By: Pat Holliday
WHAT IS THE PROMISE?

The Baptism In The Holy Spirit as promised in the New Testament, is quite different in kind from any of the various operations or manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

“But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things! and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He have said unto you.” John 14:26.

Why do Christians need the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

Jesus said it was for the endowment of supernatural power for service. “Be endued with power from on high … to witness, ” Luke 24:9; Acts 1:8.

CONDITIONS TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

There are seven conditions: For Believers only; Repentance, Baptism, Thirsting, Asking, Drinking, yielding … Salvation

“Believe, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38.

Christians need this power to be effective witnesses for Christ!

BAPTISM IS CLEARLY SHOWN IN THE BIBLE

In speaking of the gift of the Holy Spirit, Paul stresses faith, while Peter stresses obedience.

Complete faith results in complete obedience. Peter says that when our obedience is complete, the gift of the Holy
Spirit is ours.

The Holy Spirit is received by Christians after salvation.

1. Acts 2:4 Day of Pentecost

2. Acts 8:14 Samaria (what did Simon See?)

3. Acts 10:44-46 Cornelius’ house (before water baptism.)

4. Acts 19: 1-6 Ephesians disciples

5. John 14: 17 World cannot receive (only believers).

6. Luke 11:13 “Father” will give to them that ask (guaranteed if He’s your Father).

When you are saved you receive Jesus.

This speaks of another experience when you ask your Father for the Holy Spirit. Remember, repentance is an inward change of heart and attitude to God The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an outward act by which the believer
testifies to inward change wrought by God’s grace in his heart.

THIRSTING FOR GOD

“If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not glorified).” John 7: 37, 38.

The condition is to be thirsty and hungry for God. Its for those who thirst for more of Jesus. This gift doesn’t come from the person that is talking and praying for him. The Holy Spirit comes directly from Jesus Christ Himself.

HE IS THE BAPTIZER IN THE HOLY SPIRIT! MUST EVERY CHRISTIAN RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

No, many never receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit because they feel no need for it. They say they are satisfied without this blessing and God leaves them that way.

Nevertheless, when Jesus says in Acts 1:8, “Do not leave Jerusalem until you be endowed with power from above.” Christians should sincerely seek the Lord’s will for their lives. It must have been very important then and I believe that it is extremely important today.

WHAT ABOUT TONGUES

“Out of the innermost belly will flow rivers of living water. “John 4:13. When you receive the Holy Spirit, you will speak in a new tongue, (language). You could be speaking in French, Italian, Swahilia, Russian, Spanish, etc.

It doesn’t come from the language center of your cerebral cortex (Brain). It comes from your belly, your innermost being and flows out rivers of living water. Jesus told the woman at the well: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13.

YOU MUST ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT

“According to Luke 11:13. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him”

There are some who say, “If God wants me to have the Holy Spirit, He will give it to me. I don’t need to ask Him to give this gift to me.” This is NOT SCRIPTURAL!

Just as one has to ask to receive Salvation, The Bible shows that the Believers did have to ask to receive this gift from God. Jesus said to ask for this special gift.

Jesus says: “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.” John 14:14.

DRINKING – RECEIVING – YIELDING

“If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink.”

Drinking represents an active process of receiving. Infilling cannot be received by a merely negative or passive attitude. Psalm 81: 10, “Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” God cannot fill a closed mouth”

Simple though it may seem, there are those who fail to receive the fullness of the Spirit, simply because they refuse to open their mouth!

“Yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God,” Roman 6:13.

THE DISCIPLES AND MARY HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THEM Acts 2.

1. They preached the Gospel.

2. They healed the sick.

3. They cast out devils.

4. They confessed Jesus as Lord which no one can do save by the Holy Spirit. However, they did these spiritual activities BEFORE JESUS DIED AND THE HOLY GHOST ARRIVED.

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement; of sin, because they believe not on me.” John 16:7-9. “Of righteousness because I go to my Father, and you see me no more; of judgement, because the prince of this world is judged.” Satan is condemned!

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NOT SPEAK OF HIMSELF

“I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak;
and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”

The Holy Spirit is never going to lift a personality up, nor will He lift Himself up. He will only lift the name of Jesus up because Jesus is the only One that can save a soul.

The Holy Spirit receives the things of Jesus in the Bible and reveals it to us. Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, and went to heavenly Father.

So Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, and went to heaven for a short talk with His heavenly Father. That same resurrection evening, He came back and had a little talk with the disciples, saying unto them: “Peace be unto
you; as my Father has sent me, even so send I you”. When He had said this, He breathed on them and saith unto them RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST!”

