Category: The Gospel

How the Baptism in the Holy Spirit Differs from the New Birth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The baptism in the Spirit is a second experience with the Holy Spirit which can take place concurrent with the new birth, but usually afterward. The Spirit comes to indwell every person who is born again to impart Christ’s life, provide an interior witness that we are God’s children, provide guidance, and to teach us the meaning of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is poured out on believers in the baptism in the Spirit to empower and equip us for service to God, especially to be his witnesses.

Now that we have introduced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and defined it, let’s try to answer a very important question: is the baptism in the Spirit included as part of the new birth and received automatically at the time of justification or is it a separate experience with a different purpose?

With, In, or Upon?

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit can be with, in, or upon us. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was said to be “with” God’s people. He came alongside them to encourage, strengthen, equip, and generally help them. King David illustrates God being with his people in the following verse.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

But in the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit lives inside those who believe. Jesus promised his disciples:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (ESV)

One of the big secrets of the Christian life is that the Spirit lives Christ’s life in and through us.

After forgiving our sins, Jesus did not leave us on our own. When a person is born again, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in that person. Our human spirit is joined to God’s Spirit and becomes one with him, a remarkable and wonderful mystery.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB)

The Spirit of God within us gives us life and develops within us peace and the character of God (the fruit of the Spirit). He affirms that we are indeed Abba Father’s children.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:16 (NASB)

But here is a very important point! Every born-again person is one with the indwelling Spirit, but not every child of God is baptized in the Holy Spirit.

If your experience resembles mine, it might be difficult to imagine that you did not receive it “all” when you were born again. My new birth experience was amazing, as was my ongoing relationship with God afterward. When I first started reading and hearing about people who said they were baptized in the Spirit, my first response was, “I don’t need that. I already received everything.” This is a common reaction that reveals two things. First, we tend to mold our theology around our experience rather than asking God to conform our experience to his Word. Secondly, we don’t like to admit that we lack something. But I, as you are most likely, was hungry for more of God.

Herein lies a danger: if we convince ourselves that we already have something, we may stop seeking it and never find it.

Sadly, just such thinking will send many to hell, who have convinced themselves that they already have everything they need from God, despite never having been born again. Thankfully I kept pursuing the baptism in the Spirit and eventually received it by faith with the evidence of speaking in tongues, which opened the door into a new dimension of serving our Lord. This can happen to you, too, if you have an open mind and a hungry heart.

The baptism in the Spirit is when the Holy Spirit comes “upon” us to equip and empower us for ministry.

Jesus received this baptism at the inauguration of his public ministry. If he needed it, how much more do we!

Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14  But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15  But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him. 16  After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17  and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Matthew 3:13-17 (NASB)

Later, after being tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days, he went back to his hometown, full of the Spirit.

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17  And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19  TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." 20  And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21  And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:16-21 (NASB)

Jesus clearly instructed his disciples not even to begin their Great Commission ministry until they received the same empowering.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)

When God poured out his Holy Spirit on the Feast of Pentecost, it was to empower Christ’s followers to be bold witnesses to his resurrection. Today his people are baptized in the Spirit for the same purpose. And here lies a very important distinction between the indwelling Spirit and the outpoured Spirit.

The Spirit lives within us for our sake, but he is poured out upon us for the sake of others, many of whom do not yet know him.

The Record of Acts

All scripture is useful for doctrine.

What the early apostles believed is clearly seen by what they did.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NLT) —

Acts is especially significant because there we see what the apostles believed lived out.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18 (ESV)

Peter and Paul both understood that the new birth did not automatically include the baptism in the Spirit. In Acts Chapter Four, Peter and John made a trip to Samaria to lay hands on the new converts for them to receive the baptism in the Spirit.

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to 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 on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 8:14-16 (ESV)

If the baptism in the Spirit had already taken place at the new birth, Peter and John would have simply taught the Samaritans this truth. However, they instead laid hands on them that they might receive the baptism of the Spirit.

