As part of a series of occasional wanderings from things political into things metaphysical here is an exposition on the workings of the Holy Spirit. This a an amalgam of various postings and my own commentary as my knowledge is far to poor to have made such a deep analysis with so many insights.The compilation speaks to me of my own experience and hopefully it is inspiring to others.
BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT
IT IS CONSIDERED ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT BY THE FACT THEY ARE BAPTISED WITH WATER AND LIVING IN A STATE OF GRACE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOUR.
THIS POSITION IS, HOWEVER, ONE THAT MIXES THREE SEPARATE SPIRITUAL STATES; FIRSTLY) THAT OF A BAPTISED CHRISTIAN IN THE STATE OF GRACE (WHO IS SACRAMENTALLY A CHRISTIAN “BAPTISED INTO CHRIST”) (1)Gal.3:27
SECONDLY) THAT OF A CHRISTIAN WHO IS “BORN AGAIN” (REGENERATED). THAT IS, A CHRISTIAN WHO HAS UNDERGONE A KIND OF “CONVERSION” WHICH INVOLVES A KNOWLEDGE OF AND COMMITMENT TO JESUS AS ONE’S LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOUR (2) Gal.2:20
AND…. THIRDLY) THAT OF A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN WHO HAS RECEIVED THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT AS AN EXPERIENCE SEPARATE FROM, USUALLY SUBSEQUENT TO, A “CONVERSION” EXPERIENCE (3)Titus.3:4-5
THE PENTECOST EXPERIENCE OF BECOMING CHARISMATIC BY BEING “BAPTISED IN THE SPIRIT” (4) Acts.1:5 IS SOMETHING CLEARLY DISTINCT FROM, AND BEYOND, THE EXPERIENCE OF BECOMING A CHRISTIAN BY BEING “BAPTISED INTO CHRIST” (5) Rom.6:3 BY WATER.THE TWO BAPTISMS HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
WATER BAPTISM MAKES ONE A CHILD OF GOD IN A SPECIAL WAY, GRAFTING ONE INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST (6 Gal.3:27/7 Rom.6:3 WHILE SPIRIT BAPTISM GIVES ONE CHARISMATIC POWER TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS OR EVANGELIZER IN BUILDING THE KINGDOM (8 Acts.1:8-9 9 Luke.24:48-49).
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN VARIOUS BAPTISMS IS SCRIPTURAL (10 Heb.6:2)
All FOUR GOSPELS QUOTE JOHN THE BAPTIST EMPHASISING THAT DISTINCTION “I BAPTISE YOU WITH WATER, BUT HE WILL BAPTISE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” (11 Mat.3:21/12 Mark.1:8/13 Luke 3:16/14 John.1:33)
JESUS ALSO MAKES THE DISTINCTION IN A PRE-PENTECOST DISCOURSE WITH HIS DISCIPLES IN JOHN (15 14:17,) BY USING TWO DIFFERENT PREPOSITIONS; ‘WITH’ AND ‘IN’; ‘THE SPIRIT…LIVES WITH YOU (NOW) AND WILL BE IN YOU (LATER)” JESUS THUS CLEARLY DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INTIMACY BY WHICH THE SPIRIT CAN RELATE TO AN INDIVIDUAL.
THE BAPTISMS MENTIONED IN HEBREWS (16 6:2 ) WERE REFERRED TO BY JESUS AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS PUBLIC LIFE; IN JOHN (17 3;5 ) HE TELLS NICODEMUS THAT A PERSON MUST BE ‘BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT.’THEN, AT THE VERY END OF HIS EARTHLY EXISTENCE, JUST BEFORE HIS ASCENSION, HE AGAIN DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE TWO BAPTISMS “JOHN BAPTISED WITH WATER, BUT IN A “FEW DAYS” YOU WILL BE BAPTISED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT’ (18 Acts.1:5)
THE DISCIPLES WERE ALREADY CHRISTIANS, OF COURSE, AS SHOWN BY THE FACT THAT THEY HAD ALREADY RECEIVED SPIRITUAL LIFE FOR HAVING ‘HEARD HIS WORD AND BELIEVED IN THE ONE WHO SENT HIM”(19 John.5:24). JESUS HAD ASSURED THEM THEIR ‘NAMES WERE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN“(20 Luke.10:20).
