Chapter 11 Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Chapter 11

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - POWER TO SERVE

Let us begin our study with prayer,

Dear Heavenly Father, Almighty God,

I come to You in the Name of Jesus Christ. Lord God, please bless this time with You and Your Word. Help me to understand the things that You are telling me. Help me to truly comprehend the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit. For Your Holy Name’s sake I ask.

Amen

BACKGROUND

In our study of water baptism we saw that in addition to John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples also baptized the people.

John 3:22

"[22] … Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized."

However, as we read further, we found that it was only Jesus’ disciples who baptized, not Jesus.

John 4:1-2

"[1] The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, [2] although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples."

As we explored this phenomenon a bit closer, we discovered that the reason Jesus did not baptize with water was because He was to baptize with the Holy Spirit. To see this, let us read what John the Baptist said about Jesus the day after he, John, baptized Him.

John 1:29-34

"[29] The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! [30] This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' [31] I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." [32] Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. [33] I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' [34] I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.""

Let us notice the following verses,

31 … As we saw in our study of water baptism the reason John came was to perform the baptism of repentance. God commissioned John to do this so that Jesus might be revealed to Israel. This is another reminder of the importance of repentance that enables us to know our Lord.

33 … Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

34 … John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Son of God which means that Jesus is our Lord and God.

As we reflect upon the above, several questions come to mind. What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? And, is it different from being born again?

Lord willing, as we study the Scriptures, we will see that in addition to our new birth, that is the forgiveness of our sins, our transfer to His Kingdom and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God has also extends to us the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts are given to each and every believer to be used for the building up of the body of Christ. To see this, we will,

1. See the distinction between the new birth of Jesus' disciples and their baptism in the Holy Spirit.

2. Review various occurrences of the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

3. Explore some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

4. See how the baptism with the Holy Spirit comes about.

THE DISCIPLE’S NEW BIRTH AND BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We begin our study by reading about the disciple’s new birth, which was the time when the Holy Spirit came and dwelt within them.

The Disciple’s New Birth

This event is recorded for us in,

John 20:19-22

"[19] On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" [20] After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. [21] Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." [22] And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

In reflecting upon the above event, two important points must be emphasized.

1. This occurred after Jesus rose from the dead but before Jesus ascended into Heaven.

2. This is when the disciples became born again of the Holy Spirit. To see this, let us remember that up until now they had already repented of their sins, knew who Jesus was, and confessed Him as Lord. However, now for the first time they see Him raised from the dead, that is the living Christ, fulfilling the requirements of,

Romans 10:9-10

"[9] That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Now all the conditions necessary for the disciple’s new birth are present. Consequently, as we read in John 20:22, in His mercy Jesus gave the disciples the Holy Spirit and they are born again.

Is this the baptism with the Holy Spirit? No! To see this let us go and read what Jesus said to His disciples at another time after His resurrection but just before He ascended into Heaven.

Acts 1:4-9

"[4] On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." [6] So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" [7] He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." [9] After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight."

Let us notice the following verses,

4 … The disciples were not to leave Jerusalem. They were not to do anything but wait for the promised gift.

5 … This gift is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

8 … They were to receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them and will be witnesses to Jesus Christ. In other words, Jesus was telling them that even though they were born again, that is they had the Holy Spirit living within them, they needed the power or anointing of the Holy Spirit to be an effective witness for Him. Consequently, they were to wait in Jerusalem until He, the Holy Spirit, arrived to anoint them.

9 … After Jesus finished talking with His disciples, He ascended into Heaven.

With the above conversation in mind, let us now go to Jerusalem and read about,

The Disciple's Baptism in the Holy Spirit

This event occurred during the Feast of Pentecost and is recorded in,

Acts 2:1-21

"[1] When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [5] Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. [6] When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. [7] Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? [8] Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? [9] Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" [12] Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" [13] Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." [14] Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. [15] These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: [17] "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. [18] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. [19] I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. [20] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. [21] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

Let us notice the following verses,

4 … They spoke in tongues as the Holy Spirit enabled them.

6 … The God fearing Jews from the various nations heard the disciples speaking in their own language.

7-13 … The Jews were amazed. The reason for their amazement was because they knew that the disciples were not well educated men. Thus, they were surprised when the disciples spoke in all these different languages. Some made fun of it and said they were drunk.

