Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We can only live the Christian life by having/receiving a new vitality – the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is the subject of our teaching today. We will explain what the experience we call being baptised in the Holy Spirit is all about. As you study this subject we advise you to ask the Holy Spirit to show you what he wants to do in your life.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a part of the “salvation package” (Acts 2.38) together with repentance, faith and baptism in water. This is God’s way of bringing us into his kingdom, which is a kingdom in the Holy Spirit. When we have been born again and become part of his kingdom, God releases a new dimension of power in our lives through baptism in the Holy Spirit. Through baptism in the Spirit we come into a realm of spiritual and supernatural power, which equips us to be witnesses for Jesus in our everyday lives.
John the Baptist was the first to use the expression ‘to baptise in the Holy Spirit’ when he preached about Jesus being greater than himself:
“I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matt. 3:11)
Jesus taught his disciples about the necessity of being baptised in the Holy Spirit. He said that they must wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came upon them and equipped them before they could serve him effectively. It is just as necessary today for Christians to be baptised in the Holy Spirit in order to do God’s works and honour Jesus in their lives.
“Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
Exercise:
Why do all Christians need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit?
What is baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire?
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the fulfilment of the prophets’ words about how God, in the messianic age, in God’s kingdom, would pour out his Spirit on all believers. In the time of the new covenant that was to come, God would do something completely new for his people. They would no longer be guided by outward patterns, commands or rules, but by the Holy Spirit, who would live in them and write his laws in their hearts. (See Isa.32:15-18; 44:3-5; 59:21; 61:1-3; Jer. 31:31-34; Zech.4:6) When the disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit, Peter said that it was a fulfilment of the words of the prophet Joel:
“No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’” (Acts 2:16-18; Joel 3:1-2)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit means receiving the gift of the Spirit, it being filled with the Spirit and covered by the Spirit who comes upon us so that our hearts overflow and we speak words the Spirit gives us.
The New Testament shows us very clearly that this experience is for all Christians. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter said that the Spirit would be poured out on all people and he particularly said that the gift of the Spirit was for all those who believed and were baptised:
“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:39)