In our discussion of the spiritual birth, we learned that all of God Almighty’s spiritual children born again into the kingdom of light/heaven receive His Spirit.  Yet, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is another gift involving the Spirit of God Almighty which brings spiritual power.

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:7-8  NASB

Sixty-fold is the designated level of production of fruit of the Spirit associated with the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Section 5-23).

Events on the day of Pentecost shortly after Jesus’ ascension provide dramatic evidence of power accompanying the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.  Acts 2:1-4  NASB

For those who have received God Almighty’s Spirit through the spiritual birth, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is enhanced empowerment and awareness within the spiritual realm.

Evidence of something new for those baptized with the Holy Spirit is seen in comparison and contrast of components of the triplets which serve as patterns for the three designated levels of production of spiritual fruit.  For instance, with the three annual feasts, the first-fruits for Passover/Unleavened Bread were from the barley harvest, while the first-fruits for Weeks/Pentecost were from the wheat harvest.

“Also on the day of the first fruits, when you present a new grain offering to the LORD in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.”  Numbers 28:26  NASB

“And you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks, that is, the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year.”  Exodus 34:22  NASB

The first fruits offered at the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost were new and different from those previously offered and suggest that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is new empowerment for spiritual growth and production of spiritual fruit for the child of God Almighty.

The designated, numerical values associated with the first two levels of production of spiritual fruit suggest a doubling of God Almighty’s spirit (60 = 2 x 30).  From the Old Testament, we know that Elisha asked for a double portion of the spirit from God Almighty which was upon Elijah.

Now it came about when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.”  And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”    2Kings 2:9  NASB

Bible scholarship indicates that Elisha performed twice as many major miracles as Elijah (16 to 8).  Thus the baptism with the Holy Spirit brings a double portion of God’s Spirit for the believer, with attendant  power, gifts, and increase in production of spiritual fruit.

Like the gift of grace, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a gift from heaven.

And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Acts 2:38  NASB

Testimonies about receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit vary greatly.  Some people receive the Holy Spirit effortlessly while others struggle mightily.  Some people receive the Holy Spirit publicly while others have a private experience.  Some receive the Holy in a dramatic or emotional way and others have a more matter-of-fact experience.  Beyond the fact that one must seek more from God Almighty, there is no formula, process, or procedure that characterizes the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6  NASB

Jesus told the disciples that the spirit-filled life at the 60-fold level entails revelation sent from heaven.

“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 said to you.”  John 14:26  NASB

Also, spiritual power accompanies the Holy Spirit.

“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on High.”  Luke 24:49  NASB

For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.  Romans 15:18-19  NASB

And he has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  2Corinthians 12:9  NASB

This new empowerment, manifest through the gifts of the Spirit, moves the redeemed from struggling with his/her own life of righteousness/holiness to being of service to the body of Christ.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.  …  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  …  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the same Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.  1Corinthinas 12:1,4,7-11

The Book of Acts records these gifts of the Spirit at work in the apostolic church, whose first members received the baptism with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4).

God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.  Hebrews 2:4  NASB

The gifts of the Spirit have been bestowed upon members of the church in varying intensity throughout the church era.

In the believer’s journey through the Mosaic tabernacle, the veil to the tent of meeting represents the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Place, the front two-thirds of the tent, represents the Spirit filled life at the designated, 60-fold level of production of spiritual fruit.  Only the priests, after they had prepared themselves by washing with water from the laver in the outer court, could enter the Holy Place.  So, the Holy Place was only for those who have been set aside to attend to the worship of God Almighty.  Therefore, those with a double portion of God Almighty’s Spirit are to minister to God Almighty (in the Holy Place), to the redeemed (in the outer court), and to the nations (outside the gate).

Whereas the outer court is constrained by two dimensions, width and length, the tent of meeting is a covered enclosure and suggests new constraints upon the individual.  One who receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit has a heightened obedience to God Almighty’s will and commandments.

“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”  Acts 5:32  NASB

Another constraint upon the individual receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit is greater control of the ego as manifested in human pride.

Where then is boasting?  It is excluded.  By what kind of law?  Of works? No, but by a law of faith.  Romans 3:27  NASB

Spiritual growth commensurate with the baptism with the Holy Spirit necessitates a diminishing of pride and ego within the believer.

A story of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon demonstrates the need to control pride by one who has received empowerment from the Holy Spirit.

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.  Daniel 3:1  NASB

The dimensions of the image, 6 x 60, are suggestive of human (6) empowerment (60).

“Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.  The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’  While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared:  sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field.  You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ ”  …  “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor, the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”  Daniel 4:29-32,37  NASB

Seven years of insanity for King Nebuchadnezzar removed his pride.

