certain areas I was struggling in, I didn’t struggle in after that.
Deliverance is not always instant and easy, but this time it was, and the fire of God was the reason. The Holy Spirit and the fire of God work in our lives slowly in some seasons and take us “suddenly” by surprise in other seasons.
Feeling Fire & Heat in Your Body
Fire and heat can also be experienced in moments of worship when the presence of God is very tangible or during/after a time of prayer. It might feel like a fire burning within you, or your hands, chest, or another body part may get hot. It is a transformative experience that brings a deep sense of purification and renewal.
Hi, I'm Andrew. I hope you're finding insight and inspiration from this post.
Serving in Kansas City as an Intercessory Missionary, my goal is to share knowledge and perspectives that deepen your relationship with God.
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God uses it to purify and refine us, drawing us closer to righteousness and away from sinfulness. It is an awesome feeling to stand before God with a pure heart, which is well worth the journey.
The 7 Flames Before God’s Throne
Interestingly, seven fires are burning on God’s throne! Each represents a Spirit of God. Fire is something he chose to represent an aspect of himself. Fire is hot, pure, and all-consuming! He is so jealous of us, and I hope we all make room for God to consume us. So many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it out.
and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,
Revelation 4:5 ESV
As believers, we should all seek to experience the Fire of God, allowing it to do its refining work so that we may stand before Him pure and blameless.
What is the fire of God & What does it do?
- Part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry
- Purifies believers from sin
- Can be felt physically or spiritually
- Can be Imparted by angels or people
- John the Baptist mentioned Baptism of Fire
- Angel cleansed Isaiah with fire from the altar
- In Acts, disciples were baptized with Fire in the upper room
The fire of God served as a guide to the Israelites, illuminating their path and helping them stay on the right track. Its presence in their wilderness season was an awe-inspiring reminder of God’s power and His promise to them.
Isaiah received a vision of God on a throne, where an angel uses tongs to take a hot coal from the altar’s fire and touches his lips, purifying him of his guilt and erasing his sins. (Isaiah 6:6-7)
And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:3-4 ESV
The Baptism of Fire & the Baptism of the Holy Spirit are Unique
I believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire is distinct. This has been my experience, at least.
Both are the Holy Spirit and God, but each is a different experience that can happen at the same time (like in the book of acts) or separately and at a different time from when a person is filled with the Spirit and speaks in tongues. There are seven flames before God’s throne referred to as “the 7 Spirits of God.”
I waited 11 years to experience the Fire of God
When I was 19, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit powerfully and prayed in tongues. I even heard the voice of God around this time (it only happened once). He called my name out loud and said he was proud of me.
Eleven years later, I encountered the first of God for the first time, and my spiritual senses were opened to the experience semi-regularly.
Scriptures that Support it Being a Separate Event
- The divided tongues of fire appeared before or at the same time as the infilling of the Holy Spirit, separately mentioned. It happened simultaneously with the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the early church.
- John the Baptist said, AND FIRE. Why would he differentiate the Holy Spirit and the fire if they weren’t separate and distinct? Why not leave the fire out if it wasn’t important? Surely it’s not just symbolic language.
- There are seven fires or flames burning before God’s throne that scripture says are also the 7 Spirits of God (Revelation 4:5 NKJV)
- Angels administered fire (burning coal from altar) to Isaiah.
Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Rev 4:5 NKJVHi, I'm Andrew. I hope you're finding insight and inspiration from this post.
Serving in Kansas City as an Intercessory Missionary, my goal is to share knowledge and perspectives that deepen your relationship with God.
Your support, whether a one-time donation or monthly partnership, helps keep me going as an Intercessory Missionary.
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There was a fire on the altar. One of the Seraph angels used a pair of tongs to take a hot coal from the fire. Then the angel flew to me with it in his hand. Then he touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, “When this hot coal touched your lips, your guilt was taken away, and your sins were erased.
Isaiah 6:6-7 ESV
The fire of God and the Holy Spirit work together, but I think they are different experiences that happened at the same time on Pentecost. I’ve heard a lot of testimonies of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit, but I rarely hear them mentioning tongues of fire. On the other hand, when I hear of people’s stories about being encountered by the Fire of God–it often happened after they were filled with the Spirit.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
How to Receive the Fire of God
- Consecrate yourself, fast, abstain from enjoyable activities, and devote that time to prayer, worship, and God’s Word.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin. To shine His light on your heart and deeper convict you of sinful things that grieve him.
- Surrender everything to Jesus and be prepared for him to ask you to give up something you enjoy, temporarily if it’s not sinful but has become an idol, or permanently if he shows you how it grieves him.
- Confess any habitual sin to a more mature believer (or two or three)
- Repent and turn away from any sin Holy Spirit has shown you
- Ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit & the baptism of fire.
- Wait for it–and be persistent in prayer–as the disciples.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit AND FIRE is not just a one-time event that happened 2,000 years ago. It is a present reality that is available to all believers today.
Trust me, Holy Spirit will do this if you ask, but if he reveals things he wants you to change, you need to obey him. He will be patient with you, but you’ll save yourself a ton of trouble–and skip the line in a sense–if you learn to obey immediately.
Obedience to His promptings and the changes Holy Spirit wants you to make–and being consistent in your obedience–being quick to repent if you do slip up–this is how to position yourself to receive the fire of God.
Don’t ask Him to convict him if you aren’t willing to repent. It’s called the narrow road for a reason. Instead, ask for the grace to repent and for him only to show you the things you can change. God is a consuming fire.
Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord, your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:23-24 ESV
There is a grace to repent. But, if it’s not easy for you to repent, then the grace for it isn’t there, and you should begin asking for it.
How is God a consuming fire?
God is described as a consuming fire in the Bible. It represents his jealous lover, and his refusal to allow Idols to take his place in his beloved’s heart. Consuming fire engulfs everything into its flame. Similarly, the fire of God sanctifies believers and conforms them to the image of Christ.
In Deuteronomy 4:23-24, the Lord is referred to as a consuming fire and a jealous God, warning against idolatry and reminding them of their covenant with God. Similarly, Hebrews 12:29 speaks of God as a consuming fire, right after warning readers in verse 25.
See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:25 & 29
The Holy Spirit is the real deal! He’s not just some energy or force, but a person and full member of the Trinity—equal to God the Father and Jesus Christ. Just like fire can transform matter in the natural world, His power can reshape our lives spiritually. He serves as a powerful agent of change, purifying us so that we can live holy lives devoted to Him.
He helps us overcome our sins and false beliefs, transforming us into Christ-like people. This purifying fire acts like a furnace, burning away all impurities so that we can be devoted to Him
God wants it all. Everything you have, everything you are, and will be. He wants your relationships, your friends, your family, your children, your spouse, your dog, your cat, your money, your time, and your thought life–they are all His.
We were bought with the precious blood of Jesus, and we are no longer our own. Therefore, we aren’t the main decision maker in our lives. I mean, sure, we need to be decisive in most everyday decision-making–but we also need to ask God about his will in our lives.
Surrender Your Idols
It’s easy to make friends, social media, food, or your dog and idol. Anything we keep and hold onto for ourselves, not surrendering it over to Jesus–it’s an idol–if it’s something we love more than him. Even good things can be idols–like if you have babies or children–they belong to God before they belong to you.
Our lives would be a lot easier if we surrendered more. For example, my money doesn’t belong to me. If it’s God’s and I give when he says gives, then it’s His responsibility to take care of and bless me financially. But, if my money gets stolen, it doesn’t belong to me; it’s God–He will protect the areas of our lives we surrender.
Some people seem blessed and favored in certain areas of their lives. It could be that they are more surrendered than we are in that area—just a thought.
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” This verse describes God as a consuming fire, representing His power, justice, and wrath against sin.
Deuteronomy 4:24
Peter compares the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to refining gold or silver. Just as the metal is heated and the impurities are burned away, the fire of the Holy Spirit also burns away the impurities in our lives.
Angelic Involvement in the Fire of God
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit is the fire, but it also says that He makes His ministers, the angels, as flames of fire. So I believe God sent an angel in response to our prayers to deliver me from the demonic oppression and the lies that I had been believing (the story is told in my post about feeling the fire of God).
Waiting to Receive the Baptism of Fire
The gift of discernment God has given me has developed significantly over the past 19 years. So many times, I can feel and sense God’s fire on people. This is usually because they have been spending time with Jesus in prayer and worship.
The fire of God is a powerful and transformative experience that is hard to put into words, but it is well worth seeking out.
I have to say; I didn’t experience the “feeling of the fire of God” for ten years or so after I had a born-again experience and was baptized in the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues. I sought to experience the fire for almost ten years.
I believe God’s fire is active in every genuinely Spirit-filled believer’s life. We don’t feel it all the time, and it’s more a matter of maturing in the Lord, obeying His word, and having our senses trained to discern good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
The Early Disciples Had to Wait
The first disciples of Jesus waited for the power and fire of the Holy Spirit. Despite being with Him, hearing His teachings, and committing themselves to Him, they still had to wait until after His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.
As Jesus told them before He left:
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you”
Jesus tells His disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
John 14:26
After they waited, and when they were gathered together in unity. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of tongues of fire.
The first disciples of Jesus had to wait, and sometimes we do too, but it begins by asking God to baptize you with fire and seeking his face.
If you want the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire, then do what the disciples did:
- Ask for it
- Gather with other believers who are in unity
- Stand on the promises of God’s word
- Expect to Receive it
- Wait for it
Don’t stop asking, don’t stop waiting, and don’t stop seeking. That door will be opened!
The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire results from a life surrendered to Jesus and a pursuit of repentance.
2 Sermons on the Fire of God Worth Listening To:
Leonard Ravenhill – Why We Need the Fire of God
David Wilkerson – A Fire in My Bones Sermon
11 Bible Verses About the Fire of God
- 1 Peter 1:7 “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”
- Exodus 3:2 – “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.” God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed.
- Exodus 19:18 – “Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire.” God’s presence descended upon Mount Sinai in fire and smoke.
- Deuteronomy 4:24 – “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” God is described as a consuming fire, emphasizing His holiness and jealousy for His people’s worship.
- 1 Kings 18:38 – “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” God consumed Elijah’s offering with fire in a dramatic display of His power.
- Isaiah 6:6-7 – “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.'” A burning coal from God’s altar symbolizes the atonement of Isaiah’s sin.
- Ezekiel 1:4 – “As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.” God’s glory is described as a stormy wind, a great cloud, and fire flashing forth continually.
- Matthew 3:11 – “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John the Baptist prophesies that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
- Acts 2:3 – “And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire resting upon the apostles.
- Hebrews 12:29 – “For our God is a consuming fire.” The writer of Hebrews reminds us that God is still a consuming fire, just as He was in Deuteronomy.
- Revelation 1:14 – “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.” John describes the glorified Christ, with eyes like a flame of fire, emphasizing His purity and power.