THE HOLY SPIRIT :
The CLEANSING & THE

SANCTIFYING FIRE

Introduction

“Our God is a consuming fire!”

OT — Dt 4:24 ... Told by Moses


NT — Heb 12:29 ... Written by the author of Hebrews

Of the three Persons of the Godhead,
mostly the Holy

Spirit is compared to fire —

LUKE 12:49,50 - I am come to send fire on the earth; and

what will I, if it be already kindled?
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I
straitened till it be accomplished!

Lk 12:49,50 —Fire on Earth (already kindled = initial

blessings of the Spirit
before Calvary and Pentecost) — Spirit of burning

Isa 4:4 - When the Lord shall have washed away the filth
of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood
of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of
judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Dan 7:9,10a — Fiery stream from the Throne

( V9,10- I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the
Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was
like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him)

Acts 2:3,4 — Tongues of Fire

( And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of

fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.)

Rom 12:11 —Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit;

serving the Lord;

Fervent in Spirit
(= on fire with the Spirit)

 1 Thess 5:19— Quench not the Spirit as His Name goes,
(Holy Spirit),
He is essentially the Fire of Sanctification

— Mt 3:11,12 - I indeed baptize you with water unto

repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge

his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will
burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
burn the chaff

Isa 4:4 ... washed ... purged He sanctifies us by burning up

the chaff —

Isa 5:24 -Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and

the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because
they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and
despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

… stubble ... chaff

This chapter of Isaiah 5 mentions “SIX WOES,” thus
condemning SIX DEFINITE SINS—

1. Selfishness (Isa 5:8) -

ISAIAH 5:8 - Woe unto them that join house to house, that
lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be
placed alone in the midst of the earth!

• Hosea 10:1 — Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth

forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his
fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the
goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
•
• Fruit to himself, so Israel fruitless. 

cf. Joseph, Gen 49:22 -
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well;
whose branches run over the wall

• Lk 3:9 — And now also the axe is laid unto the root of
the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
•
• Fruitless tree into fire!
• What to do then? 

• Answer: vv10,11 — Share clothes & food!
• 

• 2 Tim 3:1,2a — The first sign of the last days - This
know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy,

• Selfishness in family life —


• Eph 5:25-29,1,2 ... Bless the spouse ...
•

Selfishness in Church life —
Gifts ... 1 Cor 14:12,13 - Even
so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the
edifying of the church.
• 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he
may interpret
•
• ... USE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT TO Edify others
•
• Mt 6:9-13 ... LORD’S PRAYER - Not “I” and “my”
• but “our” and “us” Job 31:16-23 ... poor ... fatherless
...

Selfishness in Social life —

Job 31:16-23 ... poor ... fatherless ...
2. Worldly Pleasures (Isa 5:11-14) –
V11 - Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning,
that they may follow strong drink; that continue until
night, till wine inflame them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and
wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of
the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because

they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are
famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her

mouth without measure: and their glory, and their
multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall
descend into it.

Rather than the Joy of the Lord

= “Substitutes for His Joy”

• Sensationalism & Ceremonialism rather than a quiet

and expectant walk of faith 

•
• Ex 32:1,6,7,11 — Golden calf
•
• 
Hos 8:14 — For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and
buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities:
but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the
palaces thereof.
•
• Maker forgotten, temples built 

•
• Sinful pleasures leading to disregard for holy things
• Dan 5:23-28 — King Belshazzar 

• 1 Sam 2:12-14,17,22,25b — Sons of Priest Eli 

•
Boasting of riches
Job 31:24-28 ... gold my hope ...
Counsel — Col 3:5-7 ... covetousness ... wrath of God

3. Wilful & Fearless Sinning (Isa 5:18,19) -

( Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity,

and sin as it were with a cart rope:
19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work,
that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of
Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!)

• Heb 10:26-31 ... Fearful thing... hands of the

living God 

Prov 29:1 ... Often reproved ... hardening ... destroyed
• (He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.)
•
. 2 Cor 7:10,11 ... godly sorrow + thorough repentance
(Seven ingredients of godly sorrow)

• 
4. Truthlessness (Isa 5:20)

• ( Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;
that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!)
•
• Rev 21:8b ... all liars ... fire 
Prov 12:22 ... lying lips ...
abomination to God 

•
• Jn 8:44 ... Devil is the father of lies. 

• Mt 5:33-37 ... Jesus condemns it.
• Js 5:12 ... Apostles condemn it. 

•
- Gen 18:12-15 ... Importance of thought, unspoken
(Sarah) 

-
• Acts 5:4c...Lying to man is lying to God the Holy Spirit.
Lying leads to hypocrisy. 

• Hypocrites terrorised by fire (Isa 33:14,15a)
5. PRIDE & ARROGANCE - (ISAIAH 5:21) –
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and
prudent in their own sight!

Isa 10:12-17 ... God becomes a fire to burn the pride of

Assyria.
The very instrument used by God, now burnt down
because of pride.
Rom 11:17-22
God sets aside some and blesses us in life or work. Be not
haughty.
Isa 47:8,10,14 ... pleasures ... no one besides me ...
Fatted heart because no immediate punishment (Eccl
8:11)- Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.


Shall be burnt with fire.

6. Injustice (Isa 5:22,23) - Woe unto them that are mighty

to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
• 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take
away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
•
• Job 15:34b 
Fire consumes the house of bribery.


• 2 Pet 3:7,13
Present world of injustice kept for fire. 


- Partiality is a sin.
Js 2:1-4 ... golden ring ... rags ... 


- Isa 33:14-16
Fortress, bread, waters, etc. given to the
just. No destruction by fire. 


• Ob 17,18
Injustice to Jacob by Laban 


• Injustice to Joseph by brothers
•
• 
Conclusion
•
• 
Isa 4 — Promise of cleansing Fire (vv3,4)
• 5— Punishment by consuming Fire (v24)
• 6 — Purification by cleansing Fire (vv5-7)
•
• 
Repent — Be blessed by cleansing fire!
• Rebel — Be burnt by consuming
fire
•
•
• ………………………………………………………………………………….
•
• TO SHALOM CPF GLOBAL - FEBRUARY-18-2023
•
• Sambi.india@gmail.com
•