The furnishings in the Holy Place–the table with bread, the lampstand, the altar of incense–and the associated instruments were constructed of pure gold in some cases and were gold covered otherwise.  So, there was a change in metals for the furnishings of the tabernacle from bronze in the outer court to gold in the tent of meeting.  Here then we have the suggestion of heightened expectation of godliness–gold represents divine nature–for those who have received the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

On the day of Pentecost, the baptism with the Holy Spirit was accompanied by tongues as of fire (Acts 2:3).  John the Baptist had previously connected fire with the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but He who is mightier than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He Himself will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.”  Luke 3:16  NASB

The three furnishings of the Holy Place, which symbolically represents the realm of the baptism with the Holy Spirit, are associated individually with fire.

The bread placed weekly on the golden table was prepared with fire.  The bread from heaven, providing spiritual nourishment for the body of Christ, leads to spiritual growth and the manifestation of gifts of the spirit.

Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.  1Timothy 4:14  NASB

So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.  1Corinthians 14:12  NASB

The gifts of the Spirit, which empower the individual, are to be used to bring the body of Christ to the next level of production of spiritual fruit, that is, the 100-fold level of full maturity of a son.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  Ephesians 4:11-13  NASB

The gifts of the Spirit support and empower those who would serve in the “priesthood” and minister to the church.

The golden lampstand represents fire used for light and suggests the church as a light to the world.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,  Philippians 2:14-15  NASB

During the forty days following His death and resurrection, Jesus prepared the church for its great commission, which was a blessing upon the church so that it may be a blessing to the world.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20  NASB

Jesus sent the church into the world with the gospel to bring light to the kingdom of darkness.

The golden altar, set before the veil in front of the Holy of Holies, used fire to transform incense into an aromatic cloud.  The incense put on the fire and the resulting aromatic cloud represent prayers of the saints.

And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  Revelation 5:8  NASB

These prayers of the saints cover the entire range of needs–supplication, intercession, praise, call for revival, etc.

The transformation of incense into an aromatic cloud suggests a transformational experience whereby the priests of the body of Christ at the designated 60-level of production of spiritual fruit are made ready for adoption as sons of God Almighty at the designated 100-fold level.  Forty, the difference between levels (100 – 60 = 40), is associated throughout the Bible with a time of trial, testing, and tribulation.  The children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness being tested.

“And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”  Deuteronomy 8:2  NASB

Jesus encountered temptation during the 40 days in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry (Mark 1:13).

Fire as the transformational agent of the incense suggests fire as the means to transform the saints.

“But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.  And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.”  Malachi 3:2-3  NASB

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; / I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”  Isaiah 48:10  NASB

What is God Almighty’s purpose of refining the saints by the furnace of affliction?

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, / But the Lord tests hearts.  Proverbs 17:3  NASB

Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.  1Corinthians 3:12-13  NASB

Fire is the means to purify metal, and similarly fiery ordeals of the furnace of affliction are the means to purify the human heart and soul.

God Almighty is the source of fiery ordeals that come upon the saints as trials, testings, and tribulations.

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”  Deuteronomy 4:24  NASB

God Almighty is more than a fire; He is a consuming fire.  This characterization of God Almighty is reaffirmed in the New Testament.

for our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:29  NASB

Just as there is a separation of the pure metal from the slag when ore is subjected to fire, so also is there a separation of the holy from the profane within the saint when subjected to fiery ordeals.  God Almighty, acting as consuming fire upon humanity, will purify the saints by separating and removing the slag (fleshly nature) that must be shed.  However, our veil of humanity prevents us from clearly discerning between God Almighty’s processes of purification and Satan’s temptations, and consequently there is confusion.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  James 1:13  NASB

It will require discernment by the believer to know the difference between a testing from God Almighty and a temptation from Satan.

These fiery ordeals encountered by the saints, previously characterized as pruning of branches in Jesus’ analogy of a vine (see page 5-20), are also described as the disciplining of a son by the Father.

“Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.”  Deuteronomy 8:5  NASB

My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD,  /  Or loathe His reproof,  /  For whom the LORD loves he reproves,  /  Even as a father, the son in whom he delights.  Proverbs 3:11-12

He who spares his rod hates his son,  /  But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.  Proverbs 13:24  NASB

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.  Hebrews 12:11  NASB

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous, therefore, and repent.”  Revelation 3:19  NASB

The trials, testings, and tribulations of those at the designated 60-fold level of production of spiritual fruit are necessary preparation for adoption as sons of God Almighty at the 100-fold level.

The fiery trials that come upon saints may bring despair and hopelessness for it seems that saints must experience a terrifying time of darkness as part of the process of purification.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;  1Peter 4:12  NABS

There are examples of terrifying times of darkness from God Almighty occurring in the lives of the patriarchs. When Abram expressed doubt about the promises that God Almighty had made to him, there followed for Abram a dark night of terror.

And he [Abram] said, “O LORD God, how may I know that I shall possess it?”   …  Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him.  Genesis 15:8,12  NASB

Isaac must have experienced a time of terror when he was bound, laid on the altar of wood, and approached by his father holding a knife.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there, and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.  And Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  Genesis 22:9-10  NASB

The altar of wood for fire suggests the testing of father and son.

