On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)
To exhaustively cover all that is involved in the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and answer the many questions surrounding this subject would take a number of studies, nevertheless I will attempt to be as thorough as space will allow.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit has caused much controversy in the body of Christ. Because of misunderstanding, and abuses of spiritual gifts, many have lost sight of the primary reason for this necessary experience. My main objective therefore will be to look into the biblical reasons for, and the necessity of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The first question, which is usually asked, is ‘just what is the baptism in the Holy Spirit?’ Jesus called it “…the promise of the Father…” (Acts 1:4), Paul calls it the ‘down payment of our inheritance’. (Eph. 1:14). To me it means to be immersed into the person of God that you may “…know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19)
Furthermore, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a baptism of power! Jesus, right before His ascension said to his disciples, ‘but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…’ (Acts 1:8).
We shall look at what this power is for a little later. But first, let me begin by stating that The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the culmination and realization of many promises that were given in the Old Testament. This ‘promise of the Father’ was given throughout Israel’s history, we can find it for instance in Isaiah; “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring…” (Is.44:3).
Again, in the prophet Joel we read “and it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;” (Joel 2:28); and Ezekiel promised “…I will not hide my face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord God.” (Ezek. 39:29).
Is Salvation and Spirit Baptism one and the same thing?
There is a large section of the Christian church that believes and teaches that the baptism in the holy spirit and conversion are one and the same thing. They say that the moment a person is born again he immediately is ‘sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.’ But this teaching is so far removed from the biblical record that what these teachers inevitably do is to rob both themselves and their hearers of God’s greatest blessing to the believer.
What does the Bible tell us? What does it show us? It shows us that; the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a work of the Spirit, separate and distinct from salvation. We read in the gospel of John 7:37-39. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified”.
Notice the term ‘not yet given’. In what sense was He not yet given? It cannot mean that the Holy Spirit had not been given at all, or in any sense until Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was in all the saints of the Old Testament. David cried, ‘take not thy Holy Spirit from me.’ Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were children of God. It was the Spirit in them that made them what they were. They were the children of faith; and as Paul tells us, we as Christians are all the children of Abraham because we are the children of faith. A man cannot be in the kingdom of God unless he is a child of God; and he cannot be a child of God without the Spirit, the Spirit was in all these men.
Likewise, it would be impossible for the apostles to have been unregenerate before Pentecost. Peter clearly confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Thomas recognized Him as ‘my Lord and my God.’ And we are told in 1Cor.12:3 that “…no one can say that Jesus in Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” So, this promise of the Spirit must be some special giving of the Holy Spirit other than conversion. For further proof of this let’s look at acts chapter 8. In verses 5-8 we see that Phillip went to Samaria and preached Christ to them. Multitudes were saved, healed, and delivered and joy broke out in the city. Now in verses 14-17, we see that the apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to those new believers in Samaria, once there, they pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. “For as yet he had fallen upon none of them.” they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they, “laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” Clearly from this account we can see that conversion and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences. That this is exactly how Paul experienced it can be seen in Acts 9. Paul was converted on his way to Damascus, but it wasn’t until three days later that he was ‘filled with the Spirit’. Therefore, he can write in his epistle, Clearly from this account we can see that conversion and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences. That this is exactly how Paul experienced it can be seen in Acts 9. Paul was converted on his way to Damascus, but it wasn’t until three days later that he was ‘filled with the Spirit’. Therefore, he can write in his epistle, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after (not when) you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise.” (Eph. 1:13) Notice; he says ‘after you believed’ you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Conversion first, baptism or sealing in the Holy Spirit subsequently.
An existential experience
Let it also be understood that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a matter of experiential conscience experience, and not an unconscious influence. It is a matter of experiential knowledge in both the written word, and of the testimony and experience of untold millions. In other words, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience, which one may know whether or not he has received.
If I were to ask you, “were you baptized in the Holy Spirit?” You could answer me, “Yes” or, “No”, but never, “I don’t think so”, or, “I don’t know” – if you don’t know, then you weren’t. Anything other than a “Yes” amounts to a “No”!