14-18 … The Apostle Peter stood up to explain what happened. He did this by quoting from the prophet Joel. Peter explained that it was foretold that in the last days the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which they are now witnesses to, would occur. He then proceeded to explain that when the Holy Spirit comes upon the people they will prophesy, dream dreams and see visions.

21 … Peter reminded the people that all who call on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.

The Apostle Peter continued his discourse and explained to the people who Jesus Christ is and what He did. Peter then called the people who were listening to repentance and baptism. As a result, three thousand people received the new birth.

Thus, we see Jesus’ Words to His disciples fulfilled. They received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit and were certainly filled with power to bear witness to the saving Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In reflecting upon the above, we must remember that this event took place during the Feast of Pentecost after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Thus, it is different from the disciple's new birth which occurred prior to Jesus' ascension (John 20:19-22). In other words, we find that the new birth and baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate events.

Now some may say that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was to only occur at this time of Pentecost and it was only for the apostles. As we read the Scriptures, we find that not only did the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred many times after the Feast of Pentecost but it is also for all born again believers. As with the new birth, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a free gift from God. Hence, God chooses the manner and circumstances through which He bestows His gift. To see this, let us review some examples of the,

VARIOUS OCCURANCES OF BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

For the purposes of this chapter we will review the following three occurrences of the baptism in the Holy Spirit: (1) the believers in Samaria, (2) Cornelius and his household and (3) the believers in Ephesus.

The Holy Spirit Baptism of the Believers in Samaria

In the case of the believers who resided in Samaria the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred after the people believed and were water baptized. In addition, the baptism of the Holy Spirit came through the prayer and the laying of hands by the Apostles Peter and John. To see we go to,

Acts 8:9-17

"[9] Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, [10] and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power." [11] They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. [12] But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [13] Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. [14] When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. [15] When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, [16] because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

Let us notice the following verses,

9-11 … In the city of Samaria, a man named Simon practiced sorcery and magic. Simon was so good at this craft that the people believed him to be divine.

12 … However, when the disciple Philip preached, the people believed the Gospel of Jesus and were baptized.

13 … Even the magician Simon believed and was baptized. Notice that everywhere Philip went great signs and wonders were present. At this time the apostles were in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). Thus, Phillip was not an apostle but perhaps a deacon (Acts 6:1-6).

14 … Peter and John were sent to Samaria.

15-17 … Since the baptism of the Holy Spirit had not yet occurred; Peter and John prayed and laid their hands upon the people. As a result, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Baptism of Cornelius and his Household

In our second example, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the new birth occurred simultaneously. We also find that this time it happened while listening to the Gospel. To see this, let us read the account of what happened to Cornelius and his household while Peter was presenting to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Acts 10:44-48

"[44] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. [45] The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. [46] For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, [47] "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." [48] So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days."

Let us notice the following verses,

44 … While listening to Peter; the Holy Spirit came upon them. Note that neither Cornelius nor the members of his household were apostles or deacons.

46 … Peter and his Jewish companions heard them praising God and speaking in tongues. As we will see later, speaking in tongues is one of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.

47-48 … The new believers are water baptized.

The Holy Spirit Baptism of the Believers in Ephesus

In our last example, we will see that the Apostle Paul makes a clear distinction between the baptism of John (which is the baptism of repentance), the baptism into Jesus Christ (which is the believer’s baptism) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To see this let us read from,

Acts 19:1-7

"[1] While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples [2] and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." [3] So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. [4] Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." [5] On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. [7] There were about twelve men in all."

Let us notice the following verses,

2 … Paul asked the people if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed. They responded no. In fact, they never heard of the Holy Spirit.

3 … Paul asked them; “what baptism did they receive.” They responded and said, “John’s.”

4 … Paul told them that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance.

5 … Paul baptized them into the Name of Jesus Christ, which is the believer’s water baptism. Now their new birth was confirmed.

6 … Following the believer’s baptism Paul laid his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came upon them and some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (tongues and prophesies) were present. They were now baptized in the Holy Spirit.

This incident in Ephesus also reveals two important points: (1) the importance of correctly understanding God’s Word; and (2) God will honor an honest heart.

As we reflect upon this incident, it becomes clear on how important it is for us to know, understand and obey the teachings of the Bible. Notice that before the Apostle Paul arrived at Ephesus, the twelve men thought all was well. However, their belief was incomplete. They did not know that the Holy Spirit existed and believed that the baptism of John was sufficient. Thus, they missed the blessings of water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The second point to be made is that even though the men of Ephesus did not have the full knowledge of the Gospel, they were sincere in their longing for God. God in His tremendous Mercy and Grace sent Paul to teach them. They listened and obeyed. Consequently they were born again into God’s Kingdom, water baptized and given gifts of the Holy Spirit.

