Lesson One

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The Baptism in the Spirit Study

Lesson One - Have You Received The Holy Ghost Since You Believed?

 

 

TEXT: Acts 19:1-3  - And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, [2] He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. [3] And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

 

It's been said that salvation is the greatest thing that takes place in the life of one who is a sinner and comes to Christ in genuine salvation, while the baptism, or infilling, of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues is the greatest thing that happens in the life of the believer AFTER one comes to Christ. Our text gives us great insight about what SHOULD be the next step after one is saved but sadly because of unbelief and religious tradition is usually shunned and rejected at a great loss to the believer.

 

In fact the WHOLE impression of these verses, along with the entire 19th chapter of Acts, speaks to us that since these disciples claimed to be believers, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit should have been the next step, incidentally a distinct and separate step from the believing. Let the reader be clear of a fundamental aspect of one's salvation. EVERY Christian who is born again receives the Holy Spirit at SONSHIP and, consequently, has Him when converted. The Holy Ghost is not an "it," or an invisible "force," or some mystical idea but He is GOD, the THIRD person of a Triune Godhead comprised of God the Father, Jesus Christ, God the Son, and of course God the Holy Ghost, also referred to in Scripture as the Holy Spirit. ALL three are equal and yet distinct persons in the makeup of the Godhead. 

 

When one comes to Christ, the Holy Spirit "baptizes" that individual INTO the Body of Christ through the union and identification of the believing sinner into Christ's DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION. We become "dead" to sin and "ALIVE" in Christ through and ONLY through the work of the Holy Ghost.

 

Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 6:11-14
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 8:14-16
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
 

However, that is NOT what Paul the Apostle is referring to here in the 19th chapter of Acts as there is a vast difference being "BORN" of the Spirit and one being "BAPTIZED" with the Spirit. The term "baptized," I'm afraid is the source of great confusion for many, especially those in the non-Pentecostal and non-Charismatic communities of the Body of Christ. Many well meaning Baptists friends whom I respect and don't seek to take a confrontive issue with argue that there is only "ONE" baptism referring to the passage in 1 Corinthians 12:3 as they basis for not believing in a second work of grace after one gets saved:

 

1 Cor. 12:13-15
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. [14] For the body is not one member, but many. [15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

This "baptism," INTO the body of Christ is NOT the same "baptism" or enduement of power for service AFTER one gets saved. The Holy Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ WHEN you get saved; THE LORD JESUS CHRIST baptizes or fills you with His Spirit AFTER you get saved! That was the testimony and witness of John the Baptist when He spoke of Christ's coming ministry upon the Earth:

 

Matthew 3:11
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: HE (JESUS) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 

 When Paul asked these disciples "have you received the Holy Spirit since ye believed," in the Greek is literally, "Having believed, DID you receive?"  He was not asking them had they been born again because these disciples were already saved! These men had already believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and, as a result of that believing, had been saved.

 

John 3:1-5
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: [2] The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. [3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

 

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 

However, even though they were now spiritually ready to be Baptized with the Holy Spirit, due to having their sins washed away by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, they had not gone on and received, the reason being, as their answer portrays, that they knew NOTHING about this "baptism" in the Holy Ghost. That is the state of scores of truly saved, God-fearing, sincere Christians today!  Very little preaching is done any more, even in Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, on the need and absolute necessity for the Believer to be baptized with the Holy Ghost!

 

Luke 24:49
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Acts 1:4-8
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. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. [6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? [7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. [8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 

Acts 2:38-39
Then Peter said unto them, 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. [39] 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 5:32
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The question Paul asked those disciples in the upper coasts of Ephesus is the question the HOLY GHOST is asking YOU today through this writer - "Have you received the Holy Ghost SINCE you believed?" I want to look at the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit baptism for enduement in this message today but first I want to deal with the disciples themselves and the reasons given by these men to Paul why they had not received. This message is NOT for those lost and without Christ today! Jesus said in John that the WORLD cannot receive the things of God through the Holy Spirit. The ONLY requirements for receiving this enduement of service through the baptism of the Holy Ghost is one be BORN again of the Spirit AND ASK the Lord Jesus to baptize them with His power AFTER they get saved. This "asking," is a step of faith thus "BELIEVING" the Lord can and will fill you after you get saved is a requirement.

