The Baptism of the Holy
Spirit
Study Outline
The Person of the Holy Spirit4
Holy Spirit appears physically10
Holy Spirit in the New Testament13
Exclusive to the New Testament18
Distinct from the Spirit of Christ28
Initial Evidence of the Baptism34
Contrast Babel vs. Pentecost38
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
We must start by addressing a potential
elephant in the room, we live in a time of deception, and there are multitudes
of outrageous frauds who pervert the gifts of the Holy Spirit and make
merchandise of the things of God. Unfortunately, many gullible sheep follow the
crazy antics of these false prophets and embrace their teachings. Part of the
problem is that many deceived religious people base their faith on
personalities, experiences, and excitement and want their ears tickled with
false blessings. But they could care less if the scriptures get twisted and
perverted from their pulpits.
We should distance ourselves from all
non-Biblical practices or teachings. Before we can separate from deception and
error, we must first have knowledge, understanding, and discernment regarding
the written Biblical accounts. The purpose of this study is to show what the scriptures
teach regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We contend that the baptism and
gifts of the Holy Spirit, first given on the day of Pentecost, have not ceased
but will continue to function until the rapture when the church gets removed
from the earth.
We must always keep foremost in our minds
that the Holy Spirit is God, the third person in the trinity. We must approach
the Holy Spirit with the same attitude of reverence and respect that we give to
Jesus and the Father.
1
John 5:7 For there are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Matthew
28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
2
Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you
all. Amen.
The Holy Spirit should not be called “it,"
like an impersonal force, and is not like a circus animal that can be tamed and
forced to do tricks as some regrettably suggest. The Holy Spirit is God and
should be respected and reverenced with awe, in the same way as the Father and
the Son. He is God and should not be reckoned as a lifeless force, not referred
to as "it." An inanimate force does not possess a personality and is
incapable of independent actions. On the contrary, we see the Holy Spirit
speaking, moving, creating, guiding, teaching, reminding, comforting, striving,
reproving, grieving, and helping. Look at the following list of the activities
of the Holy Spirit.
He speaks
(Acts 13:2 & 21:11, 1 Timothy
4:1, Hebrews 3:7)\
(Job 26:13; 33:4, Gen. 1:2, Ps. 104:30)
(Luke 4:1, John 16:13)
He is blasphemed
(Matthew 12:31-32)
(Acts 5:3)
(Ephesians 4:30)
(1 Thessalonians 5:19)
(Genesis 6:3)
(Acts 7:51)
(Acts 5:32, Acts 20:23, Hebrews 10:15)
(John 16:8)
(1 John 2:27)
(John 14:26)
(John 14:16-17, Acts 9:31)
(Romans 8:26)
(Romans 8:26)
The Holy Spirit is known as the sevenfold
Spirit of God, not because He is seven different spirits, but because He is one
Spirit manifesting himself in seven different ways. Also, biblically speaking,
the number seven signifies divinity, perfection, or completion. The number
seven appears weaved throughout the scriptures and the natural world, with
examples like seven days a week, seven major chords in the music scale, seven
primary colors in the rainbow, etc.
Revelation
3:1 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things
says He who has the seven Spirits of God,
Revelation
4:5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and
voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the
seven Spirits of God.
The following are some of the multifaceted
and eternal characteristics of the seven Spirits of God with attributes that
are like an infinite well of enlightenment, power, strength, and supernatural
abilities.
(Isaiah 11:2)
#3, Knowledge & Fear of the Lord
#4, Judgment & Burning
(Isaiah 4:4)
(Zechariah 12:10)
(Romans 1:4)
(John 14:16-17; 15:26)
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would only come upon selected individuals for specific purposes. In some cases, a ceremony of ordination was performed, signifying that the Holy Spirit was with the chosen person. This ceremony consisted of "anointing" or pouring oil on that person. The anointing is a concept of great importance to our understanding of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Our word anointing comes from the Hebrew word mashach, which means: to rub with oil, i.e., to anoint; by implication, to consecrate or dedicate. This "anointing" represented the Holy Spirit coming upon that person and is synonymous with the Holy Spirit's presence, equipping, and empowering a person for a specific service.
The
first instance of anointing someone began under Moses' leadership. God
commanded Moses to ordain his brother Aaron to be the high priest. This
priesthood was to be passed from father to son in endless succession. There was
only one High priest at one time. When the High priest died or stepped down
from his responsibilities, a new high priest would get anointed. This anointing
qualified them for the ministry.
Exodus
40:13‑15 "You shall put
the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he
may minister to Me as priest. "And you shall bring his sons and clothe
them with tunics. " Throughout their generations." You shall
anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as
priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood
Even the physical objects of the tabernacle had to be anointed, showing that every aspect of the Levitical priesthood had the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon it (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Ephesians 2:19-22).
Exodus
40:9‑11 "And you shall take
the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you
shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. … "You shall anoint
the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar.
The altar shall be most holy. "And you shall anoint the laver and its
base, and consecrate it.
They anointed Kings to begin their reigns. King David received the anointing on three different occasions. The first anointing was prophetic, ordaining him to be the future king of Israel. Also, notice the Spirit of the Lord was on David and departed from Saul but was not on both David and Saul simultaneously. So, when the Spirit of God departed from Saul, an evil spirit began to torment him. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would only rest on a selected few at one time.
1
Samuel 16:13-15 Then Samuel took the
horn of oil, and anointed him (speaking of David) in the midst of his brethren:
and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So,
Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the LORD departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants
said unto him, behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.
David's
second anointing came when Judah anointed him as their king.
2
Samuel 2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they
anointed David king over the house of Judah.
The third
anointing was when he was anointed king over all Israel and Judah.
2
Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king
to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD:
and they anointed David king over Israel.
Prophets
also were anointed to function in their office, and that anointing came only by
God's choosing and calling. In the following example, God commanded Elijah to
anoint a king and anoint a prophet to take his place:
1
Kings 19:16 "Also you shall anoint Jehu the son
of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel
Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.
Only
after Elijah departed did the Spirit come upon Elisha. However, Elisha received
a double portion of the Spirit of God that was on Elijah.
2
Kings 2:9 And so it was, when they had crossed over,
that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken
away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your
spirit be upon me."
2
Kings 2:15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were
from Jericho saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha."
And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.
So
far, we have seen that the Holy Spirit came upon kings, prophets and priest in
a formal "anointing" ceremony. Even the inanimate objects of the
tabernacle had to be anointed. Now we will see that the Holy Spirit came upon a
few individuals for specific purposes:
(Exodus 31:1‑5)
(Numbers 11:16-17)
(Judges 13:25; 14:5-19;
15:14‑15)
(Genesis 41:38‑39)
(Daniel 4:8-18; 5:11‑14)
We just saw that the Holy Spirit came upon a select few individuals for specific purposes. The general population of Israel never experienced the anointing and supernatural gifts and abilities given by the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit appears physically
We have one incident where there was a physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. This situation came about after Abraham defeated some Kings in battle, and afterward, a person named Melchizedek met with him [Genesis 14:18-21, Hebrews 6:20 - 7:21].
There is some question over who this
Melchizedek may be. The first clues regarding his identity are associated with
the terminology used to describe Him. He was not birthed, had no parents, no
beginning point, or end of life, which points to the obvious conclusion that he
is eternal, meaning he is God.
Hebrews
7:3, … without father, without mother, without
genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life …
If he
is God, then which member of the trinity would he be? The Father, the Holy
Spirit, or Christ? That answer becomes evident as we follow the descriptions
given to him. Melchizedek is the King of Salem, which means he is the King of
peace. By contrast, Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Hebrews
7:1, "For this Melchizedek, King of
Salem."
Melchizedek
is the priest of the Most-High God, so he is not the Most-High God, meaning God
the Father. Since he is not God the Father, or the Son, the logical conclusion
is that Melchizedek was the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews
7:1-2, "priest of the Most-High God, who
met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom
also Abraham gave a tenth part of all."
The next verse describes Melchizedek as being like the Son of God. If he is like the Son, he is not the Son, again pointing to the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews
7:3, "...but made LIKE UNTO the SON of
GOD."
In
another passage, Jesus was made a high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Jesus was not made a high priest after himself, so by necessity, Melchisedec
would have to be different than Jesus, again pointing to the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews
6:20, Whither the forerunner is for us entered,
even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Under the Law the tribe of Levi and
specifically the descendants of Aaron were the only tribe legally recognized as
qualified to perform as priest. However, Melchizedek met with Abraham before
the Law, and Melchizedek’s priesthood is eternal and greater than the Levitical
priesthood that came by the Law. The lessor would pay tithes to the greater,
and Levi representing the Old Testament priesthood, who would come from
Abraham’s descendants over 400 years later, paid their tithes to Melchizedek
through Abraham.
Hebrews 7:9-11, Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. … what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
When Jesus appeared, he was from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, which disqualified him from being a priest based on the Laws of the Levitical priesthood. But Christ was qualified as a priest according to a different priestly order, a higher priestly order, and Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews
7:13-17 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another
tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that
our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning
priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of
Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the
law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.
For He testifies: "You are a priest forever According to the order of
Melchizedek."
Jesus
did not begin his earthly ministry until after being anointed by the Holy
Spirit. First, John baptized Jesus, and then the Holy Spirit descended upon
him. Then, Jesus went into the wilderness to be tested by the Devil for 40
days. Afterward, he came out of the desert in the power of the Spirit.
Matthew
3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and
He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Luke
4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost
returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke
4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the
Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the
region round about.
After being filled with the power of the Spirit, Jesus went into the synagogue. They handed him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah, and he read from it the part regarding being anointed by the Spirit of God to preach, heal, proclaim liberty, and the acceptable year of the Lord. Then he announced himself as being the fulfillment of the scripture he had just read. Only after his anointing by the Holy Spirit did Jesus begin his earthly ministry. He was ready at age 12 (Luke 2:41-50) but waited until he was 30 years of age, as required by the Law for priests (Numbers 4:1-3).
Luke
4:18-21 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to
preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set
at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the
LORD." Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat
down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He
began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your
hearing."
Acts
10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all
that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Hebrews
1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated
iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil
of gladness above thy fellows.
Acts
4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus,
whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles,
and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
The Hebrew word Messiah and the Greek word Christ are the same, being a title that means anointed, or the anointed one, which is a designation of a specific person, the promised Son of David, a Jewish king who would rule all the nations from Jerusalem.The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew word Joshua which means God is salvation. So, Jesus is his name, Christ or Messiah is a title that describes his position, power, and authority. Because Jesus is the Christ, he has unlimited spiritual power, rules over all, with all authority.
But when Jesus became a man, he emptied himself of his divine power and lived as a servant, and all the miracles, healings, and casting out of demons that Jesus did, He attributed to the power of the Holy Spirit. But the Scribes and Pharisees attributed the miracles Jesus did to the Devil. So, Jesus said they had committed blasphemy against the Holy Spirit for which there is no forgiveness.
Matthew
12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of
God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Mark
3:29, 30 But he that shall blaspheme against the
Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: because
they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
As
the time drew near for Jesus to finish his ministry, he told the disciples how
important it was for him to leave so that he could send the Holy Spirit to help
them.
John
16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth.
It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper
will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
John
16:13-14 "However, when He, the Spirit of
truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on
His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you
things to come. "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine
and declare it to you.
We
see that when Jesus died on the altar of the cross, it was through the Holy
Spirit that Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins.
Hebrews
9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The
last thing that Jesus told his disciples after his resurrection and before He
ascended to heaven was to wait in Jerusalem for power, referring to the
outpouring of 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."
Acts
1:4-5. And being assembled together with them, He
commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of
the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
"for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the
Holy Spirit not many days from now."
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is exclusive
to the New Testament believers in Jesus and will continue with the church until
the rapture. The Old Testament saints witnessed the Holy Spirit in many profound
ways; however, they did not experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some
might point to John the Baptist as an example of being filled with the Holy
Spirit from His mother's womb.
Luke
1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the
Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled
with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
John
interacted with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, but he never
experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no doubt that John had
experiences with the Holy Spirit, but John acknowledged that he needed, but did
not have, the baptism that Jesus baptized with, specifically the baptism with
the Holy Ghost and with fire. Also, John could not have been baptized in the
Spirit because the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place long after John had
died.
Matthew
3:11‑14 I indeed baptize you
with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and with fire … Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need
to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
John
was the last and greatest of the Old Testament saints (Matthew 11:11-13).
None of the Old Testament saints had the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit
was WITH them, but not IN them. Only after Jesus’ death, burial,
and resurrection, and fifty days later on the day of Pentecost,
was
the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire
John
14:16‑17, 26 And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever the
Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him
nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives WITH you and will be IN you.
John
7:38‑39 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.
Here we come to a difference of opinions. Many good Christians believe everyone who accepts Christ is automatically baptized in the Holy Spirit when they say a sinner’s prayer. According to them, the original Apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with all the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit to establish the church. They teach that when the last original Apostle died, all the power and the spiritual gifts also died, ceased to operate, and would never return. That may be why they personally have never had any spiritual experiences after they were born again.
They have a one-and-done attitude, so once
they accomplish repeating the sinner's prayer, they are set for life. Some of
these same people will slander as demonic and deceived other Christian
believers who have received the baptism of the Spirit with speaking in tongues
and operate in the gifts of the Spirit.
We would beg to differ with the anti-Holy
Spirit contingent and contend that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in
operation and have not been discontinued or ceased from functioning in the church.
And granted, numerous bizarre and flaky quacks fleece the flock, twist the
scriptures, and bring great reproach and shame by claiming false gifts in false
ministries. But they do not cancel, void, or negate all the legitimate giftings
of the Holy Spirit in humble and sincere servants of God. Our position is that
all the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Christ. The gifts are still
available and will only cease after the rapture, but until then, the church
needs them now more than ever.
2
Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and
in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
To show a distinction between initial
salvation by faith and a subsequent experience of being baptized in the Holy
Spirit, we will follow the path of the original Apostles and their experiences
before and after Pentecost. Jesus sent out 70 disciples to preach the Kingdom,
and they came back rejoicing over the power they had over demons. Jesus replied
to rejoice, not at power over demons, but because of having their names written
in heaven. That sounds like a confirmation of their salvation, implying their
names are in the book of life.
Luke
10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in
heaven.
We have another example of someone receiving salvation before Jesus went to the cross. Zacchaeus demonstrated repentance and faith, and Jesus said, "today," salvation has come to his house.
Luke
19:8-10 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord,
"Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken
anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." And Jesus
said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he
also is a son of Abraham; "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save that which was lost."
Jesus
sent the twelve apostles out to preach the kingdom, and they experienced the
power of God before Pentecost, but that was not the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew
10:7-8 And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
At
one point, Jesus asked his disciples who he was, and Peter answered that he was
"the Christ," the Son of the living God. That sounds like a statement
of faith that many Pastors would include in their sinner's prayer. Do you
believe Jesus was the Son of God?
Matthew
16:15-17 He said to them, "But who do you say
that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him,
"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed
this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Jesus
brought his inner three disciples to a mountain top and gave them a glimpse of
his glory, endorsed by God the Father speaking from heaven.
Matthew
16:28 "Assuredly, I say to you, there are
some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man
coming in His kingdom."
Matthew
17:1-5 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James,
and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He
was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes
became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
talking with Him. … While he was still
speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice
came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. Hear Him!"
