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Should We Remain Optimistic in the Last Days?

 

 

 

 

 

Is it realistic to be optimistic as we hurtle toward the Second Coming of Christ and the conclusion of the “last days”? Many people today believe we are on the precipice of descending into the Great Tribulation. Jesus warned his disciples…

“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Matthew 24:21 (NASB95)

There are two principal ways of viewing what is going to happen on planet earth prior to Jesus’ Second Coming: the futurist explanation and the partial preterist viewpoint. The futurist position, which gained prominence in the early 1900s with the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible, holds that almost every one of the the promises-prophecies of the Lord regarding the “end times” is yet to take place. The partial preterist position, which was held by the church fathers over the ages, believes that most prophesied events have already taken place, chiefly at the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, but some things remain in the future. I hold to the partial preterist viewpoint, but I will not be attempting to “prove” its validity in this article. If you wish to explore this position in depth, I recommend reading Victorious Eschatology by Eberle and Trench.

From the context, Jesus’ words quoted above clearly refer to the fall of Jerusalem, which was the most horrific thing that ever happened to the Jews with respect to intensity of suffering over a short period of time. God’s wrath against the Jewish nation for rejecting and crucifying their Messiah was poured out, just as Jesus prophesied.

As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—51 from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation. Luke 11:50–51 (NLT)

Jesus warned believers to leave the city when they saw the abomination of desolation (the Roman army) surrounding the city, which history said they obeyed by fleeing to surrounding areas before the Romans sealed off the city, thus avoiding the starvation and carnage that was experienced by those remaining in the city.

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. 21 “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. Luke 21:20–22 (NASB95)

If as I believe, the Book of Daniel is primarily concerned with the first coming of the Messiah, his rejection and crucifixion, the rejection of the gospel by the Jews by and large, and the subsequent destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem, then most of the futurist version of the end times (eschatology) falls apart.

The first coming of the Messiah completely surprised all the most learned Bible scholars and students. Only those who hearts were open to God’s surprise introduction of his promised one were able to perceive his true identity. Why would we expect his Second Coming to be any different? God loves to surprise us. His ways and thoughts are so very different from ours, that we are always surprised by how and when he does things.

I feel certain that the Second Coming and everything associated with it will be very different from what is generally expected.

The futurist position holds that things will get darker and bleaker as the Second Coming approaches as we enter a time of great persecution with the advent of the one called the “antichrist.” Many futurists believe that the church will be “raptured” (miraculously caught up to be with God) just prior to this time of evil. In fact, many pin their hope on this happening. There may yet come upon God’s people in the West a significant level of persecution, but can we overcome our cultural bias long enough to realize that God’s people around the world have been going through persecution and pressure (the meaning of the Greek word translated “tribulation”) for centuries? Are we in the West the only ones that God has promised to protect from the predicted impending horror? What about those who died in the killing fields of Cambodia or the gulags in Soviet Russia? What about those who were put to death in Muslim nations or during the waves of Roman persecution? What about the many who were martyred by the Roman Catholic Church because they would not recant their stand on the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone during what is called the Counterreformation?

We in the West are often guilty of a kind of historical myopia that cannot see beyond our own experience.

But what if the partial preterist view is true? What if instead of being on the precipice of the Great Tribulation, which already took place in 70 AD, we are on the verge of something wonderful instead? What if we are about to see God pour out his Spirit on “all flesh,” as prophesied in Joel 2:28? What if we are going to see the knowledge of God’s glory fill the earth as the water covers the sea? (Habakkuk 2:14) What if God is about to turn the tide, much as he did when he drowned Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea or when he raised Christ from the grave?

Jesus rose from the dead as the glorious and powerful Son of God and Lord of Lords, having disarmed and humiliated Satan and all his servants. (Colossians 2:15) Nevertheless, he left much for us to accomplish on his behalf. After a short time here on earth with his disciples, he ascended to heaven, where he sits at God’s right hand waiting for his Abba Father to complete the crushing of his enemies.

The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” Psalm 110:1 (NLT)

Jesus and the early church understood this verse to apply to Jesus (Mark 12:36 and Acts 2:34-35), and so should we. The time since Jesus’ ascension and the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost has been a time of Jesus’ waiting for his Father’s perfect timing to complete the process of crushing the head of the serpent. (Genesis 3:15) We, the church, will participate in that final victory, as taught by the apostle Paul.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Romans 16:20 (ESV)

Since the fall of man in the garden, unregenerate humanity, under the inspiration of the chief rebel, Satan, has been trying to throw off God’s rule and be his own god. Babel was a first concerted effort to pull this off, which God crushed.

Today we see another, perhaps final, last days push toward a globalist anti-God government, but the Lord who sits in the heavens will not have it. He laughs at the futility of it all, and so should we.

Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2  The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3  “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” 4  But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5  Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. 6  For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” Psalm 2:1-6 (NLT)

Jesus is the appointed king who currently rules from heaven. His rule will soon be extended and enforced more fully on the earth as well, just as he taught us to pray, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

God will not allow the nations to succeed in their desire to rid themselves of his appointed king. No matter what plans the devil and his minions put together, it will all come to nothing.

The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. 11  But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. Psalm 33:10-11 (NLT)

Our God is shaking everything that can be shaken so that we will finally realize that our confidence must be in Christ alone. (Hebrews 12:27-28)

Those who willingly submit to Christ’s rule will be forgiven for previously participating in the global rebellion and made right with God and brought into his forever family.

Those who refuse to accept this wonderful option will be condemned. At some point, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord! It is far better to do it now willingly than later under duress.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)

This is our glorious future, but today we are in the midst of a global “mopping up” operation.

The war was officially won when Jesus rose from the dead, and it will be officially concluded when he returns as the glorious Son of Man to judge the living and the dead. In the meantime, we must encourage ourselves with the thought that “God’s got this.”  We simply have no real idea of just how glorious and powerful he is and how completely able he is to humble and defeat Christ’s enemies. (Ephesians 1:19)

We cannot allow ourselves to be mesmerized and paralyzed by fear of what may be coming upon the world.

Jesus asked if he would find faith on the earth when he returned. (Luke 18:8) Who will he find who has kept his or her eyes firmly on God and his promises? Who will he find faithfully carrying out the Great Commission? Who will be engaged in extending his kingdom? Let us not be among them who have given up and “forted” up in our local churches awaiting the rapture. Let us continue to reach out to those around us with the gospel. Let us expend ourselves in training the next generation. Let us involve ourselves in practical matters of governance, rather than ceding that arena to the godless.

Let me conclude with the following verse.

Come, see the glorious works of the LORD: See how he brings destruction upon the world. 9  He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10  “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” 11  The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46:8-11 (NLT)

Remember: the devil is a liar. He wants us to believe the worst. He is continually broadcasting his narrative to the world. But God is greater.

No matter how dark things may seem, we who serve Jesus have a glorious future.

Yes, we must be prepared to endure suffering, and none of us knows exactly how all this will play out; but, let’s be open to the idea that it may be quite different than what we expect. All we know for sure is that God is in control and his plan is glorious. His Son will be exalted in the earth, and we who serve him will rule and reign with him forever!

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How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

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.

  1. 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)
  1. 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)

  1. 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.

  1. 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.
Promise of the Father

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Artificial Intelligence – The New False God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People are inherently religious, despite the protests of atheists. This is because we were created by God to worship and serve him. If we reject the true God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, we will find something else in which to put our trust. Some people worship themselves and the powers of their own intellect. This is called humanism, but it is really self-worship. All who believe that complex humans and the rest of creation developed by some random evolutionary processes fall into this category. Quite logically, if we evolved, we have no accountability to anyone except ourselves. We may think we are God, but we are not.

Over the centuries people have manufactured idols to represent gods of their own creation or fancy. An example of this is when the Israelites became frustrated with Moses and demanded that Aaron fashion and idol for them.

Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:3–4 (NASB95)

They were scared and confused. They did not trust in the true God; so, in their desperation they created their own god to lead them. Falling down before such an idol may seem extraordinarily stupid to us today, but don’t we do much the same thing?

Godless men and women are looking for something or someone to save them. Since we cannot seem to find anyone, we have created our own new god called AI or Artificial Intelligence.

The global elite think that man should bow down to AI and serve what we created with our own minds. AI can only do what we program into it. Even though it can process ‘thoughts” much faster than humans, it can only “think” within the parameters we give it. However, our elites think that our future is to be run by this new “god.” Klaus Schwab recently said that he had a “conversation” with ChapGPT about the future.

“I had about 20 pages of text, and I asked ChatGPT, ‘Summarize the text, and tell me now, based on our discussion, how will the new era — the intelligent era — will look like,” he said.“Envisioning a future propelled by the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution we see a NEW DAWN of human civilization”  (Klaus Schwab, World Governments Summit, 2024)

Consider the unmitigated foolishness of consulting a computer instead of the Creator!

Yuval Harari, another elite spokesperson, believes that we are on the brink of humans being “hacked” (i.e. “controlled”) by artificial intelligence. He clearly  believes that we should allow this something we created to run our lives. Is this not idolatry of the worst kind, being led by AI instead of the Spirit of God?

God alone is capable and worthy to give us direction. The Bible makes it clear that we are to put our trust in him alone, not in some idol of our own making.

When billions of people decided to allow the government and “Big Medicine” and “Big Pharma” to “hack” their immune system via mRNA injections, they, perhaps unwittingly, decided to bow down to a man-made technology that is supposed to “improve” our immune system. This is another form of idolatry in which we put our trust and allegiance in man instead of the Creator, who gave us an immune system that he perfectly designed. But if we don’t believe in God, why not? Any believer who did this and realizes now that it was an error should ask for forgiveness and healing from any bad effects. God is merciful and the Healer. We all make mistakes because we are human and easily fooled at times, but if we repent God will mercifully restore what the enemy tried to steal and destroy.

Increasingly, those who trust in our Lord Jesus will be forced to choose between giving allegiance to man-made idols or remaining true to God.

Many will succumb to the siren song of AI and put their trust in its ability to arbitrate truth and run our lives. But AI has no spirit, except whatever evil spirit is behind it and its creators.

We are spirit beings who live in a body and have a soul, who are designed to be sustained and led by God alone.

I fear that AI will be used in an attempt to strip away the soul of humanity, our interface between spirit and body in which resides our mind, will, and emotions, what we call our personality. AI can create paintings better than I can paint, write incredible music, compose sermons, and write grammatically correct articles. But where will be the artistic and spiritual expression of mankind? Where will the Spirit of God be manifested in our creativity?

If AI is used to teach our kids, it will only spit out what has been programmed into it. If WOKE theology and sociology are programmed into it. that will be what it will declare to be the truth, and innocent gullible children will deceived by it. After all, AI is smarter than we are, right?

Wisdom comes from God. It cannot be programmed into a computer.

One of wisdom’s dimensions is discernment, the ability to distinguish between good and evil, good sense and folly, truth and lies, and God and the devil. Good discernment comes through exercising our God-given wisdom coupled with a knowledge of God, his ways, and his promises that can only come through the Bible via the Holy Spirit giving us understanding.

On Super Bowl Sunday, there were several ads stating that “Jesus gets us.” What it was really saying is that we have no right to judge anyone’s behavior or lifestyle because Jesus loves and approves of us all, no matter how we live. This kind of aberration from God’s wisdom and truth is what is being and will be fed to our children in schools and through the media. Satan is after the heart and soul of the younger generation, and AI will be used to propagate his lies. The ultimate goal is the destruction of a generation.

The Bible shows us that God loves people and gave them authority to rule over his creation.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:27–28 (NASB95)

Sin stripped us of our relationship with God and put us under Satan’s thumb. Jesus told us that Satan only desires to kill, steal, and destroy humankind. He does this through incessant lying and fear mongering. It’s his way. As Jesus said, “There is no truth in him.” (John 8:44) We can see that our government and media not so subtly serve as Satan’s ambassadors, propagating lies and fear at every turn.

Yuval Harari, a global elite spokesperson, stated the following.

“I strongly believe that given the technologies we are now developing, within a century or two at most, our species will disappear. I don’t think that in the end of the 22nd century, the Earth will still be dominated by Homo sapiens.”

The devil is completely committed to contradicting God’s purpose and destroying us in order to hurt God somehow. He knows that he cannot directly harm the Creator of the universe; so, he is going after his beloved – us. As his children, we cannot afford to believe the lies of Satan. We should not give our allegiance to those who represent him. We must not bow down to the false god called AI. The only person who deserves our complete trust and allegiance is our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Chapter 64: How Do I Speak in Tongues?

The Good News

The good news is that speaking in tongues is one of the easiest things we will ever do, once we get beyond some apparent difficulties.

Like everything else we do spiritually, speaking in tongues is done by faith and is a matter of choice.

We are not overpowered by the Holy Spirit and lose control of our voice. Many people fear that this is what may happen to them and close themselves off from the experience. Maybe you have seen or heard stories of people doing “crazy” things under the influence of the Spirit, such as running, doing cartwheels, pew hopping, laughing, and falling to the ground. King David experienced tremendous joy and danced before the Lord and all the people, for which his own wife criticized him. She berated his reducing himself to the status of a “commoner” by his public display of joy in the Lord. His response may become ours if we get beyond the fear of being embarrassed.

Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!...  2 Samuel 6:22 a (NLT) —

Following the Lord and surrendering ourselves to the Spirit invites us to stop caring about the opinions of critics. Our one concern should be what the Lord thinks.

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10 (NLT) —

Much of what we do in church settings is learned behavior. We see others behaving in a certain way that seems “holy” or “spiritual” and imitate it. At other times, we are genuinely impacted by the Holy Spirit to do something unexpected or unplanned. Regardless, the important point is that in every situation we all have control over our actions, except in those rare cases when the Spirit of God truly overwhelms us.