 

I want to interject this thought which WILL sound a bit cutting probably. Some have already read to this point in this journal and rejected what the Holy Spirit is trying to say through this writer because of religious teaching, tradition, willful ignorance, or unintentional ignorance. Your pastor, teacher, or whatever, has told some of you there is NOT a second work of grace and these things passed away with the apostles. Some misguided and deceived individuals will go as far as tell you this experience is of Satan and you should shun it at all costs. These same individuals will claim they are "fundamentalists," who  believe the Bible from cover to cover but will go to great links to discredit the experiences in the book of Acts. Some of the most vicious and dangerous statements concerning the Holy Ghost do not come from the heathen but from so-called preachers who claim they know everything there is to know about God but reject everything under the sun when it deals with the supernatural realm of God's Kingdom.

 

As stated, some controversy exists because some Christians sincerely believe that they received the "gift" of the Holy Ghost at the time they were born again when they don't realize that what this writer speaks of is NOT the gifts spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 but an ENDUEMENT of power from on high that, as Jesus spoke of in John 7, will be as "rivers of living water," flowing out of the believer who will but ask and BELIEVE the Lord to fill them from head to toe.

 

Baptists, I love you! I grew up Southern Baptist and know every single argument against this experience because I made most of them while I was young. However, in 1987 all my arugments went flying out the door when on a stormy night in February on a kitchen floor in my late Aunt Florence's home in Tyrone, Georgia this writer received this glorious experience I speak to you of today with the evidence of speaking with other tongues and his life has not been the same since! It humors me sometimes to listen to Baptist preachers try and just blow off this experience with their theological "expertise" which those who are controlled by a religious spirit will gladly accept; read Acts 2:4, see the Baptists hit the door as an old preacher friend of mine used to say. If you don't want to believe in this experience and doubt - then as nicely as I can put it - DO WITHOUT!

 

I want to share this short article I read just the other day from a fellow "Bapticostal" that I feel is very relevant to this message; As I was reading it I only said about 2,455 amens to it:

 

"Confessions of a Bapticostal"


I discovered the Holy Spirit’s power in a Baptist church. So why are Baptists today trying to censor Him?


This past weekend I celebrated a spiritual anniversary of sorts. It was exactly 30 years ago last Monday that I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. What was funny about the whole experience, besides the fact that I was an 18-year-old kid with an Afro, is that I was sitting outside a Southern Baptist church when God zapped me.

It’s true. I first spoke in tongues on Baptist property!

“The Holy Ghost will not be censored. He will have the last word in this debate.”

I guess that makes me a Bapticostal. I don’t wear denominational labels, and I don’t attend a Baptist church today, but my Baptist roots go so deep you couldn’t pull them up with a bulldozer. I may act like a Pentecostal when I raise my hands, dance or shout hallelujah, but if you cut me open you’ll see Baptist blood. It runs thick in my family.

Some people think “Baptist” and “Pentecostal” are opposites, so to them the thought of matching the two is like pairing a hippopotamus with a hyena. I don’t see it that way. I never would have been drawn into a Pentecostal experience if I hadn’t been taught by Baptists to read the Bible for myself. Baptists taught me that if the Bible says it, I should believe it. So when I read that Christians in the early church spoke in ecstatic, unknown languages, I figured I could too.

And that is why I am so troubled by what happened last month at Southwestern Seminary, the premier educational institution of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). A visiting Baptist minister, Dwight McKissic—who happens to serve on the seminary’s board of trustees—told students at an Aug. 29 chapel service that he speaks in tongues “in his private prayer life.”

McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, told the audience at the Fort Worth school: “Not all Baptists believe that the gift of tongues went out with the completion of the New Testament. Some of the foremost thinkers and leaders and theologians among Baptist life believe tongues is a valid gift for today.”