Let's summarize the Apostle's experiences
before the cross: they were witnesses to raising the dead, miracles of healing,
casting out demons, miraculous multiplication of food, walking on water,
revelations from the father that Jesus was the Messiah, a vision of Jesus
glorified with Moses and Elijah, with names already written in heaven and
salvation declared to repentant sinners. Redemption took place at the cross by
the sacrifice and blood of Christ, but when did they have saving faith? The
question about salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is critical to
determine if they are one simultaneous and synonymous experience as some claim,
or are they two distinct experiences?
Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem
to receive another experience. Let's look at the events leading up to that
point, particularly in the life of Peter. When they took Jesus and crucified
him, Peter cut off somebody's ear, denied that he knew Jesus three times,
cursed, hid from persecution, and went back to his former job, fishing. Peter
was not exactly a picture of spiritual fortitude at that time. Then after three
days, Jesus was raised from the dead, and he appeared to His disciples with
these final words before His ascension:
Luke
24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have
been clothed with power from on high."
Acts
1:8 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."
The
word translated "witness" in that verse, comes from the Greek word
"martus" and literally means a martyr. So, Jesus appears to his
disciples who had been hiding in fear, and tells them that they that would
receive power, enabling them to be his witnesses, even to the point of death.
Jesus had already personally prophesied about Peter's martyrdom, (John 21:18,
10).
We
could ask, how did they know when they had received the power? They would still
be there waiting, if there was no outward or inward sign. Let's read the actual
account of the disciples receiving this power.
Acts
2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound
from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were sitting. … Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire,
and one sat upon each of them. and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We
read of a number of outwards signs that took place that day:
*Sound of a rushing wind
*Appearance of tongues of fire on each of them
*They spoke in 16 different foreign languages, they had not
previously known
There
was another sign, it was a change in Peter. The same Peter who denied the lord
three times, who cursed, went back to fishing, and was hiding for fear. Now he
is standing boldly, and openly preaching about Christ, who he had denied. After
being Spirit filled, boldness became a trademark of Peter, (Acts 5:28-32).
Acts
2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven,
lifted up his voice,
Acts
4:5-13 Now when they saw the boldness of
Peter and John …
Acts
4:14-31 … they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts
5:40-42 And to him they agreed: and when they had
called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak
in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence
of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for
his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach
and preach Jesus Christ.
Another
sign that we see took place on the day of Pentecost was the tremendous increase
in the number of disciples added to the church:
Acts
2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were
baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.
Are
you having problems taking a stand and being bold for Jesus? Take note of
Peter's life and be encouraged at what the Holy Spirit can do! He can change a
cowardly backslider into a fiery preacher! Let's read from Peter's sermon on
the day of Pentecost.
Acts
2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
This
verse is what some people call the gospel in a nutshell. In this one verse
Peter gives four aspects of the gospel.
#1. Repent
#2. Be Born Again.
#3. Be Baptized in Water.
#4. Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Peter
lays out the gospel as a process with four steps. If there is no repentance,
the process stops on step one. If they repent and believe, then proceed to be
water baptized, which usually happens at the earliest convenience. So, after
repenting and believing, being water baptized is followed by receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost. Peter promoted having distinctly different experiences after
being born again, namely water baptism and receiving the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. Let’s look at a few more examples.
After
persecution broke out against the church, the disciples scattered to various
cities. In every city where they were scattered, they preached the gospel. A
deacon named Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ with tremendous
results. Multitudes of Samaritans got healed, delivered from demons, saved, and
baptized in water (Acts 8:4-13). Take note also that Philip would not
baptize someone unless that person believed in Jesus with all their heart (Acts
8:36-37) Taking that into consideration, read the following verses:
Acts
8:14‑17 Now when the apostles
who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God,
they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for
them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon
none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then
they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
A
person does not automatically receive the Holy Spirit at the new birth. That is
why Peter and John had to pray for these Samaritan believers to receive the
Holy Spirit. These people had already experienced healing, deliverance, and
miracles and had been born again and water baptized, but they did not have the
Holy Spirit. It is important to remember that Philip would not baptize
unbelievers. The Samaritans had been born again, but only after Peter and John
laid hands on them did these believers receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Here's
another example. The apostle Paul while on his travels, found some disciples in
Ephesus (probably disciples of Apollos. Acts 18:24-28). Upon discovering
that these disciples were already believers in Christ, what was Paul's first
question for them?
Acts
19:1‑2 And it happened, while Apollos was at
Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus.
And finding some disciples 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."
Paul
acknowledged that they were already born-again believers. If baptism in the
Holy Spirit is automatic at salvation, why would Paul ask if they received the
Holy Spirit? Paul held salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit as two
separate experiences. What was Paul's response to these believers?
Acts
19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the
Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Christ
existed as the word of God in eternity before He came to earth and took on
flesh, a human body, and dwelt among us.
John
1:1-3, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
made. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth.
Some
groups teach that Jesus is the Father, Jesus is the son, and that Jesus is the
Holy Spirit, which is erroneous on many levels, especially in regards to the
incarnation (a separate topic). On another extreme, others have expressed
concern over a “Christ-less Pentecost” where the gifts and moving of the Holy
Spirit are so highly emphasized that Christ becomes neglected and just a
distant figure in the background. Balance and perspective are needed.
