In this article, I will show you exactly what this gift of Baptism of the Holy Spirit is and how to properly receive it. Many have tried to receive this gift at an altar call at their local churches, but they have failed to receive it.
They then walk away thinking that maybe there was something wrong with them or they were not worthy enough to receive this gift from the Lord.
I believe the number one reason why some Christians do not properly receive this gift when they try the above approach is because they have not been properly prepared to receive it.
To really receive this gift the first time you try asking and pressing in for it, you have to know exactly what it is you are receiving, and then you have to properly prepare yourself to receive it. Once those two things have been properly done, then it becomes very easy to receive this gift the first time you ask and press in for it.
This is a gift that God wants all of His children to have, just like His gift of eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.
I will first start off by explaining exactly what this gift is, and then I will show you how to properly prepare yourself to receive it. Once those two things have been done, I will then show you exactly how to receive it once you are ready for it.
What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
The first thing that you will need to know is exactly what this gift is. The Bible tells us that we will all receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation with the Lord. The Bible also tells us that we are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit the minute we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
So if we have already received the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation with the Lord, then what is this “second” baptism of the Holy Spirit that the charismatics are talking about? The Bible tells us that there is only one baptism.
To fully understand what is meant by the baptism of the Holy Spirit – you have to know what the difference is between your body, soul, and spirit. The Bible tells us that we have three distinct parts to our being – body, soul, and spirit. Here is the verse specifically telling us this:
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Your body is your natural, physical, flesh body. Your soul is located on the inside of your body. Your soul is who you really are. It is your total personality – it is your mind, will, emotions, and intellect. Your soul is spirit in form, which means it cannot be seen by any natural means. It is completely invisible to the naked eye.
On the inside of your soul is your spirit. The Bible refers to our human spirit as being our “innermost being.” I believe another word for our human spirit is “heart.” When people refer to having had a broken heart in a romantic relationship that has been dissolved, a broken heart is really a “wounded spirit.”
I also believe Jesus gives us a clue as to where our human spirits may be located at in our beings in the following verse. The New King James Version uses the word “heart”, but the Original King James Version uses the word “belly.”
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart (BELLY) will flow rivers of living water.
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.” (John 7:38)
When we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and enters into our human spirits. Our spirits are thus baptized with His actual presence at the exact moment of our salvation with the Lord. This is the baptism that the Bible is talking about when it says that there is only one baptism.
However, what the charismatics are referring to is a second experience where the Holy Spirit now comes up and enters into your soul.
Your spirit has already been baptized with the Holy Spirit at the moment of your salvation with the Lord, but now God wants to take it one step further. He now wants to baptize your soul with his Holy Spirit.
Another word that can be used for the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit where He will now enter your soul area is the “release” of the Holy Spirit into your soul. The Holy Spirit will release from your spirit to come up and enter into your soul.
I believe this is what Paul was referring to when he commands us to be “filled with the Spirit.” If our spirits are already filled up with the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation with the Lord, then what else needs to be filled up? It is our souls.
When you have received the second gift of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, you are now considered “Spirit-filled.” Both your spirit and your soul are now filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus tells us in the above verse that out of our “belly” will flow rivers of living water, I believe that He may be telling us that our human spirits are located in our belly areas.
For those of you who have ever felt any kind of heart pain in a broken love relationship – if you will recall, the pain you were feeling was in your belly area. It feels like there is a knife on the inside of your belly area just tearing you up. Again, a broken heart is really a wounded spirit, and when your heart or spirit has been wounded and hurt, you will literally feel physical pain in your belly area.
1. The House Analogy
Another way to try to understand all of the above is what I call the house analogy. When you buy a house, you will get two things – the house, and the front and back yards. The analogy is that your house is your soul, and your front yard is your spirit.
When you receive God’s free gift of salvation through accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and enters into your front and back yards, which is your human spirit. However, He now wants to go one step further and come into your actual house, which is your soul area.
Why? Because this is where you really live at. You spend most of your time in the house as versus being outside in the front and back yards. Jesus says in the following verse:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
I believe Jesus is not only telling us that He is literally going to come into our human spirits at the moment of our salvation with Him, but that He can also enter into our souls through the Holy Spirit. Even though Jesus is in heaven, He now lives on the inside of us “through” the Holy Spirit.
Just as Jesus is living on the inside of us and making contact with us through the Holy Spirit, we likewise can make direct contact with both Him and God the Father through the Holy Spirit. It is “by, in, and through” the Holy Spirit that we have direct access to both God and Jesus who live and dwell in heaven. Here are several good Scripture verses proving the above points:
a) This first verse tells us that the Holy Spirit literally lives on the inside of each of us.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
b) Now that we know that the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of each of us, and that both God and Jesus live in heaven – watch how we make direct contact with both God and Jesus in heaven, which is through the Holy Spirit:
- “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18)
- “And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:24)
These two verses specifically tell us that we can make direct contact with both God and Jesus who live in heaven “by the Spirit.” The second verse tells us that Jesus literally lives and abides in us “by the Spirit.”
2. The Telephone Cord Analogy
Another analogy to fully understand how we can make direct contact with God and Jesus in heaven through the Holy Spirit is what I call the telephone cord analogy. We can pick up a telephone and call someone 800 miles away.
Even though that person is physically far away from us, we can still hear their voice as if they were only two inches from our ears. It’s as if that person is literally in our actual presence.
It is the same way with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.Even though God and Jesus dwell in heaven and do not live on this earth, we can still make direct contact with the both of Them through the Holy Spirit.
It is by, in, and through the Holy Spirit that we can make direct contact with the both of Them – the same way we can make direct contact and talk to someone else 800 miles away because of the telephone wires that will connect us to the person that we are talking to.
The Holy Spirit is like the telephone wire that enables us to connect to and make contact with both God and Jesus in heaven. We can talk directly to God and Jesus as a result of having the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us, and both God and Jesus can also talk directly to us through the Holy Spirit as well.
Once the Holy Spirit comes up and enters into your soul as a result of having received this gift – you will be able to hear God much better and much clearer because the Holy Spirit has now moved up into where you really live at – your soul. This is why this gift is so important for all Christians to have.
I will end this article with all of the incredible benefits and blessings that you can expect to receive if you decide you want to receive this gift.
These benefits and blessings are extremely powerful and life changing, and they will all completely change and transform the quality of your life.
3. Final Note
If you have not been able to receive this gift at an altar call at your church, here is a very simple 5 step process that you can take that will help you to be able to properly receive this gift from the Lord. However, before I go into each one of these five steps and exactly what they will entail, I would like to state one more thing before leading you into this gift.
