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THE RAGING BAPTISM OF FIRE IS COMING TO THE CHURCH
Lucas Sherraden
Jul 5, 2002
"THE RAGING BAPTISM OF FIRE IS COMING TO THE CHURCH" By Pastor Lucas Sherraden, Houston, TX email: pastor@greatwood.org July 02, 2002 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bio: Lucas Sherraden is a pastor in the Houston, Texas area. His local fellowship is a part of Graham Cooke’s apostolic network and in relationship with James Avenue Church in Ft. Worth. They are also are in relationship with IHOP-KC. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is a baptism of fire coming to the church. This new move of God’s Spirit will clarify for many a new dimension of what the fire of God is. Unlike a painful and dreaded event, this outpouring will reflect a Bridegroom’s heart of love for His Bride. ---------------------------------------- THE FIRE FOR GOD'S LOVE FROM HIS THRONE ---------------------------------------- I saw a river of fire that came from the throne of God. The origination point of this mighty river was the very heart of God. Then I realized that the “fire” of God wasn’t just his judgment, justice, vengeance, anger toward sin – it was primarily His love and passion. The current of this river was raging. It was obvious that if anyone were to step into the river even a little – they would be instantly swept away by the strength of the current. As I noticed people around the river looking at it, talking about it, nervously laughing at the speed of its current, I saw Jesus come behind people and begin throwing them into the fire. He was doing this like it was fun for Him. He was laughing and was filled with joy. However, some people screamed with terror and fought it. They tried to resist and began to pray rebuking the Lord not realizing that all the time it really was the Lord. They reasoned – “this cannot be God” – “God would never do this.” Yet the Lord still threw them in. ------------------------------- JESUS ACTUALLY HELD THEM UNDER ------------------------------- Others reluctantly submitted and yet others were willing and ready to go. As they entered the river, Jesus went into the river and actually held them under! For the ones that resisted and fought the Lord – this was extremely difficult and hard. It went against their idea of who Jesus was. Some submitted and yet others left the river to go back to shore. When the returned to shore – they began to do exactly what they had been doing prior to Jesus throwing them in. They were content to watch the river rush by and not be in the river. I began to understand that Jesus was baptizing individuals with fire as John the Baptist had prophesied. This baptism of fire will be a total immersion in a river of fire, which is God’s intense passion for His people. This baptism purifies because the inner heart desires of God’s people will change as we drown in the river of fire. I noticed that as Jesus held people under and they quit struggling, things began to float off of the person and to the surface of the river. As it surfaced – it burned away instantly. This was old, sinful, carnal desires floating to the surface of the river of passion as God submerges us deeper into it. As sin came off – Jesus pushed people further down. ------------------------------------ CONSUMED WITH A DESIRE FOR THE FIRE ------------------------------------ Then I noticed that the people who were going deeper began to change. They were consumed with a desire for this fire instead of what used to thrill them. The “love of Christ will constrain us” was their motto. His love became compelling in a much deeper way. When this baptism is released, God’s people will be surrounded and buried in the intensity of His passion. Everywhere we turn, everywhere we look, everywhere we are – we will see, experience and feel the fire of God’s passion for us. We will be undone. His fire will overwhelm the church not in a judgment of wrath - but in passion of love. ------------------------- APOSTOLIC DEMONSTRATIONS ------------------------- When God releases the fullness of this baptism, it will result in an ongoing outbreak of apostolic demonstrations of God’s power in signs and wonders. The miraculous and the supernatural will become normal in many churches. “Church” will not be what we have come to experience and know. This next move is unprecedented. I noticed that many in this fire became quite powerful with signs and wonders accompanying their lives. It was as if the miraculous couldn’t be helped. There were even “accidental” miracles happening because the anointing was so strong. The most powerful demonstrations of God’s power did not happen when God’s people gathered for meetings (and there were powerful demonstrations in each meeting) – but it happened when those immersed in fire went out to the world. Miracles happened to the lost. I saw neighborhoods gathering in front of houses where someone everyone knew had just been healed of terrible diseases. I saw people in the workplace stop their workday because someone was healed right on the job. Hospitals saw regular healings as nurses and doctors who were baptized in fire would lay hands on patients and the patient’s problems would go away. The greatest expressions of church happened unexpectedly and in unpredictable places. ------------------------------------------- NOW IS THE TIME TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND OBEY ------------------------------------------- I felt the Lord telling me that now is the time to commit to and rest in hearing God’s voice and immediately and unquestioningly obeying all that we hear. We are to learn to rest in obedience or we will turn back to what used to be anointed. Learning this lesson now will prevent us from falling back into the familiar. Without this baptism, we would rest on the obedience of yesterday and with what we have believed to be right in the past. But being immersed in the passion of God will burn away this routine. Those who left the river did this. They returned to the version of Christianity they were familiar with. The enemy and a religious spirit hate this move of God and will be at work trying to distract people back into Christianity as usual. But many in the church will not be like Lot’s wife and look back. They will press ahead! ------------------------------------- FASCINATED WITH JESUS, NOT THE WORKS ------------------------------------- The outbreak of signs and wonders will result in a newfound fascination with Jesus. Very few will be fascinated only with the marvelous works done in the church. The names of the people who worked miracles will hardly be remembered. They will only remember the name of Jesus. Right now people become fascinated with places, ministries and individuals who carry authority in the Spirit. People flock to locations where there is a move of God because they are so hungry for the Lord. But after this baptism, we will not be awestruck with where God’s hand is at work because we are mesmerized with Him. It is only at His feet where we will be at home. God’s jealousy will be satisfied. As this move of God was unleashed and with every miraculous demonstration – people became totally overwhelmed with the character and nature of God – they saw His beauty. He will have a Bride that is only enamored by Him and not where He is at work. This move of the Spirit will remove the heart of Gomer from His Bride (Hos. 1:3-8). ------------------------------------ SPIRITUAL FIDELITY WILL BE RESTORED ------------------------------------ Spiritual fidelity will be restored. I saw church leaders and Christians who were on the trading block selling themselves to many things. Church growth was a fascination and it became harlotry. Effective ministry and techniques that led to life transformation were fascinations and leaders were selling themselves to be more effective. After the river of fire experience - spiritual adultery burned away for many. The heart of Gomer was one of the things that surfaced in the river of fire. No more will those in leadership be fascinated and consumed with a primary desire to reach more people and to minister more effectively because they will be consumed with the love God has for them. In turn – as they were consumed and the fire surfaced this heart – more people came and ministry was more effective. Because of the signs and wonders and miracles, people became obsessed and consumed only with the Bridegroom. No longer was the church driven by success in ministry, comfort, or a few momentary highs in the Spirit. Our desire will be nothing other than to dwell in intimacy with the Lord. He will be our only reward. ----------------------------------------------- Graham Cooke Books and Tapes including Graham's book, "A DIVINE CONFRONTATION" Copy and paste URL to your web browser: http://theelijahlist.safeshopper.com/345/cat345.htm
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