The Holy Spirit Baptism

THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Now that you are saved, you should ask the Lord to baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).

While it is certainly true that the Holy Spirit came into your heart and life the moment of your Salvation, still, He now wishes to endue you with power from on high. Consequently, Jesus told all of His followers immediately before His Ascension, that they should “wait for the Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4). He was speaking of being “Baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5).

You must understand that there is a great difference in being “born of the Spirit” than being “Baptized with the Spirit.” They are two different works altogether.

To be “born of the Spirit” is that which took place at your conversion, as the Holy Spirit brought you to Christ and performed the work of regeneration within your heart and life. To be “Baptized with the Spirit” is in order that you may have Power with God (Acts 1:8). Every Believer should ask the Lord to fill them with the Holy Spirit, and expect to receive (Lk. 11:13).

THE SIGN OF BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Once one is Baptized with the Holy Spirit, many things will transpire in our heart and life. In other words, there will be many telltale signs that we have been filled.

However, the initial physical evidence that one has been Baptized with the Holy Spirit, is that they will speak with other Tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance (Acts 2:4; 10:45–46; 19:1–7).

There is nothing in the Bible which suggests that this awesome indwelling power of the Holy Spirit has been declared unavailable in our day. We know there are literally millions of committed, fruitful, effective Christians, who give all the credit for their effectiveness to the experience of having been Baptized with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking with other Tongues. In fact, for you to be what you ought to be in Christ, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity.

Jesus died on Calvary that men may be saved. The great Salvation process includes the Holy Spirit taking up abode within our hearts and lives. Every Christian needs Him desperately. And to be sure, His full potential cannot be realized, unless we go on and be Baptized with the Holy Spirit, which as stated, will always be accompanied by the speaking with other Tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance (Acts 2:4).

He is our “Helper,” and as well, “guides us into all Truth” (Jn. 16:7–15).

WATER BAPTISM

What is the significance of Water Baptism? Haven’t we, by confessing Christ with our mouths, done everything the Bible tells us to do to insure Salvation? Is there any reason we should go further in proving the fact of our conversion? In Truth, there are several reasons for Water Baptism.

First of all, Jesus set the example for us by being baptized in water. He did it to “fulfill all Righteousness” (Mat. 3:13–15).

Water Baptism signifies the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, when He was Baptized in water, this signified that which He would do in order to secure our Salvation.

We likewise are to be Baptized in water, as a public proclamation of our submission to God, and acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Savior. Water Baptism does not save us, or contribute anything toward our Salvation, but is rather a sign that we have already been saved, which we wish to declare to the entirety of the world. In fact, Water Baptism is the great symbol that one has given his heart and life to Jesus Christ.

As well, it typifies our death to the old life, with all that was ugly and ungodly being buried, and us being Resurrected into a new life in Christ Jesus. That’s the reason that Water Baptism is by emersion. It signifies the old man being buried, and the new man being raised in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).