Foundations, Part 4 - Baptized in Fire and Power

Hebrews 6:1-3 "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement. And this we will do if God permits."

Let's continue laying our second foundation - the doctrine of baptisms.

Once again, let me remind you - there is an "s" at the end of "baptisms". Being dunked in water is not the only baptism that you need. There are three baptisms that we go through as believers (or at least, we should):

The Baptism in Water

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The Baptism in Tribulation

Water baptism is the easiest of these three to understand. Because of that, it sets the pattern for the other two. I encourage you, if you haven't read the previous post on water baptism to go back and read it first. Afterwards, you'll understand the pattern of baptisms - and will be able to apply that pattern to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

One more preliminary point:

Many people have been raised in a religious background that says there is no such thing as the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a separate experience from salvation. Some religious organizations will claim that this term describes the coming of the Holy Spirit when you were born again. However, this is not accurate.

When would you say the twelve apostles were born again? If salvation comes when someone confesses Jesus as Lord and believes in their heart that He was raised from the dead - when did this salvation occur for the disciples? It was the moment they saw Him resurrected from the dead! At that moment, they were "saved" men according to the New Covenant.

And yet, before Jesus returned to Heaven, He said this: "...for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Clearly, this was a separate event from their salvation. And when the baptism of the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, Peter said this same promise was available to "all who are afar off."

My friend, there is another baptism that's still available to you today...an additional event to your salvation! And this is what we're going to talk about today...the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Medium: The Holy Spirit

Mark 1:8 "I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In the same way that preacher submerged you in water, Jesus wants to completely immerse you in the Holy Spirit. In this baptism, your spirit is literally plunged underneath His spirit - saturating you with Him!

In Acts 1:5, Jesus looks ahead to the day of Pentecost and called it being "baptized with the Holy Spirit".

But then in verse 8, He speaks of the Holy Spirit "coming upon" or falling on them.

When you understand the pattern of baptism, you see that these two terms are referring to the same event. Think about going under the water when you were baptized. As you hit the water on the way down, the water parted and you went under. In the next instant, the water closed back up over top of you...it "came upon" you. Both things happened at once: you went down into the water, and the water came upon you.

This is how it is with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Jesus baptizes you into His Spirit; and at the same time, the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

You see this in Acts 8:14-17, where the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit, and He came upon them.

You see it again in Acts 10:44, where the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius' household.

And then again in Acts 19:5, where He came upon a group of Ephesians believers.

This "falling on" or "coming upon" is the exact same event as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Repentance: You Need This!

Acts 19:2 "...he said to them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' So they said to him, 'We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.'"

In Acts 19, Paul encountered a group of disciples in Ephesus. These were converts who believed in Jesus and had been baptized in water already. As Paul talked with them, he obviously perceived that something was lacking - because He asked them about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, there was something more these "good brothers" needed to be successful as believers.

Notice, they didn't respond defensively when Paul told them that God wanted more for them. A lot of today's Christians would answer Paul like this, "I already have all of God that I need...I don't need anything else!"

Not these guys....they simply said, "We've never heard of this." And then they listened to Paul as he explained the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

When he was done speaking, the Ephesians were willing to admit they needed this thing they were hearing about. They changed their mind and became open to more.

How about you? Do you realize there's more available to you than merely salvation? Do you realize that being born again is only the first step on this journey? Are you aware that you need the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

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

This power isn't available to you because you're "saved". It comes after you're baptized in the Holy Spirit!

The Death: No Longer Your Own

Like baptism in water, there is an element of death to being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

When you're water baptized, your old nature dies and you're raised up to be a new creation.

When you're baptized in the Holy Spirit, your self will dies and you're raised up into a life that is led by the Spirit.

Acts 1:8 says "you shall be witnesses to Me..." The New International version says it this way: "...you shall be MY witnesses." In other words, you're surrendering your right to make decisions and you're committing to completely follow the leading of God's Spirit.

This is part of growing up from childhood into maturity. Romans 8:13-14 says it this way, "For if you live according to the flesh (that is, based on your own will) you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body (again, the things that your will wants to do), you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the [mature] sons of God."

There you see the death involved in this baptism - your self-will needs to be just as dead as your past life. 

The Faith: If You Ask, You Will Receive

Luke 11:13 "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!"

This is where your faith comes in. This is when you'll have to make a choice to believe - and then to act on what you believe. Jesus said that God will give the Holy Spirit (i.e. this baptism) to anyone who asks Him....do you believe that?

Then ask Him! I promise you, if you ask Him in faith, you will receive the same gift of the Holy Spirit that they received in Acts chapter 2.

After you ask in faith, and take hold of Jesus' promise, then you need to act on your faith. That's what you did when you were baptized in water, right? You made a choice to follow Jesus, and sealed that choice with an action...you went under the water. My friend, it's time for you to go under. It's time to be totally submerged in the Holy Ghost!

How do you do that? There's an action that followed every single outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts...

Acts 2:4 - "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Acts 10:46 - "For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God."

Acts 19:6 - "...the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."

Speaking in tongues isn't all there is to being baptized in the Holy Spirit - but it's always the first sign of it. So....

You've asked your Father for the Holy Spirit, right?

And you've chosen to believe that He'll give this to those who ask?

Then take the plunge! By faith, open your mouth and speak with tongues! He won't force you to say anything. But if you start speaking by faith - trusting that God did what He promised - then the Holy Spirit will "give you utterance".

The Resurrection: Power To Be A Witness

Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."

Jesus, speaking to "saved" people, said you will receive power when...

This means the power doesn't come with salvation - it comes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

This is the same power that Jesus used during His ministry. Look for yourself in Luke 4:14 "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee..." He didn't do the amazing things in His ministry because He was God....He did them as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38 agrees with this: "...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and Power..."

This power - the same power that worked in Jesus' ministry - is available to us through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It's the same Spirit in Acts 10:38 and Acts 1:8 - right? Then why wouldn't it be the same power in both verses too?

With the baptism in the Holy Spirit: what Jesus did on earth, you can do as well!

Isn't that what John 14:12 tells us? "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."

Jesus returned to Heaven and poured the Holy Spirit out on the church. He did this so that the church can function like He did, only on a bigger scale. And He wants YOU to be a part of that! This is why He desires to baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire!

So I dare you...ask Him for this!

Die to your own self-will and to your own understanding.

Put your faith in His promise.

And boldly take the plunge into the Holy Spirit!