Similarly, when Paul was in Ephesus, he encountered some followers of Christ, but he could tell that they had not yet received the baptism in the Spirit. What he asked them is revealing.

And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:2 (ESV)

Paul was an apostle, who had the responsibility of laying a foundation of sound doctrine in the early church. (Ephesians 2:20) Surely, he understood whether or not the baptism in the Spirit is automatically received at the new birth! Of course, he did; so, when he asked them if they had received the Spirit when they believed, it shows us that the first does not necessarily include the second.

The Illustration of the Three Major Feasts
The outpoured Spirit can be likened to standing under a waterfall or the large bucket in this picture.

The three major feasts of Israel – Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles – also reveal that the new birth and the baptism in the Spirit are distinct.

Jesus fulfilled Passover to the day by being crucified as the Lamb of God and shedding his blood for the remission of sins. This feast also must be personally fulfilled in our lives through the new birth, if we are to be saved. The blood of God’s Lamb must be applied to our sins.

The Old Testament Feast of Pentecost, which originally marked the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, was also literally fulfilled to the day when God poured out his Spirit on the disciples in the upper room. Whereas the giving of the Law brought judgment, the giving of the Spirit gave life. Three thousand people died on Mt. Sinai for their rebellion, but 3000 came into the kingdom of God when Peter preached his first Gospel message on Pentecost. God also intends that each of us have a personal fulfillment of Pentecost as well, by receiving the baptism in the Spirit.

Just as Passover was a separate feast from Pentecost, the new birth is separate from the baptism in the Spirit.

Tabernacles, the final harvest, the last major feast, has yet to be fulfilled. I believe that Jesus will complete that feast at his Second Coming. Hallelujah!!! We will all need to have a personal fulfillment of that one, too, by participating in the resurrection of the dead. It is easy for us to see that one cannot be a child of God without having a personal Passover (new birth) and Feast of Tabernacles (resurrection from the dead). Should it not be just as clear to us that we must also have a personal fulfillment of Pentecost? It was to Peter and Paul.

Three Baptisms

The New Testament speaks of three distinct baptisms: into the body of Christ, into water, and into the Holy Spirit. Each of these baptisms has a different baptizer, a different medium, and different evidence, and a different result or purpose, which the chart above illustrates. I encourage you to study this to gain greater understanding.

The baptism into the body of Christ is what happens when we are born again. The Holy Spirit plunges us into Christ, and we become one with him. The evidence is a changed life. Baptism into water by immersion is what another believer does to us, giving us an opportunity to publicly proclaim and acknowledge what God has already done in the Spirit and is our public declaration of allegiance to Jesus. The evidence is that we are wet. Jesus is the One who baptizes us into the Spirit by an outpouring to empower us to be bold witnesses. This outpouring may be likened to standing under a waterfall or a large bucket of water as in the picture above. We are effectively immersed, but its purpose is not identification. Instead, we have the Spirit upon us in power for ministry. The evidence of the baptism in the Spirit is speaking in tongues and prophecy. The Holy Spirit baptism is also God’s declaration to the world that we are his children.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Is there any part of the above teaching that needs further clarification?
  • Do you agree that the baptism in the Spirit is distinct from the new birth and is for all disciples?
  • Is there any reason you would not wish to receive this gift?
Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, 
which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...

Introduction to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to the Baptism in the Spirit

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a very important part of God’s plan called the Great Commission. It is his means to empower and equip the church to do the work of the ministry. Why then is there so much ignorance regarding it? Why is it so often resisted? The devil works hard to keep the church from receiving this amazing gift called “the promise of the Father.”

Let’s begin our journey into greater understanding by reading our Lord’s own words.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)

There are 1260 promises in the Bible, but only one has the special status of being called “the promise of the Father.”

What is so special about this promise? Jesus commanded his disciples to refrain from public ministry until they received it; therefore, it must be tremendously important.

What Is It?

