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BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Baptism of the Holy Spirit belongs for every believer. Jesus wants to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire! John the Baptizer said: "I baptize you in water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not even fit to remove his sandals; He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire,"(Mathew 3:11).

Baptism of the Holy Spirit belongs to you as soon as you have become a believer. As a result of Philip's preaching Samarian people received the word of God. There happened miracles and powerful works through him. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about this they send there Peter and John. Apostles prayed for them laying hands on these people who had just got saved so that they might receive the Holy Spirit (Act 8:17).

Similar miracle happened in the home of Cornelius, who was a centurion. Peter had been invited there to speak. Suddenly, in the middle of the speech of Peter, the Holy Ghost came upon all those who heard him. At the same moment they started to speak with new tongues. After this they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Here we can see that you do not need to be already baptized, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, it is no hindrance for the gift of the Holy Spirit. "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed , because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did., can he?' " (Acts 10:44-47) .

Notice that all received Holy Spirit. Also when there is told what happened on the day of Pentecost, there is mentioned that all who were at present were filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4). Speaking with tongues appears when people are baptized with the Spirit. It is so sad that many have stucked in the words: "Nor do all speak in tongues", thinking that speaking with tongues probably doesn't belong to them. Now I want to prove you, how the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues belongs just for you! We could share that speaking with tongues which is mentioned in the Bible in three different groups:

1) Speaking with tongues when speaking in known languages
2) Speaking with tongues as a gift
3) Speaking with tongues as a prayer language

1. Speaking with tongues in known languages

When the Holy Spirit was poured on the earth all 120 people who had gathered together in the upper room, were filled with the Holy Spirit and fire. " …And began speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance," (Acts 2). They were speaking known languages, a language, which is someone else's mother tongue and which someone else could understand. Disciples didn't know what they were speaking. They couldn't decide or choose what language they would speak. They spoke according to the Holy Spirit. It was not question about talking in languages that one has studied and.
The second chapter of Acts tells us, how those people who were gathered around disciples heard their own mother tongues and naturally also understood , what these people being filled with the Holy Spirit, were speaking. There is told they were speaking the great works of God.

A Finnish missionary, Verner Raassina, told me once of a very interesting experience.
He was on a vacation in Finland from his ministry in Thailand. Verner had a few things on his heart and was longing God's answer to these questions. One evening he went to a prayer meeting in Saalem church in Helsinki. Suddenly one sister sitting nearby him started to pray in clear Thai language. After the meeting Verner asked this sister, if she could speak Thai language. But she couldn't. She didn't even know that she had been speaking in Thai language in prayer. However, Verner understood every word. The Holy Spirit is still working same way as there is told of the Pentecostal day in the second chapter of Acts.

2. The gift of Speaking in tongues

In chapter 12 in 1. Corinthians are mentioned different gifts. One of these is speaking in tongues. "Another speaking in different tongues, another interpretation of tongues" (1. Cor 12:10) . Verse eight of the same chapter says that all these gifts will be received through the Spirit. It means through the Holy Spirit. According the verse eleven, the Holy Spirit is sharing all these gifts as he will. "But one and same Spirit works all these things , distributing to each one individually just as He wills" (1 Cor.12:11).

In the end of the same chapter it is mentioned: "All do not speak with tongues? All do not interpret, Do they??" (1 Cor.12:30). When it is question of speaking with tongues as a gift it includes always a message from God. This speaking with tongues can be interpreted by a person who has the gift of interpretation. Of course also one and same person may have the both gifts. Here is not question of speaking of foreign language, which some one had learned in school and could interpret. When we are talking about gifts we are talking about supernatural phenomens!

3. Speaking with tongues as a prayer language

This kind of speaking with tongues belongs to every believer. This was the case I told earlier when Spirit was poured on people at Cornelius' house and in Samaria. You might remember that all the people were filled with the Holy Spirit. This kind of speaking with tongues Paul teaches: "For oen who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries," ( 1. Cor. 14:2). This speaking in tongues does not belong to the first group we have here studied. As Paul says: "No one understands him." Here is not either question of speaking in tongues as a gift, as there are spoken secrets in Spirit. It would not be any secret if someone could interpret everything. In two first groups tongues were spoken to people. When speaking secret in spirit, it is spoken to God. Paul teaches concerning this gift:" One who speaks in a tongueedifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church" (1 Cor. 14:4).