In Acts 19 this is precisely what Paul asked the Ephesians. We read in verse 2 that he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” If the baptism in the Holy Spirit isn’t a conscience experience, then this question of Paul’s is meaningless. For how then could they have answered Him? What kind of an answer could he have expected? Paul asked them expecting a yes or no. And their answer obviously amounted to a “no”. So, we see that, in verse 6 that, “…when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them…” How did they know? Because, “…they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” How does one know whether or not he has received the ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit’? There is a definite visible and physical manifestation. In each and every account that we have in the book of Acts something was seen and heard. The prophecy concerning this can be found in the book of Joel chapter 2. “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions…”. This prophecy clearly indicated the pouring out of His Spirit with physical manifestations. On the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts chapter 2, we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. We see from the account that this mighty baptism produced some very definite results. First, they heard a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, then there appeared tongues of fire, and then they spoke with other tongues. After this, the people accused them of being drunk. Obviously, they were in a joyous, ecstatic state – then Peter preached his powerful sermon where 3,000 souls got saved! An unconscious experience? Hardly!
It isn’t my intention to wrangle over whether or not the initial evidence of the ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit’ is only the speaking in other tongues. But what I do assert is that it is a very definite conscious, physical manifestation, whether tongues, prophecy, dreams, visions, weeping, laughing or what-have-you; that you will know it when it happens is my main point of inquiry. Read the biographies of some of the great men of God who have had this experience, D.L. Moody, Smith Wigglesworth, Charles Finney, Jonathon Edwards, John Wesley to name just a few, and you will be blessed to see their individual experiences testify to a conscious, physical, experience.
The teaching that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the same as regeneration and/or an unconscious experience to be ‘taken by faith’ apart from emotions or feelings is plainly and I state categorically an erroneous teaching. To quote Dr. Lloyd Martyn-Jones, “When God seals you with the Spirit you will know it. You will not have to ‘take it by faith’ irrespective of your feelings and you condition, and simply keep on saying. ‘I must have had it, because I believe, I have taken God’s word for it.’ You will not have to persuade yourself; the persuasion will be done by the Holy Ghost and you will know something of this rejoicing ‘with a joy unspeakable and full of glory’; when God blesses the soul, the soul knows it.”
Is the baptism in the Holy Spirit for all believers?
So far, I have shown that this baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and distinct experience not to be confused with conversion. I have also shown that it is a conscious experience that is evidenced by some type of physical manifestation. Now, I would like to get to the heart of the matter. The marrow so to speak. Is the baptism in the Holy Spirit for all believers? Some have taught that it was just for those early apostles, because they needed some special endowment to get the church started. But now that the church is established, this experience is no longer necessary. Others have said ‘it’s only for those ‘special’ saints, you know those really spiritual people who come around every hundred years or so. But the baptism in the Holy Spirit was never intended to be given just so people could speak in tongues, or prophecy or exercise any of the spiritual gifts we read about in 1Cor.12. Truly and surely these gifts are involved and praise God are still in operation, but and I say this with reverence, these gifts are just the fringe benefits. This is where we come to the heart of the matter, “…earnestly desire the spiritual gifts”, Paul says, “…and yet I show you a more excellent way.” In other words, let’s go deeper, these gifts all have their place but they are not the substance, there is something deeper. And it’s here at this point that I can say that: The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for all born-again believers in Christ with no exceptions. It is here, at this point I think, many today have missed the mark. The baptism is not a matter of status but is a matter of experience. It is given to produce an assurance in us that motivates us to a deeper walk and sanctified life in the Lord. It is, as already stated “The Holy Spirit of Promise”, God the Father’s pre-determined purpose as previously quoted from Joel, and Ezekiel. That is why Peter could proclaim “for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call,” (Acts 2:39).
