In the previous article in this series, I demonstrated that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is for every person who puts his or her faith in Christ. In this one, I will provide four easy steps to receive this amazing promise. As with every other gift from God, the baptism in the Spirit is received by faith. We cannot earn it or somehow “gin it up.” It transcends our human abilities in every way. Since the baptism in the Spirit is received by faith, we must be convinced that God has given it to us, receive it, and act as if we believe he has. That is how faith works.
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2 (NASB)
1. Believe that God will do what he says.
If we first grasp that God has provided all believers with the privilege of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the next step is for us to believe that God is always faithful to his promises.
God’s complete trustworthiness is the foundation of all faith.
How simple is that? Yet many people get hung up at this point. Maybe it is not for me? God will bless everyone else, but not me. This is sinful unbelief from which we must repent. Cast that lie away and start believing God.
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19 (NASB)
2. Ask and receive with simple faith as a child.
"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" Luke 11:10-13 (NASB)
Children do not suspect devious motives in the giver or concoct complicated reasons the promise might not come true. When an adult makes a promise, a child expects it to happen. To God, we are all little children. We may have been disappointed many times by people who did not keep their promises to us, but God is not like that. If as a child we experienced adults lying to us and failing to follow through on their word, we must not let those memories and any attached lies about God block us from trusting our always trustworthy heavenly Father. As a child, believe, ask, and receive. If something in our minds is whispering that this is not going to happen for me, repent of that unbelief and try, try again.
...You do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2 (NASB)
If I extend my hand to offer someone a hundred dollar bill, what will that person need to do? Would it be enough to say thank you without making any effort to come forward to receive it? If we want the money, we will take action. Similarly, we receive the baptism in the Spirit by asking the Lord to baptize us and then by actively receiving.
Faith receives before it sees any outward visible evidence. Faith depends on the promises and character of God alone. It knows that God will keep his word and that his promises are true.
Faith does not doubt. It does not struggle with wondering if God will keep his end of the deal or not. It receives and moves on, just as when the Roman Centurion believed Jesus healed his servant and returned home. (Luke 7:10)
3. Give thanks.
After receiving a gift, grateful people say, “thank you.” After we ask for and receive the baptism in the Spirit by faith, we should make another faith action and begin to thank and praise God.
Thanksgiving is faith in action.
The opposite is either silent passivity or doubtful complaining, both of which are wrong. Do we only praise God after he “comes through” for us or when we grasp that he is always faithful to his promises? Real faith acts before it ever sees the confirmation or fulfillment of what it believes because it is convinced that God is true.
The kind of praise and worship that gives God the most honor is what comes from people who exalt God’s faithfulness before they ever see the fulfillment of what is promised.
Faith knows and overflows. Only faith filled (faithful) people give thanks. Let’s show our faith by our praise.
4. Speak in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is the supernatural overflow of the Spirit. Our mouths speak out of the abundance of our hearts. The sure evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues. Perhaps you are thinking that now I have “crossed the line.” Maybe you have been able to track with me thus far, but how do I speak in tongues? Stay tuned for the next article to find out. It is one of the easiest and most rewarding things you will ever do. It is as simple as walking on water.
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