From the above survey, we find that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was and is for all born again believers. This is exactly what the Apostle Peter said to those who, on that day of Pentecost, witnessed the results of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples of Jesus Christ. To see this, let us return to Jerusalem and read what happened after Peter explained to the people of what had just occurred.

Acts 2:37-39

"[37] When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" [38] Peter replied, "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. [39] The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call.""

Let us notice the following verse,

39 … The promise is for:

a. You … those at the time of Pentecost.

b. Their children

c. Those far off, that is those in other places and in other generations.

d. All whom the Lord will call.

In some circles of Christianity there is considerable confusion with respect to the difference between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is the new birth, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To help clarify the distinction between these two gifts, let us review some of the functions that He, the Holy Spirit, will perform in and through us.

EXAMPLES OF FRUITS AND GIFTS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

In our previous studies we saw that once we are born again, we have the Holy Spirit living and dwelling within us. Once this happens, we become a child of God and are transferred into His Kingdom. This is clearly taught in,

Colossians 1:13-14

"[13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

In earlier studies we also saw that with the Holy Spirit living within us, He helps us to live a life pleasing to God. He does this by: (1) teaching us the things of God and (2) providing His fruits to be manifested in and through us.

The Holy Spirit Teaches Us the Things of God

To see this, let us consider the following excerpt from the letter of correction written to the church in Corinth,

1 Corinthians 2:9-12

"[9] However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- [10] but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. [11] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12] We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."

Let us notice the following verses,

10 … God has, through the Holy Spirit, revealed the things that He has prepared for us.

11 … Only the Holy Spirit knows the things of God. Thus, without the Holy Spirit teaching us we can never know the things of God.

12 … You and I, as born again believers, have received the Holy Spirit so that, among other things, we can know the things that God has freely given us.

One of the most glorious gifts that each and every born again believer can begin to experience in their new life is,

Some of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

So we can live a life pleasing to God the Father, the Holy Spirit, living within the born again believer will subdue the desires of our sinful nature and bring forth His fruits from within us. To see this, let us read the instruction written to the church in Galatia about living a life under the control of the Holy Spirit. This instruction is provided in,

Galatians 5:16-24

"[16] So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [17] For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. [19] The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

Let us notice the following verses.

16 … If we live by the Spirit, which means under His control, we will not gratify the desires of our sinful nature.

17 … This is the conflict within the Christian, the Holy Spirit versus our sinful nature.

19-21 … These are some examples of the fruits of our sinful nature. When we see these present in our life we know we are obeying our sinful nature and not the Holy Spirit. Also note that those who live this way will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22-23 … These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Thus when these are present in our lives, we are now living under the control of the Holy Spirit.

24 … If we belong to Christ, we must learn to keep our sinful nature crucified so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be seen in our daily living.

It must be pointed out, as we previously read in 2 Corinthians 2:12, all the fruits of the Holy Spirit are freely available to us. These fruits we do not earn or purchase, they are freely available to us at the time of our new birth. In other words they come with our redemption from the power of sin.

Let us now move on to review,

Some of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Just as Jesus told His disciples they were to receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, it is the same with us. Namely, when the Christian is baptized in the Holy Spirit, He empowers the Christian to serve. The Holy Spirit does this by providing the born again believer with spiritual gifts. It must be emphasized that these are not our natural gifts or talents but spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit. To see this, let us read from,

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

"[4] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. [7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [8] To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, [10] to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."

Let us notice the following verses,

4 … There are different gifts, but all of them come from the Holy Spirit.

5 … There are different kinds of service, that is some may teach, some may evangelize, some may prophesy, etc.

6 … There are different kinds of working, that is spiritual gifts will take on various forms and manifestations.

7 … The Holy Spirit will give each member of the body of Christ a spiritual gift. Also notice these gifts are given for the common good, not for selfish ambition. (The operation or the activities of the members of the body of Christ, which is the church, is a separate study.)

8-10 … This is a partial list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Since the exercise of spiritual gifts is critical for the building up of the true body of Christ, let us review the purpose and some examples for each of the gifts that are listed above. Before we do, it must be noted again that this is just a partial list of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Message of Wisdom

(The message of wisdom is the application of God’s commands and His ways for our life’s situations.)

An excellent example of the spiritual gift of wisdom is the writings of King Solomon. In particular the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes provide excellent applications of God’s ways and commands for our day to day living.

As for the New Testament, one can read Paul’s letter to Philemon. In this letter, the gift of wisdom is operating through Paul’s writing to encourage Philemon to favorably receive back his runaway slave, Onesimus.

Message of Knowledge

(This gift is having knowledge and understanding of things that you would not normally know.)

This gift manifests itself in two ways: (1) the knowledge and understanding of God and His ways and (2) the knowledge of something in a person’s life used to bring glory and honor to God.

To see an example of the message of knowledge with respect to God and His ways, let us read about the incident of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. By way of background, the eunuch was returning home from worshipping in Jerusalem. While traveling he was reading the book of Isaiah. However, there is a passage of Scripture he did not understand. The Holy Spirit sent Philip to give the eunuch a message of knowledge relative to this passage of Scripture. To see this, let us read from,

Acts 8:30-35

"[30] Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. [31] "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. [32] The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. [33] In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." [34] The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" [35] Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus."

As a result of Philip’s explanations of the Scripture the eunuch became a born again believer in Jesus Christ (Acts 8:36-38).

With respect to a message of knowledge relative to a person’s life, let us read when the Holy Spirit told Peter about the lie of Ananias and Sapphira.

Acts 5:1-5

"[1] Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. [2] With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. [3] Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? [4] Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." [5] When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died…"

Let us notice the following verses,

3 … The Holy Spirit gave Peter a message of knowledge relative to the fact that Ananias and Sapphira lied about their financial gift.

5 … Upon hearing the truth, Ananias fell dead. When Sapphira came to Peter with the same lie she also fell dead (Acts 5:7-10).

Let us read what happened as a result from the deaths of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira.

Acts 5:11

"[11] Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."

In other words, God used this incident to strengthen the church by teaching them, among other things, the seriousness of lying to God and the necessity to recognize His majesty, magnificence and omniscience.

Faith

(This gift is the absolute and unwavering assurance God will do what He said.)

An example of this occurred during a hurricane while Paul was on his way to Rome. To read what happened let us go to,

Acts 27:14-25

"[14] Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island. [15] The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. [16] As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. [17] When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. [18] We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. [19] On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. [20] When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. [21] After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. [22] But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. [23] Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me [24] and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' [25] So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."

Let us notice the following verses,

20 … They gave up hope of survival.

22-25 … Because God told him they would survive, Paul told the crew to keep up their courage. If we continue reading about this account, we would find that they in fact did survive just as God told Paul.

What a powerful witness to God's power and authority Paul was to the ship's crew; especially after everything happened the way He said it would?

Gifts of Healing

(This is the miraculous gift for the healing of disease and infirmities. It also includes the deliverance from evil spirits.)

As an example, let us read from,

Acts 5:12-16

"[12] The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. [13] No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. [14] Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. [15] As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. [16] Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed."

Notice in verse 14 we are told that more and more people became believers.

Miraculous Powers

(This is the performance of an act that is not physically possible.)

An example of this is when Peter raised Dorcas from the dead. To read what happened we go to,

Acts 9:36-42

"[36] In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor. [37] About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. [38] Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" [39] Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. [40] Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. [41] He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. [42] This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord."

Notice in verse 42 that the fruit of this act was not only the fact that Dorcas was restored to life but many believed in the Lord.

Prophecy

(This is the spiritual gift of foretelling a future event.)

An example of this gift is when Agabus told Paul what was to happen when he (Paul) arrived in Jerusalem.

Acts 21:10-11

"[10] After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. [11] Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'""

This prophecy along with similar ones helped to prepare Paul for the ordeal he was about to face in Jerusalem.

Distinguishing between spirits

(This gift is the ability to determine what is or not is from the Holy Spirit.)

An example of this gift in operation and its importance is beautifully illustrated in the encounter Paul had with girl possessed by an unclean spirit. To read what happened we go to,

Acts 16:16-18

"[16] Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. [17] This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." [18] She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her."

Let us notice the following verses,

16 … A slave girl had a spirit of divination.

17 … The girl bore witness to the fact that Paul and Silas were servants of God. She stated that they were telling the people the way to be saved. Notice, this was a true testimony and on the surface appeared to come from God.