In my opinion, this gift is the second greatest gift that you can receive this side of heaven. The first greatest gift is the gift of eternal salvation – where you accept and receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
There is no greater gift than this one. With this gift you are truly born again into the kingdom of God and you will go straight to heaven when you die and cross over. This gift now gives you true eternal life with the Lord.
However, I believe that receiving the baptism or release of the Holy Spirit to come into your soul is the second greatest gift that anyone can receive while living down here on this earth. Just stop and think for a minute what is really happening when you do receive this gift.
You receive the Holy Spirit into your human spirit when you get saved. However, this gift will now take you one step further.
This gift will now allow the Holy Spirit to release from your spirit to come up and enter into your soul. Your soul is who you really are. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. He is God and Lord Himself.
Once the Holy Spirit releases to come up into your soul, you are going to be as close to Him, God, and Jesus as you possibly can get while living down here on this earth.
Through the Holy Spirit, you will have direct access, a direct connection to both God and Jesus in heaven.
This gift is just going to bring you that much closer to the Three of Them due to the fact that He will now be residing with you up in your soul area.
You will be truly Spirit-filled when this happens.
For some Christians, this may be a bit too scary. Many Christians are afraid of God and they would prefer to keep Him at a safe distance. This gift is really only for the true seekers.
This gift is only for the those who are willing to completely lay down and fully surrender every area of their lives over to God the Father for whatever His purposes and plans are going to be for their lives.
For those of you who do have this fear of God for whatever reason, I can tell you without any shadow of a doubt, that there is absolutely nothing to fear about either God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
Once you really make direct contact with the three of Them, once you really feel Their perfect and unconditional love that They really have for you, any fears that you may have had in the past will completely melt away.
God will perfectly and gently handle you at your present level of spiritual development with Him if you decide that you do want to take this bold step and receive this gift. God will gradually work Himself and all of His ways into you so as not to scare you or overwhelm you.
Remember – since God is totally perfect in His very nature and in all of His ways, this means you can completely and totally trust Him to perfectly handle you in your own personal relationship with Him. He has nothing but your best interests at heart.
This article has been divided into 4 sections:
1. What Is The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit <– You are here
2. How to Receive The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
3. What is the Evidence of Having Received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
4. The Benefits of Being Baptized in the Holy Spirit
I am 52 years old and a recovered drug addict. At age 34 I entered myself into rehab and after completeing the 4th and 5th steps in A.A. which is writing down all of your past sins and confessing them I had what they called a spiritual experience which after reading this awesome article I believe I recieved the baptism of the holy spirit. I ended up relapsing and have never felt the same again. I plan on spending the next 4 to 7 days doing exactly what your article suggest. My question to you is it possible to be baptised of the holy spirit twice? Great article. God bless you! John
John,
If you really received it the first time aroud, then you have it. But if you are not sure, it could happen a 2nd time. This might be the Holy Spirit’s way of confirming that you really did get it the first time around. And so glad this article has helped you to recieve it.
Mike
and it could happen through demonic influence because you are seeking “goose bumps” instead of a relationship with Jesus.
@John Ray, I think you are confusing salvation with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12 and 14.
This article is really God-sent and very timely. It has realy answered all the questions i had concerning the baptism of the holy Spirit. Though am a pastor and spirit filled, tonque speaking, we learn every day and ive been searching the scriptures on this issue. The examples with the telephone and house was really interesting. Now im more equipped to teach others on this subject. This is really lfe transforming. May God bless the writer of this article and i will be checking this site for more revelations from God.
This is the greatest thing i have browsed out all my life. It has brought me to the glorious and exceptional realm after i have been saved for sometime now. I can do what i strugle with before. Thank God for the writer remain blessed and see you in heaven. In Jesus name . Amen
Thank you so much for posting this. My story is very similar to John Ray’s. After 40 years wandering in the desert of a drug addiction, I accepted the fact that Jesus Christ is my only hope for salvation. Last year I was Baptized in water, but I don’t always feel like I’m in a state of Grace. In fact now that I’ve successfully quit smoking pot (thank you Jesus!) my dreams and sometimes my waking life have been even more haunted than when I was using. After reading this article I realize I’ve been trying to sneak some sinfulness (primarily lust) past the Holy Spirit.
I’m also working a 12 Step program, but I don’t have a sponsor. I’m reluctant to talk to my pastor about this uneasiness because it might make him feel like he failed with me. In fact I stopped attending church several months ago, too ashamed to drag my demons into that blessed place. Also I’m confused about what’s happening in the world today. My church is in a wealthy town and is financially better off than most. I don’t earn a lot of money and feel like I should be tithing to food banks and people who are needier.
TYJmL&S
John, he loves you. The Lord asks the sinners to come to Him, not the ones who think they are perfect, to give them rest! I hope you got the chance to experience that, as I did, since the time you posted this. May the Lord be with you!
No no no! John, church is supposed to be a hospital for the broken, not a clubby spa for those who already “know Jesus.” Do not be ashamed for or by ANYTHING! When you walk into that church Jesus is at the alter calling YOUR name. YOU. Jesus Christ will transform your life, clean you up, dust you off, and call you HIS. ALL sins forgiven. In His eyes you will be bright and shiny like a new penny. He has peace and comfort for you to rest in. Don’t worry about the “saints” waving their tithes in the air like the Pharisees, God doesn’t want your money, He wants YOU as his most beloved son. Peace, my Brother.
John,
No one in that church is better than you! We all are walking through different paths and issues in our lives! You would be very surprised to know what some of the people are going through their own selves I’m sure! You could visit some other churches and may find one that you will love! I too am very touched by this article! AMAZING! I’ve always believed that when we are really putting our hearts into making certain things in our lived better and to overcome, God WILL step in and help us! I just said a prayer for you John! That is the power of the Holy Spirit!
I was drowned by the hold spirit today. I feel so blessed that God would touch me but as I young Christian I was confused of what it really meant. This article was AWESOME. Thankyou for setting my steps do much further. God bless you
I am facing surgery December 19th. On November 12th I had horrible nightmares that woke me up to my need for sanctification. I had been overusing my pain medication and drinking in excess. I am a partner in a very important business transaction that has had many delays over the last year. That has contributed to the stress and negative actions I engaged in. I successfully got the med issue under control and prayed for direction. I got it from wonderful friends who suggested I get Baptized. I was Baptized November 19th. I was blessed with an immediate strength to resist alcohol and have stopped abusing. These writings have been a road map for me and so many things are true (I have experienced positive manifestations exactly as described). This transformation is making me ready for the next stage, the best stage of my life. God willing, I will become someone in a position to be able to do great things as a result of our business efforts. I was not ready for, or worthy of, that responsibility before. With Faith in God I pray I will be ready and worthy.