He did not give a demonstration of his glossolalia, but McKissic testified that he was baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1981 while a student at Southwestern. Said McKissic: “I didn’t even believe in speaking in tongues. I was just going through my regular prayer time. As I was praying some strange words began to come out of my mouth.”

There we go again—zapped by God on Baptist property!

McKissic also criticized the SBC’s International Mission Board for its recent ruling that Southern Baptist missionaries who speak in tongues cannot serve on the field. “I think it’s tragic in Baptist life when we take a valid gift that the Bible talks about and come up with a policy that says people who pray in tongues in their private prayer lives cannot work in certain positions,” the pastor said.

Concerned that more seminary students might become Bapticostals, the president of Southwestern, Paige Patterson, officially rebuked McKissic and announced that his offending sermon would not be available on the school’s Web site. Now, some people are accusing Patterson and the seminary of religious censorship. Others are debating whether speaking in tongues should be “normative” in Baptist churches.

Normative? I’d like to ask Patterson and other SBC leaders a probing question. Shouldn’t we be more concerned with what is normative in the New Testament church than with maintaining a religious status quo? Is Jesus going to measure our spiritual fruit by a biblical standard or by a Baptist standard?

Baptists taught me from childhood that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. And my Bible says, “Forbid not to speak in tongues” (I Cor. 14:39). So why are Baptist leaders forbidding and censoring what the Bible promotes? Are they afraid that the Holy Spirit, who cannot be controlled by committees or religious policies, will misbehave?

I know hundreds of Southern Baptists—including many in prominent leadership positions—who have experienced Pentecost. They pray in tongues in their personal devotional time. They also believe in healing, spiritual warfare, casting out demons and many other biblical doctrines that are not on the list of “approved” Baptist beliefs. Many of them, like McKissic and me, were minding their own business when God invaded their ordered world with the Holy Spirit’s untamed passion.

I am praying that McKissic’s bold testimony—and the subsequent backlash against him—will spark a holy explosion among the nation’s 15 million Southern Baptists. The Holy Ghost will not be censored. He will have the last word in this debate, and He will do what He wants regardless of who owns the property."
 

 

Let this writer make it clear friend to ALL who will hear what the Spirit of God would say to the church in this hour. If this enduement of power for service is of Satan it's the only thing of Satan that will make you shout!; it's the only thing of Satan that will make you want to read your Bible more and more and more!; it's the only thing of Satan that will bring a greater and deeper love for Jesus Christ into your heart and soul to the point that everything you see, hear or read you will look for HIM in it!; it's the only thing from Satan that causes you to pray more powerfully and intimately with the help of the HOLY GHOST as HE speaks words through you that CANNOT be uttered or articulated in human terms; it's the only thing of Satan that will bring peace and joy within because one's LIFE has been freed from sin! My Lord someone needs to shout with me on this. My Lord, how can we be so utterly STUPID with all our learning and knowledge while rejecting the move of the HOLY GHOST?

 

Preacher you may not understand what I speak of and have 1 million questions in your heart and soul but you had better heed the warnings of this writer and WATCH WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT GOD THE HOLY GHOST! You may get applause and pats on the back for getting behind your pulpit and declaring tongues and the Spirit's intercessory utterances "of the Devil," and that these things "passed away," and all the other FOOLISHNESS and NONSENSE you spew out of a heart of unbelief; God is going to hold you accountable one day for leading many down a path of DEATH because you yourself had some religious hang up and did not allow the Holy Spirit to do HIS work in the people's lives you had under your care. God help us in the modern church world today. We'll allow homosexuals and lesbians, and all other types of queers, drunks and drug addicts and whoremongers to be part of our leadership teams in a church, lead singing and worship, and even get behind the sacred desk and preach to others and be members in good standing in our church;  but if those same people get baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues and STOP the whore hopping, stop the drugging, stop the drinking, stop the cussing, stop the smoking, repent of their homosexual ways and perversions WE THEN KICK THEM OUT OF OUR FELLOWSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ARE YOU HEARING ME NEIGHBOR? I don't mean to be unkind but neighbor I feel this burning in my soul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Some believe that they received it at Baptism. The Bible gives us all of the answers and many find reason to argue with it, but it is experience in the person that gives us the proof that we are looking for. If you experience the gift for yourself then there is no room for doubt concerning how he comes, when he comes or anything else. He will speak for himself. If we debate over the gift rather than receive the gift then we will have failed not only God in His plans but ourselves as well.