Remember that people who prophesy [or speak in tongues] are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33  For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 1 Corinthians 14:32-33 (NLT) 

God wants us to surrender ourselves to the Spirit and let go of any fears we have of losing control or doing something evil. He wants us to have childlike faith that expects God to bless us with good things when we yield ourselves to him.

“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 11:11–13 (NASB95) —
The Bad News

The “bad” news is that speaking in tongues requires us to operate in a realm with which many of us are unfamiliar, that of the Spirit. In this we must depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the ability to speak in tongues while choosing not to use our natural minds to govern our speaking. To the uninitiated, speaking in tongues seems foreign until we experience it. Then it becomes a most (super) natural thing to do.

If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 1 Corinthians 14:14 (NET1)

It may seem foolish to say what sounds like gibberish because it does not come from reasoned thinking or from our own logical language rules. Instead, we speak words that simply “come” to us as the Spirit gives them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:4 (NASB)

Speaking words from the Spirit which are incomprehensible to us seems foolish to those who rely mainly on the human mind to navigate life. But to those who have learned or are learning to lean on the Spirit more and more, it is most natural and fulfilling. Interestingly, although the mind does not form the words, it is active in other ways. When I am praying or speaking in tongues, my mind is often filled with thoughts from God. Often I receive important revelations from Scripture or whole teachings in a flash. At other times, God reveals things to me through visions or prophetic insight. Speaking in tongues does not make our minds go blank. Instead, it frees our minds to receive from the Spirit as our mouths speak unimpeded by logical constraint.

Even though we make the choice to speak in tongues, the Spirit gives us the words and the ability.

This participation with the Spirit of God is supposed to be how we live all the time, but, unfortunately, many of us have never learned the art of “walking” in step with the Spirit in practical ways. Speaking in tongues is a great place for us to begin. It requires us to lean on God instead of our own understanding.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB) 

Speaking in tongues requires us to make a breakthrough into relying on the Spirit instead of our own minds.

This is the essence of what it means to repent. Adam and Eve opted to rely on their own thinking instead of simply believing and trusting God.

As God transforms us to be more and more like Jesus, he expects us to learn to operate as Jesus did in the realm of the Spirit.

Speaking in Tongues Is as Easy as Walking on Water

Okay, maybe you were just beginning to think, “I’ve got this,” but now you are thinking, “Why on earth are you comparing speaking in tongues to something impossible? Are you trying to discourage me completely?” Quite the opposite.

Walking on water requires divine enabling just as does speaking in tongues.

Most of us know the story of when Peter walked on water. Imagine having Peter’s audacity!

Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29  And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28-29 (NASB)

Walking on water would not be difficult, if the Lord enabled us. All Peter had to do was to get out of the boat and take some steps. God did the hard part by supporting his weight with his divine power. Peter did not have to keep himself above water. All he had to do was exercise his faith and take some steps.

It took great faith for Peter to believe in the unseen power of God to do something unnatural and strange, which is a lot like speaking in tongues.

Peter did not walk on water by passively sitting in the boat waiting for Jesus to overcome his doubts and make his uncooperative legs and feet start walking. Peter had to make a choice to get out of the safety of the boat and launch out upon the water.

We must make the choice to leave behind the comfortable place of speaking in our known language and launch ourselves into speaking from the Spirit without even knowing what we are going to say ahead of time.

The Holy Spirit does not commandeer our tongues to make us speak. We cannot passively speak in tongues, but if we choose to “get out of the boat,” so to speak, God will do the rest. He will give us the words, just as he supported Peter’s act of faith.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4 (ESV)

They began to speak, but the Holy Spirit gave the words.

The words will come as we make the choice to speak. It’s always a matter of choice, a matter of our will.

What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 1 Corinthians 14:15 (ESV)

Paul made the choice to speak and sing in tongues. Whenever I speak in tongues, it is always according to my own volition, and the Holy Spirit always supplies the words. I know he will do it; so, I have faith to begin to speak.

Speaking in tongues boils down to making a choice and taking action based on faith.

If we do not have faith, we will not make the choice. If we do have the faith, speaking in tongues is simple because God does the hard part. He gives the words.

Speaking in Tongues Is Always Okay for Us to Do

Many people object to the idea that we can speak in tongues whenever we want, thinking that it requires a special “anointing” of the Spirit every time. It is true that the Spirit distributes the gifts according to his will. (Hebrews 2:4) I cannot heal people whenever I might choose without any reliance on the prompting of the Spirit. Yet, I usually choose to pray for people to be healed any time I am asked, knowing that the power to answer that prayer lies outside of my simply willing it to happen. My role is to pray to Jesus the healer. At other times I may feel “led” by the Spirit to pray for someone. The same is true for me regarding the gift of prophecy. I cannot simply decide that today I am going to prophecy twelve times. Instead, I listen to the Spirit and prophesy when and if he directs me. (Hopefully I am listening!) There have been times when I was able prophesy over everyone for whom I prayed. At other times, for whatever reason, I had nothing. Speaking in tongues is different, however.

Speaking in tongues can be broken into two categories: the Spirit-prompted gift of tongues, which is spoken aloud in a meeting and requires an interpretation, and the often very personal devotional prayer language, which is completely under our jurisdiction.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18 (NASB)

The phrase “pray in the Spirit” refers to praying in tongues. I get this by comparing the same phrase in First Corinthians.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15  What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NASB)

Praying with the Spirit is contrasted to praying in a known language. Since we are commanded to pray “always” in the Spirit, it is a standing command from God. We can and should do it whenever we like and as often as we like. In fact, we should do it more and more, just as Paul did.

I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19  however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (NASB)

Speaking in tongues aloud in a church gathering should be specifically directed by the Spirit and followed by an interpretation, but praying in the Spirit, quietly as appropriate, is always encouraged.

But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 1 Corinthians 14:28 (NLT)

God told us to pray in tongues “always,” whenever we like. So, it’s always okay to do so, if we do it properly without disrupting God’s order in a meeting.

I compare speaking in tongues to turning on the faucet. Water always comes out because the line is under pressure. The Holy Spirit is always “on” inside us, waiting for us to turn on the tap by choosing to open our mouths.

Conclusion

I hope by now every one of your misgivings or objections has been answered. Perhaps now you wish to receive the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The next lesson will give you simple steps to receive. When you get to step four, speaking in tongues, you will have a choice to make. You can simply wait on God to give you the words, which may come to you immediately or over time. I know of cases when people did not get their prayer language immediately, but later it came unexpectedly. The second option is the one I recommend. After asking Jesus to baptize you in the Spirit, be like Peter. Get out of the boat. Open your mouth and start speaking whatever words the Spirit gives you.

