READ: John 2:12-17
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Luke 3:16
The baptism of fire speaks of the baptism of zeal. Jesus Christ came to baptise us with fire and zeal. The zeal of the Lord speaks of the enthusiasm and diligence which was found in Jesus. It is so sad to see unenthusiastic priests going about their priestly duties without any passion whatsoever.
In the scripture above, we see the fire of God and the zeal of Jesus. He was not content with giving a simple Bible lesson to the thieves who had occupied the church. He whipped them! Jesus whipped traders who had set up shop in the church and drove them out. Perhaps it was unorthodox and unacceptable for Jesus to whip these grown-ups who had occupied the church; but God’s Word shows us that the zeal of the Lord was what really mattered. God saw the whipping of the traders as an act of zeal and not as a manifestation of human rage.
Jesus Christ was full of zeal. He came to baptize the church with the Holy Ghost and with fire. The baptism of the Holy Spirit changes a Christian’s life. The only way to remove ice from our Christian lives is to be zealous for the Lord. Instead of living a cool, uninspiring life, the baptism of the Holy Spirit will lift you up to speak in tongues and become a powerful preacher like Peter on the day of Pentecost.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4