In this section, I will examine various aspects of the baptism of the Spirit. For now, I will give this definition upon which we can expand later. The baptism in the Spirit is a second experience with the Holy Spirit which can take place concurrent with the new birth, but usually afterward. The Spirit comes to indwell every person who is born again to impart Christ’s life, provide an interior witness that we are God’s children, provide guidance, and to teach us the meaning of God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is poured out on believers in the baptism in the Spirit to empower and equip us for service to God, especially to be his witnesses. Later I will give the biblical basis for each of these assertions. For now, we will focus on the big picture.

Jesus: Baptizer in the Holy Spirit

God’s chose John the Baptist to introduce Jesus to the world at the beginning of his public ministry and gave him prophetic insight into Jesus’ identity and mission. John told us that Jesus, the Messianic Son of David and Lord, would have two other key ministry roles. He would die as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world and, after his resurrection and ascension into heaven, would baptize his followers in the Holy Spirit as the Lord of the harvest. The following passage records this prophecy.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” 32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ John 1:29-33 (NKJV)

Every born-again disciple has come to know Jesus as the Lamb of God who died for our sins. Fewer have grasped the enormity of his power and authority as the risen Lord of Lords, and still less have come to know him as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest.

Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, died for our sins as the Lamb of God to become the Lord of Lords and the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.

He forgives men’s sins to make them part of God’s family and enroll them in his army of disciple makers.

Consider that those who fail to receive the baptism in the Spirit are cut off from at least one-third of Jesus’ ministry.

We rightly emphasize what Jesus accomplished by dying as God’s Lamb and rising again. In addition, his ministry of baptizing his followers in the Holy Spirit launched the church into fulfilling the Great Commission and is vital to world evangelization and the expansion of God’s kingdom. We dare not resist or ignore it. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to His disciples to equip and empower us to be effective witnesses.

Without this amazing gift, we will not be able to complete properly our assignment to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

 

The Full Gospel

Declaring Christ’s Lamb of God ministry is a foundation stone of the gospel message, but it is only one-third of it. The announcement that Jesus is the soon to return Messianic King and judge and the currently reigning Lord of the Harvest and Baptizer in the Holy Spirit is the other two thirds.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is integral to the Gospel and is God’s means for effectively delivering the Good News to the world.

Jesus announced that his followers would receive the Spirit following his ascension and glorification.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38  “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'” 39  But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39 (NASB)

God fulfilled this promise on the first New Covenant celebration of Pentecost that launched the church on its worldwide mission of disciple making, which will continue until Jesus returns to raise the dead, judge all people, and inaugurate the conclusion of all things.

The baptism in the Spirit is as fundamental to the Gospel message as the new birth, the Second Coming, and the last judgment.

When John the Baptist told his hearers that one was coming after him who would baptize people in the Spirit, Luke records that “he preached the gospel to the people.” (Luke 3:18) Part of the reason Jesus died was so that we can receive the “promise of the Father,” the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He was so excited about the prospect that he cried out to the throngs in the passage quoted above from John Chapter Seven. This is no small thing.

Christ’s miraculous coming (virgin birth), his Spirit-enabled ministry, his rejection and death, his resurrection, his ascension, his sending of the Spirit, and his promised Second Coming are all part of the gospel story, none of which we can leave out if we preach the “full gospel.”

Receiving what Jesus died to give us is not an option, such as satellite radio on an automobile. This is part of the “engine” of the disciple’s life!

Israel’s Three Feasts

God commanded Israel to observe three major feasts on a yearly basis or be “cut off.” These feasts represent the three major components of Christ’s work. The Old Covenant feast of Passover foreshadowed his death on the cross as God’s Passover Lamb. The Old Covenant experience of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai, fifty days after the first Passover, when the Law was given, foreshadowed the giving of the Spirit fifty days following Christ’s death and resurrection. Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles, which came at the end of the harvest year, predicts Christ’s Second Coming and the final ingathering of people into God’s kingdom family, which is yet to be fulfilled.

Each feast was critical to God’s plan for Israel, and experiencing each New Covenant fulfillment is a requirement for the believer.