The Holy Ghost is a gift for the believer for power after he has been born again. We are baptized because we have been born again, in the same fashion we are baptized by the Holy Ghost because we have been born again.

Acts 1:8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Holy Ghost helps us to overcome our fear of man and others things in order to reach others with the Gospel. He will give us boldness, but there are many more things that He does than this.

I am not trying to prove others wrong but it is very important for you to have this wonderful Gift. If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, Jesus wants you to receive him. He holds the power in your life to deliver you instantly from depression, worry, anxiety, fear, temptation, evil thoughts or any other thing that is oppressive to our spirit. The very thing that proves that we have the Holy Ghost is also the blessing that comes with Him to deliver us from these things. Believe it or not it is "speaking in Tongues." Many people who have the Holy Ghost do not realize that they have with them at all times the ability to deliver them from depression and or other oppressive things.

But many teach that tongues are not for today. It is commonly taught that although the Apostles and the early Church possessed this gift that it is not for today’s Church. I will do my best to explain this to you. Here are the scriptures that are commonly used.

1 Corinthians 13:8 - Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

In the above scriptures Paul is trying to explain that above all we as Christians should have the love of God. He was not minimizing the Gifts of God to be used in the Church. Notice in verse 8 that he said that prophecies would fail and tongues would cease. If these were the only two things that were mentioned in verse 8 it could be possible to believe that this was only for the early Church.

But, the other word in this verse is knowledge. Paul said that knowledge would vanish away. Question: Did knowledge vanish away with the early Church? Is knowledge not for the Church of today? Paul was simply saying that we only know in part and because of that we come up short in yielding ourselves to the Holy Ghost. Love is the crowning glory. But he was not discouraging the use of the Gifts in the Church. He taught us how to use he gifts in the Church. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost in Church is so that every one will profit Spiritually. Do we believe that Paul after having written to the Church to explain how important the gifts were to the Church would turn around and tell them not to use them in the same breath?

Many fear the gift of tongues for fear of appearing to be a fool. But, speaking in tongues is evidence that you have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. In every case in the New Testament where people received the Holy Ghost they spoke with tongues. The Apostles all accepted this as proof that they had received it.

There are gifts of tongues in the Church to edify the body that would be to speak to others in their own language or to be used in prophetic ministry to the body of the Church or to individuals. This later tongue would require an interpreter that is one of the other gifts given to Church. The other tongue that we speak of is our prayer language that is the language of angels. This is the tongue that we speak in when we receive the Holy Ghost and is given to us to help us pray in the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will pray through us, using our tongue to speak, praying for things about us and for us that we do not know how to pray for. This is not to be confused with the gifts in the Church that is given to profit others. This gift is to profit you and to build you up in your faith and commitment to God.

When it comes to deliverance from worry, fear, anxiety, depression or sinful desires praying in tongues in the Spirit can bring instant deliverance. I know those who have suffered from depression who would pray for God to deliver them from depression. After staying down in prayer for a long time sometimes they would be delivered. Others pray for deliverance and it never seems to come. But, when you pray in the tongues of Heaven, or angels, it is instant because the Holy Ghost comforts and lifts us up out of our depression. When you are speaking in tongues in the tongues of angels you are speaking in the language of Heaven. If you go to Germany they speak German, if you go to France they speak French, when we go to Heaven we will speak in the language of Heaven. This is what we speak when we are praying in tongues. If we are ashamed of the language of Heaven here on this earth maybe we will be ashamed of Heaven. It is not gibberish it is a language with vowels, adjectives, verbs and everything else that it takes to be considered a language and it is understood in Heaven whether we ever understand it on this earth or not. Paul said that if we pray in the tongues of angels that we should pray that we might also understand what the Spirit is praying for.

