The Secret of Burning

John Siefker

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Matthew 3:11

This was also spoken of by John the Baptist in Luke 3:16. He knew and had an encounter with the fire of God. This is a baptism of fire and a promise to each one of us today.

It is in the secret place where Jesus lights our (baptizes us with) fire that sets us burning for Him. This comes from encountering the fire, which is Jesus Christ. Jesus came to kindle fire on the earth (Luke 12:49), which is in each and every one of us here on earth. He wants to set us ablaze with the fire of His passion and desires.

"Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly..." Isaiah 33:14b-15

To maintain and to increase the blazing fire, the fire must be continually stoked (fueled) by being and spending time in the secret place. This time is what brings us into a deeper intimate and personal relationship with Jesus. This is where He reveals Himself to each one of us.

You are destined to burn. You will burn for all eternity - the question is "where"?

Everything about our heavenly Father is fire. His Word is fire (Jeremiah 23:29), and His presence is totally engulfed in fire (Ezekiel 1:4, 27, and Daniel 7:9-10). Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). He wants to consume and engulf "all" of us.

To be set on fire, you must get close to God. As you draw near to Him the greater and brighter you will burn.

3 Keys to burning brightly are:

• Ministering unto the Lord
• Spending time reading God's Word and meditating upon it (Psalm 39:3)
• Spending time in His presence, soaking and just being still before Him

This is the secret to staying ablaze for Jesus.

In the secret place is where the "spirit of burning" (Isaiah 4:4) ignites your soul as you look upon His glory with an unveiled face (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Holy Spirit is described in Revelations 4:5 as, "Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirit of God." This is the fires of the Holy Spirit that the disciples in the book of Acts received. We can ask the Lord that "we too may burn with the fire of God".

In Proverbs 6:27-28, we see that these verses are describing the harmful effects of adultery; but the in the spiritual sense, we see it describing the "fire of God." When you draw close to the fire of God's presence and Word, you are actually taking fire into your bosom, and the junk and filth of the world is being burned away.

As you step into His fiery presence, into the secret place; you are walking on hot coals and your feet are being burnt to walk in the way of holiness, righteousness and obedience to Him.

The answer to these questions in Proverbs 6:3 is "No." Taking the living fire of God into your very being changes everything about you. You will never be the same!

John the Baptist was a man who burned for God. Elijah, Jeremiah and others as well were fiery men of God. The Lord took John into the wilderness in order to kindle the fire within him. When he was finally released into ministry, he was a living, burning flame. John encountered and was consumed by the fire, which is Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 11:7-9, Jesus asked, "what did you go out to see?" Jesus was saying that the people didn't go to John to hear something, but to see something. They wanted to see John burning for the Lord. John was a burning and shining lamp (John 5:35). Because of the time he spent in the secret place, in the wilderness, with God; he became a blazing lamp of fire that the people came from all over to see. They came not to see John but Jesus in him. And many people gave their lives to the Lord. This is what happens when we've had an encounter with His fire!

People are attracted to the great big fires. You ever notice that when something is burning people want to go see what it is. This will happen to you as well, for He promised it in His Word. Jesus said in Mark 9:49, "For every one shall be salted with fire". The word "salted" means to add something to.

Do something dangerous! Get alone with God! Get in the secret place and spend time in His burning presence. His consuming fire will burn away everything from your life that is not life and of Him. Until all that is left is "love itself" which is a reflection of Jesus.

Our heavenly Father makes His ministers a burning fire. "Who maketh...His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalm 104:4). This is what happens to us when we've had an encounter with the Fire (Jesus). He will make you one too, if you will let Him.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:15, "You are the light of the world".

A quote by John Wesley: "Get on fire for God and let the people come and watch you burn."

The more time that you spend in the Presence of God, the greater your tolerance becomes for even greater manifestations of His radiant glory. People will know that you have been with Jesus, just like they said of Peter and John in Acts 4:13. You cannot hide it because your countenance will radiate and you will be a fiery minister of the Lord.

Moses in Exodus 3 had his first of many encounters with the fire of God. This experience with the Lord at the burning bush completely changed him and the Lord used him to bring a nation out of bondage. Than in Exodus 34, Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, out of the presence of God and everyone saw the radiant glory of the Lord upon him and they knew that he had been with the Lord. As we too spend time with and in the presence of the Lord, we will shine and burn with glory and fire of God.

Just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in Daniel 3, in the fiery furnance; it is in the fire and when we are burning that Jesus is revealed. People don't see us but Jesus Himself.

Everything of the Lord that we need flows from the secret place, by getting to know Him and having a deep intimate relationship with Him. This is the place where the Lord reveals Himself to us.

Have you been baptized with Fire?

Don't you want an encounter with the Fire?

Don't you have a greater desire to burn for Him?

Ask the Holy Spirit, to come and fill your entire being with the all consuming fire of passion and love of the altogether Lovely One, Jesus Christ.

Just one encounter with the Fire of God and you will never be the same!