Teachings

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

What Does the Bible Say About Being Filled with the Holy Spirit?

The Bible speaks of two baptisms:

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16 NIV)

Once you have accepted Christ as your Savior, if you desire to walk in power and increased understanding you can be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a personal experience, separate from salvation.

Jesus did not allow his disciples to begin their public ministry after His resurrection until they had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. He explained, “for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5 NASB)

In addition to salvation, God wants His people to receive this flooding of their inner being with the Spirit of God called “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” When the Holy Spirit is allowed to come in the fullness of His power into a person’s life, their human personality is immersed in His Presence.

Concerning the purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NASB)

As a Christian, you can be filled with the Holy Spirit, according to God’s Word. This personal experience will help you to:

v Walk in power for Christian service (Act 1:8 )

v To be edified, bringing divine strength and rest to your spirit (1 Cor 14:4)

v Intercede (Rom 8:26-27)

v Minister To God (1 Cor 14:2)

v Minister on Behalf of Others (Eph 6:18)

v Increase your Faith (Jude 20; 1 Cor 14:4)

The Book of Acts

Five different accounts of people receiving the fullness or infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit are recorded in the Book of Acts. You can read the way in which Jesus’ disciples and more than 100 other Christian believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit in chapter 2. In the same chapter, you will discover that all Christians have a right to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Peter said, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

All who have accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord are entitled to and should earnestly seek the “promise of the Father” — the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Jesus asked, “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 KJV)

What Happens When You Receive?

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8 NASB)

It was the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost that changed Peter from a coward to a bold preacher for Christ, and 3000 were saved in one day. (Acts 2:41)

Within this Scripture (Acts 1:8) He makes three points:

1. The Holy Spirit is the Person and supplies the power by which assistance and ability are given for serving and for sharing the life of God with others.

2. The Holy Spirit’s power must be “received”; it is not an automatic experience. As surely as the Holy Spirit indwells each believer (Rom. 8:9), so He will fill and overflow (John 3:37) each who receives the Holy Spirit in childlike faith.

3. When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will know it. Jesus said it and the disciples found it to be true. (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4)

The Upper Room Experience

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31 NIV)

The same Holy Spirit that filled the disciples in the upper room wants to fill you today. This is God’s gift to you as a believer.

When a Christian believer prays for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he desires to know he has received the same experience described in the Book of Acts. God gives the same evidence now, today, as He did back then — speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance,

miraculously enabling you to utter words in a language you have never learned.

The Bible says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4 NKJ)

“For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.”(1 Corinthians 14:2 NASU)

“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.” (Acts 19:6 NASU)

“For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.” (Acts 10:46 NASU)

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit can happen to believers before or after water baptism (Acts 10:44-48). The Holy Spirit can come upon believers while reading the Word of God, while praying, or after the Word has come forth in a message and through the laying on of hands.

Some people are afraid to ask God for the gift of the Holy Spirit because they think it will make them weird and fanatical; or due to past teaching, they may be confused about this gift.

But God compares asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit with a child asking his earthly father for fish or for an egg. This earthly father will not respond by giving his child a serpent or a scorpion. Likewise, if you ask God for the infilling of His Holy Spirit, He will give you that which is good.

The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is necessary to produce power within a believer above normal human strength, energy, wisdom and understanding. The promise belongs to you as much as it has to other generations. Keep in mind that if you are a believer, the Holy Spirit already dwells within you. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you will experience His fullness (Acts 10:46; Rom 8:2,9,15).

Will you allow God to fill you with His Spirit and release the fullness of His power and anointing in you today?

Prayer: Lord, I understand through your Word that never changes that the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be mine today. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. I desire the entry into the Spirit-filled life that this gift affords. I confess my desire for power from God for life and service. I pray and ask You today Lord, to fill me in the fullness of Your Holy Spirit and cause me to experience a deepened reverence for You, for Your Word and for Your fullness in my life. I surrender myself to You, spirit, soul and body. Have Your way by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Now, believe that He has filled you. Praise Him and thank Him for it.

After the initial infilling you can ask God to fill you daily. Your daily personal surrender to God will allow Him to fill you continually. We must keep our hearts clean before God and we must not grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30).

Once you are filled with the Holy Spirit, in order to stay filled continually you must come to realize that it is not more of the Holy Spirit that you need, but more of yourself that you need to surrender to Him. As you yield your life to God and put your trust in Him, “out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

“He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, from his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).” (John 7:38-39 AMP)

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Garden of the Heart Ministries:prayer@gardenoftheheart.com or info@gardenoftheheart.com

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Garden of the Heart Ministries
2267 Oakhill Drive
Green Bay, WI 54313