18 … Paul was troubled and discerned that the girl was not speaking from the Holy Spirit. Thus, he commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. What an illustration of how important it is to be able to discern the spirits that are speaking inside today’s churches.

Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues

(This gift is the ability to speak in a language unknown to you and possibly to others/or the ability to interpret a language unknown to you.)

The gift of tongues is given for the use in two settings: (1) in private, that is during our private devotion and (2) public, which is in the body of Christ. The purpose for the private use of tongues is given in,

1 Corinthians 14:2

"[2] For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit."

In other words, there are times when the Holy Spirit enables us, through the gift of tongues, to express our love and concerns to Him from deep within our spirit.

As beautiful as this gift is, the Holy Spirit encourages us to pray for the gift of interpretation. Thus, with the gift of interpretation, when we do speak in tongues, we will be able to understand what we are saying. To see this, let us read from,

1 Corinthians 14:13-14

"[13] For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. [14] For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful."

For the public use of tongues, that is within the gathering of the body of Christ, the gift of interpretation must always be present.

1 Corinthians 14:27-28

"[27] If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. [28] If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God."

Since I could not find in the Scriptures an example of these two gifts in operation, please let me share with you a beautiful experience I once experienced during a prayer meeting. During a quiet time of prayer an individual spoke in tongues. When the message was completed, another individual way across the room gave its interpretation. At the end of the meeting, an old Jewish man came to express his awe in the fact that the tongue he heard was an old and rare Hebrew dialect. He was even more amazed when another person gave an accurate interpretation. Realizing these people could not possibly be schooled in this language, he was convinced that God was not only with us but also had spoken to him.

With all this background relative to some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, let us now return to 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and notice that in verse,

11 … God gives these gifts as He determines.

One is now left with the question of how does one go about being baptized in the Holy Spirit?

HOW THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ABOUT

As we saw earlier, there are times when the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs through prayer and the laying on of hands of a person or persons who have the gift to perform this baptism. As a review, let us read what happened to the believers in Samaria. We must remember that it was through Philip that the people in Samaria heard the Gospel and were saved. However, it was through prayer and the laying on of Peter and John's hands that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred. To refresh our memories let us read from,

Acts 8:15-17

"[15] When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, [16] because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

We also saw that it occurred while hearing the Gospel. This occurred in the household of Cornelius. What is noteworthy to know is that before Peter was told by the Holy Spirit to go and present the Gospel to Cornelius and his household, Cornelius had prayed. To see this let us read from,

Acts 10:30-33

"[30] Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me [31] and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. [32] Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' [33] So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.""

Let us notice the following verse,

31-32 … God heard Cornelius' prayer and sent an angel to instruct him to send for Peter.

33 … Cornelius obeyed and as we know Peter also obeyed God and came to Cornelius’ household.

With this background, let us read now what happened while Peter was presenting the Gospel.

Acts 10:44

"[44] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message."

As we study the Scriptures further, we find that there are times when He, the Holy Spirit, comes upon people during prayer. As an example, let us read what happened after Peter and John were released from prison for healing a crippled beggar and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is extremely interesting about this account is that it also teaches us that the filling of the Holy Spirit can occur more than once. To see this, let us remember that the incident we are about to read happened after the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples during Pentecost.

Acts 4:23-31

"[23] On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. [24] When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. [25] You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? [26] The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' [27] Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. [28] They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. [29] Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. [30] Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." [31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Let us notice the following verses,

28 …Note that what Herod and Pilate did to Jesus was all part of God’s plan and will.

29 … The disciples asked the Lord to enable them to speak His Word with great boldness.

30 … They asked the Lord to heal and perform signs and wonders in Jesus’ Name.

31 … The Lord heard and answered their prayer. Consequently, they are filled a new with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Just a side note, it is amazing how God hears and answers prayers that are uttered according to His will.

In reflecting upon the above accounts, one notices that the common denominator is prayer. Thus, we find that even though our Lord and God chooses the time and method for our baptism in the Holy Spirit, we are to pray and ask Him for this gift. To see this, let us read an excerpt from one of our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching about prayer.

Luke 11:9-13

"[9] "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [10] For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. [11] "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? [13] If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!""

CONCLUSION

So what is the message of this study? What is the point to be made? Well, it is summarized by the words of instruction the Apostle Peter gave to those on that day of Pentecost concerning the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. It is found in,

Acts 2:39

“[39] The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call.""

Blessed be the Lord forever!

AMEN and AMEN