I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10 (ESV)

But what if, despite everything, you simply don’t have any words from the Spirit? Are we to conclude that this amazing gift is not for us? After all, according to Paul, all do not speak in tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:30) But what do we do with another of Paul’s verses where he says the following?

Now I want you all to speak in tongues... 1 Corinthians 14:5a (ESV)

It is true that all do not speak in tongues, but God wants us all to do so.

Likewise, all may prophesy one by one, according to 1 Corinthians 14:31, but all do not because many do not care if they do or do not. This is a violation of Paul’s exhortation to all of us.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39–40 (NLT) —

I encourage you to keep at it until you break through every barrier of unbelief and fear. You will never regret it. Remember: your mind is not going to help you. Simply let the words flow out of your spirit, where you are joined to God’s Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Let the river flow! Once you begin, you will never want to stop. It is a fabulous gift from God.

"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 7:38-39 (NASB)

 

Questions for Further Study and Discussion

  • Does the comparison of walking on water to speaking in tongues make sense?
  • Can you believe that God will give you the words if you begin to speak in an unknown language?

 

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Chapter 62: What’s So Great about Speaking in Tongues?

Since speaking in tongues is the most common evidence of the baptism in the Spirit and because Paul wrote that he wanted everyone to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5, where the verb is present-active-indicative and is most naturally translated “want” instead of “wish” – another example of translator’s bias in my opinion), the question arises, “What’s so great about speaking in tongues?”

First of all, exactly what is speaking in tongues? Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to inform them about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He began by telling them that there is no benefit from being ignorant or misinformed.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware [ignorant]. 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NASB)

The devil loves ignorance because it gives him a vacuum to fill with his lies to block people from receiving God’s blessings

Fear and misinformation are two of our greatest enemies.

Critics of the gifts of the Spirit usually cite examples of their misuse. Abuse of spiritual gifts is certainly problematic, but it is not as bad as having a critical and judgmental spirit. It is fairly easy to see what is wrong with people, but love enables us to see beyond our failures and foibles so that our potential can be released.

We would never eliminate automobiles because a few people misuse them, sometimes causing great harm. Neither should we shut down spiritual gifts to prevent their possible misuse.

Solomon, in his wisdom, taught that wherever you have work being accomplished, there will be a certain level of messiness.

Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.  Proverbs 14:4 (NLT) —

Graveyards are neat, orderly, and very quiet. Churches are not meant to be. When we assemble, God wants his Spirit to have sway over the congregation. He allows us all to participate.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.  1 Corinthians 14:26 (NASB95) — 

For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;  1 Corinthians 14:31 (NASB95) — 

Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.  1 Corinthians 14:39–40 (NASB95) —

Doing church this way is asking for a certain level of messiness, as people step out in faith to try to follow the Spirit’s leadership. There is a learning curve in becoming adept at using spiritual gifts. If we are not allowed to try, fail, try again, and succeed, we may never grow.

People usually fear the unknown. Most people know very little about the gifts of the Spirit in general and even less about speaking in tongues. That is a primary reason why some people fear, berate, or ignore God’s gift. When Jesus cast the “legion” of demons out of the previously oppressed man, the locals were so scared of the power and authority over demons that Jesus demonstrated, rather than inviting him into their city to set more people free, they asked him to leave. When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit, out of fear and ignorance many people choose to have nothing to do with them, thereby cutting themselves off from a blessing.

There are many benefits that come from speaking in tongues. Paul mentions them in his First Letter to the Corinthians, a church that was notorious for its extraordinary use and misuse of gifts. Those saints were sometimes out of order and immature in how they operated in them, which Paul corrected, but he never discouraged them from using the gifts.

Paul knew that the tremendous benefits coming from spiritual gifts outweigh the potential hazards.

Speaking in tongues has been denigrated by some as the least of the gifts, which is often used as an excuse to ignore and even disparage it. That is most unwise.

How can any gift from God be thought to be less than wonderful and essential?

Jesus died to provide us with God’s grace gifts. We dare not devalue his death and resurrection by spurning what he offers to us in love. We dare not relegate speaking in tongues to any status less than extraordinary, wonderful, and much to be desired. Here are some of the most important benefits.

Undoing Babel

Unity is required for any group to cohere and function properly. Without it, things unravel. With it, nothing is impossible. God commands a blessing when there is godly unity among his children. (Psalm 133:1-3)

There is such a thing as ungodly unity, too. In Genesis 11, sinful rebellious people determined to make a great name for themselves at Babel instead of glorifying and worshiping their Creator God.

Recognizing the seriousness of this threat to his benevolent intention for mankind, the Lord confused their languages, which disrupted their unity and stopped their work, which resulted in people scattering throughout the earth into separate language groups. (Genesis 11:6-8)

Since then, that part of humanity that resists God’s authority and rule continues its quest to unify and make itself great apart from God, which is what drives the push toward globalism. In the Last Days, Scripture indicates that God will allow a final unified effort to throw off God’s rule and authority under the leadership of a lawless person called the antichrist who will delude the world through lying signs and wonders into worshiping him and the devil. This spirit has been in the world for a long time providing numerous expressions of the antichrist spirit in tyrannical murderous leaders, but it seems that God will allow one last great example, whom Jesus will destroy. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

This satanically unified world government will be sinful mankind’s last stand against the kingdom of God and will precede the Second Coming of the true Ruler and Unifier, Jesus the Messiah King.

At Babel, God temporarily thwarted man’s sinful self-glorifying unification efforts, but through Christ he is building his own unified kingdom which will crush Satan. (Daniel 7:14)

On the first New Covenant Pentecost, the Holy 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.

Speaking in tongues reversed what happened at Babel. The Gospel was understood that day by way of a supernatural gift of language that brought unity out of discord, confusion, and rebellion and people into the kingdom of God.

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) 

Every time a Spirit-filled believer speaks in tongues, the confusion of Babel is once again undone. God uses speaking in tongues to unify and empower those who are devoted to him and his kingdom. Speaking in tongues is so important that the devil has resisted its being received and practiced for centuries. That alerts us to the importance of the gift.

A Language from the Holy Spirit

Although every spiritual gift surpasses our intellectual comprehension, speaking in tongues uniquely does.

No one knows exactly how a person is healed by faith or how miracles happen. We simply believe and receive, while the Spirit does the “heavy lifting.” When it comes to speaking in tongues, Paul tells us that the mind is “unfruitful,” that is, it does not run the show at all.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 1 Corinthians 14:14 (NASB)

Brain scans of people praying in tongues show that their frontal lobes associated with speech go quiet. Instead, other areas of the brain are activated which seem to receive understanding and revelation from God more easily. (https://www.clintbyars.com/blog/2020/8/3/tongues-rewires-your-brain)

If we have an inherent fear of being “out of control,” we may throw up a roadblock here. We may fear that we will do something “crazy” or evil, if our minds take a back seat. This is a misunderstanding, however. We do not “blank out” or lose control in any way when we speak in tongues. When we cede control of our speech to the Holy Spirit, we can take it back whenever we wish.

