Baptism in the Holy Spirit – What the bible says

As believers in the Lord Jesus, we have to follow His example and obey everything He commanded His disciples to do (Matt.28:18-20; John. 14:12 & 20:21).

The four Gospels and the Book of Acts teach us how the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus, His disciples and new believers in the New Testament Church.

There is a clear pattern that is repeated over and over. The coming of the Holy Spirit upon people always followed salvation and preceded ministry and life in the church as a believer.

The Lord Jesus did not start His earthly ministry before He had received the Holy Spirit. John baptized Jesus in water, and as He came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove.

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus would not let the church start before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

As He gave His final instructions to the disciples, before He was taken into Heaven, He commanded them to wait in Jerusalem until they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit. (Luke. 24:48-49 & Acts 1:4-8).

We will see in this study that it was a common practice in the early church to make sure that believers were filled with the Holy Spirit after salvation.

In the New Testament the coming of the Holy Spirit into a believer’s life is referred to as “receiving the Holy Spirit” “filled with the Holy Spirit” or “the baptism with the Holy Spirit”. All of these speak of the same encounter with the Holy Spirit.

We need the infilling of the Spirit so that we can walk in His fullness. It is the Father’s desire for us to walk in the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us in John 14 through 16 that He would send us the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has come! He is ready to touch you

Many believers come to a place in their walk with the Lord where they realize the lack of the power of God in their lives. Jesus said:

“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” – Acts 1:8

Paul wrote:
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. – Eph. 5:18

When you get born again, you receive the Lord Jesus into your heart, as you put your faith in him:

John 1:12-13 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, but born of God.

Author: Pastor Pat Buckley
Published on: Nov 4, 2017