|
The Immersion with the Holy
Spirit
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is one of the most
misunderstood subjects of the Bible. The whole Christian world is divided on the
subject and for that reason every thinking Christian should search the
Scriptures and have an open mind to every statement in the Bible which throws
any light upon the subject. We invite your unbiased attention to the
following facts in Scriptures below. The purpose of the
Spirit-baptism is not to save the soul, sanctify one, or make him/her a child
of God. The chief purpose of the Spirit-baptism is to endue individuals with
power from on high to walk in what is stated in this study. Therefore, it is
the all-important experience of true believers today.
1. John’s baptism in water (Mt. 3; Mk. 1; Lk. 3; 7:29–30; Jn.
1:31–33; 3:23–26; 10:40; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:3) 2. Christ’s baptism in water (Jn. 3:22; 4:1–2) 3. Baptism in suffering (Lk. 12:50) 4. Baptism in the cloud and in the sea (1 Cor. 10:2) 5. Christian baptism in water (Mt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38–41;
8:12–16, 36–38; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; 1 Cor. 1:13–17;
1 Pet. 3:21) 6. Baptism into Christ and into His body (Rom. 6:3–7; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27;
Col. 2:12) 7. Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:11, 14; 20:22–23; Mk. 1:8;
10:38–39; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:33; 7:37–39; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:2–6) Three Baptisms for Believers 1. Into Christ or into His body at repentance and
the new birth (pt.
6, above). Called “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5), because it is the only baptism
that saves the soul and brings into the body of Christ. 2. Water baptism after one is saved (pt. 5, above and consider Mt. 3:11, as
well as this Bible study).
3. Spirit baptism, the enduement of power for
service. It can take place before water baptism (Acts 10:44–48) or after it (Acts
1:4–8; 2:1–11; 8:12–21; 19:1–7). The Holy
Spirit is the agent to baptize into Christ and into His body (1 Cor. 12:13); Christ
is the agent to baptize in the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:11; Jn. 1:31–33); and
the authentic Christian minister is the agent to baptize into water (Mt. 28:19). Drinking of the
Spirit is the same as partaking of His power. One can partake of Him in
sonship without being baptized in the Spirit (Rom. 8:15; consider also Jn.
3:34; 7:37). The Clear Pattern in Scripture Acts 8:5-19 states, “Philip went to the
city of Samaria and told the people there about Jesus the Messiah. Crowds
listened intently to Philip…The people believed Philip's message of Good News
concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many
men and women were water baptized. “When
the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's
message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new [water] baptized
believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon
any of them, for they had only been water baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. Then Peter and John laid
their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Kindly
notice that the people of Samaria received the word of God, believed, were
water-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And then there was something
else so significant that the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to
pray for them specifically. Yet what
else was so crucial for the new water-baptized believers to receive? The baptism
with the Holy Spirit. “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” –Acts 19:2 Consider These Foundation Scriptures
I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance,
but He who is coming after me [Jesus; Yeshua] is mightier than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew
3:11) I [John the Baptist] indeed baptized you with water, but He [Jesus; Yeshua] will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit.” (Mark
1:8) John [the Baptist] answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you
with water; but One mightier than I [Jesus; Yeshua] is coming, whose sandal
strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke
3:16) I [John the Baptist] did not know Him, but He who sent me [Jesus;
Yeshua] to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit
descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with
the Holy Spirit.’ (John
1:33) Then Jesus returned in the power
of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him
went out through all the surrounding region. Behold, I [Jesus;
Yeshua] send the promise of My Father upon you [born-again disciples]; but stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued
with power from on high. (Luke
24:49) Do not leave Jerusalem until the
Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. John truly
