It does little good to know all about a subject and never personally experience it. It is one thing to generally believe that God’s promises are real and true and quite another to personally receive one. Many believe that God heals, but fewer have received a supernatural healing. Many, even the devil, believe that Jesus died to save sinners, but fewer receive that salvation personally by faith.
If we keep truth at arm’s length and make it purely objective, we may be able to safely distance ourselves from the costs associated with obedience, but we will also rob ourselves of the joy of receiving something from God.
Faith is like breathing. It must be “inhaled” or received and “exhaled” or acted upon. God wants us to believe his promises are true, receive them for ourselves, and then act out our faith. For example, when Jesus told the centurion that his servant had been healed, that man believed Jesus’ words and acted appropriately by returning home.
And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment. Matthew 8:13 (NASB95) —
What we do after saying that we believe reveals whether we were just spouting empty words or truly believed in our hearts.
To receive the baptism in the Spirit requires that we accept the truth of God’s Word, receive his promise by faith, and act as if we believe he gave it to us.
Can I Be Sure This Promise Is for Me Today?
In the first sermon recorded after the initial outpouring of the Spirit, the apostle Peter made it clear that the baptism in the Spirit is for all God’s children for all time.
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." Acts 2:38-39 (NASB)
A contextual reading of this section of Acts makes it plain that the “promise” means the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Peter explained what their speaking in tongues meant: it evidenced the outpouring or baptism in the Spirit, which was prophesied by Joel and later promised by John the Baptist and Jesus himself. Peter made it clear that God makes the baptism in the Spirit available to every person who would ever come to Christ – those present with Peter, their children, the Gentiles (those “far off”), and everyone else throughout time who will respond to the Gospel (“as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself”).
Jesus also made it clear that every child of God can receive this gift. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Holy Spirit when we ask him.
"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 11:13 (NASB)
Jesus died as the Lamb of God to provide us with forgiveness and reconciliation to the Father. He rose and ascended to heaven to become the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and pour out the Spirit upon his church. Because of this, we can be sure this amazing gift is for us.
Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. Acts 2:33 (NASB95)
If we believe what is written above is true, we are faced with a decision. Will I receive this promise for myself by faith or not?
Will I value what Jesus died to give me or remain fearful or indifferent? I hope each of us will treasure and pursue what cost our Lord so much to provide for us!
Steps to Receive
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. Paul asked the Galatian church the following telling question.
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)
The answer of course is that we must receive all of God’s promises by faith. We can never earn them. Here are four easy steps to receive the baptism in the Spirit.
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Believe that God will do what he says.
If we 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.
This is a simple concept; yet many people get hung up at this point. They may think, maybe it is not for me? God will bless everyone else, but not me. Such thinking 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)
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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 a 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 to block us from trusting our heavenly Father.
As a child, believe, ask, and receive.
If something in our minds whispers that this is not going to happen for me, repent of that unbelief.
...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 act. 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. It receives and moves on, just as when the Roman Centurion believed Jesus healed his servant and returned home. (Luke 7:10)
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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 begin to thank and praise God.
Thanksgiving demonstrates faith.
The opposite is either silent passivity or doubtful complaining. Some people refuse to believe before seeing because they are afraid of getting their hopes up, only to be let down. Should we only praise God after he “comes through” for us or when we grasp that he is always faithful to his promises and will surely do what he said? 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 was promised.
Faith knows and overflows. Only faith filled (faithful) people give thanks. Let’s show our faith by our praise.
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Speak in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is a supernatural overflow of the Spirit. Our mouths speak out of the abundance of the Spirit’s filling of our hearts. The sure evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues. At this point the one wishing to experience this confirming gift should take a step of faith and begin speaking, trusting that the Holy Spirit will give the words.
Who Baptizes Us?
The Bible teaches us that baptizing people in the Holy Spirit is the personal ministry of Jesus. John the Baptist announced this ministry to the world.
As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11 (NASB95)
Our Lord often uses the agency of people laying hands on us to accomplish this baptism because Jesus desires for us to share in his ministry. The apostles often laid hands on individuals prior to their receiving this baptism.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14–17 (NASB95)
At other times, the Spirit fell upon people without human agency, such as at Pentecost and when Peter preached to Cornelius.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, Acts 10:44–46 (NASB95)
Prayer to Receive the Baptism in the Spirit
Jesus, I believe you died and rose again to save me and baptize me in the Spirit. You said that if we ask, you will certainly give us this wonderful promise. I ask you right now to baptize me in the Spirit and fill me to overflowing. I receive this promise by faith and give you thanks for your faithfulness to keep your promises. Holy Spirit, fill me up. Help me now to pray in tongues. I will open my mouth to speak with the expectation that you will give me the words. Amen.
Prayer to Minister the Baptism in the Spirit
Jesus, I believe you died and rose again to save us and baptize us in the Spirit. You said that if we ask, you will certainly give us this wonderful promise. I ask you right now to baptize all those present in the Spirit and fill them to overflowing. We receive this promise by faith and give you thanks for your faithfulness to keep your promises. Holy Spirit, fill them up. Help them now to pray in tongues. Let them open their mouths to speak with the expectation that you will give them the words. Amen.
Questions for Further Study and Discussion
- Do you have any questions?
- Are you ready to receive?
If you want to know more about the baptism and the gifts of the Spirit, consider reading Pastor Pete's comprehensive book, Promise of the Father.