Distinguishing
between the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit may be treading on dangerous
ground, but many Christians think the two are synonymous. However, they are two
distinct and separate persons. It may be a matter of semantics, but inquiring
minds (like the people of Berea in Paul’s time, Acts17:10-11) may search
out this matter to bolster their convictions. The doctrine of the Trinity has
relevance, and we should recognize each person in the Godhead. One example
would be the formula for baptism given by Christ
Matthew
28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit
When
Jesus was baptized it does not say that Jesus descended on Jesus in the form of
a dove, and then the voice of Jesus spoke from the heavens saying “this is
Jesus in whom I Jesus am well pleased”. No, it was a graphic example of the
trinity on display, God the Father speaking from heaven, the Holy Spirit
descending in the form of a dove, and Jesus truly God and truly man, it was the
trinity three distinct persons in one God.
Matthew
3:16-17 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and
He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased."
Jesus
and the Holy Spirit are separate, yet one with the father. The Spirit of Christ
can be distinguished from the Holy Spirit. Look at the following list of
examples:
1
Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have
inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come
unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory
that should follow, … which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy
Ghost.
Philippians
1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my
salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Luke
23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,
he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my
spirit … (Jesus gave up his own
spirit)
If
you don't have the Spirit of Christ, you are not saved, but if the Spirit of
God dwells in you, you will not walk after the flesh, like the unsaved people
do.
Romans
8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in
the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone
does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
When
people repeat the sinner’s prayer, it goes something like this, Holy Spirit, I
know you died on the cross for me, cleanse me with your blood, forgive my sins
and come into my heart. Right? Wrong! Jesus is the one that died and shed His
blood for you. You asked Jesus to forgive you and come into your heart, not the
Holy Spirit! You ask Jesus into your heart, and the Holy Spirit baptizes you
later.
Galatians
4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Ephesians
3:17 That Christ may dwell in
your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.
Jesus taught us to ask, seek, and knock to receive the Holy Spirit. If a person automatically has the Holy Spirit from the time they are born again, why did Jesus teach that we should ask, seek, and knock until we receive the good gift of the Holy Spirit?
Luke
11:9-13 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to
you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to
you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened … "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!"
After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to his disciples and gave them very specific instructions:
Luke
24:49 I am going to send you what my Father
has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power
from on high."
These instructions were clear, wait in Jerusalem until you receive power. He did not tell them to wait for salvation because they had salvation. They were waiting for the baptism, the power, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. How would they have known they had received the Holy Spirit if there were no outward signs? They would still be there waiting if nothing happened on the day of Pentecost. But thank God that signs and wonders manifested to confirm the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Acts
1:4‑8 … "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me
speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit." … you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem … and to the ends of the earth."
The
disciples followed Jesus' example and did not begin their ministries until
after the Holy Spirit had anointed them. A crowd gathered outside and wondered
what was happening. Then Peter stepped up and boldly began to preach. Take note
that, unlike in the Old Testament, where a few select people received the
anointing of the Holy Spirit, to the contrary, everybody in the church, top to
bottom, young and old, male and female, all are encouraged to receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:16‑18 "But
this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the
last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your
old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants, I
will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
Peter
went on to proclaim that this was the promise of the Spirit:
Acts
2:33 … (Jesus) being exalted to the right hand of
God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He poured out this which you now see and hear.
Just
to further clarify that the promise was in reference to the baptism of Holy
Spirit, look at a few other verses:
Galatians
3:13,14 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the
law, having become a curse for us … that
the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that
we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Ephesians
1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Back to Peter's sermon, he said the promise is for everyone. He said to repent (get saved), be baptized (in water), and you (everyone who thirsts) will receive (another experience) the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts
2:38‑39 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let
every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall (future tense) receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. "For the promise is to you and to your children,
and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will
call."
Here
is the big question; how can you KNOW when a person receives the Holy
Spirit baptism? Do you pray for the gift of discernment? (I Corinthians
12:10). Do you look for the fruit of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23).
Those are important considerations to determine whether someone is walking in
the Spirit, or in the flesh. But how do you KNOW without a doubt that
someone received the Holy Spirit? What is the fastest, easiest way to know? How
did the apostles KNOW that the gentiles had received the gift of the
Holy Spirit? The answer: THEY HEARD THEM SPEAK IN TONGUES!
That
was the same way that Peter and the 120 who were in the upper room on the day
of Pentecost received the Holy Spirit, confirmed by the evidence of speaking in
tongues.
Acts
10:44‑47 While Peter was still
speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the
Gentiles also. FOR they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then
Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be
baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
Peter
recounting this outpouring to the elders in Jerusalem made this statement:
Acts
11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell
on them, AS ON US AT THE BEGINNING.
How
did the Holy Spirit fall on the disciples in the beginning? With speaking in
tongues! Note that the Biblical examples of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
was always accompanied by speaking in tongues.
Acts
2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts
19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them,
the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Jesus
said that those who believe in him would have signs that follow them, and one
of those signs was speaking in tongues.
Mark
16:17 … these signs shall follow them
that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak
with new tongues;
To
understand tongues let's go back to the original outpouring, there were 120
disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem, (Acts 1:15). Jesus told His
disciples to wait there until they received power, and after 10 days something
happened.