FURTHERMORE, THE RESURRECTED JESUS HAD BREATHED UPON THEM, EVEN IMPARTING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ACTIVATE A MINISTERIAL GIFT OF FORGIVING SINS (21 John.20:22-23). YET HE TOLD THEM TO PRAY FOR (22 Luke.11:13) AND TO WAIT FOR (23 Luke.24:49/ 24 Acts.1:4) A SUBSEQUENT (AND THEREFORE SEPARATE) GRACE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT A “FEW DAYS “ AFTER HIS ASCENSION (25 Acts.1:5) –CLEARLY AN ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE CHRISTIANITY THEY HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING.
AN EXAMPLE IS SEEN IN 26 ACTS.19:2 PAUL FOUND TWELVE DISCIPLES AT EPHESUS WHO WERE BELIEVERS AND ASKED THEM “DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN (OR AFTER) YOU BELIEVED?”
WHEN THEY ANSWERED IN THE NEGATIVE, PAUL BAPTISED THEM. THEN , “WHEN PAUL PLACED HIS HANDS ON THEM, THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM AND THEY SPOKE IN TONGUES AND PROPHESISED” (27 Acts.19:6).IF BELIEVING OR BEING CONVERTED CARRIED WITH IT THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT, THEN PAUL’S QUESTION WOULD HAVE BEEN MEANINGLESS.
THE EPHESIANS’ BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS SUBSEQUENT TO (AND THEREFORE DISTINCT FROM) THEIR BELIEF IN CHRIST AND ALSO DISTINCT FROM THEIR WATER BAPTISM. WHILE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT IS ALWAYS DISTINCT FROM THE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE, IT NEED NOT NECESSARILY BE SUBSEQUENT TO IT, AS THE CASE OF CORNELIUS’ HOUSEHOLD, ALL OF WHOM RECEIVED THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT BEFORE THEY WERE BAPTISED IN WATER.(28 Acts 10:44-48 ).
IN RECOUNTING THIS EPISODE AT THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM (29 ACTS 15;7-9) PETER REFERRED TO TWO SEPARATE ACTS: PURIFYING THEIR HEARTS BY FAITH (CONVERSION) AND RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. PETER CLEARLY IDENTIFIES THE EXPERIENCE OF CORNELIUS’ HOUSEHOLDWITH THAT OF THE DISCIPLES ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST(30 ACTS.11:15-17;15:8)TO ILLUSTRATE: COMMON TERMS SUCH AS “BAPTISED IN/WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” “POURED OUT” AND “GIFT” APPEAR IN BOTH ACCOUNTS.
PAUL’S BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT AT THE HANDS OF ANANIAS CAME THREE DAYS AFTER HIS CONVERSION ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, AND JUST BEFORE HIS WATER BAPTISM (31 ACTS 9:3-18). HERE AGAIN, SPIRIT-BAPTISM IS SEEN AS DISTINCT FROM A CONVERSION EXPERIENCE AND DISTINCT FROM WATER BAPTISM.
A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING IS TO REGARD SPIRIT BAPTISM AS A ONE-TIME ISOLATED EVENT, RATHER THAN THE BEGINNING OF A ‘GROWTH IN THE SPIRIT” WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR FURTHER “REFILLING” PERIODICALLY WHEN PETER AND JOHN JOINED IN A PRAYER MEETING AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON, THEY WERE REFILLED BY A DEEPENED PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (32 Acts 4:31) .THE EXACT TRANSLATION OF (33 EPHESIANS ( 5:18 ) IS NOT “BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT” BUT ”BE BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT” –AN ONGOING, RECEPTIVE EXPERIENCE
THUS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT IS AN EXPERIENCE OVER AND ABOVE EXPERIENCES OF WATER BAPTISM AND THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE, AND IN GENERAL, THE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE.
IT ADDS TO THE “INDWELLING” OF THE SPIRIT A NEW KIND OF PRESENCE- AN “INFILLING” THAT CAN PRODUCE EMPOWERMENT AND GROWTH- A GROWTH IN THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT (34 GAL.5:22-23) AS WELL AS THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT (35 1TIM.4:14 ) 36 2 Tim.1:6).