Thank you so much for your guidance.
Thank you so very much for all of your teaching, but especially on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I love the Lord so much and have been struggling with many issues. I feel God has been trying to tell me I need this baptism. Also through comments of others my prayers have been answered in regard to issues with my son and substance abuse. God Bless you for your obedience to God to take the gospel to all the nations and to them for their honesty and input. I pray all will be guided and healed as they strive for a closer walk with Him. Praise and Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Today is our baptism of the Holy Spirit.this article help me a lot to prepare myself. I hope and prayed that God enlighten my mind and my heart to fully understand what it really means to be a good servant to Him… More power to this site and may you continue to inspire us!!!
This was awesome and enlightening. I feel like God stirred me each time I was supposed to go through the steps starting with repentance and baptism and has now led me to receive the Holy Spirit so getting the knowledge about it has been awesome. Thank you so much.
Finaly! Thank you Lord. I have been browzing for months. This article has all the answers to my questions concerning the baptism of the holy Spirit. Thank you so much for your guidance. May God bless you.
I use to hear the Holy Spirit, it started off with simple signs like a paster on the radio and TV. Eventually I began to hear His voice, very mellow, calm, and low. He answered all questions I had. He opened my spiritual eyes to warn me of an impending spiritual attack but I didn’t ask Him about why I was seeing evil spirits. There was a man who had several on him and a woman who had one on her shoulder. It knew I could see it and just staired at me. Because I was such an infant in my spiritual life, I didn’t know why I could hear this wonderful voice, or why I received a name during my intercessory prayers, or why I saw the evil spirits. I was spiritually attacked a little while later without understanding that it was taking place and I heard the evil spirits tell me a truth but one that separated me from God. Because that’s what they do, they give a little truth mixed with lies to make it seem okay. Now I am back on track to Jesus Christ and am seeking His voice again. Thank you for your teachings and God Bless you!
Great article. I thank God that He’s moving upon all who call upon His name of Jesus, who’s Lord of all – unto blessing them with His great gifts of the Holy Ghost/Spirit. However, we must put aside the traditions of men to recieve the fullness of Christ (Matt 4:4). Have you my friend placed the name of the only Lord of all, that is Jesus Christ upon your heart and life in every single area? As per Col 3:17, we all must do every word/deed in His name (Jesus’). That means any baptism whether of tongues or water must be according to the word of God in his name. For if we do not do all things in His name which saves us alone (Acts 4:10-12: John 14:6: Matthew 28:18; 1 Cor 1:1-24, Gal 3:26-28; Romans 6:1-5; Eph 4:5, 1 Pet 3:21; Mark 16:15-17; Luke 24:45-47; Acts 2:38-22:16; ect.) then we are lost. Jesus said that many will call Him Lord doing miracles, healings and casting out of devils in His name; but these fail to apply it in their baptism where it counted the most. Read Matt 7:21-23 for yourself. Every single word/deed we do MUSt without exception be completed in Jesus’ name in order to please God. Are you willing to do contrary to the Gospel of Paul? He was baptized both by the Holy ghost and in Jesus’ name. I challenge you to find one single baptism in the Scriptures into the father (Jesus came in his name -John 5:43, thus the Father’s name is Jesus), the son (the son was named Jesus and not son in Matt 1:21) and of the Holy Ghost/Spirit (it was sent in the name of Jesus, as He alone holds all power?authority in all places, both in heaven and in the earth). Every single baptism was completed in Jesus’ name within the word. If you do have the Holy Ghost and sin or grieve Him, it is sin. The Holy Ghost will teach you all things, and speak of things to come. You must obay god rather than man by obeying Acts 2:38. Peter the supposed Bishop of Rome (He died and wrote from Babylon, read that from his letters) commanded every Jew and Gentile to place the name of Jesus upon their life and baptism. Again, if you do not here my voice or word which comes from the Lord, then you fail to hear Him as per the Scriptures. Search them out to see that this is true. It’s all about Christ, He died for your sins. His name alone is above any other. Marriage mandates the Groom’s name (Jesus’) upon His bride (His Church). Name man can serve two masters (the trinity and Jesus). There’s one Lord (Eph 4:4-6, Zach 14:9, Acts 10:36-48) called Jesus. My prayer is that you sumbit yourselves to his perfect will. Do you had enough faith to recieve the truth, or is man-made tradition more inportant to you? As for me and my family, we will serve Only the Lord Jesus and not the idols of Babylon (the trinity came by it, history proves this so). May God anoint and bless you richly that you may have the eyes and ears to see and hear His word, which alone saves and judges us. God bless us all richly by the only commanded name of Jesus (Yeshuah), amen!
I have been praying almost daily for the baptism of the Holy Spirit since I first learned of it. I gave my heart to Jesus in April of 2011. I knew of Him for so long. But, only in my head I guess. One day I just fell on the floor and prayed for forgiveness. I know that I received it. I can’t tell here how much he has changed my life. Not just my life, but, how much he has changed me. I had been praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit night and day. I know my motives were right. I don’t know how I knew they were right…I just knew. But, I was under the impression that unless we received the gift of tongues that we didn’t receive this baptism. But, after reading this article and talking with others and sharing the experiences I have had I believe that I have had it for awhile and just didn’t know it. I still seek a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit. I believe I do feel His presence sometimes. Now I can understand why Jesus said that it was to the disciples benefit that He leave so the Helper could come.
I am so hungry to be spiritually filled. This article is a valuable tool for those who are seeking. I feel like a huge roadblock has been placed in my path trying to get on board with God’s will–do i need to be baptized again? I was first baptized at age 18; I was a believer in Jesus but I wasn’t really ready for it; I did it because my dad wanted me to. Now, 10 relatively stagnant years later I come across this site; do you think an earnest yearning is enough or should I be baptized once more? I feel like I’m not good enough for God’s grace even though I know it is there free for the taking and I can’t hear His voice. Every time I try and quiet my mind I fall asleep and consequently have a poor prayer life. Any thoughts or suggestions? I’m open to many. Thank you!!
