THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: God's New Way of Working With His People

Memorial Drive 1/13/19 THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT: Baptism of the Spirit (Pt. 2) Examples of godly men who write about “receiving the Spirit” and “being baptized in the Spirit” and having the Holy Spirit “come upon” them … all AFTER salvation! Why mention these things? … Two Initial Thoughts As We Continue Our Study of the Holy Spirit … We Must Come To Our Study With Humility … We Must Be Careful With Our Words So That, To the Best of Our Ability, What We Believe and What We Teach Is True There are good things to be learned and taken from BOTH camps! … REVIEWING ACTS 2: The Receiving of, Baptism of, and Filling of the Spirit Why Acts 2? What happened there? Why were there similar later experiences? Acts 2 and following as a pattern? Or unique and not repeatable? Three Points … • There was A GOOD REASON for subsequent events similar to the Acts 2 event! Not to establish a pattern to be followed but to unify all believers into one Body. See Acts 11:17-18 • Scripture clearly teaches that EVERY CHRISTIAN has received the Holy Spirit. “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” (Romans 8:9-10) • Scripture clearly teaches that EVERY CHRISTIAN has been baptized by/in/with the Spirit. “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.” (I Corinthians 12:13) A NEW TIME IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD’S SPIRIT AND HIS PEOPLE … The “WAY OF THE SPIRIT WITH GOD’S PEOPLE” In the Old Testament … Genesis 1:2 - The Spirit of God was involved in creation Genesis 2:7 - he Spirit of God was involved in the giving of life Genesis 6:7 - The Spirit of God wouldn’t “strive” with man forever Various Texts - The Spirit “came upon” some to empower and equip for tasks Various Texts - The Spirit was active in the lives of the prophets Numbers 11:29 – Moses wish that God would put His Spirit upon ALL God’s Spirit in Old Testament … • Came upon or into certain people only • He equipped and empowered for a particular task • His presence wasn’t guaranteed permanent A New “Way Of The Spirit With God’s People” PROMISED In the Old Testament … Ezekiel 39:27, 29 God will make holy for He “WILL HAVE poured out” His Spirit Jer. 31:33 God will make a New Covenant … Law SHALL BE “in them … on heart” Isaiah 44:1-5 I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON YOUR OFFSPRING AND MY BLESSING ON YOUR DESCENDANTS … (vs. 3) Joel 2:28-29 “After this” … “I will pour out My Spirit” … “in those days” The “New Way of the Spirit With God’s People” FULFILLED In the New Testament … What Moses WISHED FOR, the prophets PROPHECIED, the Father PROMISED , The Son Jesus PROMISED … it all happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2! Why is much of Acts 2 unrepeatable? Because the movement from the Old Covenant and the way of God’s Spirit with God’s people in the Old Testament to the New Covenant and the way of God’s Spirit in the New Testament happened at a point in time. Once that transition was complete, every believer receives the Spirit of God, and every believer is baptized in the Spirit! (Rom. 8, I Cor. 12) Sooooo … what do we do with Godly men, used by God, who speak of a “post-salvation” work of the Spirit that can be life-changing, bring amazing joy, and equip us with greater power? Perhaps humbly suggest a more accurate terminology could be used ! Certainly thank God for giving me His Spirit and “Spirit-baptizing” me into His Body ! Absolutely understand that there is more to be had and more to be experienced OF and THROUGH God’s Spirit, and this is true, biblical, and greatly to be desired and sought! Let us experience all of the Holy Spirit we can as we allow Him to get all of us that He desires!