What is the baptism of Fire? Where do you sign up?

I was at bible study and an elder said "lets pray that the FIRE of God forms a hedge around us like job". He then went on again and mentioned something about "Holy Ghost Fire". The implication i was getting was that the baptism of fire promised when scripture said Jesus would baptize with the holy ghost and fire, was some sort of mystical energy called Holy Ghost fire.

Personally looking at scripture i see God as a consuming fire and a purifying refining fire. Since one of the objects of baptism is to symbolize the transition of man from a filthy sinner to a washed in the blood believer. Then i concluded that the baptism of fire was to produce purity as a refining fire. Looking at the lives of the believers i saw the FIRE manifest in the shape of suffering and affliction that purified them and made them dead to self.

As i am infering all of this from scripure it is still just a mere opinion. So my question is

what is the baptism of fire?
is it a refiners fire that manifest itself through suffering for christ sake or is it some sort of power that zaps our enemy. Please kindly let me know what the baptism of fire really is. What do you believe it is by inferring and is there scripture that actually talks about the fire baptism of fire.

ps: is it that gift of laughing Kenneth Copeland possesses

Laughing's a gift?

ps: is it that gift of laughing Kenneth Copeland possesses

gift from who for what?

One thing's for sure: the junk that man spews out is no laughing matter...he is one of the world's greatest evangelists for the god of mammon

Stay very far away.

You will know from the Old Testament dedication of the Temple in Solomon's day that the Fire of God fell when the altar was full. This Fire consumed the sacrifice and also served as the Fire that was to be used in the service of God. Any other fire is strange fire or common fire. Common fire cannot be used in the service of God- not then and not now.

These things were a metaphor. Under the New Covenant John Baptist had said Jesus Christ will baptize with the Holy Ghost and Fire.In fact, He came to send Fire on the earth. God's answer to this world's problems is Fire. This is a short introduction to this reality. You will find the following message to be very insightful. It is G.W. North expounding on the Temple and how that relates to us. The key fact is that until we place ourselves totally on the altar the Fire will not fall. We are only fooling ourselves and talking words. We have to place ourselves on the altar in such a way that God can believe us. He is the great unbeliever of men. When God can trust our sincerity that we have utterly come to Romans 12:1-2 then we can be assured the Fire will fall.

http://mp3.biblebase.com/mp3/MrNorth/hi/fire1_GWN-Fire_on_the_altar.mp3

Here are just a few thoughts that came to me when I read you post.

Hbr 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.

Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

I read a book years ago about the refining work of the Holy Spirit and how the more consumed we are by His presence the more all the junk in us is burned up. They likened it to a log in a fireplace, we the log, the fire God. As the fire begins to consume the log the log takes on the very nature of the fire. It becomes one with the fire. The fire burns out all the impurities.

I sought God constantly for the baptism of the Holy Spirit when I was first saved 34 years ago. Finally while I was sleeping I received a radical baptism. It felt like electricty (fire?) going through my body in waves. I found myself sitting straight upright in the bed with my arms out cross fashion and I was speaking in tongues. This was the most awesome thing that ever happened to me.

After that day I was totally changed. I couldn't help but love those around me. I couldn't help but witness to the lost, and most I did witness to got saved. There was a fire shut up in my bones that compelled me to share the good news. I had what I call a lump of love in my heart that stayed there for about 3 months. I was so... in love with Jesus that all I could do was talk about my lover.

Jer 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].

I believe that baptism of fire burns up the junk and refines us for the Masters use. I also believe that is what has held me fast in my walk with Him over all these years when many have fallen away. I know what I received was not something I could work up. It was from outside myself and impossible to manufacture. I am so greatful to the one I love for giving me this gift.

Who is this gift for? Everybody who values it, and pursues the One who gives it.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

We might be amoung that afar off group, but God is still calling His children. We can have this gift.

Now about Kenneth Copeland, I have to agree with the other comment. He is into the prosperity gospel. It grieves my heart to listen to these guys. In fact I can't listen to them any more. Our focus is to be Jesus, not stuff, not money. Here is what my word says:

1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Hbr 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Luk 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse [any] falsely; and be content with your wages.

I pray you will be filled with all the fullness of God.

Jhn 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Mal 3:3 And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Well when I heard about being baptized by fire it wasn't so much as a force or anything like that but simply the sanctifing effect of the Holy Spirit.

Yet another thing I have heard is that Fire represents afflictions we go through as Christians that Christ Church would be baptized in the fires of afflictions.

But both of these interpretations I haven't really done much research on but that is what I would think anyways

The baptism of fire by Christ is that demonstrated in ACts 2; when the Holy Spirit came in fullness upon the 120 in the upper room, there was fire upon them - signfying the Holy Ghost. The baptism of fire is what is missing from today's church - where there is power upon them. Yes, fire does refine, it does purify, and it is power. You see this over and over in the saints of the church that when they was baptized in the Spirit they were made full of the Spirit for the work of God to be glorified. We get saved, the Spirit is what convicted us, the Spirit is what draws us unto the Lord. As we go through regeneration, 'old things are past away, and all things become new' the Spirit enters in. Christ is now Lord of our life, He rules in our hearts, minds and posseses our souls. The Spirit is with us; but the question is, how much does He dominate within us? The baptism of the Spirit of power by fire is the fullness of God coming upon us, that sin does not have any place within us. WE are obedient to Him and Him alone. Sin is absent, therefore we have nothing to grieve, quench or resist the Spirit. He is able to do great things through us and in us by this baptism of fire. Yet, if sin is in us, controlling us, dominating us, then we quench and grieve Him and the baptism of fire is only a spark of what it should be. The work of the Spirit of fire is to accomplish what He wants to do, whether it be to refine, strengthen, empower, It is His Divine purpose and we are yielded to it.