Unless we personally experience Passover through the new birth, Pentecost through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the Feast of Tabernacles through the resurrection of the dead, we cannot participate in the fullness of God’s plan and blessing for us in Christ.

Every true Christian will readily agree that experiencing the New Covenant fulfillment of Passover and Tabernacles is required. We understand that every follower of Christ must be born anew and raised from the dead. Why is it not equally obvious that the feast of Pentecost must be experienced in its New Covenant form as the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

A Doorway into More of God

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is also a doorway into experiencing some of the wonders of God’s power and gifts, which are amazing tools for ministry.  Can you imagine Jesus’ ministry without his using spiritual gifts? Jesus relied on the Spirit to give him prophetic insight and the ability to heal, do miracles, raise the dead, and liberate the oppressed. (Acts 2:22)

The power and gifts of the Spirit do not make us “better” Christians in any judicial or moral sense, but they can make us more effective in representing God to lost people.

God intends for the Gospel to be transmitted in both Word and Power. (1 Thes. 1:5) He wants to work with his messengers through signs, wonders, and gifts of the Spirit to confirm the veracity of his Word. (Mark 16:20) The Lord wants all his servants to receive the “promise of the Father” to equip us to do the work of ministry. (Acts 1:4-5)

 

You can read more about the baptism of the Spirit and the gifts in Pete's book, Promise of the Father, which is available on Amazon. Click here for the link.
Share this post...

What’s So Great about Speaking in Tongues? Undoing Babel…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my first article in this series, I showed that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is integral to the Gospel and a primary ministry of Jesus, the glorified Lord. My second article concluded that there is a clear difference between the new birth and the baptism in the Spirit. The third article revealed that speaking in tongues is evidence that a person has received the baptism in the Spirit. This article will show one of the many advantages that come from speaking in tongues and why this is such an important gift.

Unity is paramount in any church, family, or nation. Without it things fall apart. With it, nothing is impossible. In Genesis 11 , when sinful rebellious people determined to make a great name for themselves instead of glorifying and worshiping God, the Lord confused their languages at Babel, which disrupted their unity, stopped their work, and resulted in the scattering of people throughout the earth into separate language groups. Since then the human race has continued on its quest to unify in order to make itself great apart from God. My opinion is that this is what drives the current fervor for globalism. In the Last Days, God will allow a final unified effort to throw off God’s rule and authority to temporarily flourish under the leadership of a person called the antichrist. This one-world government will be sinful mankind’s last stand against the government of God and will usher in the Second Coming of the true Ruler and Unifier, Jesus the Messiah King.

Even though God thwarted man’s self-centered unification efforts, he has been building his own unified kingdom.

On the first New Covenant Pentecost, the Spirit gave Christ’s disciples a new heavenly language that all those present understood, even though they were from many different nations and language groups. This was the reverse of what happened at Babel.

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6  And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7  They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8  "And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Acts 2:5-8 (NASB)

The Gospel was understood that day by way of a supernatural gift of language that brought unity out of discord and people out of confusion and into the the kingdom of God. The gift of tongues undid the confusion of Babel, even if only temporarily.

Every time a Spirit-filled believer speaks in tongues, the the confusion of Babel is once again undone.

Now God uses speaking in tongues to unify and empower those who are devoted to him and his kingdom. Isn’t it ironic that Satan seeks to split people apart over the “controversy” of speaking in tongues?

The devil always resists every important truth and work of God.

Speaking in tongues is so important that he has resisted its being received and practiced for centuries. Shouldn’t that, in itself, alert us to the importance of the gift?

 

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...

How to Present a Concise Gospel Message

 

 

 

 

The gospel is the true story of Jesus Christ, who he is as a person, what he did, and what he will do when he returns, which demands a response of repentance and faith from the hearer.

The gospel is found in the four New Testament books that carry that name, the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Since most of the time we cannot relate the entire Gospel to a person, being able to summarize the Gospel is very important. It is always good to have the core truths of the gospel in mind whenever we share. It will help us stay “on track” and will provide a framework for our presentation.