“Behold I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I WILL COME INTO HIM,” Rev. 3:20.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

MANY BELIEVE THEY GOT IT ALL WHEN THEY GOT SAVED

What does the Word of God say? 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus had his last talk with his disciples Acts 1:4-9. His last talk was about he Holy Ghost and His Power!

“And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptize with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come up you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth … And when He had spoken these words He was taken up. And a cloud received Him out of their sight.”

Seven days later, it’s now 47 days later, since Jesus had breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the Holy .Ghost!” “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:1. 120 were in the upper room. Mary the Mother of Jesus, who had conceived by the Holy Ghost and had prophesied under the anointing of the Holy Ghost to Elizabeth, was led by the Holy Ghost at the wedding feast of Cana. But even Mary needed to be in the Upper Room to receive the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and speak with other tongues. Just like the rest of them.

Peter, the bold one, needed to receive this power in order to preach the gospel with boldness.

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting . And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2-4.

New Testament Church unfolds, note that on every occasion everyone receives the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. WE ALL NEED HIM!

Three thousand Jews were converted by the Power of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:27-29). “They were pricked in their hearts … and said, men and Brethren, … what shall we do?” Peter said repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” This includes you
and me and our children and relatives.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall be damned! And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they
cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover,” Mark 16: 15-18.

Jesus didn’t say, these signs will follow the early church only or until the Bible is printed. I believe the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for our day. God is not a respecter of persons. If He had granted the power and gifts to the early church and removed them from the endtime church, He would be a respecter of persons. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit results in the believer’s life as personal evidence and assurance that Jesus is risen from the dead. His Ministry is to exalt and glorify the Lord Jesus in the Church. He is a present foretaste of the Heavenly power and glory which the believer will enjoy in their fullness in the next world. It is the entrance into a new kind of life. The Holy Spirit received as indwelling personal power, revolutionizes the witnessing, prayer life and Bible understanding. He is the Author and becomes in turn the interpreter of the Word.

Dear Father, I’m a lost sinner. I repent. Please forgive me and come into my heart and save me. Thank You for saving my soul! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you are backslidden say the same prayer. The Lord loves you and will forgive you.”

Scriptures show the divinity of Jesus Christ. “Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things and by him all things consists.” Colossians 1:15-17. “I and my Father are one. (John 10:30).

Scriptures reveals that Jesus Christ took their sins on the cross. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (By grace ye are
saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Eph.. 2:4-7; 1 John 2:30; 11 Cor. 5:21.

HOW TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Heavenly Father gives! “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much m ore will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11:13 RSV) Jesus is the Baptizer: “I (John) have baptized you with water; but He (Jesus} will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8 RSV).

THE THREE STEPS TO RECEIVE

1. He gives the Holy Spirit to those that obey, who choose to make Jesus their Lord (Acts 5:32).

2. He gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (Luke 11:13).

3. The Holy Spirit turned their words into another language (tongue).

The Holy Spirit is promised: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39) KJV)

The Holy Spirit Brings Another Anointing: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power… “Acts 10:38a RSV). Believers Received: “… Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? … (Acts 19: 2RSV).

Tongues is a “result of” the Baptism of Holy Spirit: “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6: RSV).

Anyone who is baptized can speak in tongues if they will. Sample Prayer for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

“Dear Jesus, I do believe that You are the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and He ask you to baptize me in the Holy Spirit. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and fill me with your Spirit. Thank You, Jesus.”

HOW TO BECOME STRONG IN THE LORD

Even though you may sense the presence of God right now, you may not tomorrow! You are not saved because you “feel saved”. Your faith must stand on God’s Word, not on feeeeelings. Read the Word and get into a Bible believing
church.

Praise and thank Jesus every day for saving your soul. “He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21). Expect changes in your life!

WITNESS

Tell someone at every opportunity what you have done . . . that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. This is very important. If you truly love Jesus, you will want to tell others about Him, and He will “manifest” Himself to you. Romans 10:9-10. “That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Read God’s word every day. You are a new born babe in Christ, you need spiritual food and it comes from God’s Word. Then Pray every day and take time to praise His name. Talk to God out loud, just as you would to another person, and in the name of Jesus.

FELLOWSHIP

Seek the fellowship of other born again Christians in a strong SPIRIT-FILLED Bible believing church. By studying and praying together, you will be drawn into Christian principles and receive the abundant life in Jesus Christ.

MIRACLE OUTREACH MINISTRIES, INC.
Copyright (c) 1994, by Pat Holiday, Th.D., Lifeline Publisher, 9252 San Jose Blvd., # 2804, Jacksonville, Florida, 32257 All Rights Reserved.