baptized with water; but you [born-again disciples] shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit in just a few days (Jesus at Acts 1:5). You [the born-again apostles] shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you (Jesus at Acts 1:8a). … ALL of them [believers] were filled
with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:3-4) And they [believers] were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance. (Acts 2:4) The promise is for every follower
of Jesus who yields to His simple conditions (Acts 2:38,39; 8:21-23; Luke 11:9-13). The promise of God to send His
Holy Spirit to live within the lives of believers was fulfilled on the Day of
Pentecost (Acts 2‑4). (Pentecost is a feast day, also known as “Feast of Harvest” at
Ex. 23:16 and it occurred fifty-days after Jesus’ death on the cross, which
happened on Passover.) The prophesied promise through Joel was fulfilled that
in the last days God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Acts 2:17). It was a life-changing experience for those of Christ who were
in the Upper Room awaiting this promise of God the Father. Now, filled with the presence of
the Lord through the Holy Spirit, the apostles went forth in preaching and in
service of the kingdom of God in its fullness in Christ Jesus. God had chosen
to make His home within His people. He changed His residence from somewhere
up there in the heavens to down on earth in a believer's life. The rest of
the New Testament describes the effects of the power of God through
the coming of His Holy Spirit—a promise fulfilled for those who believe. Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? (Acts 19:1-6) A loving command to
believers: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein
is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) Now
to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us. Jesus and His
disciples give us the pattern to follow: As predicted, Jesus atoned, carried
away their sins in His body to the cross. After His resurrection, He came to
them and breathed on them and said, ‘receive the Holy Spirit,’ recorded
at John 20:22. This occurrence was their salvation event—they were born-again
(per John 3:3-8). The original Greek language
describing this event is transliterated as the ‘infilling’ of the Holy Spirit. This ‘infilling’ at
salvation was the necessary preparation for their ‘baptism’—or immersion—with the Holy Spirit. * Then, recorded at
Luke 24:36-49, and continued at Acts 1:3-5, Luke graciously informs us that
Jesus explained, “I am going to send you
the gift my Father promised; but stay in Jerusalem until you are endued with
power from on high … You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon
you.” This event that
happened on the day of Pentecost (a.k.a. “Feast of Harvest,” fifty-days after
Jesus’ death on the cross which happened on Passover) is what is known as the
baptism with the Holy Spirit. If the chief purpose of the Spirit-baptism is to
endue people with power to accomplish what is stated above (and below), then
it is the all-important experience of believers today. Jesus commanded His
disciples to teach all nations throughout this age "to observe ALL
things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:20). That being baptized in the Spirit
was a definite command to them is clear from
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5. If it was a command for them to be baptized in the
Spirit it still is commanded of us, for we are still in this age. Such an
enduement of power for service is promised to every believer in the most
simple language possible
(Matt. 3:11; Luke
11:13; 24:49; John 1:31-34; 7:37-39; 14:12-17, 26, 15:26; 16:13-15; Mark
16:15-20; Acts 1:4-8; 2:16-21, 38-39; 5:32; 8:5-19; 19:17).
In fact, it is one of the two things for which
Christ died (Gal.
3:14). Jesus made it very clear to
the disciples that it was imperative that they be baptized in the Spirit
before going out to evangelize the world (Luke 24:40; John 14:12, 17; 16:7-15;
Acts 1:4-8).
Only one hundred and twenty of many hundreds of followers of Jesus felt it
was necessary to obey and these are the only ones who received the enduement
of power at Pentecost (1 Cor. 15:6; Acts 1:4-5; 12-15; Acts
2:1-33). The Hebrews crossing the Red
Sea after God saved them out of slavery is a symbol of our water
baptism. And the Hebrews crossing the Jordan River to possess the promised
land is a symbol of our Spirit-baptism (to possess our land of promises). The Spirit-baptism is
promised only to born-again people after they had repented (changed direction and attitude), were baptized
in water, were obedient to God, and had asked for it as a child of God (Matt. 3:11; John 1:31-34; 14:12-17, 26; 15:26;
16:13-15; Acts 1:4-8; 2:38-39; 5:32; 8:5-19;
Luke 11:7-13). For one to receive this power today is even more
needful, for there are infinitely more demon-affected people, more health
issues and diseased people, more false doctrines, more false teachers, and
more divisions among Christians than at any other time in history. The Word
of God needs confirmation today as before to convince people of the truth.
