BAPTISM OF HOLY GHOST
There
are
some who believe that a person does not have the Spirit of God without
speaking in tongues. Because they believe that tongues is the "initial"
evidence of receiving the Spirit. But I think where the misunderstanding
is, they do not fully understand how one is BORN AGAIN. I hope what I
share here will help one understand better, the difference between,
being BORN of the Spirit and being FILLED/BAPTIZED with the Spirit.
First of all, let me say this:
-At Salvation, we are BORN of the Holy Spirit
-At Pentecost, we are FILLED/BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5,8 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the GIFT my FATHER PROMISED, which you have heard me speak about. (5) For John baptized with WATER, BUT in a few days you will be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT ... ( 8 ) But 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 2:1-4 When the day of PENTECOST came, they were all together in one place. (2) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (4) All of them were FILLED with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in OTHER TONGUES as the SPIRIT ENABLED them.
( Acts 1:4 ) The Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Spirit is a "GIFT". You can’t earn it. You can’t "become good enough" to receive it. We are baptized in the Holy Spirit entirely as a gift from God.
( Acts 1:4 ) It was and is a "PROMISE" from God the Father. Therefore, not to be avoided, but received.
( Acts 1:5 ) The "promise" is that "you will be BAPTIZED with the HOLY SPIRIT" — the essence of Pentecost. Many Christians today shy away from this experience. Yet it was at the heart of first-century Christianity and should be so today.
( Acts 1:5 ) "John baptized with WATER, BUT in a few days you will be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT."
There is a distinct difference between baptism in water and baptism with the Holy Spirit. Contrary to some anti-Pentecostal teaching, these are two distinct baptisms.
"You will RECEIVE POWER" from this baptism with the Spirit. Pentecost speaks of the POWER of the Holy Spirit in YOU. It means "power to be Christ’s WITNESSES." To be His WITNESSES, not to act strangely! This is the purpose of Pentecost — to be witnesses of Christ with power, leading to the saving of souls.
( Acts 2:1 ) Pentecost was a "DAY" historically in their lives. Each of US needs a historical day of Pentecost, a personal experience, not just "being around" it or merely in a Pentecostal church like ours. Every Christian is wise (and biblical) to believe for and receive his/her own personal baptism with the Holy Spirit. But please, do not tell a person that they are not saved before the Pentecostal experience, because that is speaking untruths to them.
AGAIN...
At salvation you are "BORN" of the Holy Spirit.
At Pentecost you are "FILLED" with the Holy Spirit.
It is one thing (surely a great thing!) to be born of the Spirit. It is an entirely other experience to be filled with, to be baptized with, the Holy Spirit.
( Acts 2:4 ) Something dramatic happens. You begin to "speak in other TONGUES." The same resulting evidence of speaking in tongues occurs in Acts 10:44-46, in Acts 19:1-6, and in the apostle Paul’s life (First Corinthians 14:1. It was the same experience received by the first 120 at Pentecost (compare Acts 2:1-4 with Acts 11:15-17).
( Acts 2:4 ) "as the SPIRIT ENABLED them" — the baptism with the Holy Spirit plunges you into the realm of the supernatural, the realm in which the Holy Spirit moves through you with His power.
Acts 2:36-39 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" ( 38 ) Peter replied, "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. (39) The PROMISE is for you and your children and FOR ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will CALL."
Peter’s Pentecostal sermon on the Day of Pentecost adds some insights and reinforces others we have seen. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is part of a TOTAL PACKAGE for the Christian — repentance, water baptism, and the baptism with the Spirit.
"...be baptized (in water)...AND you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Confirming Acts 1:5 that water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism are TWO DISTINCT baptisms.
"...you will RECEIVE the GIFT of the Holy Spirit."
-As in Acts 1:4, it’s a "GIFT." You can’t earn it.
-Also as in Acts 1:4, it is to be "RECEIVED." Don’t hold back, but in faith receive this blessing from God.
"The PROMISE is for YOU...and FOR ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will call."
As in Acts 1:4, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a "PROMISE" from God. And this promise was not just for them, but also for YOU — "for ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will CALL."
I just wanted to share a little more on the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to those who are believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4)
Salvation and gift of tongues
1. First....we are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2)
2. Then....God speaks His Gospel into the darkness of our sinful heart.
3. The Spirit works in the heart by the Word – awakens the heart to the truth of the Gospel - regeneration (2 Cor. 4:6)
4. When we see the light of the Gospel of Jesus we embrace it by faith (Romans 10:17)
5. And God justifies or counts us as righteous for Jesus' sake. (Romans 3:26)
6. After being born again – regenerated – given a new nature, the Holy Spirit moves in and begins to create a language inside of your spirit.