ALTHOUGH PAUL FOUND MUCH TO CRITICISE AMONG THE CORINTHIAN CHRISTIANS, HE STILL CALLED THEM ‘SANCTIFIED’, AND YET “CALLED TO BE HOLY” (37 1 Cor.1:2) THAT IS, HE ATTRIBUTED TO THEM WHAT SOME THEOLOGIANS CALL ‘POSITIONAL SANCTIFICATION”, AND YET HE URGED THEM TO “PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION”. THE GROWTH FACTOR IN THIS “PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION” IS THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF (38 1 Peter.1:2 ) ( 39 Rom.13:16 ). WHO “HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS AND INTERCEDES FOR US (40 Rom.8:26).
HENCE IT FOLLOWS THAT THOSE WITH A RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS “SPIRIT OF HOLINESS” ( 41 Rom.1:4) THROUGH THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRACES INDUCING THAT GROWTH. (42 1.Th.3:13 ) (43 John 7:38-39)
IS BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT (AS AN EXPERIENCE DISTINCT FROM WATER BAPTISM) NECESSARY TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE? THE ANSWER IS NO. BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR SALVATION.THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SALVATION ARE REPENTANCE, FAITH AND BAPTISM (44 Acts 2:38 ) ( 45 Mk.16:16 ).
NEITHER IS BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT NECESSARY TO EXPERIENCE POWER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. THE TWELVE AND THE SEVENTY TWO WENT OFF ON MISSION WITH THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF GOD (46 Lk. 9:1,6 ) 47 Lk. 10:17,19 ,EVEN PRIOR TO PENTECOST.THE REQUIREMENT FOR POWER IN MINISTRY IS SIMPLY FAITH (48 Jn.14:12).
BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT IS NOT NECESSARY TO EXPERIENCE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY WHO DO NOT DISPLAY EVANGELISTIC FERVOUR BUT CERTAINLY EXHIBIT LOVE, JOY, PEACE PATIENCE, KINDNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF CONTROL (49 Gal.5: 22:23). WE CAN EXPERIENCE FRUIT AS WE GIVE OURSELVES TO CHRIST AND LIVE IN HIS SPIRIT (50 Gal.5: 24:25)
THUS TO LIVE A GOOD AND FRUITFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE, WE CAN DO WITHOUT THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT.BUT WE CAN ALSO EXPERIENCE, THAT BEYOND CONVERSION, GENEROSITY, BEYOND EFFECTIVE SERVICE, BEYOND EXPERIENCING FRUIT, BEYOND SALVATION,THERE IS BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEN WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
IN THE FIRST CASE i.e. WATER BAPTISM, WE ARE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.WE BECOME A “WELL OF LIVING WATER’. IN THE SECOND CASE SPIRIT BAPTISM, WE ARE FILLED TO OVERFLOWING, AND BECOME “RIVERS OF LIVING WATER” THESE RIVERS OF LIVING WATER GENERATE POWER AND BOLDNESS WE NEED TO CARRY OUT GOD’S PURPOSE FOR US.
“BUT WHOSOEVER DRINKS 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 LIVING WATER SPRINGING UP TO EVERLASTING LIFE.” (51John.4:14)
IN THE LAST DAY, THAT GREAT DAY OF THE FEAST, JESUS STOOD AND CRIED, SAYING, “IF ANY MAN THIRST, LET HIM COME TO ME, AND DRINK.HE THAT BELIEVES ON ME, AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID, OUT OF HIS INNERMOST BEING SHALL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER”. [BUT THIS SPOKE HE OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH THEY THAT BELIEVE ON HIM SHALL RECEIVE: FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS NOT YET GIVEN; BECAUSE JESUS WAS NOT WAS NOT YET GLORIFIED [ASCENDED TO HEAVEN] (52 John.7:37:38
LET US NOW TRY TO DEFINE WHAT IS BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT.
THE BASIC TEXT IS (53 Acts.1:8 ) “YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, THROUGHOUT JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." ACCORDING TO LUKE, THESE ARE THE VERY LAST WORDS OF JESUS, AND IT IS AFTER SAYING THIS THAT JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN ( 54 Acts.1;9) THE VERY IMPORTANT LAST WORDS.THE VERY FINAL INSTRUCTIONS.THE VERY KEY TO BRINGING ABOUT WHAT JESUS HAD COME INTO THE WORLD FOR-THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD.
