| The Greatest Story Ever Told About The Greatest Man That Ever Lived |
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that is separate from being saved. It is an
empowerment for service and the giving of spiritual gifts to the body of Christ.
John 1:32-34
Then John gave his testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain
on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptise with water told
me "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down, and remain is he who will baptize with the
Holy Spirit." I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.
John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is
thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams
of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit whom those who believed in
him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet
been glorified.
Acts 1:4-5 & 8
On one occasion while he was eating with them, he gave them this command. "Do not leave
Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised which you have heard me speak about. For
John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." ... 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.
Jesus is the one that baptises with the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is more than
just receiving the Holy Spirit when you are born again. It is an experience like the disciples had
as shown in the next scripture.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came they were all together in one place. Suddenly as sound like the
blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not always happen the way it did the first time. You may
never see tongues of fire, or hear a violent wind, and maybe those baptised will not speak in
tongues right away. But it is a very real experience and does manifest gifts of the Spirit.
Acts 8:14-17
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God they sent
Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy
Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, they had simply been baptised
into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the
apostles hands, he offered them money and said "Give me also this ability so that everyone on
whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with
you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money"
The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any believers even though they had accepted Jesus as
their saviour. When Peter and John laid hands on them, something must have happened for
Simon to have seen that they received the Holy Spirit. What it was we are not told. Maybe they
spoke in tongues, maybe something else. Or maybe he just saw what they were doing. The
point here is that you may or may not speak in tongues when you receive the baptism of the
Holy Spirit. We see from different scriptures that sometimes they did and other times we are
not told that they did.
Acts 9:17-18
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul he said, "Brother Saul,
the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me so that
you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, something like scales fell from
Saul's eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptised and after taking some food, he
regained his strength.
When Paul was baptised, he too received the Holy Spirit, but this scripture doesn't tell us that
he spoke in tongues or received any other spiritual gifts. However, in 1 Corinthians 14:18 he
says "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you." Therefore, sometimes it can
happen right away, but sometimes it happens later.
Acts 10:44-46
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy
Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and
praising God.
Before Peter could finish his sermon about Jesus, the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. It
may be because in their heart, they already had accepted his message and were ready to
receive more. God does not always do things the same way.
Acts 19: 1-6
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.
There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" They answered, "No we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul
asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism" they replied. Paul said "John's
baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him,
that is , in Jesus. On hearing this they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. When
Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and
prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Here we see that they did speak in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit, so sometimes
they do and sometimes they don't. I emphasize this because I have seen people say that they
don't have the Holy Spirit because they don't speak in tongues. And how about people that go
to churches where they don't practice the gift of speaking in tongues. Do they have the Holy
Spirit? As we see from these scriptures, sometimes they do speak in tongues, and sometimes
they don't, yet they all received the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is
given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means
of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one
Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between
spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of
tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just
as he determines.
This confirms what was said earlier about not all people speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit
gives gifts to each person according to his choosing. If he doesn't give you the gift of tongues,
maybe you have another gift that is more suited for you. However, I do believe that if you
really want a gift, God will not with hold it from you. Speaking in tongues or praying in tongues
is not the same thing as the gift of tongues either. The gift of tongues is usually used to convey
prophecy to the body of Christ, and then someone else interprets the prophecy. What we all
should seek is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which empowers our life for service. How we
serve God will be different for each of us.
empowerment for service and the giving of spiritual gifts to the body of Christ.
John 1:32-34
Then John gave his testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain
on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptise with water told
me "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down, and remain is he who will baptize with the
Holy Spirit." I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.
John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is
thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams
of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit whom those who believed in
him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet
been glorified.
Acts 1:4-5 & 8
On one occasion while he was eating with them, he gave them this command. "Do not leave
Jerusalem but wait for the gift my Father promised which you have heard me speak about. For
John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." ... 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.
Jesus is the one that baptises with the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is more than
just receiving the Holy Spirit when you are born again. It is an experience like the disciples had
as shown in the next scripture.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost came they were all together in one place. Suddenly as sound like the
blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not always happen the way it did the first time. You may
never see tongues of fire, or hear a violent wind, and maybe those baptised will not speak in
tongues right away. But it is a very real experience and does manifest gifts of the Spirit.
Acts 8:14-17
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God they sent
Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy
Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, they had simply been baptised
into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the
apostles hands, he offered them money and said "Give me also this ability so that everyone on
whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with
you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money"
The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any believers even though they had accepted Jesus as
their saviour. When Peter and John laid hands on them, something must have happened for
Simon to have seen that they received the Holy Spirit. What it was we are not told. Maybe they
spoke in tongues, maybe something else. Or maybe he just saw what they were doing. The
point here is that you may or may not speak in tongues when you receive the baptism of the
Holy Spirit. We see from different scriptures that sometimes they did and other times we are
not told that they did.
Acts 9:17-18
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul he said, "Brother Saul,
the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me so that
you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, something like scales fell from
Saul's eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptised and after taking some food, he
regained his strength.
When Paul was baptised, he too received the Holy Spirit, but this scripture doesn't tell us that
he spoke in tongues or received any other spiritual gifts. However, in 1 Corinthians 14:18 he
says "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you." Therefore, sometimes it can
happen right away, but sometimes it happens later.
Acts 10:44-46
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy
Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and
praising God.
Before Peter could finish his sermon about Jesus, the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. It
may be because in their heart, they already had accepted his message and were ready to
receive more. God does not always do things the same way.
Acts 19: 1-6
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.
There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you
believed?" They answered, "No we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul
asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism" they replied. Paul said "John's
baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him,
that is , in Jesus. On hearing this they were baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus. When
Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and
prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
Here we see that they did speak in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit, so sometimes
they do and sometimes they don't. I emphasize this because I have seen people say that they
don't have the Holy Spirit because they don't speak in tongues. And how about people that go
to churches where they don't practice the gift of speaking in tongues. Do they have the Holy
Spirit? As we see from these scriptures, sometimes they do speak in tongues, and sometimes
they don't, yet they all received the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is
given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means
of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one
Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between
spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of
tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just
as he determines.
This confirms what was said earlier about not all people speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit
gives gifts to each person according to his choosing. If he doesn't give you the gift of tongues,
maybe you have another gift that is more suited for you. However, I do believe that if you
really want a gift, God will not with hold it from you. Speaking in tongues or praying in tongues
is not the same thing as the gift of tongues either. The gift of tongues is usually used to convey
prophecy to the body of Christ, and then someone else interprets the prophecy. What we all
should seek is the baptism of the Holy Spirit which empowers our life for service. How we
serve God will be different for each of us.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit