What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Knowing God

Today we are going to continue our Knowing God series with part 6

What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

This will be a pivotal message propelling us forward.

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. and As I’ve stated I beleive God is going to release Holy Spirit in an unprecedented, way

I don’t know what is going to happen, but I beleive new opportunities to encounter the presence of God in power ways is on the horizon.

I hope you plan on being part of it.

But today we set the stage.

with a topic that can be controversial in the church.

There are those who beleive this happened 2000 years ago and then stopped after the church was established

I believe we need Holy Spirit’s power more today than anyother time in History.

Maybe You’ve heard it said. “I can’t even go to walmart without the Holy Spirit.”

Thats’s true.

As we discussed Holy Spirit, we saw that Holy Spirit is the one who sustains us. Rebirths our Spirit. Equips, Empowers, leads and comforts us

As stated a few weeks ago every believer receives the Holy Spirit at conversion.

When you accept Christs forgiveness Holy Spirit comes inside and rebirths your spirit. brings your spirit to life.

John 3:5 NASB955 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 12:13 NASB9513 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Romans 8:9 NASB959 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Unfortuneatly for many believers it ends there, they spend the rest of their lives hearing Holy Spirit talk to them, but never recognizing His voice

Never receiving His gifts, and by their own efforts trying to manifest His fruit in their lives

The Bible is full of the promise of the Father and expectation to accept that promise

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit cam upon a certain individual for a certain time fro a certain task

He came only on selected leaders of the people,

such as the 70 elders Num. 11:24-27

Othniel (Judges 3:10)

Gideon (Judges 6:34)

Jephthah (Judges 11:29)

Each time the spirit came; the recipient(s) would immediately go on to complete a mighty act requiring power or wisdom, or to speak a prophetic word.

John 7:37–39 NASB9537 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

After Jesus was Glorified the Holy Spirit was sent by Jesus to fullfill the will of the father on earth through the people of God

But let’s first clarify the word baptism.

You may recall the word from water baptism.

baptism means to by submerged under something

So water baptism is being baptized under water.

John the baptist -known for baptising people, hence His name....

Matthew 3:11 NASB9511 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John the baptist was speaking about Jesus.

Acts 1 affrims this

Acts 1:4–5 NASB954 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So we see a progression Johns water baptism was a preamble for Jesus to send the Holy Spirit in Power.

Baptism vs Filling

I can not share this definitively, but allow me tro share what I believe and why I beleive it about Baptism and Filling.

I believe baptism and infilling are 2 very similiar events but are distictive.

The word Baptism implies being fully enveloped in the Holy Spirit

just like in water you are completely surrounded

The word Filling implies and internal filling up

So although they are very similiar and often used interchangeably, because its the same Spirit, they do have some differences.

I believe baptism is what happens at conversion.

Baptised in the Holy Spirit

John 1:33 NASB9533 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’

I beleive like baptism in water, Baptism in Holy Spirit is a one time event that invite Holy Spirit into your life to do His restorative works

Filled with the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1–4 NASB951 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

then again a few chapters we see they were filled again.

Acts 4:31 NASB9531 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

So we can see infilling is a repeatable event.

Now don’t get caught up on this, but rather.

from my study… The intial process is baptism, and subsequent experiences are fillings. but i encourage you to study this for yourself.

Early Church conversion and baptism were expected in succession

Acts 19:1–6 NASB951 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

The Apostles believed and practiced. Repentance then Holy Spirit baptism.

Unlike the modern church thinks

You received salvation,, mature a little bit and then go for the Spirits infilling, if at all.

Problem is that its Holy Spirits job to do the maturing.

So as a result we have all these imature christians walking around trying to mature on their own!

That’s not the way God intended.

We have to get into the practice that when we lead someone to Christ and they repent of their sins we should immediatley lead them to receive the Holy Spirit and Fire.!

Just like Paul did.

So how do we receive the Baptism and subsequent Fillings of the Holy Spirit

Simple answer, Ask for it.

Luke 11:10–13 NASB9510 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 “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?”

Just like to receive salvation we have the ABC principal

A- Ask for forgiveness

B- Believe that you are forgiven

C- Confess Jesus as Lord of Your Life.

thats how to begin the process of being saved

Same is true of the Holy Spirits Baptism/Filling

A- Ask to recieve Holy Spirit

B- Believe the Holy Spirit wants to fill your

C- Confess you have Holy Spirit in your Life

Holy Spirit Baptism is yeilding control of your life over to Holy Spirit so He can make it what God intended

James 4:2 NASB952 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

Holy Spirit will not force His way In. You have to invite Him.

Not of works

You can’t earn Holy Spirit by following the law

Galatians 3:2–4 NASB952 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

Laying on of Hands

Now there is much bibilical evidence that people can receive Holy Spirit by someone who is full of Holy Spirit laying hands on them

Acts 8:16–19 NASB9516 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 9:17–18 NASB9517 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

Acts 19:6 NASB956 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

Now I don’t beleive God limits himself with this.

If no one you know is filled with the Holy Spirit you can still be, simply by asking and beleiveing.

I beleive laying on of hands is one way God unifies the body of Christ, by imparting what God has given us.

Water baptism & Holy Spirit Baptism

When I get the opportunity to water baptise someone, I always pray for the Holy Spirit to Baptism them as well

Why? Its doing what Jesus did

Matthew 3:16–17 NASB9516 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit when He was baptized by John, it must be available for us as well

On a personal note. I can’t point to a time when the person I baptised in water wasn’t also baptised in the Holy Spirit

What is the result of being baptised in the Holy Spirit?

For Jesus, it started His earthly ministry

For the 120 in the upper room, it gave them the:

Power to be Jesus’s witnesses

Acts 1:8 NASB958 but you will 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.”

Dunamis- dynamite

We see for the 120 in the upper room

They began to speak in other unlearned languages

Acts 2:4 NASB954 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Tongues is a powerful gift Holy Spirit gives

please do not discount or rebuke it

we see the result of Holy Spirit working in this way

People Get saved

Acts 2:41 NASB9541 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

The Gifts of the Spirit are released

Start prophesying

Acts 19:6 NASB956 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

no training no teaching just the straight out Power of the Holy Spirit working in their lives

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 NASB951 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Fruit of the Spirit are manifest in our Lives

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB9522 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

These are just some of the results of allowing the Holy Spirit baptizing you and filling you afresh

How often should you seek to be filled with Holy Spirit?

my answer

Every chance you get.

No matter how much the Holy Spirit fills you, He always has more to give.

The more you allow Holy Spirit to pour out of your life His power onto the people around you, the more you need Him to fill you up again.