7. Once filled with the Holy Spirit, the gift is given – supernatural gift of tongues. Tongue and mouth will begin to shape the same words being created inside – must be spoken out.
For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6)
Before a person can be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive His supernatural gift of tongues, his human spirit must be born again in Christ Jesus. Without the new nature that sets him free from sin, the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with.
The Holy Spirit immediately moves into your new nature and begins to create a language on the inside of your spirit. When He does this, your tongue and mouth will begin to shape the same words He is creating inside.
Tongues is the gift (gift of tongues) that comes from the Holy Spirit.
This is where the separation is that I speak of. It is this new righteous nature, not your works, that God uses as the basis for baptizing you in the Holy Spirit. No other preparation can be made other than what has already been accomplished when you were washed in the blood of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit who has done the work of recreation is now ready to infill you – to step into that new nature you have received and help set you free from every form of sin and bondage. This is the work of sanctification Paul talked about in 2 Cor. 7:1.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a gift given to all BELIEVERS for power to live a holy life and to do the works of Jesus.
Look carefully what took place as recorded in Matthew 3:16,17; Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21,22. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened unto him, and the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove lighting upon him.
And if you notice, it is not until after this happened, that Jesus started his ministry. And just as it is with the disciples. You will notice that when they walked with Jesus and learned from him, they were still very weak and carnal men, always discussing who was going to be greater, and one denied him, etc. But you notice after the day of Pentecost when they received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, it gave them power to be witnesses, it made them bolder to speak/preach the word, and it gave them the power to do the works of Jesus. It equipped them for the ministry. AND... Receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the single most important key to receiving revelation knowledge from God.
You will notice that throughout Acts, when the Holy Ghost was received, it was always after they had BELIEVED or RECEIVED the WORD first. Their salvation took place first. They were justified by FAITH first, then they were baptized and received the Holy Ghost.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for the BELIEVER as mentioned in John 14. One must be a BELIEVER to receive the PROMISE of the HOLY GHOST, because the world cannot receive it. And as the Scripture says in Acts 2:4….they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. In order for the Spirit to give the utterance, it had to already be dwelling in the person first. A person must have the Spirit indwelling in them in order to receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost which is evidenced by speaking in tongues. The GIFT OF TONGUES.
First of all, let me say this:
-At Salvation, we are BORN of the Holy Spirit
-At Pentecost, we are FILLED/BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5,8 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the GIFT my FATHER PROMISED, which you have heard me speak about. (5) For John baptized with WATER, BUT in a few days you will be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT ... ( 8 ) But 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 2:1-4 When the day of PENTECOST came, they were all together in one place. (2) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (4) All of them were FILLED with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in OTHER TONGUES as the SPIRIT ENABLED them.
( Acts 1:4 ) The Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Spirit is a "GIFT". You can’t earn it. You can’t "become good enough" to receive it. We are baptized in the Holy Spirit entirely as a gift from God.
( Acts 1:4 ) It was and is a "PROMISE" from God the Father. Therefore, not to be avoided, but received.
( Acts 1:5 ) The "promise" is that "you will be BAPTIZED with the HOLY SPIRIT" — the essence of Pentecost. Many Christians today shy away from this experience. Yet it was at the heart of first-century Christianity and should be so today.
( Acts 1:5 ) "John baptized with WATER, BUT in a few days you will be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT."
There is a distinct difference between baptism in water and baptism with the Holy Spirit. Contrary to some anti-Pentecostal teaching, these are two distinct baptisms.
"You will RECEIVE POWER" from this baptism with the Spirit. Pentecost speaks of the POWER of the Holy Spirit in YOU. It means "power to be Christ’s WITNESSES." To be His WITNESSES, not to act strangely! This is the purpose of Pentecost — to be witnesses of Christ with power, leading to the saving of souls.
( Acts 2:1 ) Pentecost was a "DAY" historically in their lives. Each of US needs a historical day of Pentecost, a personal experience, not just "being around" it or merely in a Pentecostal church like ours. Every Christian is wise (and biblical) to believe for and receive his/her own personal baptism with the Holy Spirit. But please, do not tell a person that they are not saved before the Pentecostal experience, because that is speaking untruths to them.
AGAIN...
At salvation you are "BORN" of the Holy Spirit.
At Pentecost you are "FILLED" with the Holy Spirit.
It is one thing (surely a great thing!) to be born of the Spirit. It is an entirely other experience to be filled with, to be baptized with, the Holy Spirit.
( Acts 2:4 ) Something dramatic happens. You begin to "speak in other TONGUES." The same resulting evidence of speaking in tongues occurs in Acts 10:44-46, in Acts 19:1-6, and in the apostle Paul’s life (First Corinthians 14:1. It was the same experience received by the first 120 at Pentecost (compare Acts 2:1-4 with Acts 11:15-17).