Acts
2:1‑4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there
came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole
house where they were sitting. … Then there appeared to them divided tongues,
as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
They
spoke in other tongues or different languages as the Holy Spirit gave them
utterance. These disciples were fishermen and local people who never traveled
or went to school to learn languages (Acts 4 verse 13). The foreign languages
came by the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit, which gave them their
utterances. The word utterance means to enunciate plainly, declare, and speak
forth. The enunciation of words means to pronounce or state clearly. These
uneducated men and women were given the supernatural ability by the Holy Spirit
to speak and enunciate fluently in languages they had never learned. Since the
disciples experienced this phenomenon on the day of Pentecost, the adherents of
the baptism of the Holy Spirit are sometimes called “Pentecostals,” amongst
other things. Pentecost was a Jewish festival day for which Jewish pilgrims
traveled from all over the world to Jerusalem to join in the feast (Acts 2:5).
What the pilgrims heard and saw on that day amazed them.
Acts
2:6‑8 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound
occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone
heard them speak in his own language. … Then they were all amazed and
marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak
Galileans? "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which
we were born?
They
heard them speak in their own "language," that word in Greek is
dialektos, the root for our word dialects. Dialects can have variations within
the same language, with slang and accents, according to the different locations.
When the phenomenon of speaking in foreign languages (tongues) happened on
Pentecost, foreign visitors to Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking in slang,
with accents, just like in the local neighborhoods of the foreign countries
from where they had come.
Acts
2:8‑11 Then how is it that each of us hears them in
his own native language? [1] Parthians,
and [2] Medes,
and [3] Elamites,
and the dwellers in [4] Mesopotamia,
and in [5] Judaea,
and [6] Cappadocia,
in [7]
Pontus,
and [8]
Asia, [9] Phrygia,
and [10] Pamphylia,
in [11] Egypt,
and in the parts of [12] Libya
about [13]
Cyrene, and strangers of [14] Rome,
Jews and proselytes, [15]
Cretans and [16] Arabians,
we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Each of the 16 languages represented by
foreigners visiting Jerusalem heard them speaking clearly in their native
dialects about the wonderful works of God. These were ordinary people to whom
the Holy Spirit did supernatural things by putting words in their mouths as a
sign, a witness, and a message to the multitude that had gathered. The fruit of
that event is undeniable, as three thousand Jews converted to faith in Jesus
and joined themselves to the body of Christ.
At the tower of Babel, they had one language and purpose and were united in rebellion against God. Then God came down and divided their language, which resulted in chaos, confusion, and division. Ultimately, they abandoned the tower project, and all the different language groups separated from each other and scattered around the world (Genesis 11:1-9).
By contrast, on the day of Pentecost, people from around the world gathered in Jerusalem. Then God came down and filled the disciples with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke in foreign languages. People from 16 different language groups simultaneously heard the gospel message in their native dialect. Then 3,000 people joined the disciples to become one body of believers, and they had all things in common, daily praying, studying, and eating meals together (Acts 2:41-47). The church experienced the opposite effect as the Tower of Babel. They all stayed in Jerusalem until severe persecution began, then they were sent out by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Those that say that tongues died with the last apostle, have failed to realize that the last apostle hasn't died yet. Here is the verse they use to prove their teaching.
I
Corinthians 13:8‑10 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies,
they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether
there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we
prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which
is in part will be done away.
He says that tongues will cease. But, take
note that he also said that prophecies would fail. Have prophecies failed? NO!
There is a shelf life for all prophetic events that expire at the end of time. But
Paul went on to say that they prophesied in part, he wasn’t finished with
prophecy. The apostles prophesied in part because they had partial information,
and the information gap will be closed with the coming of Christ and our
entrance into eternity.
He also says that knowledge will vanish or
pass away. Has God left the church vacant or void of knowledge, wisdom, or
faith? NO! Those are gifts of the Spirit to the church and are necessary for
every generation of believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Although, maybe
they have ceased for those who claim that the gifts died with the last apostle.
Will speaking in tongues cease? Yes! When? When Jesus, the perfect has come,
and not before. But until the rapture takes place, the church needs every gift
of the Spirit, including faith, knowledge, wisdom, discernment, and speaking in
tongues. When the church is raptured and gone, only then would speaking in
tongues and all the gifts of the Spirit have served their purpose and cease.
Now we see dimly, but one day Jesus will come
and we will see him "face to face." The church will be caught up in
the clouds to meet Jesus in the air, (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). What a
glorious, joyful day that will be. Until then we are pressing towards the
prize, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God, and speaking in tongues!
1
Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face
to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
Let's go back to Pentecost again and we will discover another important fact that lets us know that tongues are for today. When Peter was explaining the phenomenon of tongues, he said it was a fulfillment of prophecy:
Acts
2:16-20 … I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh … And on
My menservants and on My maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those
days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and
signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be
turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great
and awesome day of the LORD.
Did all these events take place on the day of Pentecost? No! The second part of this prophecy has not yet taken place. The sun turning to darkness, the moon to blood, and the day of the Lord, are all references to the great tribulation which will take place after the rapture of the church (Matthew 24:29, Isaiah 13:6-10, Revelation 12-17). The Spirit will continue to pour out, leading up to the time when the sun turns to darkness and the moon to blood, then it reaches its full completion.
Another
argument is from a verse that says "do all speak in tongues." This is
used to say that tongues were for the first church but not for today. Let's see
what the verse says.
1
Corinthians 12:28-30 And God has appointed
these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Are all
apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do
all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret?
