BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT

I was saved seventeen years ago and spent a number of years after this in a word based church which was great as it gave me a foundation in the word.

I read the bible from start to finish eight years in a row and I learnt and knew about the word.

But I felt there was something more.  Five years ago I received the baptism of the Spirit.

I had read about this and I understood the word around this but I didn’t realise this was something you received.

Since then it has been an amazing experience.

 

I have a friend who when he accepted Jesus as his saviour got the baptism of the Spirit at the same time.  This doesn’t happen to all of us this way and it hadn’t happened to me this way.

I had the water baptism of John but I didn’t have the baptism that Paul talked about.  I had been sealed in the spirit but not baptised in the Spirit.  There is a difference.

I have since found that there are a number of Christians who have had the baptism of the Spirit and never known a difference from walking in this.  But for a number of us we went years without the baptism of the Spirit even though we walked close to the Lord. And I still know a number of Christians who don’t have the baptism of the Spirit.

 

Acts 8:14

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

 

So in this case the baptism of the Spirit was a separate act after they had been saved.

 

I have spent time wondering why hadn’t I received the baptism of the Spirit earlier.

One of the requirements for the baptism I have grown to understand is that you need to desire it.

A right heart helps

Acts 8:20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

21 “You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

Why do you want it?  Is it for God’s glory and purpose or for yours!

 

Saul was baptised in the Spirit

Acts 9:17

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

 

Paul was baptised in the Spirit here.

Baptism of the Spirit can come before the baptism of the water.

47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

 

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

We need the baptism of water and spirit to enter the kingdom of God.  This doesn’t mean we aren’t saved.  We are saved the day we accept Jesus as our saviour.

But we can’t walk in the kingdom of God in power and authority unless we have both baptisms.  On earth as it is in heaven.  We have the ability to walk in much more here than I use to understand.  But with the baptism of the Spirit so much more has opened up.

Seek the baptism of the Spirit if you haven’t received it.

 

Acts 1:4

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;

5 “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

This baptism was the second act after the water baptism.  This was a separate act for those in the upper room.

 

Matthew 3:16 

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The dove represents the Holy Spirit which alighted upon Jesus at this time.

Matthew 4:1

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Interesting that Jesus received the baptism and then He was taken through temptations and trials. To see if He would stand as the devil didn’t want Him walking in what had now been released to Him.

Now He was always going to stand but will we as we go through the same process. He wants to get us to this same point of standing in Him so that we can be used fully.

Because when we can withstand the enemy then we can do the mission we have just like Jesus did His.

It is not unusual to go through trials after receiving the baptism of the Spirit as He brings us closer and closer to Him.

 

When I received the baptism of the Spirit the Lord took me on an interesting journey.  He wanted me to understand the Holy Spirit more as well as get a deeper level of understanding of the Lord.  He did this several ways:

•  Reading – In the first year He highlighted to me about 30 books to read on the Holy Spirit, on gifting’s, on people who had walked in huge anointing’s and on Him. He would tell me what books to read.
• Church – He asked me to go to a number of churches over several years. His words were “I need you to unlearn some things and learn some new things.  Every church has some good things and some not so good things.”  I learnt so much through this experience.
• Bible – Having read the bible start to finish eight years in a row He said “now I will take you to a different set of chapters each morning and highlight new learning’s to you.” When He did this it was like what i had read in the bible before came alive and new levels were revealed.  It came alive and there was new learning upon learning and this still continues every morning.

 

This has been my journey and I am sure each journey is different.

But I urge you if you haven’t received the baptism of the Spirit then seek Him on this as this gift will change your walk forever.  This is foundational in the walk of getting close to Him and completing what is written about you.