The Holy Spirit is not a creepy THING, or some weird spiritual being that does freaky things. The Holy Spirit IS GOD, and He desperately wants to have deeper relationship with us!
Wherever you are with the Holy Spirit, our goal should be to discover more.
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 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.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a highly contested thing in the church today.
Matthew 3:11
I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Acts 1:5
for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
A Couple Things The Baptism of the Spirit ISN’T
1. In a lot of Charismatic and Pentacostal circles
with a more Liberal theology, some people would say that
when we get saved, the Holy Spirit in NOT in us until we are later Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
That’s completely Unbiblical.
Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
John 7:38-39
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive
Acts 2:38
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit IN YOU!
2. In a lot of Baptist and Reformed circles with a more Conservative theology, some people would say that
Baptism of the Holy Spirit ended with the canonization of the New Testament, and the Holy Spirit stopped the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
There are no good arguments for this position, and it’s very clear that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit came with Jesus and will exist until Jesus comes back.
1 Corinthians 13:8
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
The argument here is that the Holy Spirit moving like this was temporary in the New Testament, and when the Bible was canonized, we had no need for Him anymore. But, if you keep reading that verse:
1 Corinthians 13:9-10
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
So, these specific spiritual Gifts, and The Holy Spirit connecting with us in this PARTICULAR way
WILL go away, when the “perfect comes” … That is talking about eternity in heaven with God, not the Bible.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Seeing “face to face” is talking about being with God, and even with the Bible we don’t know everything fully
because of our sin nature… Again, talking about eternity with God.
What IS the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 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.”
3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
4 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
There are really 3 prevailing arguments for what “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” is referring to
(outside of the obviously unbiblical ones), and all 3 of them could potentially be at play in this verse.
So, in Acts 19, they were "Baptized in the Holy Spirit”:
Option 1 - When they accept Jesus
Option 2 - When Paul lays hands on them
Option 3 - All of the above
Regardless of what the definition is, we should seek to know the Holy Spirit in ALL of these ways:
DEFINITION 1
If you don't know Jesus, you need to know Him! Knowing Jesus will change EVERYTHING for you,
and Having the Holy Spirit in you,
makes everything in your life better.
DEFINITION 2
If you haven’t given the Holy Spirit full control of your life,
then I need to tell you that you are missing out in a BIG WAY.
The Holy Spirit provides you with tools for life, and a companion in life that sticks closer than anyone else ever can. Just because the Holy Spirit is in you
doesn’t mean you give him any room to lead you, so if you don’t know what your Spiritual Gifts are,
and you’re not actively operating in them,
START NOW!
DEFINITION 3
None of us should connect with the Holy Spirit
just one time and stop there. The Holy Sprit connects with us in so many ways in scripture. We should earnestly and continually seek these!
In Acts 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 19, 20, 21 the Holy Spirit gives specific and clear direction to a believer of where to go or what to do.
In Acts 1, 2, 4, 13, 17, 18 the believers are filled with the spirit to share the Gospel.
In Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 19 the Holy Spirit is used as an assurance of salvation.
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit calls people to deeper understanding of Himself.
In Acts 4, 5, (most likely in Acts 21-28 also) the church leaders are brought before rulers and authoritis and filled with the Spirit to speak.
In Act 5, the Holy Spirit provides us with a witness
to the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus.
In Acts 5, 6, 7, 11, 15 the believers used seeing the Holy Spirit at work in people, as a litmus test for leadership, trustworthiness, and Godly character.
In Acts 8, the Holy Spirit “carried Philip away.”
In Acts 9, the Holy Spirit brings comfort.
In Acts 10, the Holy Spirit anoints Jesus.
In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit encourages his people when they’re discouraged
because they walked away from a city that completely denied Jesus.
In Acts 20, 21 a believer is warned about something bad coming.
In Acts 20, the Holy Spirit divvies out leadership in the Church.
- Beg God for more!
- If He’s up for giving it, take it!
- Pray for more gifts of the Spirit
- Pray for him to speak more
- Pray for Him to send you more places
Wherever you are at with the Holy Spirit, THERE IS MORE.