This is the only gift that is firmly under the control of our will in the sense that we are free to activate and deactivate its use any time we wish.

…I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.  1 Corinthians 14:15 (NASB95) —

If we compared speaking in tongues to dancing, we would say the Spirit is leading and we are following.

Anyone looking at a dancing couple sees unity of action. The leader and follower are both making choices and acting as independent beings, but the follower is not trying to run the show. That is how it is with the gifts of the Spirit with a unique difference being that the Spirit is unseen. We dance with an invisible partner.

In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve decided to rely on their own understanding rather than trust in God. Except for those who are born again, this has been the case with mankind ever since and is called sin. Even God’s children struggle with surrender to God in some areas. Learning to walk in step with the Holy Spirit is a large part of our spiritual journey of discipleship. (Galatians 5:25)

The gifts of the Spirit are an invitation for us to relinquish our demand to be in control and completely understand everything.

We learn to trust God to be in charge. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB)

If our minds are only comfortable running things, we may never be able to accept some of the things of God, least of all the gift of tongues.

Speaking in tongues comes directly from the spirit, bypassing the human mind, which is the perfect antidote for our sinful spiritual pride and independence problem.

The Bible teaches us that those who speak in tongues speak in a real language, just not one they understand.

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2 (NASB)

However, the Spirit of God understands perfectly.

Praying in the Spirit is not gibberish. Rather, God gives us words that come directly from him with no issues of impure motivation or poor understanding of his will.

 Speaking in tongues builds us up spiritually.

We can only give away what we have received. If we are not built up and strong in God’s grace, we will have nothing positive to give away to others.

We minister out of the overflow of God’s grace in our own lives. Speaking in tongues allows us to recharge our spiritual batteries, so to speak.

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:4 (NASB)

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21 (NASB)

According to this verse, speaking in tongues builds our faith and keeps us in God’s love. It helps us abide in Christ.

Speaking in tongues helps us to praise God effectively.

When we speak in tongues, we can be sure that we only speak words that glorify God and edify us.

We also know that these words are effective in praising God. Rather than fear that we may say something wrong in tongues, we should trust God as little children and believe what the Scriptures say.

What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16  Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17  For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 1 Corinthians 14:15-17 (NASB)

The main point I want to make here is that, when we speak in tongues, we give thanks well.

The gift of tongues exercised during a church meeting is not the same as the private prayer language we are instructed to put into use each day. During church meetings, we are to speak in ways to build others up. When we are alone, we can and should pray in tongues to build ourselves up and praise God effectively.

I like to pray in tongues more than in English. I often start in tongues and alternate back and forth. When I was a new believer, I would sometimes feel constrained or limited in my praise to God. It was as if there was a “lid” on my praise. I wanted to express more, but English did not suffice. But when I was baptized in the Spirit and received the personal prayer language of tongues, I never again felt this limitation.

We can pray and sing in the Spirit to God, perfectly expressing worship to the Lord in words that come directly from him.

When we pray in tongues, we pray according to God’s will.

The Bible tells us that when we pray in alignment with God’s will, he hears our prayers and answers them.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)  

When we are asked to pray for people or situations, we often do not know what God’s specific will is. This is when praying in tongues is extremely useful.

When we pray in the Spirit, we can be sure that we pray exactly in agreement with God’s will, since the words come directly from the Spirit.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (NASB)

I have seen the Lord do some amazing things when praying for people in tongues, including physical and emotional healing and deliverance from demonic oppression. What an amazingly important gift! We cannot properly estimate the value of being able to pray in alignment with God’s will.

Praying in tongues teaches us to trust God.

Since praying in the Spirit does not engage the human intellect, it is counterintuitive to those who have trained themselves to depend mainly on the mind. Faith resides in the heart, in the spirit, and not in the intellect. Obeying God by faith requires us to go beyond the limitations of our intellection and comprehension.

Our minds are wonderful, but they were never meant to replace dependence upon God’s Spirit.

Our minds really cannot keep up with the Spirit or fully comprehend faith, but we can choose to come into alignment. Adam and Eve made the choice to jettison God and his wisdom to gain control over their own decisions and know the difference between good and evil for themselves.

Faith requires us to take our human understanding off the throne and put God back where he belongs.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5 (NASB95) —

Praying in tongues is an exercise in trusting God. It teaches us to rely on the Spirit, listen to his voice, and operate by faith instead of by “sight.”

Praying in tongues opens the door to the other gifts of the Spirit and evangelism.

Speaking in tongues could be called a “gateway” gift because it assists us to learn the ways of the Spirit.

When we take the plunge into allowing the Spirit to speak through us by faith, it opens our hearts to letting the Spirit move in and through us in other ways, too.

I find that when I pray in tongues, God often gives me “words of knowledge,” visions, prophecies, and other insights into how to minister to people. I liken this to tuning into God’s communication frequency, as we formerly did with analog radios. When we turned the tuning dial, the station became clearer as we approached its exact frequency.

When we pray in tongues, we open ourselves to God in the Spirit and can hear him more clearly.

All the gifts are essential if we are going to fish for people the way Jesus did. As we read through the gospels and watch how Jesus interacted with people, we see that most of the time he operated in the gifts of the Spirit. The Spirit was “upon” him to preach, heal, deliver, and whatever else he saw the Father doing. (Luke 4:18)

The Spirit will also be upon us to equip and empower us to minister to people.

Speaking in tongues helps us to transition from being intellectually driven people to being Spirit-led followers of Christ and fishers of men.

 

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Chapter 60: How the Baptism in the 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 mor
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Defensive Warfare

When a soldier is sent into war, he is issued protective gear. In modern warfare this may consist of a helmet, boots, a belt for carrying a canteen, mess kit, ammunition, basic medical supplies, grenades, a knife, and a gun of some sort. In some cases, a flack jacket may be included, especially when shrapnel from exploding shells and grenades is expected. At other times, gas masks and haz-mat suits might be included. It depends on what he is expected to encounter. Roman soldiers, which were the norm in Paul’s day, carried different weaponry, which is mentioned in Ephesians Chapter Six. Some equipment is also for offense, but all of it can be used defensively. In war, soldiers are expected to defend the ground they already have conquered and to take new ground as directed. The general objective is to stay alive in the process, but at times one may be expected to sacrifice his life to save others or achieve victory. Spiritual warfare has similar goals.

The Bible teaches us that Satan roams the earth looking for people to devour. (1Peter 5:8) His desire is to kill, steal, and destroy by any means possible. (John 10:10) He is after men, women, and children. He does not care whether we have declared ourselves as official combatants or not. The more naive, vulnerable, and unprepared we are, the better. He loves to use “should be” protectors, such as parents and teachers, to betray little ones and open them to attack. He is vicious, unscrupulous, and unrelenting.

As soldiers, our first order of business is to learn how to protect ourselves.

