End-Time Baptism in Holy Spirit Fire
Wade E Taylor

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”  Genesis 3:8

It was not “while they were walking” that Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord.  Rather, they heard “the voice walking.”  This profound statement reveals two things.  First, they “heard” the voice.”  This tells us that the Lord desires to communicate with us.

“Who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Matthew 13:9

Secondly, the fact that He is “walking” tells us that there is a progression in what He desires to say.  Tomorrow, He will speak beyond that which He said today.

“I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  However when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He will not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear that will He speak: and He will show you things to come.”  John 16:12-13

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.”  Revelation 4:1

Creation was accomplished in six days, and God rested the seventh day.  Peter tells us that these segments of time can be understood as being “one thousand year days.”  These days can be divided as four Old Testament days, two New Testament days, and the 7th, or Millennial, thousand year day.  This is prophetic time, not necessarily calendar time.

The following Scripture can be understood in this way.

“And He said to them, Go you, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, (Church Age) and the third day (Millennial Age) I shall be perfected.”  Luke 13:32 (comments added)

Near the end of each of these six “thousand year days” of human history, there was a direct intervention of the Lord in which He revealed Himself to an individual, who, as a result of this act of Divine intervention, was able to greatly affect the conditions of that day and time.

The Lord walked with mankind through the first “thousand year - day,” at the end of which the flood came and removed all from the earth, except Noah and his family.  The Lord had visited Noah, in order to prepare him for this event.

The Lord walked through the second “thousand year – day” and Abram was called out from Ur of the Chaldees.  Through “Divine intervention,” he became Abraham, the friend of God, and the father of faith.  A personal relationship was established between the Lord and a man.  Abraham reasoned with God concerning the judgment of the “Sodom and Gomorrah” of that day.

The Lord walked within Israel during the third “thousand year - day.”  At the height of this time the Lord so revealed Himself to Solomon that he recorded “The Song of Songs,” and the Temple that he built was dedicated in a display of manifest glory.

At the end of the fourth “thousand year - day,” John the Baptist was called apart to become the “voice of One crying in the wilderness.”  During this time, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that God desired to use her body to bring His Son into this world.  Mary submitted herself and Jesus was born.

After redemption was accomplished for mankind through the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the one hundred and twenty who tarried in an upper room, and the Church was born.  As the Holy Spirit descended, cloven tongues of fire rested upon each, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking forth the glory of the Lord in tongues unknown to them.

The Lord walked in apostolic power within this newly formed Church and the world of that day was greatly affected.  As He continued to walk through this fifth, “thousand year – day” of (prophetic - Divine) history; or, the first “thousand year – day” of the Church Age, the Nicolaitans (those who rule over the laity) gained control and substituted religious form and ritual in place of the supernatural, which resulted in the dark ages.

As the sixth “thousand year - day” of Divine history, or the second “thousand year – day” of the Church Age began, the Lord continued to walk, and the light of redemption again began to shine in the darkened Church.  Around 1150 AD, Bernard of Clarivaux received a revelation of grace.  This beam of light continued to expand until it shone brightly within the life of Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic priest.

In order to raise money to build the Vatican, the Roman Church was selling indulgences, by which it claimed an escape from “purgatory” could be obtained.  Martin Luther received the understanding that “salvation was a free gift of grace that could not be purchased,” and in 1517 nailed his thesis on the door of the Church.  This led to the restoration of true “teachers” who were burdened for the Church, and great persecution followed.

As the Word of God began to be printed and circulated during the 1600s, the Baptists received the revelation that “if we are freely justified by grace, we should communicate this to others who would be established in local fellowships.”  The “pastor” was restored to the Church, and again these were persecuted.

As the Lord continued to walk through the 1700s, the Wesley brothers received a revelation that “if we are declared to be righteous, there should be the visible evidence of a committed life.”  The revival that resulted continued though the 1800’s, and the “evangelist” was restored to the Church.

On New Years Eve, in 1901, in a small Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, a young lady received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Soon, this visitation spread to the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angles.  The revelation began to form that “if we are justified, sanctified, and communicating the Gospel, we should be empowered for this purpose.”  Thus, Acts 1:8 became a present word.

“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

As this Pentecostal visitation moved throughout the world, persecution again followed.