Jesus said that all we had to do was to ask him for it.

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?

All we have to do is ask Jesus for the Holy Ghost and He will baptize us with Him. When you do ask Him believe that you will receive Him and let Him have your tongue. It is like stepping into a stream and being pulled along. This is the reason the Holy Ghost is compared to being like a river. Let it happen and you will see the greatest moment in your life. One that is equivalent and most of the time more memorable than they day you were born again. I am praying that God will help you to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost as soon as possible if you have never received Him.
 

Does The Believer Receive ALL The Spirit Intends For Him To Receive At Salvation?

Another area of controversy is the discussion of whether the infilling of the Spirit automatically comes to a person at conversion. Many teach that there is nothing else to be sought, or asked for, after salvation. They say, in effect, that once we're born again our relationship with God is then "complete." Some do believe in a separate work of grace after one gets saved but they do not believe this experience is accompanied by speaking in tongues. I wish I were talking about non-Pentecostal people here but sadly many even in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements and realms of Christendom have succumbed to this teaching that they really don't need those "tongues."
 
I had lunch a few months back with a youth pastor of a very large Assembly of God church in Tennessee. We got on this subject and he didn't blink an eye when he said to me, "I have realized since I've been to Bible school that we in the Assemblies have missed it- we really don't need to speak in tongues to consider ourselves filled with the Spirit." When I asked him then what would he consider a "sign" that one was filled with the Spirit he had absolutely no answer for me. I said, "You mean you can't think of even one thing that would change in a person's life if they were filled with the Spirit?" He said, "not according to my Bible teachers at school." That shows us how far down the road to denying the supernatural of God we have went in the church, including many in the Pentecostal camp!
 
No wonder many outside the Charismatic/Pentecostal worlds don't get that enthused about the infilling of the Spirit - they don't see any enthusiasm among those who are supposed to be the root movement where this glorious experience began going back to the Azusa Street outpouring but in reality going back to the New Covenant Church! Neighbor, NO OFFENSE to my Baptist friends, but the 12 apostles sent out by the Holy Ghost after the Day of Pentecost were NOT BAPTIST type folks!!! They spoke in tongues, they prayed in tongues, they sang in tongues, the worshipped in tongues, they preached under the mighty anointing of the HOLY GHOST, not under the auspices of Rick Warren's 40 days of Purpose techniques or John Maxwell's leadership principles.


Acts 2:4 clearly describes the filling of the 120 gathered in Jerusalem at the command of Christ  with the Holy Spirit. That is an undisputable fact of Scripture that even the most faithless of evangelicals would have a hard time denying! Yet it is just as absurd for evangelicals to claim there was ANY evidence these gathered on the day of Pentecost were not saved and this experience was a one-time never again to be repeated event in the lives of believers.

 

The 120 included eleven of the apostles (and actually the 12th, who had just been chosen) and also Mary, the mother of Jesus. These were the same disciples who,  in Luke 10:20, was commanded by Jesus to not rejoice over the fact that the devils were subject to them (within the authority of Jesus), but rather encouraged them to rejoice because THEIR NAMES WERE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN! These 120 were not sinners waiting in Jerusalem for salvation; they were waiting for the enduement of power from on high for service - the mighty baptism in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with other tongues! They were not gathering to get MORE saved or be born again "again." They were gathering in Jerusalem for the "promise of the Father," to receive a baptism of POWER that they would need before they went out to build churches, save souls, heal sick bodies and cast out devils. Before they "started" ministries, the Lord's command was "GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST!" His command to the 21rst Century modern American church is the same: GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST; GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST!
 
Acts 1:4 - 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.