Toni,
I have had the same desire. I’d be happy to “talk” with you about this. I struggled for a long, long time with this same thing. The first thing I realized was that I had never totally given my heart over to Jesus. This past April was the beginning of a whole new life for me. I don’t have time right now but I’d be happy to tell you what happened to me and how Jesus has totally changed my life. If you get a notification of your post hear let me know. Most importantly, do not be discouraged when you hear some preachers saying you do not have the Spirit unless you speak in tongues. Believe me when I say I let that discourage me for quite awhile. The Holy Spirit will give gifts to those who God says to. He also gives the gift that God wills for your growth. Tongues is a gift I believe but it is NOT given to everyone. Hope to hear from you soon.
I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at a revival i went to a couple days ago. But after reading this, im wondering if i recieved him correctly. i sometimes feel a stirring in my “belly” but i also feel a light “jerk” in my body. If you or anyone could enlighten me on this so that i know if i am baptized in the Holy Spirit correctly that would be a great help.
Hi Sam,
You should probably talk to your pastor about your experience. See my post above…After reading the main article I realized I must have experienced it at the time I surrendered to Jesus or very shortly afterwards. All I know for certain is that I love the Lord with a love that is hard to explain. I wouldn’t worry about it being a demon at all. Jesus said that He is the light of the world. If you are truly saved the Holy Spirit does dwell in you. Even though He dwells in us He doesn’t control us. We still have a will of our own. I would remain in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to that you want him to guide your life everyday. He will if you are submitted to Him. I think the key is submission to His prompting.
George Prinkey
It is every bit of what is written & expressed here. 🙂 It is beautiful, wonderful, humbling, awe-inspiring, words can’t really express.
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Use me as your vessel Lord, your will for my life for you, if it is not of you I do not want it. Amen.
Your article is the best I’ve read on the baptism of the holy spirit. It is definitely god inspired.I have literally read 100s of articles on the holy spirit know all about him needed to kook him .needed the baptism needed the intimacy the presence the voice the oneness.
No I don’t seem to succeed I did all you said.do you think I have a spiritual oppression ? I go through bouts of anxiety fear forboding especially at night. I suffer insomnia leaving me too tired ti pray the next day. I do pray praise waitron the lord for an hour a day . No success.for five years.
What could be wrong?
Help please help!!
unfortunatlley too many believers get hung up on the baptism of the holy spirit,
the process you put forward is every born from above persons command from God the Father, “be ye Holy as i am Holy”. There is no option to decide at what level we feel comfortable with, or only wish to stay at. Santification and Holiness are non negotiable with God.
Praise God for his timing in our lives. he has used his article to question my own speed at which i give my whole spirit, soul and body over to him. May God use you today to bless someone else.
I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost over 35 years ago as a young man. It changed my life from being drug dazed and hell bound to being God raised and heaven bound. I repented of my sins and sincerely asked God to baptize me with His Spirit. I spoke in tongues and knew that I had been made over all new. I have been renewed in this experience many times because it indeed became a river of life flowing in me. I attend a Pentecostal Church where we are encouraged to grow in this experience and walk in the direction that the Spirit gives.
My recommendation to all readers: get it, get it, get it !
Thank you so much for writing this article. I have had loving Christian friends speak to me about being baptized in the Holy Spirit and tongues are always attached. Down deep I felt that this just could not be, but was unsure of the exact Scriptures that would give me the answers that God was leading me to find. Praise Him for finding this article at these crossroads of the search. Reading through benefits listed I see clearly in the Spirit, that He blessed me with a number of these since my full surrender to Him when I came back to His Throne eleven years ago. At 13 I was baptized, but my parents didn’t attend church regularly or teach a personal relationship with Him, so I fell away from Him quickly. In college, I started using drugs, getting involved in the occult and death started to swallow me. Eleven years ago, the Lord rescued me again, and this time I took it seriously. I renounced my occult practices and threw everything the Lord instructed into the trash. Through the Gospel of Matthew and Sermon on the Mount, I learned what Jesus asked from each of us that followed Him…and one by one, He led me through the refining process of my very dirty life. Healing comes daily and I know there is a great deal of work left for the Holy Spirit to do in my life. The Lord shows me that He has to prepare me for each step and gift He wishes to bestow upon me, especially because of my past scars. I believe that is one reason that not all the “benefit” have manifested into my life as of yet, so I now look forward to the additional benefits of the Holy Spirit as I allow it to work more freely in my life. Thank you again!
i am lost for words after reading this article i literally feel like i am wearing the armor of god and the breast plate of righteousness,i can believe this article actually helped me get filled i am still in tears and i feel high on the holy spirit you sir or a life saver and truly god.for days i have been complaining about why i haven’t received the holy spirit from i have been baptized in in June or July and i am free i can walk proud now i can see even clearly thank and god bless you.
this is a great article of instruction, earnestly seek the lord and desire the baptism of the holy spirit and you will get it. i wanted everyone to know there is a great book by joyce meyer knowing god intimately, which is what i was reading and lead me to knowing how to have a closer relationship with god. You can be as close to him as you want to be. Thanks again for the great article.
I have been saved and a church goer, lover of the word but yet battled with overcoming sin and understanding the baptism of the Holy Spirit.It was attempted with people in the church(ANglican, but can’t say I knew I received it).After this teaching I am encouraged and many questions I had were answered without me asking.
I am going to go through with this, as my faith has been built up and trust the Lord.I see the baptism of the Holy Spirit coming upon me and all that oppression of the devil being burned out.The more I tried to get close to the Lord, the more oppsition I got.But this knowledge has given me a sense of order and structure to preparing to receive the baptism.I know God loves me and will bless me.I also pray for the contibutors to this website, that, God’s blessing and guiding hand continues to be with you all.
I will be back with a testimony in 7 days!Ash
Thank You for this perfect guide , that though I was confirmed as a teenager, I don’t think this vivid deffinition was gained in its entirety, I know I have recieved gifts in part, but this oportunity to re-affirm now that I am an adult it a God Sent answer to my prayers. I know that I now will fully be able to impact those around me in Gods Greatest ways and I cannot thank you enough for this supportive outpouring of Love!
I do not agree with the following information in this article:
…..what could possibly happen is that a demon will enter into your soul area when you ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit rather than the Holy Spirit entering up into your soul area.
Read Luke 11:11, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Great article, I have been pastoring for just over a year now. This article has really clarified alot of areas of concern for me. First in the area of my assurance that God is working in and through me. It is so vital to our well-being and the fulfillment or the sustaining of our walk with God to be in contact with someone who has actually gone a step further than you have. Someone who can actually verbalize what you have been experiencing and confirming within your Spirit what God has been doing in your life. I appreciate you and how God is using you to reach so many people. Through this article and the Spirit of God in me recognizing the Spirit of God in you, I now understand how to better prepare converts to receive all that God has for them. I definetly will be adding this site to my list of favorites. Continue to be a “Moses” for the Kingdom.