Chapter Six of Ephesians contains a classic passage on spiritual warfare quoted below.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10–20 (NASB95) —

God has given us spiritual armor and weapons that we use to protect ourselves, defend ground, and advance against the enemy. Whenever new ground is taken, we must always be prepared for a counterattack. Flanking, or coming around behind, is an age old tactic used to encircle and destroy an enemy. We cannot afford to make advances without watching our backside, so to speak. We must realize that the enemy loves to attack us when we have just won a victory and have let our guard down.

Here are some salient points about each part of our armor, mainly from a defensive standpoint. I plan to address the offensive nature of warfare more extensively in the next article.

The Battle Is the Lord’s

The first important principle is for us to realize that this is, at its core, not really our fight at all. It is God’s.

We fight in the strength of his might, but we do fight and put our lives at risk. When David went up against Goliath, he understood that his victory over that giant would be through God’s help. Nevertheless, he had to face him and risk death to experience God’s victory. We do well to adopt this great warrior’s mindset as illustrated in the passage below.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45–47 (NASB95) —
Stand Firm against the Devil’s Schemes

The next thing we need to keep in mind is that we are up against a superior tactician. He lacks wisdom but is very cunning.

He has observed and plotted against people for millennia and knows what works. Therefore, we must rely upon God’s wisdom when we go to battle. This wisdom is found in the Bible and is directly available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must know the scriptures and be alert to the Spirit’s guidance.

Since the devil cannot bring a curse against us for no reason, he schemes to bring God’s judgment and discipline upon us by leading us into sin.

Some of the devil’s schemes involve luring us into sexual sin, idolizing riches over God, loving power and prestige over being God’s servant, bitterness, pride, envy, etc. He also likes to spring traps on us when we presumptuously venture outside of God’s will. Another scheme of the devil is to attack at the beginning of our ministry or even when we are mere children. We see this in the life of Jesus and other key figures such as Moses and King David. As someone wisely said, the best time to kill a bear is when it is a cub. Here are some wise words from the apostle Paul.

But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:10–11 (NASB95) —

We need God’s wisdom and good counsel from others to achieve victory over the devil’s schemes.

Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance. Proverbs 20:18 (NASB95) —

If we keep in mind the cunning treachery of the devil, we can set up defenses that thwart his plans.

God is always wiser and more creative than the devil, who lacks wisdom and the ability to foresee God’s creative counterattacks.

During Absalom’s rebellion, King David understood that Ahithophel’s counsel could be his undoing; so, he sent his good friend, Hushai the Archite, to persuade Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s counsel. By appealing to Absalom’s vanity and desire to assure himself a victory, he led Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s counsel which led to Absalom’s ultimate defeat.

Identify the Combatants

Friendly fire is always a hazard on the battlefield. In spiritual warfare, it is important for us to know who is and who is not the enemy. Paul wrote that we do not battle against people, but against an implacable spiritual enemy. People always have the possibility of switching sides before death. Fierce enemies can become strong proponents of the gospel, as happened with Paul. This is one reason Jesus told us to love our enemies, meaning other people who align themselves with wickedness and against us. We are never supposed to love evil spirits, however. We hate them with a perfect hatred, as did King David.

Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. Psalm 139:21–22 (NASB95) —

When humans give themselves over to evil and harden their hearts against God, they may become enemies with whom we must fight. This often happens when nations go to war or when our families need defending. In WWII, Hitler aligned himself with abominable lies and drew power from occult sources. He and his henchmen used the German people to help carry out their evil scheme to subjugate the world. Many of the German foot soldiers had no idea what they were doing spiritually, but they became enemies which had to be destroyed in order to keep evil from prevailing in the world. Absalom gave himself over to evil when he turned against his father, King David, and tried to wrest the kingdom from him. God used General Joab to put an end to his life, which was the only possible solution with such an evil and implacable enemy. Such punishments are in the domain of governments. We are not to take vengeance into our own hands. However, self-defense is always justified, except perhaps in the case of when we are persecuted for our faith in Jesus, when we are told to “turn the other cheek.” Being able to forgive a persecutor because we recognize he or she is deceived and being manipulated by Satan takes great faith and courage.

We are encouraged to direct our warfare at the real enemy – spiritual wickedness in every form, from principalities and powers to demons oppressing individuals.

Stand Firm

We put on the armor of God in order to be able to withstand enemy assaults. Those of us who are born again are able to stand because we are seated with Christ on God’s throne (Ephesians 2:6). God has invested us with Christ’s authority which is enforced by the power of the Holy Spirit. God has given us authority over the powers of darkness and promised us that nothing can harm us. (Luke 10:19) We war against Satan and his minions in the authority and power of God. The battle is the Lord’s.

God permits us to be tested whether we will allow Satan’s lies and attacks to move us away from our faith in God’s love and faithfulness.

Satan tries to force Christ’s followers to blaspheme and deny their allegiance to Christ. Retaining our confession of faith in the face of tribulation makes us overcomers who will be richly rewarded.

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Revelation 12:11 (NLT) —
The Spiritual Armor
  • Truth is the first piece of armor mentioned, which is not surprising since Satan’s main weapon is deception. Unless we learn to rely on God’s truth more than on anything else, we are liable to be duped. Eve trusted in what she beheld and felt more than upon God’s words, leading to her downfall. If we determine to put our faith in God’s Word, we will have to learn to ignore what seems to be contradictory evidence. Jesus trusted in his calling and identity as the Messiah despite being ridiculed, tortured, and nailed to a cross, knowing that he would be raised from the dead. (Hebrews 12:3) We are encouraged to adopt the attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who declared that God would keep them from dying in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, but even if he did not, they would not worship his image. Trusting in God’s Word against the pull of contradictory evidence makes us overcomers who refuse to commit Eve’s sin of disloyalty to God.
  • Righteousness is the second piece of armor. Satan accuses us before God day and night. Our sin earned for us condemnation and death, but Jesus took that upon himself, liberating us from all guilt and punishment. This is called justification. Only God has the authority to condemn us, but he is now the one who justifies us. Nevertheless, Satan seeks to drag us away from our place of faith and confidence and convince us that we are still unacceptable before God in order to destroy our confidence and boldness. We must learn to stand in the truth of justification if we are to be overcomers.
  • The gospel is our third piece of armor. Understanding, believing, receiving, and sharing the gospel is both a defensive and offensive weapon. The gospel is a proclamation of freedom through Christ from the devil’s tyranny. We first believe and receive its message. Then we pass it on. This is one of those cases in which the best defense is a good offense. If we actively share the gospel, we will be insulated to a great extent from the devil’s attacks upon our minds and hearts. We will experience push back in other ways because the devil will always resists the gospel.
  • The shield of faith negates the attacks of the enemy. When evil words are spoken over us or evil circumstances befall us, faith enables us to see things from God’s perspective and keeps our focus on him and his love and faithfulness to his promises. A shield keeps the arrows of the enemy from penetrating to our heart where faith resides.
  • The helmet of salvation protects our minds from fear and hopelessness. The battle is primarily fought in the mind (a part of the soul, which also includes our will and emotions). If Satan’s lies reside in our minds, we will have difficulty believing God and his promises. Once we cast down such logical strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4), we can fortify our minds against lies ever again getting a foothold by wearing the helmet of salvation, which is related to prayer. Paul promised that if we take everything to God in prayer, he will guard our hearts and minds. (Philippians 4:6-7)
  • The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It is both a defensive and an offensive weapon. The Word of God includes the gospel and all of God’s promises. There is a prophetic element to the Word of God. When it is authoritatively proclaimed through confession, preaching, prayer, and prophecy, it releases the power of God to fulfill God’s purposes. (Isaiah 61) It will not return without accomplishing everything God intends. (Isaiah 55:11) Jesus used it to defend himself against the devil’s temptations and lies, and so can we. Every time the gospel is preached, the Word of God advances the kingdom. The gates of hell shall not be able to withstand it. (Matthew 16:18)
  • Prayer is the final piece of armor. Jesus told us that the “flesh is weak,” which is a big reason for us to pray that we might not enter temptation. (Matthew 6:13, Mark 14:38) Prayer keeps us in right relationship with God and reminds us how dependent upon him we are, which is a key to our strength. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Conclusion