This is the greatest need of the modern church, and if God could get people
to believe in these things again and "stay until" as people did of
old we would again see mighty works of power and a new type of Christianity.
Let no person complain of the lack of power to win souls, heal the sick, and
do the works of Christ. Instead, let every one again seek God "till He
come and rain righteousness" on us; and God will show again His mighty
works; and "hear from heaven" and forgive and heal as of old (Hosea 10:12; Jer. 33:3; 2 Chron. 7:14;
Luke 24:49; Mark 16:15-20). Many illustrate
the ‘infilling’ of the Holy Spirit as filling a sponge
with water. And then the ‘baptism’—or immersion—as placing that sponge into a swimming
pool full of water. This is when we
receive the same power as did the first Christians to be and do; power to become more and more like Jesus, and to do “greater
works than He did.” Be strongly encouraged to review the New Testament
passages mentioned above and following and enjoy the “signs and wonders” that
follow those baptized with the Holy Spirit. Please
consider enjoying this
plain and simple audio/video teaching on the baptism with the Holy Spirit You can
also download the video, audio, and the teacher’s notes. As promised, Jesus
carried away all sins in His body to the cross in His bloody sacrifice. After
His resurrection, He came to His disciples and breathed on them and said,
“receive the Holy Spirit,” recorded at John 20:22. * John 20:20-23 states: “Jesus showed the disciples
His hands and His side. Then they were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again,
‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ 22 And when He had said this, He
breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of
any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained.’” Verse 22:
“breathed” Original Greek word: emphusao, only here in the New
Testament, but used in Genesis 2:7 in the Septuagint for the Hebrew: naphach,
to breathe, or blow with force, or unseen
force, or breath of God; it’s not the word breath, it is breath. This occurrence
was their salvation event—they were born-again (reference John 3:3-8). No one was born-again (or ‘saved’)
until after Jesus’ bloody sacrificial death at Calvary. The original Greek
language describing this event is transliterated as the ‘infilling’ of the Holy Spirit. This ‘infilling’ at
salvation was a measure, or portion, of the Holy Spirit (see
John 3:34 “Different measures, or portions, of the Spirit” below) preparation for their ‘baptism’
(‘immersion’) with the Holy Spirit. John 3:34 states:
“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the
Spirit by measure..” “measure:” Different Measures, or
Portions, of the Spirit (from John
3:34) 1. Mosaic portion (Num. 11:17, 25) 2. Mosaic portion divided into 71 portions (Num. 11:16–17, 25–29) 3. Elijah portion (2 Ki. 2:9) 4. Double portion (2 Ki. 2:9–10) 5. Elijah portion on John the Baptist (Lk. 1:15–17) 6. Earnest of the Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; 1 Jn. 4:13; Php.
1:19) 7. The Spirit “without measure” (Jn. 3:34; Isa. 11:2; 42:1; 61:1; Lk.
4:16–21; Acts 10:38); Spirit baptism or baptismal measure (Mt. 3:11; 20:22–23; Lk. 3:16; Jn.
1:31–34; Acts 1:4–8; 2:1–21; 8:15–24; 10:44–48; 11:14–18; 15:7–11; 19:1–7;
Gal. 3:14); the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19; Rom. 15:29); the
rivers of living water (Jn.
7:37–39); and the full anointing of the Spirit and enduement
of power from on high (Lk.
24:49; Jn. 14:12–15) A Form of Godliness but Deny the Power Thereof Christians seem to
believe other passages of the Bible when it speaks of the Holy Spirit. Why
not believe the above passages as well? We have to be very careful as
believers, lest we have a form of
godliness but deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). If we deny the power of the Holy
Spirit that flows through the cross, we are actually denying the power of the
cross. For the preaching of the
cross is to them who perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the
power of God (1 Cor. 1:18). For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free of
the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2). Where is the life of the Spirit in Christ Jesus?
It's in the cross because of the finished work of Calvary. The Holy Spirit
can only work within the parameter of the finished work at Calvary. “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” –Acts 19:2 Please consider
continuing this vitally important Bible study here. |
|