Hi- I’ve read a few of your articles and appreciate them very much and feel that you have many good things to say. You have confirmed many thins that the Lord has been showing me. My understanding from scripture is that tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Not just based on the Day of Pentecost but also from Acts 8:15-18, 10:44-47, 19:6. 19:6. I would like to believe that the Holy Spirit manifests itself in other ways and It may. But for people who don’t have any experience with it, they have a hard time adopting that idea because there isn’t much evidence of it in the Word. Again, your points are valid. Jesus didn’t speak in tongues when the Spirit came upon Him (Matt 3:16) and if Paul did when receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 9:17-18, it is not mentioned. Blessings!
BTW- I’m fairly new to all of this. The way I’ve heard it explained is that we can operate in some of the gifts even though they may not be our vocation. For example I can preach and teach but may not be a preacher or teacher by vocation. Every believer can evangelize although may not be “evangelists”. That all believers can pray for someone to be healed and not have the gift where they would see more people healed. So what happens upon receipt of the Baptism may not be the gift for all but just the ability to speak in tongues. Blessings!
It was only while reading this article did I understand what had happened with me. I was elated to know that God would allow me such a blessed experience. I have had a rough few months recently and am struggling to get back to a place of closeness with God. I do not believe He left me but that I have taken my eyes and focus off of Him. It is just now while typing this note I realize it is the shame and guilt that is holding me back. (thank you Holy Spirit) I just wanted to thank you for such a clear read of what thus says the Lord and the matter. It has been a journey in itself of finding someone to clearly explain it. It was confirmed in my spirit that you have written well. Thank you so much and please keep BOLDLY uttering what God would have you to say.
Wow its remarkable whilst reading the article i could feel the presence of the holy spirit all around me and welling up in me rejoicing in my soul,with all the confirmations i read it all just made sense as to what and how the holy spirit had been revealing things for me to do in order to recieve my baptism, i was filled with the holy spirit on jan10th 2012 in my living room and am still reeling with the gift given to me and the utterance of speaking in tongues, your comment on the manifestation of God by sometimes perfume smell or flowers struck me as the other day whilst praying in the spirit and fasting i sure i smelled perfume so sweet and inviting, so thank you again now i dont think i was just imagining it GLORY TO GOD he just really and truly loves us with a everlasting and pure love we just find it so hard to understand, so we should just recieve it by faith, i thank GOD right now and the Holy spirit for leading me to this website this evening im feel truly blessed, informed and equipped for what ever the lord would have me do for his name sake!!
fantastic
I have born again since year 2000 and i think i am baptized with the Holy Spirit but whenever i feel the presence God in me i feel like speaking and when i speak it seems am not speaking a right tongue or different from what others are speaking. please i want someone to enlighten me. Remain bless
Hi Brother,
The step to spiritual rebirth is divine and requires the Spirit of God to cause it happen. Once you are sure you’re born again, you can be sure also that the Holy Spirit indwells you. The tongue is God-given, you may not necessarily know what you say in as much as it was not a mimicked one. The tongue is also divine and addresses divine issues, please don’t bother much on its genuineness since you are sure of your salvation. If you care though, God will later convince you. But from my experience, you are speaking the dictates of God.
Thank you so much for putting these steps up…..I was just out for coffee with some other recovery people like myself and I had told them that i have been born again twice….both times where while abusing substances…i started to second guess this but continued to pray on the walk home….I came across this article….and enjoyed saying the complete steps out loud,,,especially about the attachments…i have never tried that….I am still learning how to pray and god -willing will never stop.
Thank You again, God Bless
Thank you for teaching us how to become filled up with the Holy Spirit. This is so important because so many people really, sincerely try to get to this state, but their own mind stand in their way, because they simply ask God to forgive their sins, then theu ask Him to give them the Holy Spirit, &then they lose their hope &faith even, because they don’t “feel” anything. I personally seeked the Holy Spirit since 2009, because i was baptized E Orthodox at the age of 10days, but i practiced no faith because i didn’t understand the “good God” who seemed to enjoy letting me suffer since i was 2~3 years old. When i was 18 i met an American man, who was visiting my E Europe country. He was a New Ager, & his spirituality made sense to me. We become best friends, &7years later i married him &came to the Unitwd States. Unlike my parents, he seemed to love me unconditionally &in a way i understood that he did. Later on i realized that his ways were different because he was a happy man, not like my poor parents who lived through the misery of the 2nd world war &than in the totalitarian, dictatorial Soviet Communist Regime, that made happiness impossible, a regime in which i was born but didn’t know any better. They knew much better times. I didn’t, &i didn’t understand their strictnenss, especially my poor dad’s sadness & worry about my future, kniwing hell
Hi Very Good article, Praise The Lord For People Like You, i gave my life to the lord last year and when i did i certainly did not go into detail about the sins i have done, for example i confessed i have lied,stolen and hurt people ect now since i gave my life to the lord i feel as though i only get small experiences of the holy spirit working through me its as if it comes in small doses and i started to feel as the lord was saying to me somethings not right/done properly and i have not give 100% and that’s why i have not been given 100% and i think it all relates back to the start on how sincere i was in confessing my sin & how much i wanted the holy spirit to work through me (mainly through seeing its potential in others) so this also includes my genuineness in the why i wanted it, now my question is this when it comes to confessing the sin do we simply admit all the name of the sins we have done i.e lied,stolen,cheat ect or do we confess each individual time of that one sin ( i lied to this person that person his brother her sister ect) surely this would be an incredible huge task to try remember and write down and confess?
I thank the Lord for this article. It has has given me relief at last, for i have not been able to speak in tongues even after alter calls and fasting for nearly forty days. They say that it is a mind block of which i have not believed. I know i exprience so much Holy Spirit within me that i wont manage to control tears flowing and crying and so much joy within. I know that God lets me see Vision which later on become true. My problem is when they say we pray in tongues maybe for five manutes, i am stranded and i feel embarassed. What do i do?
Dear Michael,
Praise the Lord for your rendering on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
However, please note that Gal. 5:22-23 is singular fruit. There is a difference in understanding the fruit of the Spirit rather than the fruits of the spirit. The difference is likened to indwelled by the Holy Spirit and being filled by the Holy Spirit.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit the way it is communicated by the “speaking in tongues group” is one of the most controversial subject for the following major reasons:
1. The book of Acts is taken as doctrinal book rather then a historical book signaling the fulfillment of the prophesied birth of the Church.