These verses speak about the diversity of
callings and gifts in the church. Those verses do not imply that any ministry
gifts are eliminated or taken away. Are there still teachers in the church?
Yes! Are there still helpers and administrators in the church? Of Course! We
can't pick and choose which gifts are for today and which ones are not. If
someone wants to do that, they might as well take their scissors and cut out
all the parts of the Bible they don't like. That thinking twists scriptures out
of context to fit a theological agenda. On the contrary, the Bible tells us to
desire the best spiritual gifts to build up and encourage the church.
I
Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly
desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way, (Rom.11:29,
I Cor.1:20).
On the day of Pentecost, those present to witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit were perplexed. Some thought it was a sign, others said the disciples were drunk, and others heard about the marvelous works of God (Acts 2:11-15).
You can see from the different reactions that people didn’t understand what was happening. Fortunately, Peter interjected before confusion could set in. He stood up and preached a mighty sermon that everyone understood, and 3,000 souls joined the body of Christ. Years later, the Apostle Paul addressed the Corinthian church and gave instructions to clear up any confusion regarding the use of tongues. Paul taught the Corinthians two types of speaking in tongues, one for personal prayer and the other to edify the church. We will look first at tongues for personal prayer and edification.
1 Corinthians 14:1-4 Pursue
love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he
who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands
him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies
speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a
tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
He says no one understands tongues but God, including the person who is the speaker. He is speaking mysteries unknown to all but God. That personal expression of speaking in tongues is not for interpretation, unlike the gift of tongues for the church. In that prayer language, our spirit communicates with God, not man. This type of tongue is for personal prayer and edification. The Holy Spirit helps us pray and express ourselves to God in a way we cannot by praying in our understanding (understanding would be English, or whatever language you speak).
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved,
building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For
if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will
also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also
sing with the understanding.
Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the
Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for
as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches
the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Another use of tongues is to build up the church, and the gift of tongues is only permitted if accompanied by the gift of interpretation. The Corinthians had problems keeping order in the church because they would all speak in tongues simultaneously, and nobody would explain to visitors what was happening, which brought confusion and troubled the new people.
Paul taught the church to speak in a common language that everyone could understand and only use the gift tongues if it gets interpreted so everyone can understand it. Paul said the church should speak a common language that everybody can understand. Paul also said they could all speak in tongues, but only two or three at a time and with interpretation, to build faith in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I
wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he
who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he
interprets, that the church may receive edification.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there
be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there
is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to
himself and to God.
1 Corinthians 14:39-40 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to
prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be
done decently and in order.
Paul told the church, "I wish you all
spoke in tongues." He wanted each member of the body of Christ to be
personally edified (built up, encouraged) by speaking in tongues. But when they
came together as a church, the building up of the congregation must take precedence
over individual edification. Interpretation of tongues is one of the gifts of
the Spirit, which is the ability through the Holy Spirit to interpret a message
given in tongues (I Corinthians 12:10). The gift of tongues should only
be used in conjunction with an interpretation and is for the building up of the
church, not the individual. As Paul continues teaching, you can distinguish the
difference between tongues for personal prayer and encouragement, contrasted by
the gift of tongues with interpretation for the benefit of the church. As we
continue through the chapter, these points are confirmed. The following verses
speak about the gift of tongues and interpretation for the church:
1 Corinthians 14:6-13 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak
in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless
things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know
what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready
for battle? So, it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with
your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be
speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the
world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the
meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a
foreigner to me. So, it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual
gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. For this reason, anyone
who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
The next verses are showing tongues for
personal edification:
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit
prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So, what shall I do? I will pray with my
spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I
will also sing with my mind.
Again, he goes back to the exhortation to
seek for the edification of the church:
1 Corinthians 14:16-19 If you are praising God with your spirit,
how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say
"Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are
saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not
edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in
the church, I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others
than ten thousand words in a tongue
Paul said, "I thank my God I speak in
tongues more than you all." Apparently, in Paul's personal life, he was a
prolific tongue talker. Yet, in the church, he sought the edification of
others. Therefore, he would rather speak five words in a message that people
could understand than speak 10,000 words that would only build up his faith.
Paul taught the church to consider the unsaved visitors who did not understand
tongues:
1 Corinthians 14:20-25 In the Law it is written: "Through men
of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this
people, but even then, they will not listen to me," says the Lord. Tongues,
then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however,
is for believers, not for unbelievers. So, if the whole church comes together
and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some
unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
Tongues were also mentioned as a sign for the
unbelievers. Paul also gave instructions as to the order of the gifts in a
church service:
Mark
16:17. "And these signs will follow those
who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with
new tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 What then shall we say, brothers? When you
come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a
revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for
the strengthening of the church. If
anyone speaks in a tongue, two or at the most three should speak, one at a
time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker
should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God … For God
is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the
saints,
Paul finishes by commanding DO NOT FORBID TO SPEAK IN TONGUES, and he encourages order in church services. Sadly, many churches today forbid speaking in tongues, and they even say that speaking in tongues is of the Devil. They may be committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit in the same as the Sadducees and Pharisees (Matthew 12:31-32).
1 Corinthians 14:38-40 But
if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Therefore, brethren, desire
earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all
things be done decently and in order.