( Acts 2:4 ) "as the SPIRIT ENABLED them" — the baptism with the Holy Spirit plunges you into the realm of the supernatural, the realm in which the Holy Spirit moves through you with His power.
Acts 2:36-39 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" ( 38 ) Peter replied, "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. (39) The PROMISE is for you and your children and FOR ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will CALL."
Peter’s Pentecostal sermon on the Day of Pentecost adds some insights and reinforces others we have seen. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is part of a TOTAL PACKAGE for the Christian — repentance, water baptism, and the baptism with the Spirit.
"...be baptized (in water)...AND you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Confirming Acts 1:5 that water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism are TWO DISTINCT baptisms.
"...you will RECEIVE the GIFT of the Holy Spirit."
-As in Acts 1:4, it’s a "GIFT." You can’t earn it.
-Also as in Acts 1:4, it is to be "RECEIVED." Don’t hold back, but in faith receive this blessing from God.
"The PROMISE is for YOU...and FOR ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will call."
As in Acts 1:4, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a "PROMISE" from God. And this promise was not just for them, but also for YOU — "for ALL who are far off — for ALL whom the Lord our God will CALL."
I just wanted to share a little more on the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to those who are believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4)
Salvation and gift of tongues
1. First....we are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2)
2. Then....God speaks His Gospel into the darkness of our sinful heart.
3. The Spirit works in the heart by the Word – awakens the heart to the truth of the Gospel - regeneration (2 Cor. 4:6)
4. When we see the light of the Gospel of Jesus we embrace it by faith (Romans 10:17)
5. And God justifies or counts us as righteous for Jesus' sake. (Romans 3:26)
6. After being born again – regenerated – given a new nature, the Holy Spirit moves in and begins to create a language inside of your spirit.
7. Once filled with the Holy Spirit, the gift is given – supernatural gift of tongues. Tongue and mouth will begin to shape the same words being created inside – must be spoken out.
For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6)
Before a person can be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive His supernatural gift of tongues, his human spirit must be born again in Christ Jesus. Without the new nature that sets him free from sin, the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with.
The Holy Spirit immediately moves into your new nature and begins to create a language on the inside of your spirit. When He does this, your tongue and mouth will begin to shape the same words He is creating inside.
Tongues is the gift (gift of tongues) that comes from the Holy Spirit.
This is where the separation is that I speak of. It is this new righteous nature, not your works, that God uses as the basis for baptizing you in the Holy Spirit. No other preparation can be made other than what has already been accomplished when you were washed in the blood of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit who has done the work of recreation is now ready to infill you – to step into that new nature you have received and help set you free from every form of sin and bondage. This is the work of sanctification Paul talked about in 2 Cor. 7:1.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a gift given to all BELIEVERS for power to live a holy life and to do the works of Jesus.
Look carefully what took place as recorded in Matthew 3:16,17; Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21,22. When Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened unto him, and the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove lighting upon him.
And if you notice, it is not until after this happened, that Jesus started his ministry. And just as it is with the disciples. You will notice that when they walked with Jesus and learned from him, they were still very weak and carnal men, always discussing who was going to be greater, and one denied him, etc. But you notice after the day of Pentecost when they received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, it gave them power to be witnesses, it made them bolder to speak/preach the word, and it gave them the power to do the works of Jesus. It equipped them for the ministry. AND... Receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the single most important key to receiving revelation knowledge from God.
You will notice that throughout Acts, when the Holy Ghost was received, it was always after they had BELIEVED or RECEIVED the WORD first. Their salvation took place first. They were justified by FAITH first, then they were baptized and received the Holy Ghost.
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for the BELIEVER as mentioned in John 14. One must be a BELIEVER to receive the PROMISE of the HOLY GHOST, because the world cannot receive it. And as the Scripture says in Acts 2:4….they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. In order for the Spirit to give the utterance, it had to already be dwelling in the person first. A person must have the Spirit indwelling in them in order to receive the GIFT of the Holy Ghost which is evidenced by speaking in tongues. The GIFT OF TONGUES.
AFTER YOU ARE SAVED......
Do you want the power to be a witness for Christ? Do you want boldness to speak and preach God's Word? Do you want power to do the works of Jesus? Do you want to be equipped for your ministry? And most importantly, do you want to receive revelation knowledge from God? THEN... Receive ye the Baptism of the Holy Ghost!!
Do you want the power to be a witness for Christ? Do you want boldness to speak and preach God's Word? Do you want power to do the works of Jesus? Do you want to be equipped for your ministry? And most importantly, do you want to receive revelation knowledge from God? THEN... Receive ye the Baptism of the Holy Ghost!!
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