“But, as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.”  Galatians 4:29

It can be seen both in the Word, and in Church history, that the recipients of each of these visitations received revelations that were beyond that which was presently known and accepted.  Because of this, those who had received the previous revelation, became the persecutors of the next level of revelation and visitation.  They had become both satisfied and settled with their particular level of revelation, or aspect of restoration.  Thus, there are still Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, and Pentecostals, who have gone no further.

But the Lord continued His onward walk, and forty years later, during the “Latter Rain” visitation, a further revelation was received.  “If we are empowered to communicate the Gospel, there should be supernatural gifts in operation with signs following.”  The “prophet,” along with “prophetic gifts” were restored to the Church.  Persecution again followed, as the Pentecostal movement rejected “Latter Rain.”  But, there were those who were willing to pay the price of misunderstanding and rejection, in order to continue in the gradual restoration of truth.

After another forty years, the “Charismatic” visitation brought the Baptism in the Holy Spirit into the main line denominational churches.  So far, the teacher, pastor, evangelist, and prophet, have been restored.  In this Charismatic visitation, the “apostle” should have been restored, but this did not happen.

John the Baptist spoke of a “Holy Spirit Fire Baptism” which did not happen when the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was given in the upper room, but is yet to be fulfilled.

“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance: but He that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire. Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Matthew 3:11-12

We have experienced the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, along with empowered ministries and giftings, but we have yet to come to the Baptism in “Holy Spirit fire,” which purges and purifies the individual in preparation for the restoration of the Apostolic office, and within the Body, apostolic enabling and power that will take the Church beyond all present attainments.

This end-time “apostolic” visitation will bring Holy Spirit fire, which will prepare the way for the restoration of the Lord’s Shekinah (glory).  It will result in true purity of life and spiritual unity, in which the “creative word” will be spoken with authority.

“Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”  II Corinthians 12:12

The manifestation of the supernatural is an indication of a true apostolic ministry.  This apostolic restoration of the creative word in manifested glory will again greatly affect the nations in preparation for the Millennial Kingdom to be established.

“Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you.  The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”  Isaiah 60:1-3

“And he that overcomes, and keeps My works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron.”  Revelation 2:26-27a

In transgression, Adam lost the “Shekinah” as his covering, which then became an enemy - a flaming sword that prevented all from coming to the Tree of Life.  However, on the day of Pentecost, as one hundred and twenty tarried in an upper room, this “Shekinah fire,” became a friend who returned and sat “upon” each of their heads.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”

“And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”  Acts 2:1-4

Notice that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, but the tongues of fire sat and remained on their heads.  Something more had to take place so this “fire” could come “within.”

In the progression of each of these visitations, which resulted in a gradual restoration of spiritual life and ministry, the “Charismatic” visitation should have brought the restoration of the apostolic.  Instead, this visitation remained a surface movement with an emphasis on gift ministries, especially healing and personal prophecy, and never made room for the “fire” to come within, in order to purge and prepare the way for the restoration of the “apostle,” and apostolic anointing and power within the body of Christ.

Therefore, at this present time, the Charismatic visitation is fading.  When some well known leaders failed, their failure was an indication that the visitation, which they represented, had come short of the “fire” which would have so completely purged and cleansed, that the failures that took place would not have been possible.

Because the “apostolic” requires being in the presence of the Lord, only through this inner purging and cleansing will the Lord be able to come within His temple to restore the apostle to the same level of power (and greater) as in the early Church.

We are living in the time of the “Parousia” of the Lord - His presencing, or appearing to those being prepared to have a part in His end-time purposes.  As Jesus appears to these, He will impart a true apostolic anointing with power and confirming signs.

Therefore, the present Word of the Lord is: “Because those who were bidden to the feast did not respond (denominational ministries), the Holy Spirit is presently reaching out into the highways and by-ways, bidding those who are not (individual ungifted members of the Body of Christ), to enter and be clothed in apostolic anointing and power.”

At this present time, the “spotlight” of Divine activity is beginning to move from the pulpit into the pew.  As those within the Body of Christ who have no “apparent” abilities or giftings respond, they are being quickened by the manifested presence of the Lord to prepare them to function in the restoration of the apostolic.  A new wave of apostolic authority will again greatly affect the nations as they are shaken by the power of God.

The result will be the Kingdom of God established in righteousness and peace, and great joy will be manifest throughout the world, as Jesus becomes the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords.