WEEK 4 – Baptized By The Helper

WEEK 4 – Baptized by the Helper

Series Title: The Helper Sermon Title: Immersed in Power: The Forgotten Baptism

INTRODUCTION – THE HOLY SPIRIT: EXPERIENCED, NOT JUST EXPLAINED

Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

We are living in a time when the Church must decide—will we be empowered by the Holy Spirit, or will we settle for informational Christianity that lacks the supernatural?

There is a growing epidemic in the Body of Christ: people who are informed but not empowered… religious but not revived. We’ve settled for theology without fire, liturgy without life, form without force.

 “The Holy Spirit is not a theory to understand; He is a person to encounter.”

Jesus did not merely promise the Spirit to comfort us. He promised the Spirit would clothe us in power, so we could carry out His mission with courage and clarity.

I. THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SEPARATE FROM SALVATION

John 20:22 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:4–5 “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.””

A. Let’s clarify this:

· In John 20, Jesus gave them the indwelling Spirit—regeneration.

This moment takes place after Jesus' resurrection. He appears to His disciples and gives them what many believe to be the first experience of the New Covenant indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus breathed on them, it was a spiritual act that mirrors Genesis 2:7, when God breathed into Adam and gave him life. In the same way, Jesus was now breathing spiritual life into His disciples—they were being born again.

In Acts 1, He promises a subsequentexperience: the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

B. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is:

· Not the moment of salvation.

The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from being saved or born again.

· Salvation happens when you place your faith in Jesus Christ and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 20:22).

· The baptism with the Holy Spirit happens after that, when the Spirit comes upon you to empower you for ministry and witness (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4).

· It’s not about being saved—it’s about being clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49).

· Not symbolic.

This is not just a nice idea or church tradition—it is a real, tangible encounter with the presence and power of God.

· In Acts 2, they heard the sound of wind, saw tongues of fire, and spoke in tongues.

· In Acts 10, the Spirit fell, and they spoke in tongues and magnified God.

· In Acts 19, they were filled and began to speak and prophesy.

The baptism with the Holy Spirit is experiential, evidential, and supernatural.

· Not optional.

Jesus commanded His disciples to wait until they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). If they needed power, how much more do we?

· This is not an upgrade for the spiritually elite.

· This is essentialfor anyone who wants to live fully in God’s purpose.

You can be going to Heaven and still live powerless on earth unless you receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

It is a distinct, divine empowerment—a clothing with supernatural boldness and enablement.

“We have settled for a Christianity that can be explained, but the Book of Acts was filled with believers who could not be ignored.”

II. THE PROMISE OF POWER IS PERSONAL AND PRESENT

Luke 24:49 “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.””

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

The word Jesus uses here—clothed—means to be wrapped, covered, and empowered.

This power is not figurative. It is functional.

A. What does the Spirit empower you to do?

· Live with integrity in a world of compromise.

· Speak with authority in a culture of confusion.

· Love boldly in an atmosphere of fear.

· Heal the sick, prophesy truth, and carry divine wisdom into every sphere.

 “God never intended for you to carry out a divine assignment in human strength.”

III. THE DAY THE CHURCH CAUGHT FIRE

Acts 2:1–4 “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

A. Pentecost was not a random revival—it was the birth of the empowered Church.

B. And the conditions were not complicated:

· They obeyed.

· They waited.

· They were unified.

· They were hungry.

“The Holy Spirit is not sent to those who want a moment. He’s sent to those who create space for Him to dwell.”

C. What happened?

· They heard a sound – Heaven has a voice.

· They saw tongues of fire – fire is for purification and power.

· They spoke in other tongues – heaven took hold of their speech.

This is not mystical—it’s miraculous. And it’s still available.

IV. TONGUES ARE A GATEWAY, NOT A FINISH LINE

Let’s be clear: the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not about speaking in tongues.

It’s about being fully immersed in the Spirit’s control—and tongues are often the first sign of that surrender.

James 3:8 “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

But God can.

In Acts 10, the Spirit fell and they spoke in tongues (Gentiles).

In Acts 19, the Spirit fell and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Ephesians).

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul said, “I speak in tongues more than all of you.”

Tongues are not about hype—they are about yieldedness.

They are not the mark of spiritual superiority—but of spiritual surrender.

“The baptism with the Spirit is not about how loud you can pray—it's about how deeply you can obey.”

V. THE COST OF CARRYING FIRE

The Holy Spirit is holy. He does not empower the half-hearted. He does not dwell in disobedience. He is given to those who fear the Lord and walk in reverence.

Acts 5:32 “And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.””

Do you want to be filled?

Then you must be surrendered.

You must choose the fire of the altar over the comfort of the pew.

“God doesn’t send fire to entertain. He sends it to consume.”

VI. HOW DO I RECEIVE THIS BAPTISM?

Many believers have asked: “How do I receive the Holy Spirit like they did in Acts?”

Scripture shows us a pattern:

Repent of known sin Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “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.”

Be baptized in water

Acts 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Acts 10:47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

3. Ask the Father Luke 11:13 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

4. Receive by faith Galatians 3:2 “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

5. Yield your body—especially your mouth Romans 6:13 “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

James 3

You don’t receive the baptism because you earn it. You receive it because you are empty enough for God to fill you.

CONCLUSION – THE HOLY FIRE IS STILL FALLING

“You weren’t called to live saved and safe. You were called to live saved and surrendered—baptized in holy fire.”

· You don’t need more information—you need impartation.

· You don’t need more entertainment—you need empowerment.

· And the Helper has come to clothe you with power from on high.