Some corrupt preachers would like to make you think that the Holy Spirit can be leashed and harnessed to serve their will. Run from those frauds. Quite to the contrary, the Holy Spirit is God and deserves to be feared, reverence, and obeyed, and He controls the distribution and power of the gifts according to His will, not ours.
1
Corinthians 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom
through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same
Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of
healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to
another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds
of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same
Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He
wills.
If someone is walking in the Spirit they will reflect the character of Christ, and will avoid bad character. Jesus said you will know them by their fruits, good or bad.
Galatians
5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit.
Matthew
7:17-20 "Even so, every good tree bears good
fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot bear bad
fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. "Every tree that does not
bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "Therefore, by
their fruits you will know them.
The
following is a list of some of the operations and blessings that the Holy
Spirit bestows in and through us.
(1 Cor 6:11, 2 Thess 2:13, 1 Peter
1:2)
(1 Cor 12:9, Acts 10:38)
(Matthew 12:28)
(Acts 4:31)
(Isaiah 10:27, Luke 4:18)
(Luke 24:49)
(John 16:13, 1 Pet 1:22, Eph 3:3-5)
(Rom 14:17, 1 Thess 1:5-6)
(Gal 5:5, Rom 5:5, Rom 15:13)
(John 16:13, Luke 4:1, Rom 8:14)
(Rom 8:26, Zech 12:10)
(I Cor 12:4-11, 1 Cor 12:28, Heb 2:4)
(John 6:63, Rom 8:4-12, 2 Cor 3:6,
Gal 6:8)
(Rom
8:4-12)
(Ephesians 3:16)
(Romans 8:11)
(John 14:16-26; 16:7, Acts 9:31)
Writes on our hearts
(2 Corinthians 3:2-3)
(Eph
2:22, 1 Cor 3:16)
(2
Cor 3:18, 1 Peter 4:14)
Brings us into glorious liberty
(2
Corinthians 3:17)
Receiving the Holy Spirit cannot be reduced to a formula or a set of steps. The only way to receive the Holy Spirit is by faith through grace as a gift. No one can earn or purchase this precious gift at any price. The following verses will point the thirsty seeker in the right direction to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and experience rivers of living waters.
Repent
& Believe & Be Baptized
First,
once someone is born again, they should be water baptized. Why? To be obedient
to the word of God as commanded by Jesus and the Apostles, all believers should
be water baptized.
Acts
2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If there is any area of sin or conflict with other people, make things right so you can seek God with a pure conscience. Faith works in a pure conscience and gives us boldness to approach the throne of God.
1
John 3:20-22 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our
heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we
have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because
we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
Timothy
3:9 … Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
Ask
in faith for the free gift
Persistence
is a key, so keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, and you will receive.
Luke
11:9 -13 "So I say to you, ask, and it
will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will
be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened. "If a son asks for bread from any
father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he
give him a serpent instead of a fish? "Or if he asks for an egg, will he
offer him a scorpion? "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!"
On the day of Pentecost, when they spoke in tongues, they were being heard in different languages glorifying God and all His wonderful works. Jesus said that those who worship God must worship in Spirit and truth. Praise and worship to God play a crucially important role in being Spirit-filled.
John
4:23-24 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is
seeking such to worship Him. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in spirit and truth."
Acts
2:11 … we hear them speak in tongues the wonderful works of God.
Obedience
to God
God
rewards obedience and punishes disobedience. If there is anything that God has
put on your heart, or has been dealing with in your life, be obedient to God,
or you will not grow or move forward spiritually until you obey.
Acts
5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things;
and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that
obey him.
Everything
is by faith, we are saved by faith, and we are baptized and operate in the
gifts of the Holy Spirit by faith.
Matthew
21:22 "And whatever things you ask
in prayer, believing, you will receive."
John
7:39 But this He spoke concerning
the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit
was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Hunger
and thirst for God are the driving motivation required to receive from God. If
there is no spiritual thirst, nothing will happen. But those who have an unquenchable
thirst will be filled, and rivers of living waters will flow from their
innermost being.
1
Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves
or free and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
John
7:37-39. On the last day, that great day of the
feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as
the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living
water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would
receive;
Revelation
22:17. And the Spirit and the bride say,
"Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him
who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Matthew
5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Prayer
& the Laying on of Hands
Phillip had a multitude of converts in Samaria, but none had received the Holy Spirit. So, Peter and John went to Samaria and laid hands on the Samaritans, and then they received the Holy Spirit. Phillip had the gift for evangelism, healing, and miracles, but not the gift the Apostles had to pray for people to Holy Spirit. If you recognize someone gifted to pray for people to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, ask them to pray for you.
Acts
8:14-17 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that
Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who,
when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy
Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and
they received the Holy Spirit.
Speak
as the Spirit Gives Utterance
Speaking
in tongues comes supernaturally by the Holy Spirit, and it is the Spirit that
gives the utterance. The true gift of speaking in tongues does not come from
man's efforts. There are no super spiritual formulas or routines to follow.
When the presence of the Holy Spirit comes powerfully upon a person, the Spirit
will move as He sees fit, and the recipient need only step out by faith and
receive.
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.
While
we have time and freedom, we should study the scriptures, share the gospel, and
learn to live by faith. This book is part of a series of basic teachings that
all Christians should know and teach. We call it the "toolbox series"
because each study is a tool for you to share your faith with others. For free
resources and study materials, visit our website at Ears2Hear.online.