Once you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit you can whenever and where ever start to speak with tongues. This is a marvelous thing! Bible teaches us that when we have become believers our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. In other words: Holy Spirit lives in us. This speaking with tongues is naturally affected by the Holy Spirit. He is always ready to pray with you! Paul mentioned that he spoke a lot in tongues. Jesus put a great value on this thing: "God is a spirit and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth," (John 4:24). Ask Jesus to fill you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will do it! However, don't restrict the activity of the Holy Ghost in your life only to speaking in tongues.

You will need the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is sent for YOU! He is looking forward to share your life. Bibles teaches us that we should ask Holy Spirit to our life. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"(Luke11:13)

- Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus for you
- Holy Spirit will give the strength to live holy and pure life
- Holy Spirit will guide you to all truth
- Holy Spirit will give you the strength to bear witness
- Holy Spirit will help you to pray in spirit and truth
- Holy Spirit is your defender against the evil
- Holy Spirit is your councelor
- Holy Spirit will make our deadly bodies alive
- Holy Spirit will bring supernatural anointing to your ministry

Here is only a few reasons why you need the Holy Spirit.

Strength to live Holy Life

"..But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live," (Rom 8:13). When Adam and Eve failed in sin, all kind of curses came among human tribe. Paul's letter for Galatians mentions some of these: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensiones, factions, envyings, drunkenness, carounsings (Gal 5:19). Even when you have got saved your are still in danger to fail in these kind of things. Devil wants that a child of God would fail away from the connection with God. Devil has come to steal, to kill and to destroy.

"For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (Gal. 5:17). Without the Holy Spirit you cannot walk by the Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit the Christian life is nothing but slavery of the law. The religious world, which has not the power of the Holy Spirit has to fight against all the evil in its own power. That's why so many people have got a wrong picture of following Jesus. They think one's life is totally over because of all the rules and limitations. Don't watch, don't touch, or don't do this or that, etc. The real following of Jesus is something else. It is joy in the Lord.

No one who is filled with the Holy Spirit can say:
" Oh, that wonderful impurity is now forbidden for me." Spiritually dead and blind person wants these kind of cursed things into his life, as he thinks they may give some satisfaction to him. In reality these things are curses that destroy the life of a human being. Paul said that those people who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God, (Gal. 5:21). The dead religiousness is a terrible mistake. Going in the church can never make up for deeds of flesh. Only the Holy Spirit can give power to live Holy life. And He is not only able to do it, but He is willing to do it. It is much better to speak in tongues than to gossip. "For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification," (1. Thess. 4:7). "..So now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification," (Rom. 6:19)

The Holy Spirit will give you the power to bear witness

The will of the Lord is that you will be his witness! I believe that every Christian also would like to be his witness. The Spirit of God makes us to want to bear witness of Jesus. Mission command to preach the gospel in all world is still valid. Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to evangelize the world. Jesus said to his disciples: "But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts1:8).

Jesus commanded his disciples to wait for this power. There is no power in the words of our testify without the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit is a very important factor in our testimony. The Bible says that the kingdom of God doesn't consist the words but in the power (1. Cor. 4:20). This world really needs the gospel of power! When the disciples were working with Jesus, they were working under the anointing and power of Jesus. Sick were healed and demons cast out. Jesus commanded them: "And, as you go, preach, saying: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give," (Matthew 10:7-8). The disciples were able to do all, because Jesus had been anointed with the Holy Spirit at the river of Jordan. After his resurrection Jesus encouraged his disciples to wait for their own anointing. He said: "Wait for what the Father had promised, 'Which', He said, 'You heard from me'"(Acts 1:4).

One of the most difficult things in the world is to wait. It is much easier to work than to wait. But when the Holy Spirit had once been poured out, Peter and other disciples stepped in front. There was a power of the Holy Ghost in the words of Peter, and as a result of it three thousand people were pierced to their heart and wanted to repent. We may have beautiful speeches, but only the Holy Spirit can make our listeners to confess their sins and repent.

The first martyr, Stephen, was full of grace and power! He made great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8). The Holy Spirit gave him the strength to forgive to those who stoned stones on him and with his last breaths he prayed: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" (Acts 7:60).

We may be without the Holy Spirit, or there may be a little of the Holy Spirit in us, or we may be full of the Holy Spirit. That's why we are commanded to be filled with Him! "Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" (Eph. 5:18)

If you have once been filled with the Holy Spirit, it doesn't mean that you are always full of the Holy Spirit. You are like an oil lamp, which burning of the fire of the Holy Spirit. An oil lamp needs new oil daily to burn constantly. Bible is telling us about the second coming of Jesus, but it does never mention the second coming of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is given among us. Now we can be filled with the Holy Spirit again and again!

© Matti Wendelin