The following passage from Peter’s first sermon on Pentecost in Acts Chapter Two is a fabulous example of a brief, concentrated Gospel. Just add the “water” of God’s Spirit and the effect will be life changing!

"People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23  But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24  But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip... "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33  "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. 34  "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35  UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."' 36  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:22-24, 32-36 (NASB)

Now, let us break apart what Peter said.

  1. Jesus died as the Lamb of God for the forgiveness of our sins and was buried. This ministry was prophesied by John the Baptist (John 1:29).
  2. Jesus rose from the dead in power (Romans 1:4), which was witnessed by many people, and was exalted to the right hand of God’s throne as the Lord. He now has all authority (Matthew 28:18) and currently reigns in heaven. He sits at God’s right hand, and his church is spiritually seated with him (Ephesians 2:6 & Colossians 3:1), waiting for his enemies to be brought into submission. Jesus is both Lord and Messiah. He is the Son of God, the messianic King of Israel, who was also prophesied by John the Baptist (John 1:34).
  3. Jesus ascended into heaven and “poured out” the baptism in the Holy Spirit upon the church to equip his followers to be his witnesses and fulfill the Great Commission. This makes him the Baptizer in the Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, just as John the Baptist prophesied (John 1:33).
  4. A fourth point, which is implied in John 1:35, is that Jesus is the Son of Man (Matthew 25:31-32), who will return to earth in glory and triumph over his enemies to judge the living and the dead and rule over a new heaven and earth.

The power of these gospel statements on anyone who understands and believes them will elicit a response of repentance and surrender to Jesus.

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38  Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40  Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41  Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. Acts 2:37-41 (NLT)

This response produces allegiance to Christ, whereby we make the decision to cease living as rebellious independent creatures and come under God’s sovereign and benevolent rule through Christ. When we do this, our sins are forgiven and Jesus will send his Spirit to equip and empower us to be his disciples and witnesses.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NLT)

Let me recap the four main points of the gospel.

  1. Jesus is the Lamb of God.
  2. Jesus is the Lord.
  3. Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and
  4. Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.

Have you ever really understood the gospel and made this transaction with God? If not, why not now?

Prayer

Jesus, I realize that you are very great and deserve my worship and the surrender of my entire being to your rule. I believe that you died for me and rose again as the Lord of Lords. Thank you for forgiving my sins and making a way for me to be right with God. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Thank you for setting me free so I can live for you. I receive you into my life to live through me. Baptize me in your Spirit and help me to live the rest of my days for you. Amen.

Share this post...

Gospel in a Minute: The Gospel Is Our Only Hope During Times of Judgment

Gospel in a Minute

Peter concluded his Acts 2 gospel presentation by declaring unequivocally that Jesus is Messiah and Lord, and he gave them instructions for what to do.

Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:40 (NLT)

Principle: We All Deserve to Be Judged without Mercy. The Gospel Is Our Only Hope.

 

None of us wants to be judged for our sins. We all know that we are guilty, and the Bible teaches us that the “wages of sin” is death. One of the unchangeable attributes of God is his justice. He hates sin and cannot wink at evil doing. He has no favorites, but judges equitably. Although his patience is phenomenal, it eventually comes to an end, at which time the fury of his wrath against sin and hardened sinners will be unleashed. Mercifully, God often introduces redemptive judgments before releasing his pent up fury. The purpose of redemptive judgments is to coax us to repent from our sin and turn to him for mercy by believing the Good News.

The Gospel announces that Jesus bore the brunt of God’s wrath against sin on the cross on our behalf so that we who believe can escape unharmed. This is the Lamb of God ministry.

Those who put their faith in this good news and their allegiance in the risen Christ Jesus, who is the Lord, will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) Those who refuse the message consign themselves to judgment. (Acts 10:36)

When God’s judgment is unleashed, the Gospel message is easily seen to be our one and only hope.

Let’s be sure to share it with those who need to hear. The time of God’s judgment is upon us.

Share this post...

How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit by Faith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...