Acts Chapter 8-The Samaritan Revival
 
We read in Acts chapter 8 that Philip went to Samaria and preached CHRIST to the people there. It says in Acts 8:6 that they "gave heed to the things Philip preached," in other words - THEY WERE BORN AGAIN! It tells of unclean spirits coming out and of many being healed along with great "joy" existing among those in the city. Then in verse 12 it tells of the Samaritans believing what Philip was preaching concerning the kingdom of God and the name of the Lord Jesus - and how they were being baptized both men and women. This is what the Word tells US to do in John 3:16 and in Acts 10:42-43. These people were saved under the ministry of Philip.
 


THEN in the 14th verse Peter and John the apostles heard about the revival. The church in Jerusalem them sent Peter and John to Samaria that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Now if an individual receives EVERYTHING at conversion what was happening here? Why were Peter and John there?? What was the point of going down and preaching the Holy Spirit and praying for them if they had automatically received the Holy Spirit at conversion - as it is commonly taught today?
 
The Bible says in the 16th verse that NONE of them had been filled with the Holy Spirit. They had been saved and even baptized in water, but in the 17th verse it says that HANDS WERE LAID ON THEM AND THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT.

 

Acts 8:17
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
 
Acts Chapter 9
 
The 9th Chapter of Acts describes the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Paul), and the 12th verse recounts God's command to Ananias to go and pray for Paul and put his hands on him that Paul might receive his sight; Ananias was not directed to lay hands on him that he might be saved - because Paul had already accepted the Lord Jesus as His Savior, as a result of a great vision recorded in verses 3-7 of Acts 9:
 
Acts 9:3-7 - And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: [4] And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? [5] And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. [6] And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. [7] And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

The 17th verse states that when Ananias met Saul he called him "Brother Saul." He would NOT have done so if Paul had not accepted Jesus. But Paul HAD already accepted Jesus; he WAS saved; his name WAS written in the Lamb's book of Life; he was ALREADY washed in the blood of the Lamb. Ananias was sent to pray for him that he might receive his sight again AND that he might be filled with the HOLY GHOST. If one is baptized in the Holy Ghost at conversion, WHAT was Ananias doing??? WHY was he even bothering to pray for Paul to receive the Holy Spirit? I mean come on Ananias - Paul already had all he needed. He didn't need those tongues as many would proclaim today. The answer to that is YES HE DID!!!!!!!!!! YES HE DID! AND YOU and I  DO TODAY AS WELL!
 
Acts 9:17 - And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 10
 
It would seem that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place immediately after conversion at the home of Cornelius who was saved and baptized in the Holy Ghost at almost the same time. Peter and those with him knew this had happened because "they heard them speak with tongues and glorify God."

 

Acts 10:44-47
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. [45] And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. [46] For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, [47] Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
 
Acts 19
 
The 19th chapter of Acts describes the Apostle Paul as speaking to the disciples of John at Ephesus. He asked them "have you received the Holy Spirit SINCE you believed?" And they replied that they didn't even know what Paul was talking about. He then explained to them, and in the 6th verse it says he laid hands on them, and "the Holy Ghost came on them."

 

Acts 19:6
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
 
Every Christian receives the HOLY SPIRIT of adoption into sonship with God at the time of salvation (Romans 8:9 with Romans 8:14-16). This was NOT, what Paul was addressing here. He was asking them about the Spirit baptism that John had preached - describing how Jesus would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire. This had nothing to do with NEW BIRTH by the SPIRIT - it was/is the endowment of power for service.
 
John 1:31-34 - And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. [32] And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. [33] And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. [34] And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Acts 1:4-5 - 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. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Romans 8:9 - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any men have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Romans 8:14-16 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

When one reads this, one must be able to see that a person can be saved by the blood of Jesus and have believed God for salvation, yet be in ignorance of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This was what happened at Ephesus and that is what has happened to millions today. When I met my wife Lisa in 1999 she had NEVER heard anything about the baptism in the Holy Spirit except in a negative vein. When I told her about the validity of the experience it was like teaching a new convert about salvation. She knew absolutely nothing. What is shocking about that is that Lisa was a church secretary at one of the largest non-Pentecostal churches in Knoxville for over 5 years and had attended church all her life yet she said she had NEVER heard a message encouraging people to receive this precious experience from the Lord!
 