Whether we like it or not, we are at war with the enemies of Christ. Even though he rendered Satan powerless at Calvary, he did not annihilate him. Rather, he left our spiritual enemies in place for the time being so that we can share in the final victory. In unity with Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church will arise to crush Satan under our feet, thus fulfilling the prophecy given in the Garden. (Genesis 3:15)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —
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Chapter 60: 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’s 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.
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The God of Peace Leads Us into War

War and peace seem to be polar opposites, but the Bible puts the two together more than once. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), but he is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5) who leads us into battle. In order to bring peace, our Lord had to go to war against and defeat God’s and our archenemy, Satan, the tyrannical prince of darkness.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Revelation 19:11–16 (NLT) —

God first revealed himself as the God of peace (Jehovah-shalom) to Gideon the same night that he called him to provoke all the worshipers of Baal by ripping down the symbols of their idolatry (Judges 6:24-25).

We should never assume that being a peacemaker requires us to retreat from conflict with the enemy.

The God of peace commanded Gideon to begin the process of bringing peace by angering the entire local populace. The Baal worshipers wanted to put him to death, as they always do, but God rescued him from their hands (Judges 6:30-32). Soon after, the God of peace commissioned Gideon to lead the fight against a vast horde of Midianites who had invaded the land and terrorized the populace. This man, who was so intimidated by these conquerors that he threshed wheat in a hidden wine press in the valley, was put in charge of leading God’s army into battle! Once God convinced Gideon through two signs that this commission was real, he reduced his army to 300 men, just to make it obvious that victory would come from the Lord, not man.

Victory always comes through the small “remnant” who fearlessly follow God despite their small numbers.

The night before the battle, God reassured this reluctant hero that victory would be his through a dream. The rest of the story is part of Israel’s glorious history in the time of the judges. God conquered Israel’s enemies through a most unlikely leader in a seemingly impossible fashion, just to prove that he is God and to bring peace to the land.

So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon. Judges 8:28 (NASB95) —

But why would God reveal himself as our peace while simultaneously calling us to war? Perhaps the answer can be found in these famous words of another man God called to war. God commissioned Jehu to destroy the family line of King Ahab, who led Israel into the terrible sin of worshiping Baal. Once again, we see that Baal worship is Israel’s worst sin and those who led her into it her worst enemies.The same is true today. The evil spirit behind that false God is still with us. His goal of destroying God’s people is still paramount. His followers must either repent or eventually be destroyed by God.

Queen Jezebel was the chief influencer behind the throne and the ring leader of Baal worship in Israel. Jehu fearlessly carried out this assignment of carrying war to the followers of Baal, even though he was not what most would consider to be a godly man. (Can anyone say Trump here?) As he approached the city in which Queen Jezebel lived, he was asked by those aligned with her if he came in peace. His answer is revealing.

King Joram demanded, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” Jehu replied, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” 2 Kings 9:22 (NLT) —

The evil spirits behind Baal worship, including Satan himself, cannot be tolerated at all because they relentlessly strive to dominate and stamp out the worship of the true God. There can be no compromise or “just getting along.” Jesus made it clear that this is the case.

But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 ‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. Revelation 2:20–22 (NASB95) —

There can be no peace until Baal worshipers either repent and turn to the true God or are destroyed.

Peace can only come through total victory over Satan and those aligned with him. That is why the God of peace calls us to war.

Elijah was another man God called to confront the spiritual darkness behind Baal worship. On Mt. Carmel. following God’s awe inspiring demonstration of  his preeminence over every pretender to the throne, including Baal, Elijah put to death all the priests of that evil deity. (1 Kings 18:40) Elijah did not finish the work, however, because Jezebel still lived. Her demise was left to Jehu. Interestingly, the final act of killing her was done by the emasculated eunuchs who served her.

When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she shouted at him, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master!” 32 Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, “Who is on my side?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves. 2 Kings 9:30–33 (NLT) —

If we consider that Jehu is a type of Christ, in the sense of being prophetically commissioned to conquer Jezebel, it is instructive that he asked those previously under that woman’s power to assist him in taking her down. Paul reveals that we who have been previously enslaved by Satan will assist Christ in his final victory over that enemy and his followers in this remarkable promise.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —

Once again war and peace are joined together. This verse is linked to the first messianic promise in the Bible, which God gave to us via what he told the serpent in the garden.

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT) —

The offspring of Eve are those who are born again by faith in the promised Messiah (Galatians 4:28-29), our Lord Jesus. The offspring of the serpent are those who are spiritually aligned with Satan through Adam’s fall (John 8:44). Every person is in one camp or the other; although, some children of Satan are blissfully unaware of their allegiance, while others are fully devoted to him and his plan for world conquest and the enslavement and destruction of humanity. This messianic promise was partially fulfilled when Jesus, Eve’s ultimate promised descendant, was struck by his tormentors, who were inspired by Satan, and put to death on the cross. After Jesus triumphantly rose again from the dead, he disarmed Satan, rendering him powerless to stop the advancement of his kingdom. (Colossians 2:13-15)

After Jesus’ resurrection, he commissioned his church to go into the entire world making disciples and planting his kingdom assemblies everywhere (Matthew 28:18). He promised that the gates of hell would not be able to resist it.

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18–19 (NASB95) —

This promise aligns with the book of Daniel, where we are promised that Christ’s kingdom will prevail over every other.

During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. Daniel 2:44 (NLT) —

Paul’s assertion in Romans 16:20 reveals that God chose to use his church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to finish the job that Jesus began. Even though Christ’s work was “finished” through his death and resurrection, the outworking is still in the future. This is the way God often does things. His kingdom is here but not yet in its fullness. Before God is finished, Christ’s kingdom will come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Revelation 12:10)

Since God’s purpose is for us to reign with him forever (Revelation 3:21), he will use us to deliver the final blow to Satan himself and his ugly horde of rebels.

Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:3 (NLT) —

Spiritual warfare and the crushing of Satan are connected to our destiny to share the throne with our glorious Savior, the Prince of Peace!

We are currently engaged in warfare that will bring peace to the earth by the elimination of God’s enemies by those who have chosen to bow their knee to the Lord. This warfare by and large is spiritual; although at times it will include physical combat. What is described in Revelation and the prophets includes bloodshed and death. In the present, however, we battle primarily against spiritual wickedness using spiritual weapons.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) —

As was Gideon, we are called to go up against a formidable enemy, one over which we cannot possibly win without God’s help. Even though God promised Gideon victory and was with him in battle, he still had to put his life on the line. So do we. The following verse explains what we are called to do.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12:11 (NASB95) —

The early church overcame by fearlessly proclaiming the gospel and laying down their lives when necessary. We do not know what lies ahead at the close of the age, but we do know that Christ will be triumphant and God is going to crush Satan under our feet one way or another. With that confidence, we can fearlessly face the future in anticipation of Christ’s complete victory that will usher in eternal peace.

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The Great Deception behind Spiritual Warfare

In order to properly understand the nature of spiritual warfare, it is necessary for us to come to terms with the enormity of the deception that has been perpetrated on us by the father of lies. (John 8:44) Jesus told us that Satan has no ability to abide in the truth because he is a liar by nature. He detests truth because that is a defining characteristic of God and reveals his own horrible character. Jesus also told us that Satan’s desire is always to kill, steal, and destroy, even when he promises otherwise. He was the first “bait and switch” con artist. He is not some reformable “Grinch” who is out to steal Christmas. He is a malevolent being who wants to hurt God somehow by destroying us, the crown of creation. (Psalm 8:5)

We humans were always meant to be children of God who would not only fellowship with him but also co-rule with him. (Romans 8:29-30) God’s plan for humanity was to bring us to the throne of God, where we will function as co-heirs with Christ and participate in governing the universe. (Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:1) This was more than Satan could bear. The Scriptures indicate that he tried to usurp God’s throne (Isaiah 14:13), but was cast out of heaven instead, taking with him one-third of the angels (Revelation 12:4,9). We are not told when this happened, but we assume it was before the creation of man. When God created Adam and later Eve, Satan determined to do everything within his power to thwart God’s benevolent intention and destroy his creation.

The Bible tells us that Satan can only do what God allows; so, mysteriously, God allowed Satan’s plan to come to pass in order to accomplish a greater purpose, which Paul referred to in his writings.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. Ephesians 1:9–11 (NLT) —

God always surprises with unanticipated creative ways to accomplish his purposes, which are always far more glorious than we suppose.

The most powerful weapon in Satan’s arsenal is deception. He is the Great Liar, who is self-deceived and deceives others. The most effective liars have first deceived themselves. He promised Eve that she did not need God but could be like him in her own right, knowing good from evil, as if this defined godhood somehow. The promise was empty because humans were created to be God-dependent. Jesus said it beautifully. He is the vine. We are the branches. Apart from the vine, the branch is incapable of staying alive or bearing fruit. Adam’s and Eve’s sin of disobedience, which was a declaration of independence from God that betrayed an ugly disloyalty to their Creator-Sustainer, introduced death and destruction into their lives and somewhat crippled the entire universe, exactly as Satan planned.

Nothing quite so clearly indicates man’s relative importance in God’s plan than what happened to creation when he renounced his dependence upon God and ceded his God-given authority to Satan!

God gave Adam authority over creation (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 115:16). When Adam aligned with Satan, his authority was stripped and ceded to his new “god,” the Great Liar. Now that Satan had mankind under his evil thumb, he began his campaign to pervert and destroy what God so lovingly created. Over the years he developed a two-pronged lie with which he shrouded humanity from God’s truth. One segment of society has fallen for the lie that they can be “gods” simply by declaring allegiance to the father of lies. Many of these people willingly embrace death in order to enjoy the temporary benefits of power, pleasure, and wealth. Many of those in power or who have gained fame have made this trade off. The rest of us have been told, by a variety of means, that we are relatively worthless, “useless eaters,” climate destroyers, descended from apes via evolution (thereby having no eternal significance or destiny), and deserving of being eliminated from the planet.

Yuval Harari is a chief guru for the godless globalists who work for Satan. Here is a quote of his that reveals how anti-God and anti-God’s plan these people are.

“I strongly believe that given the technologies we are now developing, within a century or two at most, our species will disappear. I don’t think that in the end of the 22nd century, the Earth will still be dominated by Homo sapiens.”

God created us to rule, but Satan wants to reduce us to abject slavery, irrelevance, and elimination through sin and deception.

The beginning of our standing up against Satan and his schemes is to embrace Truth and reject lies. Jesus’ claim to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life strikes a dagger at the heart of the devil’s plan.

Jesus came into this seemingly hopeless situation to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and rescue for God a people who would fulfill his original plan with this added bonus. Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, those who put their faith and allegiance in him are forgiven of their sins, declared “not guilty” in the court of heaven, restored to a right relationship with God the Father as beloved sons and daughters, and given all the privileges or being heirs of God through our Lord Jesus the risen Messianic King and coming Judge of the all who ever lived.

Instead of just being humans, through the new birth we become part of an entirely different species, Humanity 2.0. The Second Adam has given rise to a redeemed and remade edition of man that is conjoined with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). This elevates humanity even higher than at creation!

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET) —

The first installment of this great salvation is called the new birth by which we are recreated in our spirits and become joined to the Holy Spirit. This makes us sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. The second installment is called transformation, the process whereby the Holy Spirit changes us in our thinking and doing so that what is true because of the new birth becomes more and more lived out in our daily lives. The final installment will be the resurrection from the dead. When Jesus finally returns to judge the living and the dead, he will raise all people, some to eternal life and others to eternal destruction. At that point, those who follow Jesus will receive glorified bodies to complete what was begun at the new birth. We will co-rule with Christ over all creation for eternity.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT) —

The glorious truth which is foundational to spiritual warfare is that human beings have been elevated by God to a place of great honor, authority, and significance through Christ.

Sadly, many in the church remain somewhat ignorant of our true identity in Christ and the authority that has been placed at our disposal as Christ’s representatives. The entire creation groans in anticipation of being set free from satanic bondage when we are resurrected from the dead (Romans 8:22)! The angels have been assigned to help us, the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). We can become more effective in spiritual warfare when we wake up to who we are in Christ and begin to use the authority God has given to us. The battle still rages even though victory is assured. Soon God will crush Satan under our feet. What a magnificent promise that begs for us to step up to the plate and hit it out of the park.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —

God’s grace will see us through.

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