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The Holy Spirit
If you are not a Christian please read How to Become a Christian.
The Spirit is at work in all Christians, whether they have been
baptized in the Spirit or not. God can also use and does use Christians who for
one reason or another have not received the Baptism experience. However, the
baptism in the Holy Spirit will make one’s life and ministry even more
effective.
Who is the Holy
Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a person.
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are one in unity, as one
God.
The Holy Spirit descended in
bodily form like a dove upon Him (The Lord Jesus Christ), and a voice
came from heaven (God the Father) which said, "You are My beloved Son;
in You I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22).
For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one (1 John 5:7).
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
(Matthew 28:19).
What is the
baptism in the Holy Spirit?
The
baptism in the Holy Spirit is God's gift of spiritual power to the Church (Acts
2:38; 10:45; Hebrews 6:4).
When an
individual is born again of the Spirit the gift of salvation brings eternal
life (John 3:5-7). The gift of the Holy Spirit gives believers the power to
reach the lost with the Gospel message. It is a special work of the Holy Spirit
separate from salvation. This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the
experience of the new birth. On the Day of Pentecost, disciples who had already
made a decision to follow Jesus, "were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues" (Acts 2:4).
John the Baptist spoke of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, "I indeed
baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire." The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him
and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is
the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because
He was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing
with water was that He might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this
testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him.
I would not have known Him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with
water told me, The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He
who will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3:11; John
1:29-33).
Jesus spoke of the baptism
in the Holy Spirit, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water
will flow from within him." By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who
believed in him would later receive. Up to that time the Holy Spirit had not
been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified (John
7:37-39).
Before Jesus ascended into
heaven He said, "For John truly baptized with water, but you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. You will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts
1:5; 8).
Did early Christians
receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?
The baptism in Holy Spirit was a normal experience in the early
Christian Church. Jesus' told them, "I am going to send you what My Father has
promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on
high". When the day of Pentecost came, they were all with one accord in one
place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to
them tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
Spirit enabled them (Luke 24:49; Acts 2:1-4).
Peter and John laid their hands on them and they received the Holy
Spirit (Acts 8:17).
While Peter was
still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the
word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as
came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the
Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God (Acts
10:44-46). When Peter told the other apostles what had happened he said, "As I
began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the
beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: John baptized with water,
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts
11:15-16).
When Paul placed his
hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and
prophesied. There were about twelve men in all (Acts
19:6-7).
The promise Jesus made
before He returned to heaven was fulfilled, "This Jesus God has raised up, of
which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured
out this which you now see and hear" (Acts 2:32-33).
What is the evidence of the baptism in the Holy
Spirit?
The baptism of believers in
the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial sign of speaking with other tongues
as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The evidence always
occurred (and still does today) at the time believers were baptized in the
Spirit.
Speaking in tongues is the
only phenomenon mentioned every time Scripture supplies details concerning the
Baptism experience. Of the five instances in Acts which recount the experience
of believers being baptized in the Spirit, three supply details. Speaking in
tongues is the only one that occurs each time (Acts 2, 10, 19). In the Acts 10
account, tongues is specifically mentioned as proof that "the gift of the Holy
Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking
in tongues" (Acts 10:45, 46). The relationship between the phenomenon and the
experience cannot be ignored.
In the
two cases where details are not supplied, circumstances strongly imply that
speaking with other tongues accompanied the experience. In Acts 8 Simon saw
something (most likely tongues) that prompted him to offer money for the power
to impart such a gift. In Acts 9 Saul (who became Paul) is filled with the
Spirit without the mention of any details. However, Paul later testified, "I
speak in tongues more than all of you" (1 Corinthians 14:18). It is logical to
conclude that he began speaking in tongues when he was baptized in the Holy
Spirit.
What is the purpose of
the baptism in the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues?
The baptism in the Holy Spirit imparts power for life and service,
the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. The
Spirit of God will:
- Comfort you
(John 14:26)
- Teach you all
things and bring all things to your remembrance (John 14:26)
- Cloth you with
power from on high (Luke 24:49)
- Give you power
to be a witness for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8)
- Give you
visions and dreams (Acts 2:17)
- Give you
boldness (Acts 4:31)
- Guide you (Act
8:29, 39; 10:19; 11:12; 16:6-7; 21:4; Romans 8:14)
- Give you
rivers of living water in your life (John 7:38)
- Give you gifts
of wisdom, knowledge, discernment, faith, healings, miracles, tongues,
interpretation and prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
- Give you power
to preach, teach, heal, deliver, and liberate others (Luke 4:18-19)
- Give you power
over devils (Matthew 12:28)
- Help you in
your weaknesses (Romans 8:26)
- Help you pray
and intercede in the will of God (Romans 8:26-27)
- Build you up
in your most Holy faith (Jude 1:20)
There are at
least four uses or purposes of unknown tongues, according to the New Testament:
(1) as the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; 10:46;
19:6); (2) as a gift to edify the church when the tongues are interpreted (1
Corinthians 12:10); (3) as a sign for unbelievers that they might believe (1
Corinthians 14:22); and (4) as a God-given provision for effective prayer and
praise (1 Corinthians 14:2, 14). In all these cases, tongues is the same in
essence, but different in purpose.
Is the baptism in the Holy Spirit for today?
Yes. Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,
and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
In
Matthew 16:18 Jesus did not say, I will build my churches! He said I will build
my "Church". Jesus was smart enough to build the kind of church He wanted! Why
start out with a "powerful church" and end up with a powerless church?
Believers down through the ages have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Peter said, "You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for
you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our
God will call." (Acts 2:38-39).
Paul
said, Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
Who can receive the baptism in the Holy
Spirit?
All believers are entitled
to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the
baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
The baptism in the Holy
Spirit with the initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues is the
promise of the Father to every believer who desires the experience. On the day
of Pentecost Peter preached, "It will come to pass in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your
daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will
dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).
How
can I receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?
1. Repent: Peter said, "Repent and be baptized, every
one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts
2:38-39).
We need to confess and
turn away from all sin before seeking the baptism in the Holy
Spirit.
2. Pray: Jesus said,
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask
Him" (Luke 11:13).
We need to
ask God for His gift of the Holy Spirit.
3. Believe: Jesus said, "Those who believe in Him would
receive the Holy Spirit". Paul taught, that the blessing of Abraham might come
on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of
the Spirit through faith Jesus said,
"Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and
you will have them" (John 7:39; Galatians 3:14; Mark
11:24).
We need to believe that we
will receive the Holy Spirit when we ask for the Holy
Spirit.
4.
Receive: Paul found some disciples and
asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said
to him, "We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked,
"What baptism did you receive?" They said, "John's baptism." Then Paul said,
"John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that
they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
When they heard this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke
in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1-7).
We need to freely receive the Holy Spirit as the early
believers did. |
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