2. The birth of the Church historically had non-repeatable stages like the Pentecost, the waiting of believers to receive the Holy Spirit, the receiving of the Holy Spirit by laying of Apostle’s hands, by waiting for some days to receive the Holy Spirit after they have accepted and received the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3. The book of Acts is not a doctrinal book although it contains doctrinal truths in espousing the history of the birth of the Church so that when the Church is fully established as the New Testament Church then the readers of the book of Acts will be awed by the precision and faithfulness of God to fulfill what was written in the past on these accounts – truly the ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
4. In the fullness of time Jesus Christ came, in the fullness of time the Church became the mystical body of Christ to accomplish the Ministry of Reconciliation. Jesus said as the Father has sent me, send I you. These are non-repeatable events towards the second coming of Christ.
5. The Ministry of Reconciliation is beautifully expressed in 2 Cor 5:17-21. The Spiritual Gift is given to each believers for the “COMMON GOOD” to enable them to participate specifically in the Ministry of Reconciliation as they were enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Roger
Thanks for this teaching, as a sunday school teacher in my church, i am teaching on this topic and i come across this teaching, it is really wonderful and i feel blessed by it and i pray that the Holy Spirit help me to teach my student well on this topic. Thanks again and may the Holy spirit continue to use u. Amen
Hi Mike,
Thank You for taking your time in reaching and doing this article. It is really easily understandable and true.
There’s a few points I cannot agree more with Mike and thus to point out to others reading this that I’m living proof of some of the blessings from God given through the Holy Spirit. When you follow the 4 steps and do what Mike suggests.
I personally know what Mike refers too at 2)Some Kind of Manifestation
This is really a understatement…you feel like you want to cry like a baby, wanting to explode with love so much whit which you cannot contain, it feels like you will explode at any second but you just cry with this massive emotions of love end happiness and compassion and so much more its quite difficult to explain I will Glorify God Endlessly for this and to think one day if its the Will of God we will live in His kingdom close enough to feel this for eternity, PRAISE GOD FOR HE IS AN AWESOME GOD!!!
Love, happiness and peace to all 🙂
Mike, wow. I must thank you for writing this article. It helped me quite a bit. The Lord has been working wonderful and awesome things in my life. I have received The Baptism of The Holy Spirit, recently coinciding with a reborn or renewal baptism as an adult. For those people who are questioning this, or those who, like me, grew up Catholic, where this is frowned upon as the belief is generally to only get baptized as a baby, PLEASE, if our LORD is putting upon your heart to do this, DO IT. It is a wonderful thing, and a true blessing. But, as you said Mike, you have to prepare yourself. I was continuily in prayer before doing this. I even stepped back in line to have more time, so I was sure that I was ready for this. Since then, which, by the way, was on Easter Sunday, The Holy Spirit came to me directly, Manifested, and I began to sing in tongues. I was not aware of anything that I was saying, but could feel the sentiment. A bright and warm light enveloped me. I felt love. And, yes, as one person commented, you just break down and cry like a little baby. You ache with love. You feel filled. The louder I sang, the more deeply I felt The Holy Spirit, Jesus, and Our Father, but this was more of a very personal time to commune with The Holy Spirit. I sang and produced sounds that I know I am not able to do. It sounded like a full choir, shaking me from deep within. I felt it reverberate through my entire body. This article helped me understand some of that, but also revealed that, although I had already received Baptism by The Holy Spirit, a couple of things still needed to be dealt with to make that more complete. Because my heart and prayers asked for forgiveness, The Holy Spirit still came into me, but I didn’t realize that some things should really have been dealt with specifically, rather than generally, like hypnosis, meditation, ouija boards (I never USED one, but have been around one before), horoscopes… And so I confessed these things and specifically addressed satan and his demons. I renounced them all. I feel now that I have addressed every major concern that may keep me from HIM. Such peace and joy, that I never felt before, excitement for His Plan for me… Our God is SUCH an AWESOME GOD!!! Thanks for the insight and clarifications. They really helped. God Bless, Mark
Wow….All I can say is thank you very much! First of all I have never read an article this long all the way through without being forced, bored, or completely noninterest. The way I was lead to this article puts a big smile on my face. A friend of mine called me up and I begin expressing to him how I had a desire to pray to the father today, but I just didn’t know what to say. It was like I was stuck. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to pray, it was just that I was simply stuck. I began to share with him how I was hungry for more. I told him that it felt like I was close to something but I couldn’t quite touch it. In other words, I was not satisfied, something was missing. Typing this I can’t say verbatim what was said next, I just know that he brought up speaking in tongues. He told me based off of what I shared with him, that obviously speaking in tongues is what I was missing. I asked him, “Well, how do I do it?” His reply to me was, “just do it. You can do it whenever you want.” He explained to me that it might sound funny at first, but just do it. So I immediately got off the phone with him, went into my apartment and proceeded to TRY to speak in tongues. I felt crazy! I said to myself, this is not right, and I began to cry. I wanted more of God, but somehow I knew that something was not right! So I got on the internet and I searched. Now, considering that anyone can put anything on the internet, it took me a while to find this article. My original search was “speaking in tongues.” I stumbled upon an article that mentioned the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So I went a little further and searched “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” and taaadaahhh…I came to this article. This gave me my answer. It provided so much peace and direction. I have not done the steps for receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit but knowing how has offered so much comfort to me. I thank God for using you to right this article, and I thank you for your obedience to do so. May God continue to bless you, your family, and your ministry!!!
To: Gracy
The answer in found in the bible as follows;
1. Faith comes from hearing: read Rom 10:17
2. The Holy Spirit Chooses – no enough human explanation can explain the mechanics: read John 3:8
3. The Holy Spirit confirms: read Rom 8:17
4. The Holy Spirit assures believers and give then confidence in approaching Him: read 1 John 5:13-15
5. The Holy Spirit determines the Spiritual Gifts to give each believers: read 1Cor 17:7
Dear My Pastor in Christ,
The Message was 100% true and I have realised and experienced all of the things about Holy spirit that you have stated.Its very Amazing that GOD should bless you and your Family abundantly for opening this Website.( I will pour out my SPIRIT up on your Descendants.)
But one thing Sir,I feel very Tired even after I woke up in the morning and till night I feel Very Tired 24 hours a day.I used to take some suppliment tablets and Ginseng only after that I can do my regular JOB.Why Mr.Holy Spirit is not strengthening me Physically as he Strengthened me Spritually.(I am just 31 years Old,Black South Indian).
