The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

By Pastor Charles S. Taff

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is part of your inheritance as a Christian. Jesus promised the fullness of the Holy Spirit to all who believe.

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" -- John 7:38-39

On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the infant Church. This great out pouring was not suppose to be a one time event, but a common occurrence in the New Testament experience. According to the Apostle Peter it is available to everyone of all generations.

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." -- Acts 2:39

So common was the experience of receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the early church that the Apostle Paul when finding believers in Ephesus, asked them, as though it was common knowledge, if they had received this gift from God. (Acts 19:1-2)

And so it is today, we want to ask you the same penetrating question,"Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" If not allow us a few brief minutes to share with you this great experience the Lord offers.

All believers are entitled to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is your responsibility to seek God for this beautiful experience. With the infilling of the Holy Spirit comes the endowment of power for the Christian life and service

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."--Acts 1:8

With your Baptism in the Holy Ghost comes the bestowing of the gifts of the Spirit and their uses in the work of the ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)

This experience is different from being "born again", or "saved". You need to first be born again and then you are eligible to receive the Baptism in the Spirit to aid in your Christian growth. With the Baptism of the Holy Ghost comes such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, a deepened reverence for God, an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work , and a more active love for Christ, for His word, and for the lost.

In the Bible, when people received the baptism in the Holy Ghost they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 1:8) This means that they spontaneously spoke in a language they had never learned before. It was a supernatural language of prayer, praise and adoration to God. You can expect the same phenomenon to happen at your baptism. Don't be afraid, Jesus assures us that there is nothing to fear. The Spirit is a good gift from God.

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" -- Luke 11:13

How may I be filled with the Holy Spirit?

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift and so, He must be received as a gift. You do not need to beg for Him, or worry about earning Him, He comes in response to our faith. The medium by which we reach God is always the same - Faith! In order to receive the Baptism in the Holy Ghost you must look to Jesus the baptizer. Seek the Lord in prayer and begin to thank him for the baptism and begin to expect to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Don't get caught up in seeking for the experience, keep your focus upon Jesus, He is the baptizer, draw spiritually closer to Jesus and you will receive.

Don't get sidetracked into seeking for tongues. They are the evidence of the Holy Spirit's fullness, but you are not desiring tongues, you are desiring more of Jesus' fullness in your life. The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a natural by product of drawing closer to God. As you are basking in his presence, you will reach a point where words fail to express your love for Him. At that point is where you need to let God take over your tongue and let the language of heaven fill your mouth.

"I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." -- Psalms 81:10

As you begin to speak with other tongues, don't worry about the words, God is in charge of that department. The word's you speak will come from your spirit and not your brain. Just allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you. It sounds beautiful to the Lord.

What Next?

The experience God has just blessed you with is not for one time only in your life. There is a whole life to live for Jesus and you will need his fullness every day. That Prayer language that you just received is yours to use in prayer daily. To Praise and Worship God (Luke 1:64), To intercede for needs (Romans 8:26) and to live victoriously every day (Jude 1:20-24) . You will not lose it or wear it out.

If you have received the Holy Spirit, E-mail us and let us know.

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