Based on events at hand, people set an expectation. All the prophecies, types and, shadows are placed there to alert us of what is to come. This occurred in Luke Chapter 3:
15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,
16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”
FATHER has no issue with us expecting something to happen for HE created this characteristic in us. The people knew the Messiah was coming and were trying to ascertain whether John was Him. But John gave us a specific prophecy in response. This Mighty One would baptize us with the Holy Spirit AND fire.
Strong’s Concordance defines the word “baptize” as:
to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe
to overwhelm
I would like to focus on the terms “immerse” and “overwhelm”. Those two term best describe my own baptism in the Holy Spirit which occurred 43 years ago. In October of 1971, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the time I hardly knew anything about the Bible and its contents. However, this did not keep me from receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in an unknown tongue. It fell on me and through me and it immediately changed me. My desires changed, my outlook changed, and I was hungry to know more about the FATHER, Son, and Holy Spirit. I was overwhelmed.
The purpose of fire is to consume whatever is flammable. In our case it is the wood, hay, and stubble. Those are the unfruitful works, the illusions, the deceptions, and any other impurities in our lives. That is yet to fully occur in me and I have yet to meet anyone who can fully attest to the event happening in their lives in any sustained manner. I have the expectation for this separate event to happen soon. This third baptism IS the Baptism of Love in my view. “Self” must completely be purged by fire so that all of HIM is conducting every aspect of the calling HE has placed in each of us for this very hour. All the signs point to this unveiling and revealing. It is time to dispose of the wood, hay, and stubble once and for all.
There appears to be a convergence of diverse events at hand. If these events do culminate as many expect, I expect this Baptism of Fire to occur in those who are called to be lights unto the world as their current belief systems are exposed as deception. The Standard of Truth will rise to show the Way and there will be no wood, hay, or stubble left to hinder those who are called.