Is the Baptism in the Spirit Really for Me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the previous articles in this series, I explained what the baptism in the Holy Spirit is, what are the benefits of receiving this promise, and how to overcome common obstacles. In this and the concluding articles on the subject, I will show you how to receive this promise by faith.

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 Jesus died to save sinners, but fewer receive that salvation personally. As long as 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 as if we believe.

For example, when Jesus told the centurion that his servant had been healed, that man believed Jesus’ words and acted appropriately: he returned home.

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 absolutely clear that the baptism in the Spirit is for ALL of God’s children.

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 has made the baptism in the Spirit available to every person who would ever come to Christ – those present, 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.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"— 14  in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14 (NASB)

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!.

My next articles will show you exactly how to receive this amazing promise of the Father. If you cannot wait until then, click here for directions.

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...

Overcoming Past Occult Involvement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people may need to overcome obstacles before receiving the baptism in the Spirit. My previous article in this series illustrated how to conquer the strongholds of traditions of men and passivity. This article looks at how to get past a potentially severe blockage which can be erected in our lives due to past occult involvement. If you have ever been an occult practitioner of any sort, consulted such a person, or even dabbled in things you thought were harmless, such as a Ouija board, you should read this article and take the necessary steps to extricate yourself.

… I do not want you to be partners with demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20b  (NET)

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul warned those early disciples not to participate with demons in any way. In the modern world many do not even believe that such malevolent beings as demons exist, but anyone who takes the Bible seriously cannot afford to dismiss them. The Bible does not tell us much about their origin, but we do know that they are evil spirits which desire to inhabit human bodies and oppress anyone they can.

 

The Greek word that describes the activity of demons is “daimonidzomai,” which simply means to demonize.

Some translators of the Bible unfortunately used the English word “possess,” which carries all altogether different meaning of ownership and complete control. Using this poor translation as their basis, some argue that it is impossible for Christians, who belong to God and in whom dwells the Holy Spirit, to be possessed, owned, or completely taken over by an evil spirit. I agree wholeheartedly with that logic, but I insist that it is possible for believers in Christ to be demonized or oppressed by evil spirits. I have seen too many examples to think otherwise. Believers in Christ belong to God but can be oppressed by the devil. I think we all agree with that.

Our theology must be congruent with the clear teachings of the Bible without contradicting what we all know is true about life.

Oppression can take many forms, ranging from mild to severe. While demons, or anything or anyone else for that matter, cannot block the Holy Spirit, in his kindness and wisdom God may require us to properly distance ourselves from the demonic before he allows us to move forward with him. God is properly “jealous” in the sense that he refuses to “cohabit” with evil.

You unfaithful people! Don't you know that love for this {evil} world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God. 5  Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.” James 4:4-5 (GW)

Demons do not care how they gain access to people. They will take advantage of any doors we open to them, even when we do it unknowingly.

In fact, innocent people are often exposed to demonization by the actions of others, as in the case when adults introduce young children to sin, especially sexual sin and occult practices, such as witchcraft.

Why is occult involvement such a hindrance? I suppose it is because through it we open ourselves up to Satan’s power when we involve ourselves in his world and sometimes even invite demons to inhabit our bodies, which were created to house the Holy Spirit. It is an affront to God when we turn to demons for help, instead of relying upon him.

Martha and I were once ministering to a young woman who was not able to get a breakthrough when it came to speaking in tongues, even though she had repeatedly asked to receive the baptism in the Spirit. I asked her if she had ever been involved in the occult. She replied that she formerly had practiced witchcraft. I then inquired if she had ever renounced that, and she said, no. She did not know that she even needed to do so.

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Proverbs 28:13 (NASB)

We led her in a prayer of repentance in which she renounced her past involvement with witchcraft. Immediately she told us that she felt as if an anvil were pressing down upon her chest. Suddenly the pressure lifted, and she began speaking in tongues. God waited for her to confess the sin and get rid of the demon, which had been oppressing her, before he gave her his marvelous gift.

