04/18/2024
The baptism of the Spirit is an experience that is much needed for every believer to reach and function in their full potential in Christ. There are some common misunderstandings regarding this, and we will look to clear it first before looking in detail on the experience itself.
First, we need to establish from scripture that this is a separate and unique experience not related to the experience during salvation.
In almost all of the occasions in Acts, we see that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was a separate experience apart from salvation.
One such example is of Philip ministering in Samaria; people there already believed and were baptized in water, but only after Peter and John came, they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit! (Acts 8)
Most people argue that baptism of the Spirit is during salvation itself, from the example of Cornelius and his household receiving the Spirit when the word was preached! One very basic thing to note there is they spoke in tongues which those who argue usually don’t believe in (Acts 10:44 to 46). This was a unique and a one-time thing as it was God’s way of showing the Jews that grace had been given to the Gentiles for salvation! Otherwise, Peter and the Jews would have had difficulty accepting the Gentiles into the fold.
The best example to differentiate the Holy Spirit being given during salvation and in fullness in baptism is by looking into the lives of the disciples themselves!!
In John 20:22 – Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, receive ye the Holy Spirit, the context of that passage is salvation as it talks about forgiveness.
Acts 1:8 and Acts 2– we see Jesus asking them to wait for the Spirit further and then the disciples receiving baptism of the Spirit subsequently, so they are two separate experiences!!
Now, after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, God’s work in a believer should be in greater measures than before, but one of the main works is mentioned is in Acts 1:8 – Ye shall be my witness. Actually, the word witness means martyr. Jesus was saying to the disciples that they would have the power to be faithful even to the point of death!!The baptism of the Spirit is the empowerment to be a witness for Jesus in every situation!!
Now, we will see what we need to do to prepare ourselves for His experience.
How to receive the baptism of the Spirit
- Repent and be baptized – In Acts 2:38,39, Peter says that repentance and being baptized is a prerequisite to receiving the gift / baptism of the Spirit. So, a person must be saved prior to baptism of the Spirit.
- Do we thirst? – In John 7: 37 to 39, Jesus requires thirst as a prerequisite to receiving the Spirit. Unless we come to a place of desiring after the baptism of the Spirit, we will not be in a proper place to receive.
- To be a witness – Acts 1:8 says that the Spirit’s power/baptism is so that we should be witnesses/martyrs. Our motive must be right in desiring the Spirit’s power which, is that we should be effective witnesses for Christ at all times.
- Ask- In Luke 11:13, Jesus says that we must ask God for the gift of the Spirit. So, we must ask Him.
- Notice in the same passage it says that it is a gift. We cannot earn it but must simply receive it as a grace of GOD by faith.
- Also, the context of the verses is that we are asking for something very essential as food. So, we must believe that God will definitely give.
- Finally, the passage in Luke is talking about a loving heavenly Father. So we must ask, believing in the love and Grace of God.
As He baptizes us; the Spirit will come to reside in us in fullness. We will be empowered with supernatural power to be witnesses for Christ in all situations and the usual initial evidence of the Spirit’s baptism is the evidence of speaking in tongues.