Let the ready be clear; a sinner cannot receive this experience for obvious reasons; the sinful heart cannot the things of God and as a result as a sinner NONE can be "filled" with the Holy Spirit. The sinner must be "born again" to become a candidate for the Holy Ghost baptism and be FILLED with the power of God. Yes, the HOLY GHOST comes in at salvation - don't misunderstand. 
 
John 14:17 - Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

 

But there is a HUGE difference in being "born" of the Spirit and "baptized" IN the Holy Ghost! Being born of the Spirit brings one INTO the body of Christ; the baptism IN the HOLY GHOST brings the believer OUT of cold, dead religion INTO a vital, vibrant, powerful, intercessory, relationship with the Finished Work of the crucified  CHRIST the believing sinner has placed his faith in at some point in the past.

One Must Ask To Receive This Experience
 
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?

The reader may ask, "well how does one 'receive' the enduement of power from the Holy Ghost? Very simply, it's a matter of faith just as faith was required when we were born again! When we came to Christ for salvation, we came confessing, believing, repenting and ASKING. When one is baptized in the HOLY GHOST, one must STILL come confessing, repenting, asking and BELIEVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jesus made it clear through His words recorded by Luke that one must ASK to receive this experience; it is not an automatic gift from the Heavenly Father. But without question and compromise let this writer make it crystal clear to the believer - THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY SINGLE CHRISTIAN, BORN AGAIN CHILD OF GOD SHOULD SEEK AFTER ONE IS SAVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As we close this message in this continuing series on the Holy Spirit let me say this. There are two trains of thought in the Body of Christ that are very dangerous. The camp that teaches that once you get saved you have everything from God you'll ever need is short-changing their people. The camp that teaches once you receive this enduement with power you have received everything you'll ever need from God is also very dangerous. There will NEVER come a time when you receive everything from God and no longer need to CONTINUE GROWING IN IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seeking more of God MUST be sought after - it will not come to any of us automatically and in our strength NEVER accomplished!!!! ONLY THE HOLY GHOST CAN PRODUCE MORE OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN NATURE AND CHARACTER INSIDE ANY OF US and in a corporate view - the BODY OF CHRIST in general.

 

One may ask, well "is tongues the only sign one is Spirit-filled?" Absolutely NOT, but without compromising or backing away in any fashion, this writer believes the WORD OF GOD, not this writer, teaches and states without debate that way one can be ASSURED they have been immersed in the Holy Spirit is through the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance. Once that occurs then there is a wide open door of greater Holy Spirit ministry open to ALL who will walk in the leading, guidance, prompting and unction of the Spirit! Many Pentecostals speak in a few tongues and say "that's it I have "it."

 

If you are seeking tongues you are headed for trouble friend! We're not seeking "tongues," or an "experience." We're seeking MORE OF JESUS through the ministry of the HOLY GHOST! As a result of the sincere seeker and the believing heart, the Lord Jesus will more than willingly baptize us IN HIS SPIRIT with the evidence of speaking with other tongues!
 
Some who we have talked to over the years and even the recent past about this subject to in detail recently have taken great offense and offered strong disagreement. Sadly, most disagreements over the glorious infilling of the Holy Spirit is ignorance, but MOST of the resistance, if not ALL is rooted in sinful, wicked UNBELIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

This writer does not apologize for what I have written. Having said that though I also want to state that I don't get up everyday with a vendetta or an ax to grind with any movement or denomination within the Body of Christ. There is a UNIVERSAL need - across the board - for ALL of us in the church to get as close to God as we possibly can in these last days.