Some of the occult activities you may need to renounce include the following: seances, Ouija board, fortune telling, tarot cards, witchcraft, astrology, etc. If you have in any way dabbled or immersed yourself in anything connected with the kingdom of darkness, you should repent and verbally renounce those things. Ask for and receive God’s forgiveness through Christ’s blood. Then command any attached spirits of darkness to depart in Jesus name. They must obey that command.

We carry Christ’s authority which is backed up by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. We speak the words and the Spirit of God enforces them.

It is vital that we understand and believe that evil spirits have no option but to obey a command to leave when we properly repent and use Christ’s authority. We need never find ourselves in a power struggle with a demon. It is always a truth and authority issue. Their power was destroyed at Calvary when Jesus rose from the dead.

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

Once we remove any “platform” or “hook” a demon may have used to oppress us through repentance and renouncing, it is an easy matter to break their grip using the authority of Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the Enforcer of Christ’s victory and his authority. He comes to our aid when we do our part. Once we properly distance ourselves from the occult, we will be ready to receive the baptism and fullness of the Holy Spirit.

 

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to order.

I have also written more extensively on how to be set free from demons. Click here if you are interested.
Share this post...

Overcoming the Traditions of Men & Passivity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of receiving bad information in the past, many people must overcome obstacles before receiving the baptism in the Spirit. My previous article in this series illustrated how to conquer fear and legalism. This one looks at two more common hindrances and shows how to get past them.

 

Traditions of Men

Religious groups tend to form their own culture and traditions over time. Non-denominational churches often begin as a sort of protest against dead formality and ritual, but over the years such churches develop their own set ways of doing things. This is part of what it means to be human and is not necessarily a bad thing.

If our traditions stand between us and the our apprehension of the truth and our reception of God’s promises, however, they are evil and must be set aside.

Jesus confronted dead religious traditions quite often, thereby incurring the wrath of the establishment. Once traditions are set, they assume a stature as if God himself set them up. Some churches, such as Roman Catholicism, officially elevate church tradition to the status of scripture. More evangelical churches would never openly say such a thing, but in actuality they sometimes put their traditional interpretation of scripture over the truth. Once again, this is a human propensity. For those steeped in the traditions of men, the old and established way of doing things always seems better.

Jesus warned against following our traditions when they nullify the clear intent of God’s Word.

And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4  "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' 5  "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," 6  he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7  "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8  'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'" Matthew 15:3-9 (NASB)

When it comes to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the only thing that matters is what the scriptures say, not what our church traditions may teach. Just as in Jesus’ day, sometimes it requires great courage to resist and overcome time honored traditions in order to serve the Lord.

Passivity

There is a time for “waiting upon God,” which describes our having the attitude of being surrendered to God’s will for our lives and honoring him as the initiator. Waiting on God is a function of our understanding the danger of operating independently from the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

However, once we know what his will for us is and are confident that now is the time for us to act, passivity becomes a sin.

Nothing substitutes for acting in faith, not even prayer or worship. If our mother asked us to clean our rooms, when we were young children, she would not be happy to find out we never did it because we were praying instead. There is a time for every purpose under heaven.

Jesus instructed his first disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Spirit, but this was because their first experience of this extraordinary gift from God had to take place on the exact day of Pentecost, perfectly fulfilling God’s eternal purpose for that Old Covenant feast. They waited and prayed for days in the upper room, but when the day of Pentecost finally arrived, the Spirit was powerfully poured out.

Since then, every day is Pentecost. There is no longer any need to wait. We can receive instantly.

In addition, we should not expect the Holy Spirit to somehow take control of us, as if God superimposes himself over our desires and will. In his goodness and love, God expects and encourages us to partner with him. The Spirit, who dwells within us, also comes alongside us allowing us to participate with him in ministry. He lets us know the things that God has freely given to us, which includes the baptism in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Our role is to ask for and receive God’s blessings. If we do not ask, why should we expect to receive? If we have asked, what is stopping us from actively receiving?

