The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
This is an incredibly bold statement! Jesus, the King of heaven and earth told his disciples that it was better for Him to go so that mankind could receive the promise of the Father.
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.” (Luke 24:49)
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.” (Acts 1:8)
The Holy Spirit has worked, is working, and will work through believers to destroy every work of the devil, and to transform all creation back to How God intended it. The Holy Spirit is Life, and is swallowing up all sin, death, sickness and evil as each new person receives the Holy Spirit. The blessing of Abraham promises that all the nations will be blessed, and this happens through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:14)
The Holy Spirit is the power of God, the Kingdom of God, the salvation of God and gives life to those who receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Prophecy and Tongues often accompany the baptism in the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, that person is transformed and receives boldness, and is set free from the wisdom of man. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things and even teaches us a new way to think. We are given the mind of Christ when we receive the Holy Spirit and learn to walk in the supernatural power of God. The Holy Spirit gives us victory over sin and gives us the boldness to preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit destroys the works of the devil through any person who will submit to God’s love poured into their heart through the Holy Spirit given to them!
Before Jesus gave up His life on the cross, He told His disciples that He was leaving, but not to worry because He would come to them through the Holy Spirit.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:17-18)
He then told them that He and the Father will come with the Holy Spirit and make their home with those who receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:22-23)
The fullness of deity comes with the Holy Spirit, and saves those who receive this promise from all sin, sickness, death, evil and any enemy of God that would oppress us. We are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ and saved through His resurrection by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)
Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we are baptized with Him into His death. His death becomes our death. The bible tells us that we are co-crucified with Him, and that when we receive Him, we are made a brand new creation.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore ALL have died; (2 Corinthians 5:14)
Jesus takes the death and judgement appointed to all men, and comes a second time to those who are eagerly awaiting Him through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
Again, Jesus told us that for us who believe we do not come into judgment, but have already passed from death to life.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)
The world built through the wisdom of men and under the tyranny of darkness has been judged through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and that judgment is carried out by the Holy Spirit through the bride of Jesus Christ. This includes anyone who puts their faith in Jesus and has been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
And when he comes (The Holy Spirit), he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:8-11)
Jesus told us that we will do greater works than He did by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
We can see the early church walking this out as everyone who came to them was healed and provided for. We can see them destroying the works of the devil by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the book of Acts. There have been many evil teachings that have come into the body of Christ to diminish the working of the Holy Spirit through us today. Many have even deified (made out to be gods) the early apostles and disciples of Jesus so as to make it appear that they were the ones working the miracles and not the Holy Spirit through them. The promise of the Holy Spirit is the same for us today and will continue to be the same for anyone who receives the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus. Here is an account of the first out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. Notice how Peter says that this promise is for those far off, everyone whom the Lord calls to Himself...
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy... 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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:17-18, 38-39)
Many believers around the world have been reconciled to God through the death of His son Jesus, but are not walking in the power of His resurrection through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts shows us that there is a distinction between being baptized in the name of Jesus thus surrendering our lives to Him and being clothed with power from on High and thus resurrected from death to life. The following are two accounts where people had given their lives to Jesus and even been baptized in His name but were not immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit.
But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 8:12-17)
And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19:2-7)
There is no formula to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as the Holy Spirit can come before even being baptized in the name of Jesus as we see in Acts chapter 10...
While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. (Acts 10:44-48)
The gift of the Holy Spirit is for all who believe in Jesus. If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, first give your life to Him, and then ask Him to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ but are not walking in the power of the gospel, ask your Lord and Savior to baptize you in the Holy Spirit. God is eagerly desiring to give you the Holy Spirit!
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!” (Luke 11:13)
He is waiting to pour out this amazing gift on you! He is waiting to give you all of Himself! You cannot earn the Holy Spirit, you can only ask for and receive the Holy Spirit.