WHAT IS BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT? IT IS AN INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BY WHICH A PERSON IS EMPOWERED TO BE A LIVING WITNESS TO JESUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GLOBAL EVANGELIZING !!
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THERE IS A RENEWED OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT IN ONE’S LIFE.
THIS POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES US TO BECOME EFFECTIVE.THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IMPARTED NOT JUST TO ENABLE US TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, BUT TO ENABLE US TO DO A VIBRANT AND EFFECTIVE MINISTRY .IT IS THE POWER FOR MISSION.
THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT EXPANDS OUR VISION, STIRS OUR HEARTS TO ACTION, SUSTAINS US WITH PERSEVERANCE, EMPOWERS US WITH SPIRITUAL GIFTS, AND FILLS OUR HEARTS WITH GREAT JOY AS WE DO OUR MISSION.GOD WANTS THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT FOR EVERYONE.
”FOR THE PROMISE IS MADE TO YOU AND TO YOUR CHILDREN AND TO ALL THOSE FAR OFF, WHOMEVER THE LORD OUR GOD WILL CALL” (55 Acts.2:39). ALL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS AND ALL ARE CALLED TO MISSION.
THIS INFILLING CAN BE AN ACTUAL PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE.I HAVE SEEN IT DESCRIBED MANY TIMES AS “A GENTLE BREEZE, OR LIKE A CURTAIN OF HONEY, FLOWING THROUGH THE BODY FROM OUTSIDE THE BODY FROM HEAD TO TOE”. IT MIGHT BE WHAT THE DISCIPLES EXPERIENCED WHEN JESUS “BREATHED UPON THEM IMPARTING THE HOLY SPIRIT” (56 John.20:22
THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IT IS A GENUINE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION AND IMPARTS AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING.IT DOESN”T MAKE THE RECIPIENT IN ANY WAY BETTER OR DIFFERENT FROM CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE BY FAITH ALONE, IN FACT IT MAKES THEM EQUAL AS IT CAN BE SEEN AS AN AID TO THOSE WHO ARE WEAK IN THE FAITH.
RATHER, IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN BAPTISED IN THE SPIRIT FOR SOMETHING THAT GOD WANTS THEM TO DO WHICH THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO WITHOUT HIS GRACE AND HIS FREELY GIVEN POWER TO DO IT.
HOW CAN ONE BE BAPTISED IN THE SPIRIT? AS WITH ALL THINGS EMANATING FROM GOD’S LOVE IT IS COMPLETELY SIMPLE AND COMPLETELY FREE- JUST ASK FOR IT! YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO TWO THINGS.
FIRST, ONCE YOU HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOUR YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK GOD TO BAPTISE YOU IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.THE BIBLE SAYS “ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU” (57 Luke.11:9).
SECOND, BELIEVE YOU HAVE IN FACT RECEIVED THIS GIFT FROM GOD.THE APOSTLE PAUL, WRITING TO THE GALATIANS, SAID “DID YOU RECEIVE THE SPIRIT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, OR BY HEARING WITH FAITH”? 58 Gal 3:2). THE OBVIOUS ANSWER IS, BY FAITH. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ASK, YOU WILL RECEIVE.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT, AS IN THE GOSPELS, THIS ASKING SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS- BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT, AS GOD CAN DO ANYTHING, IT CAN BE RECEIVED SIMPLY BY ASKING.
HERE IS A PRAYER TO ASK BY IF YOU SINCERELY WISH TO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT:
“HEAVENLY FATHER, AT THIS MOMENT I COME TO YOU. I THANK YOU THAT JESUS SAVED ME. I PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT COME UPON ME. LORD JESUS BAPTISE ME NOW IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I RECEIVE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT RIGHT NOW BY FAITH IN YOUR WORD. MAY THE ANOINTING, THE GLORY, AND THE POWER OF GOD COME UPON ME AND INTO MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.MAY I BE EMPOWERED FOR YOUR SERVICE FROM THIS DAY FORWARD.COME INTO MY LIFE LORD JESUS.
THANK YOU, LORD JESUS FOR BAPTISING ME IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.AMEN.
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