The spiritual fire that fell at Pentecost not only destroyed sin but also, at times, impenitent sinners. Yes, that's right, unholy sinners in the midst of the Spirit-filled assembly. Annanias and his wife, Sapphira, gave us a lesson for the ages in what not to do in the midst of a Spirit-filled assembly: try to hide sin and lie to spirit-filled leaders! Their experience, like that of Nadab and Abihu, underscores that we who know God must stay self-examined and be prepared to deal with heresy in the church whenever it rears its ugly head. The Spirit's holy fire, which draws so many to Jesus and his lifestyle, repels others who have no intention of becoming true disciples. Paul warned us to reject confirmed heretics for the protection of the church. Jesus, too, warned us to watch out for them and judge them by their spiritual fruit – and issued a most solemn warning to the "Jezebel" that was misleading and harming the church at Thyatira. Do we fear God? That is, give Him the deep, reverent respect He alone deserved.

We know the tongues of fire that fell at Pentecost brought many constructive blessings. But did they also bring a destructive force? And if so, what was it? And why did it visit the Spirit-filled assembly of Christians? John the Baptist warned that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit would bring spiritual "fire" into our lives (Matthew 3:11-12). Just as flesh cannot stand before fired, our "flesh," or sinful, selfish, carnal nature and its ways and acts cannot stand before the examining, purging, purifying fires of the Holy Spirit. John said Christ came to "destroy" the works of Satan in us. n this episode Greg explains how the destructive force of the Spirit's spiritual fire works constructive wonders in us: purifying us, sanctifying us, making us a part of the bride church, qualifying us for the rapture, hastening the Lord's appearing, and making us effective believer-priests. And this fire is "unquenchable," meaning the Holy Spirit never stops trying to purge us as long as we live. Have you become weary of His holy fire cleansing you? Don't be!

Glorious as Pentecost's Christ-ignited fires were, there was more to the story: fiery faith always ignites fiery opposition! But if believers are willing to withstand this heated opposition, God always causes their fires of faith and devotion to grow hotter and wider! And we must also understand another key fact: only God's people can stop the rushing fires of revival. Sadly, this has happened all too frequently when hotly revived Christians cool off. Why? They reacted wrongly to resistance or persecution. Or, they seduced by immorality or heresy. Have you realized that unchecked sin checks revivals? That carnal attitudes – of envy, ministerial competition, sectarianism, and so forth – if not snuffed out by pastoral correction, will snuff out even God's hottest, most powerful heavenly revival fires? And that, for this reason, every Christian needs to learn how to overcome adversity God's way? Then neither external adversities nor internal carnality will overcome us and quench the precious revival fires the Holy Spirit so graciously ignites?