Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Colin Melbourne
© 98-08 Born-Again-Christian.info
Holy Ghost Baptism: Why you must have this Bible experience. You'll do more in one year if you are really filled with the Holy Spirit, than you could do in 50 years apart from Him.
Jesus Promised
Jesus promised believers; You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth. Holy Bible Acts 1:8 NIV
If you have believed in Jesus, and been genuinely born of God, you are entitled to partake of this wonderful blessing.
Have you received the power Jesus promised? It's a wonderful thing to have the same Spirit who anointed Christ come upon you.
Christ Himself did not dare begin His ministry without first the Holy Spirit came upon Him. If Jesus needed Him... we need Him.
Christ had the Holy Spirit within Him before He was baptized. But the Holy Spirit came upon Him in power before He began to minister.
A born again child of God has the Holy Spirit within from the moment they are saved. They are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30, 1 Jn. 2:27, Heb. 8:10), but not yet filled with the Holy Spirit (Lk. 24:49, Ac. 1:5,8; and Ac. Chs. 2,8,10,19)
To help you understand the difference: Think of the sealing as the sealing, or stamping, of an envelope, or document. It designates who owns it. But the envelope or document still needs to be filled with the owner's power doesn't it? Believers have to have the fullness of being Baptized in the Holy Spirit to be all that God wants them to be.
Have you experienced the Holy Spirit coming on you to empower you to be a witness of Christ? Have you been filled; with the Bible evidence?
The great English Evangelist, Smith Wigglesworth said, I'd rather have the Holy Spirit on me for five minutes than a million pounds! Me too. It's that good.
Power by Faith
You're helpless to confirm the Gospel apart from the Holy Spirit. But if you will rise up in your weakness, in faith and love to honour God, and begin to announce the Good News of Christ, you will find the Presence of the Lord upon you.
Act in faith boldly, and God will meet you. Souls will be saved, bodies healed, and demons put to flight. You will come to enjoy the glorious wonder of God working through you, by the Holy Spirit. Bringing to pass, Heaven's will on earth.
It is your birthright in Christ. The world chatters about "democracy and human rights", but believers have a far greater call. To embrace our Divine rights as God's children, with God Himself in charge of our hearts, bringing His Kingdom to pass on earth.
All humanity is failure. People-power and democracy are doomed. The only thing that lasts is God's order. Him ruling in people's hearts, at their invitation. It's eternal and unshakeable.
God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (and daughters!) Gal. 4:4
Every believer has the right to fullness of God's Spirit, if they will receive the experience. Nobody can properly proclaim the Gospel without being full of God's Spirit. Paul didn't feel he had completely proclaimed the Gospel unless his message was accompanied by a demonstration of the Spirit's power. 1 Co. 2:4-5
Confirming the message
The Gospel is more than words, even more than God's Word. It is God's Word and God's Spirit bringing to pass God's will on earth by faith in Jesus Christ.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 1 Co. 2:4-5
Theologians never demonstrate God's Holy Spirit power. They are full of 'men's wisdom', and powerless to confirm God's Word.
Paul continues in Romans 15; I'll not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done--by the power of signs and miracles through the power of the Spirit. So,... I have fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. Ro. 15:18-19
The Kingdom of God in not a matter of talk, but of power. 1 Co. 4:20
Signs wonders and miracles were done among you with great perseverance. 2 Co. 12:12
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mk. 16:20
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not complete without signs, wonders and miracles demonstrating the Spirit of God's power. Jesus still confirms His Gospel today by miracles, so that our faith rests not on men's words and wisdom, but on God's word and power.
Apart from the Holy Spirit no-one can preach the Gospel as God wants them to do. Every believer needs to be baptized with the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded in Acts 1:4-5.
The Bible Proof
Have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit? Many believers claim so, but do not have the Bible evidence to back them up. God's Word is unequivocal on the subject.
In a court of law, to establish a fact, just two reliable witnesses are required. To determine if you really have been filled with the Holy Spirit, God gives us three.
There can be no questioning the reliability of God's Word, and here are His Words;
On the day of Pentecost, the promised Holy Spirit was poured out upon the believers.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4
They went and proclaimed Christ boldly despite fierce persecution, and wonderful miracles confirmed their preaching. Thousands of Jews were saved in days.
God wants you to settle for nothing less than the real thing. Receiving the Holy Spirit the Bible way.
In Acts 10:44-47 We find Peter visiting Cornelius, and God tells us what happened when His Power fell.
While Peter was still speaking... the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
The prejudiced Jews who came with Peter as witnesses were astonished that God poured out the Holy Spirit even on Gentiles. What convinced them to declare,
They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.
The answer is given in verse 46. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. This evidence can not be contradicted, it is God's Word.
When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit. Until then, no matter what blessings you may have experienced you are not filled with God's Spirit.
These two clear witnesses are enough to convince any Judge in a Court of Law. God goes one better. Here's His third witness of this Gospel fact.
When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:6
There is even more evidence in God's Word that the Baptism is a separate experience subsequent to receiving Christ as Saviour. But these three Scriptures are specific and clear. They are enough to convince real believers (believers believe, doubters doubt, sceptics... go septic.)
I speak in tongues, but I don't glorify tongues, I magnify The Giver of the tongues, whom the Holy Spirit has come to reveal to us. The Lord Jesus Christ.
Purpose of tongues
Oh Glory, have you been there? God wants you there. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God... he utters mysteries by the Spirit... He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. 1 Co. 14:2+14
Beloved, enter into the Promise of God. It is your birthright, your inheritance. You need to be filled and overflowing to fulfil God's plan for your life. When you are, you will have the Bible proof; you will Speak in Tongues