It is true that sometimes God blesses those who do not seek or ask, but almost always he wants our participation, especially when we know the truth. Therefore, we should not be passive when it comes to the baptism in the Spirit. Remember: faith acts as if God’s Word is true… because it is.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)

 

 

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...

Overcoming Fear & Legalism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people may need to overcome some obstacles before receiving the baptism in the Spirit. My previous article in this series illustrates how to overcome ignorance. This one looks at two additional hindrances and shows how to get past them.

 

Fear

Fear is often a subset of ignorance. We often fear and reject what we do not understand.

Advances in knowledge and understanding are often met with stiff resistance. The Anabaptists were put to death by Protestants and Catholics alike for practicing believer (adult) baptism, as opposed to the practice of infant baptism, which had been the acceptable mode in the church for centuries. Infant baptism was considered to be the means for children to enter the church, similar to infant circumcision in the Old Covenant. It was part of the sacramental system, which teaches that grace is communicated through the sacraments, rather than through the direct personal work of God’s Spirit. If a child were not properly baptized and should die, it was feared that he or she would be consigned to either hell or a place called limbo, a kind of shadowy unbiblical ghost-like existence away from God’s presence. Through sacramentalism the church maintained an iron grip upon the people, who believed they had no direct access to God. Only the priests, another Old Covenant construct that was improperly transferred to the church, were able to minister the sacraments. This rendered the common people (the laity) dependent on men instead of God. When the Anabaptists introduced the radically new practice of believer baptism, it upset this long established tradition and belief system, bringing incredible wrath upon its practitioners. Today much of the church, including the part with which I associate myself, accepts believer baptism as the normal way of doing things, but not then. The rest of the church accepts or least tolerates the practice today. God restored this long lost truth regarding water baptism to the church during the Reformation. Since the early 20th  century the Lord of the harvest has been restoring truth about the baptism in the Spirit.

Truth is usually resisted at first, but wins out in the end.

Today many are afraid of the baptism and gifts of the Spirit because they seem unfamiliar and strange. Their church leaders may have never taught them about these things, or, even more sadly,  may have taught them lies based on man-made theology and traditions. Jesus warned us about using doctrines of men to block obedience to God’s Word.

And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 8  "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 9  He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. Mark 7:6-9 (NASB)

The Jewish leaders feared Jesus, because they did not understand him and feared what he would do. Their idea of the Messiah did not mesh with who he really was and is. They were afraid he would upset their traditional way of handling things; therefore, they hated and rejected him, eventually putting him to death. Satan always resists the advancement of truth. He fears the truth and the power of God, and instills that fear into his followers. If you have allowed fear to stand in the way of your receiving God’s blessing of the baptism and gifts of the Spirit, be careful that you are not following the traditions of men or simply allowing your fear of the unknown to block you from God’s best.

Satan cannot stop God from blessing you, but your fear and unbelief can.

Repent and ask God to remove fear and open your heart to him and his truth.

Legalism

Legalism is a man made attempt to gain or maintain a right standing with God through our own efforts, instead of believing and receiving what Jesus did for us.

Regarding the baptism of the Spirit, legalism shows up in our thinking that we are not yet good enough or holy enough to receive this remarkable gift.

We may think that we must clean up our lives or overcome some particular sin first. It may be that we do need to repent of a sin prior to receiving from God, but that can be done instantly.

Legalism wants us to delay things until we feel that we are good enough.

That will never happen. We will never be good enough on our own. Jesus made us worthy to receive all God’s blessings and love.

The baptism in the Spirit is designed to be one of the first experiences a new believer has with God.

The Holy Spirit comes into our lives to make us more like Jesus. He will take care of remaking us in Christ’s image, which is a lifelong endeavor. First things first! Now simply receive God’s blessings. Later we can cooperate with the Spirit in the transformation process. Now we need to simply open our hearts to God and receive his blessings by faith.

The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2 (NET)

Both fear and legalism indicate that we do not yet fully trust God. Isn’t time we let go of these two things and simply receive his wonderful blessings?

Want to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
Share this post...
Share this post...