Prince R., just wanted to address your being tired. Please don’t become discouraged. Keep in mind that, if you are doing anything through The Holy Spirit, it is EXTREMELY exhausting. I often will go on praying and worshipping for two days straight, and I’m okay during that time, but, after, The Holy Spirit very strongly tells me to rest. He also tells me to PRAY before rest, for it to be a “Spiritual” rest. It is only when I specifically pray that my rest crosses into the supernatural that I receive exactly that: supernatural, very restful sleep, to where even an hour or two will feel like an entire night’s sleep. Just on the side, though, have you addressed any and ALL barriers to your relationship with Christ and Holy Spirit? Even one thing getting in the way, from finances to immoral thoughts, can hinder a full experience in The Holy Spirit. Think about this and pray on it. If there is anything, even ONE thing, and you see it, repent and renounce it, then so much the better. Please also keep in mind, though, that these things all happen in HIS TIME, so try not to be discouraged. Seek Him with your EVERYTHING… He will hear you! Sing to HIM! He loves that!!! Spend more time with Him! CRY out to Him, that The Holy Spirit fill you up and energize you! Also, I have a medical degree. It is for the medical lab, but I do understand supplements and ginseng… although they may help, they really hurt your normal bodily time clock. Keep something in mind: The Holy Spirit acting in us is STRONG, POWERFUL… but you must keep it in balance with your physical body. I know that is hard. Relax your mind, be blessed, but serene. BREATH in The Holy Spirit… This helps me. Hope you find your balance and restful PEACE in HIM, God Bless, Mark R.
So uplifting! More will be revealed! I remain teachable and open to whatever God chooses to put in my path. As I was singing O Come Holy Spirit one day recently (after returning to my childhood religion after 40 years), I looked up at a store sign and etched in the sign was a dove. It’s been like a whirlwind ever since. So blessed I am!!
this message is right on time. I’m a testemony to that cause there was a time when reading the word was so easy and i got interpretations often and was able to wait on the Lord for days but it got to some point at which i find it difficult keeping up with the spirit because i would neglect my bible reading, stop praying and everything just went blur but after sometime the strength resurfaces and would have to start all over again. I hope with this i would be able to overcome the weakness and any advice you have concerning this would be well appreciated. Thanks and God bless you, your ministry and family. You blessed Mike for this eye opener
Tony, just wanted to address the concern you noted on 5/7… Okay, so here is the thing: we all desire The Lord, such that we can almost reach out and touch Him. When you get to a point where He has blessed you with His “Manifest” Presence, where you either have an encounter and see Him through a vision or being “IN THE HOLY SPIRIT”, or, like you said in your message, you “heard” Him, where Biblical interpretations were offered to you, it most certainly IS difficult when you go through a dry spell. If you are used to His Manifest Presence, that really close connection, then it seems reasonable that the human response would be to stop with prayer or seeking Him, as you put it, ‘keeping up’ with Him… Maybe you feel you have done something or that there is a reason for this, and, as you said, then you have to start all over once again. Here is what I do, and this seems to help me: First, I realize that His Manifest Presence is so so Awesome, such a HUGE Blessing… But, I also think it is reasonable to think that these things happen to help us, to strengthen us, and are thus not meant to take place all of the time. It’s just like if you had a perfect life, no financial worries, perfect health, job, family, friends… how often do you think you would LEAN or acknowledge, or cry out to The Lord? See, He wants us to realize that EVERY moment of our lives, even when we think we have it all, we NEED HIM… EVERY SECOND! Remember, too, He doesn’t promise no problems, but, He DOES promise us more than you could EVER IMAGINE…
see 1 Corinthians 2: 9 and 10:
“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.”
HOW AWESOME! Remember, too, that in our weaknesses, no matter the underlying cause, HE is strongest,
see 2 Corinthians 12: 9 and 10:
9 “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
So, Tony, don’t worry for anything, just allow your weakness to be given to HIM to GLORIFY HIM when He turns it into strength and purpose. KNOW that He has a particular purpose and plan for every one of us, WE are HIS… KNOW His Promise. When you find yourself a bit jaded, or feel you haven’t heard HIM for some time, and are falling out of sorts, blurring things as you said, and when you realize this, step back, pause, and whisper to HIM:
“Jesus, Yeshua, Lord…HELP ME…Holy Spirit, please let me FEEL Your Presence…Holy Spirit, I know YOU dwell deep inside me, in my spirit and my soul, please FILL ME UP…Lord, SHOW ME YOUR WAYS… Lord, I TRUST YOU… Lord, I LOVE YOU…”
You’d be surprise HOW POWERFUL those words are my friend. If you are even in a rush, remember that He asks us for our sacrifice of TIME. Remember that He seeks a relationship with us. But, if rushed, just pause a second and whisper “Jesus…I TRUST YOU…” It gives your worries to Him, acknowledges His Sovereign Power, and also allows Him to work it out. He loves us, and He is always talking to us and loving us. It is just sometimes we don’t hear it. Blessings… Hope this helps… Mark
Thanks Mike for the insightful article.
I am wondering whether you or someone could help me with some practical queries on how to go about it in my case.
Firstly, I am seeking to be born-again, so I have dome this technique before prior to backsliding. The issue for me is that when I start off by addressing God the Father, I immediately feel urges for my body to jolt and to exclaim oputwards in response to focussing on and thinking of God’s amazing love for me, the fact that I’m actually talkiong to my creator- amazing in itself!
It is an issue because the urges (called stirrings?)come when I plan to do the technique by praying aloud to God and confessing all my sins out loud, along with loosing demons out loud and asking for the Spirit out loud. HOWEVER, when I resist these urges, I get a bit flustered and thus find them a nuisance, thus I feel it may constitute resisting the Holy Spirit- which wouldn’t be good.
I do indeed intend to declare a trust in God, confess and denounce my sins, evict demons and receive God, so as God knows what’s in the heart and head, would it be reasonable to bypass the technique while I feel urged- provided these stirrings are from God (not 100% sure)- and just let myself be captivated bty them while praying in the heart for God to forgive me and for me to forgive others?
The reason is I’m desperate for God to help me get rid of a lot of bitterness and fear and I have have lots of sins to confess. Therefore, as long asd I feel urged, should I just rely on God to forgive these sins and drive out the demons, instead of me evicting them aloud?
Thanks very much Mike,
Alex.