 

The reason I write with such a passion is that I know without blinking or pause that the church in America has become very adept at "accomplishing" a great deal without the power of God being involved! That is called "HUMANISM," even if it comes in religious wrappers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS WILL NEVER SEE THE FULFILLMENT OF THE HARVEST in these last days in the strength of our own humanistic efforts in the church. ALL the worldly gimmicks and substitutions we in the modern church world use today in lieu of depending 100% on the move of the HOLY GHOST and the power of the Cross will NOT be able to save one single soul, heal one sick body, bind up one broken heart, restore one broken marriage, set one captive free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ONLY THE HOLY GHOST can do those things!!!!!!!!!!

So if what I write about the Holy Spirit is getting under your skin then maybe it's getting under your skin for a reason. I'm only seeking to be a voice to trumpet the message that OUR STRENGTH in the CHURCH has never been in our buildings nor in our numbers - it's always been in the SPIRIT of GOD that comes from our HEAD - THE LORD YESHUAH. It's not about DOING it's about ABIDING. WITHOUT HIM - we can do NOTHING!
 
Zech. 4:6 - Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

You and I need this endowment of power. I can't say that enough. We ALL need the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues!!! We will take a look at why tongues is so important in a future message coming soon.

 

I found a beautiful song to sum everything up this writer has stumbling and humbly tried to allow the Holy Spriit to write through him: YOU AND I NEED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST TODAY! And as this song written over 100 years ago says,

 

Ye are the temples, Jesus hath spoken,
Temples of God’s holy Spirit divine;
Have ye received Him, bidden Him enter,
Make His abode in that poor heart of thine?


Refrain:
Have ye received, since ye believed,
The blessed Holy Ghost?
He who has promised, gift of the Father,
Have ye received the Holy Ghost?


He who has pardoned surely will cleanse thee,
All of the dross of thy nature refine;
Cleansed from all sin, His power will enter,
Fill you and thrill you with power divine.


Showers of mercy, fullness of blessing,
Ever the Spirit’s indwelling attend;
’Tis this enduement, power of service,
Fruits for your labor He surely will send.


Weary of wand’ring, come into Canaan,
Feast on the fullness and fat of the land;
Feed on the manna, dwell in the sunshine,
Led by His Spirit and kept by His hand.
 

I ask you today, "have you received, SINCE you believed?" He who has promised, GIFT OF THE FATHER, Have you received the HOLY GHOST SINCE YOU BELIEVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  For now, let me pray with you. Some of you are former Pentecostals who once experienced this mighty, glorious infilling but because of whatever reasons - be them unbelief, pressure from church systems, and just the utter foolish babblings of backslidden preachers who know NOTHING of the ways of God or of the Spirit - have allowed this experience to dry up and be of no value to your Christian walk. The Holy Spirit is dealing with you right now letting you know HE wants to RE-FILL you today!

 

We come to the FATHER, in the name of Jesus, asking Him to fill us with the Spirit! When we place our faith in the Cross and what Jesus did for us ALL there - then He will gladly do just that! Pray with me today:


Father, in the name of Yeshuah, I pray for those reading this article right now that they will so sense their need to receive the Holy Spirit in His enablement and enduing power they will fall on their faces NOW and cry out for You to fill them! Help us not seek an "experience," with you but help us seek an ENCOUNTER with YOU oh LORD. Help us get THIRSTY for more of You. Help us develop a HUNGER for MORE of the things of God in this crucial hour before YOU come back to Earth. Help us oh Lord to KNOW you more intimately and help us see that the ONLY WAY we know You more intimately is THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT. We need MORE OF YOU Yeshuah. We want to know Your SON more LORD. We want to allow the HOLY SPIRIT to immerse US in His grace and power right now Lord. Father, we are open to whatever You have for us in this time we are living in. Forgive us for the hardness of our hearts. Help us celebrate the Feast of the Lord this May as we near Pentecost. Help us see our need to be FILLED with the mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost that was given on this great Jewish feast day in honor of the giving of the TORAH on Mt. Sinai. Let the fire of Mt. Sinai rests in our hearts today

 

In Jesus Name

Amen

cmc4jesus@aol.com

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