And he [the angel of the LORD] said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”  Genesis 22:12  NASB

Jacob experienced a night wrestling with a spiritual being.

So the present [gift sent to Ishmael] passed on before him, while he himself spent the night in camp.  …  Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.  And when he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.  Genesis 32:21,24-25  NASB

Joseph had years of trials and tribulations after he was sold into slavery by his brothers and later imprisoned in Egypt on the basis of a false accusation.  We have previously considered the night in which Moses and his wife fought for his life.

Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.  Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.”  So He let him alone.  At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood” – because of the circumcision.   Exodus 4:24-26  NASB

As we detailed previously (Section 5-4), Daniel spent a night of terror in the lions’ den.

Job offers another example of fiery trials, testings, and tribulations from God Almighty.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil.  Job 1:1  NASB

Because of his righteousness, Job suffered the loss of his vast possessions, his sons, and daughters (Job 1:2).  Physical torment was added to this emotional loss.

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of this head.  Job 2:7  NASB

Consistent with other patriarchs, Job emerged triumphant from his trials and tribulations.

And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.  …  And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning,  …  And he had seven sons and three daughters.  …  And Job died, an old man and full of days.  Job 42:10,12,13,17  NASB

These examples of times of trial, testing, and tribulation for the heroes of the Old Testament portend similar experiences for the saints who have received the baptism with the Holy Spirit at the designated, 60-fold level of production of spiritual fruit and who are on the path toward adoption as sons at the 100-fold level.  Faith is the means by which one perseveres through the fiery furnace of affliction.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.  And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  1John 5:4-5  NASB

Faith in the inherent goodness of God Almighty’s dealings with the saints yields perseverance.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:3-5  NASB

Our perseverance is sustained by our faith in the purposes of God Almighty and supported by the Holy Spirit within our hearts so that we can endure times when we feel completely abandoned.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:2-4  NASB

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;  1Peter 1:7  NASB

Prayer to God Almighty during times of trials and testings will empower our faith and our perseverance.

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1Thessalonians 5:16-18  NASB

And so, like a cloud of incense from the golden altar, the prayers of the saints, while enduring the fiery furnace of affliction, rise to God Almighty’s presence.  Our pray is that the Holy Spirit will support our faith, sustain our perseverance, enable us to stand firm during fiery ordeals, and bring us to the adoption as sons of God Almighty and the designated, 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit.

Jesus, in his explanation of the parable of the 30-, 60-, 100-fold levels of production of spiritual fruit, cited reasons that some do not progress spiritually.

“And the one on whom seed was sown on the rock places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.  And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”  Matthew 13:20-22  NASB

These distractions and the inherent difficulty of the fiery ordeals require the saints to hold fast … with perseverance through the trials by fire in order to obtain adoption as a son of God Almighty.

One purpose of the trials, tribulations, and testings of the fiery furnace of affliction is the diminishment of the expression of the human will, the source of unrighteousness.  The will is the controlling mechanism of expressing the soul–the personality supported by the conscious mind (thinking, reasoning, memories) and the heart (desires, beliefs, attitudes, feelings, emotions).  The will expresses the soul and therefore is the origin of acts of evil.  We will collapse this complex concept of nurturing and expressing the soul through the will into the term “self-willed,” the antithesis to “God’s will.”  A self-willed person will repeatedly express his/her desires, beliefs, feelings, emotions, and thoughts that are characteristic of the fleshly, beastly nature which is inherent with birth into the kingdom of darkness.

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.  Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when thy revile angelic majesties,  2Peter 2:9-10  NASB

There is only one will in God Almighty’s kingdom in heaven, and it is His.

“Thy kingdom come. / Thy will be done, / On earth as it is in heaven.”  Matthew 6:10  NASB

With membership in the kingdom of God Almighty while on earth comes the obligation to set aside one’s will in deference to God Almighty’s will.

“Not every one who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 7:21  NASB

However, the kingdom of God Almighty on earth includes sinful humanity, who still possess the residual of self-will, and the conflict of wills in the kingdom on earth is described as violence.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”  Matthew 11:12  NASB

The surrender of one’s will and submitting to God Almighty’s will is necessary for receiving authority in the kingdom of God/light/heaven.

And He summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  Mark 8:34  NASB

I say be guided by the Spirit and you won’t carry out your selfish desires.  A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires.  They are opposed to each other, so you shouldn’t do whatever you want to do.  …  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.  Galatians 5:16-17,24  CEV

The purpose of God Almighty testing His immature children by fiery trials and tribulations is elimination of self-will from those saints in order that they may be entrusted with the full measure and power of the Holy Spirit so that they may minister at the 100-fold level of spiritual fruit while on earth.  Those who through perseverance endure fiery ordeals and who deny self-will are ready for adoption as sons of God Almighty.