It is an eternal promise for all God’s children and here’s why. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is given to be a direct assurance of salvation, an authentication of the work of God in us. In Ephesians 1:13 we read, “…in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” The Greek word here for “sealed” is a form of the verb ‘sphragizo’ which means; to set a seal on one as a mark or stamp of ownership. It was used to authenticate ownership, much like cattlemen brand their cattle. Today when you have to sign important papers, you have to go to a notary public to notarize your signature. A stamp or seal of authentication, signed and sealed. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is, “God’s Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God”(Rom.8:16).
Acts 15:8 will also help us here: “so God, who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;”
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is God’s action, in which He bears witness that we are His children, that He is our Father, and that we’re ‘heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ’. It is God’s authentication of the fact that we really belong to Him. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a direct action of God upon your spirit to give you assurance of salvation; to authenticate your claims of faith.
In John 6:27 we read that the Lord was telling the people that they should listen to Him because, “…God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Jesus had been sealed, that is, authenticated, by God. God had sealed Him at His {water} baptism by sending the Holy Ghost upon Him in the form of a dove.
Furthermore, we read in Matt. 3:17 “…a voice came from heaven saying, ‘this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” That voice spoke on three occasions, authenticating Him, sealing Him, pronouncing Him to be God’s Son. Have you heard that voice? Have you heard God say to you “this is my beloved son…?” Have you experienced “…the love of God that has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit?” I’m not talking about abstract doctrine, intellectual theorizing about the Fatherhood of God. But about a direct, divine infilling, a pouring out from the throne of God of His very Person, that makes you cry out, “abba, Father”. As Paul tells us in the forth chapter of Galatians, as the result of the work of Christ and this baptism of the Spirit we are also given the Spirit that was in Christ, and He makes us also cry “abba, Father”. We have become certain of God as Father, we know Him as father. “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart crying out “abba, Father”!
That is the result of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This sealing does not make us sons of God, but gives us a direct realization of the fact. In other words, this sealing is that direct assurance which the Holy Spirit gives us of our relationship to God in Jesus Christ.
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;…”
Earlier I mentioned that this experience was a baptism of power. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity for effective service for Christ. Jesus had appointed and commanded His disciples to go into all the world to preach the gospel, but before they were to do this He commanded them to wait for “…the promise of the Father…for you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit… And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit had come upon you.” (Acts 1:4-8)
Power to do what? Certainly not merely miracles, for the apostles had already been given that authority; (Matt. 10:1, Lk. 10:19,20).
No, but the promise of the Spirit is primarily for power to live a sanctified life. As Ezekiel states, “I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgements and do them.” (Ezek. 36:27);
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is sanctifying power to witness to the validity of the Gospel, and of course, this included the anointing to preach with power also. Therefore, “…you shall be my witnesses!” Acts 1:8.
The power of a sanctified life is the greatest and most effective witness of the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ! “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do…that you may become blameless and innocent children of God without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Phil 2:13-15). A spirit filled, sin free life was Jesus’ greatest testimony, and it is meant to be ours also; “…the very works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me; ‘…which of you convicts me of sin? and if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?”
The word of God everywhere tells us to be filled with the Spirit. Before Jesus began His public ministry He was filled with the Spirit. Before the apostles went to preach the gospel, they were commanded to be filled with the Spirit. Throughout the book of Acts new converts were asked, “were you filled with the Spirit?. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is…be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:17,18)
In conclusion, I would like to point out that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is an initial one-time act. However, there are, and must be constant re-fillings we must be putting ourselves constantly in the flow of the Spirit, asking to be filled anew each day with fresh in-fillings. It is the Spirit who gives life without Him you will die. Paul called Him the, “…guarantee of our inheritance…” Without His indwelling what guarantee do you have? It is much safer to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an ocean liner than it is in a rowboat. You might make it in a rowboat but it is very doubtful. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for believers, the world cannot receive Him. He is to be received by faith, “…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal. 3:14) Faith is the yielding up of our voluntary powers to the guidance, instruction, influences and government of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, “…receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39) Amen!
In His Amazing Grace, Andy White
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