Alex, I wanted to address your concerns. First, it IS pretty AWESOME to be able to speak with our CREATOR, isn’t it? I think many times we forget or don’t realize the gravity of this pleasure and blessing. Often we take it for granted. Remember that HE loves us no matter our sins or flaws, and can always come into our broken nature and mend and heal us.
In so far as urges, I think the best thing to do with this is to pray on it, “UNCEASINGLY”… Remember that as we turn focus to HIM, that His healing power comes into our circumstances more. For me, I must share that I recently conquered a sin that had been part of me for HALF of my life. I prayed of course, but I found the most help actually in one particular scripture, my first memorized scripture, and it EMPOWERED me, 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 and 10… “My GRACE is ALL you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”….
This, if you realize WHAT is being said, is SO powerful. Also, though, I wouldn’t skip the part of casting out demonic presence out loud. If you feel that satan or his demons are around you, first remember that the very NAME of JESUS CHRIST out loud holds POWER and AUTHORITY. Demons or satan cannot hear or infiltrate our thoughts, those are strictly between us and our LORD. The can only hear or see what is going on. So, they can see what I am writing here, and I am okay with that, because they already KNOW WHO I AM FOR, that I am for JESUS, period.
Don’t be afraid to acknowledge and proclaim this out loud. Demons and satan will flee when they realize they have no power, no legal rights inside or outside our bodies, and will not want to waste their time when you boldly say this out loud. CHRIST gives us power and authority IN HIM. Use it. As you step out in FAITH, His GRACE will envelop you.
These urges will be addressed, but even if you continue to falter, simply acknowledging your limitations and NEEDING JESUS changes the whole thing. That is my suggestion Alex. I hope it helps you and that The Lord truly Christens you as REBORN. Believe, trust, acknowledge HIS SOVEREIGNTY… and HIS LOVE will enter your life like you have never experienced it before! Blessings, Mark
Thank For This Amazing Article.. 🙂
I’m A 15 Year Old Girl That Got Baptized And I Felt Like The Holy Spirit Is Been Living In Me Ever Sence April 28,2012
I’m So Happy And Continue Praying For Me Brothers And Sisters And May The Lord Continue To Bless You All. <3
Reading this article has opened up a need in me for a deeper relationship with God. Being born again is such a great feeling and I know the second Baptism would be much sweeter. May God continue to work great things through you Mike.
Thank you so much for your deep teaching on the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’.You have stated that the gift of speaking in tongue is not the only evidence for having the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I agree with you.Now my question:If a believer does not have this gift then how the Holy Spirit will pray through him|her according to Romans 8:26 and Ephesians 6:18 ?My second question:What is the difference between when the Holy Spirit comes in a believer’s sprit and soul?Can a saved person not lead a christian life without having the Holy Spirit in his|her soul?
I would like to know where is the person who has really been baptized by the H/S power and fire, who subsequently prays for amputated arms to grow on and it actually happens, raises the dead like Smith Wigglesworth, clears out hospitals the way Jesus would, who’s shadow heals the sick like Peter etc in the STREETS, not in some miracle crusade. The B.O.T.H.S without the power manifestations is not the baptism at all. People talk about the Baptism but if you really add things up, like no fruit, wrong theology then they’re not made of much, they are fake. When the Holy Spirit comes He will guide you into all truth, that also means He will tell you to throw away all your new age perversions like the NKJV, NIV, TEV,NASV,ESV and read the Holy Bible, The Perfectly Preserved Word of God, THE KJB and live a Holy life. What puzzles me is these TBN preachers who claim to have received the baptism of the H/S produce none of these miracles in the streets, give false prophesies, tell people how wealthy they will be If they sowed money into their ministries etc which makes me wonder if they are really baptized in the H/S.
i want to thank you for this article and specially now that I’ve been baptized by the holy spirit. i feel renewed and with a desired to learn more about God. i feel different. this is amazing its amazing.
I had no knowledge prior to this reading. I did things the wrong way round. Baptised with no deep confession of sins. But now I know and will be confessing , renouncing then asking for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit because I desire a real relationship with the Godhead I also need guidance in my life as I cannot do it by myself, at th emoment I have no real direction and nothing to look forward to, in my own eyes!
I have never read anything like this before, and I have searched and read other articles. The explanation is very simple to understand and it’s written with care, tenderness and love. No big fancy words. I love it. I cried in agreement and felt elevated at the same time, especially when I realised that the things of the world were still present in my soul and I need to clear them out in order for the Holy Spirit to reside in the house and not on the lawn. Thank you, Thank you Thank you In Jesus name. I appreciate your article. This is a Good day for me. I will keep you informed.
Wow. This is a fantastic piece and exactly what I have been looking for. I was so taken while reading it, I can count the number of times I blinked. Thank you so much for publishing this and I thank my God in Heaven for revealing this to me. I will begin meditating on it and start the preparation to receive the Spirit. Glory be to God!!!
I very much want to thank you for this 4 parter. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found it very enlightening. We were told those who want to receive the Holy Spirit will be invited to do so next Sunday13 Jan 2013. I had all sorts of questions iny head, how to prepare for it? am I ready to receive it? does God think me ready? how will I know? If I do receive the HS, can I handle living/working with HS or being fully guided by him? My true Christian journey started 18 months ago & my my God has revealed & taught me soooo much about him & having an into meant relationship with him and my ‘neighbours’. So I will ask him tontake me to the next step firward. Your article has explained & answere all my questions. I have shared with others. Thank you. Pauline
Thank you very much to you all who have added significant value to the Topic thru Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, for it has answer my prayer and question about the Holy Spirit. May the Good God of Love and Mercy Bless you all in Jesus Christ.
Last nyt as I went to bed I prayed to the almight and asked that the Holy Spirit would visit me in my sleep, that very night when I was asleep I dreamt that I was praying more like praising the almight God in my room while kneeling and I also was speaking toungs but I have never spoken in toungs. Is there someone with an interpretation?
I to attempted to be baptized several years ago. I did not feel anything, and was worried that God did not want me. I still continued to say my prayers, hoping someday things would change for me, and they are. I will soon be making another chance of feeling the affects of having received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Gods forgiveness. I do believe that he is my heavenly father, and he loves me as his child here on earth, and by that fact I am not afraid of him. I pray for his blessings, and help.
Author: Robert Foster
Comment: I to attempted to be baptized several years ago. I did not feel anything, and was worried that God did not want me. I still continued to say my prayers, hoping someday things would change for me, and they are. I will soon be making another chance of feeling the affects of having received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Gods forgiveness. I do believe that he is my heavenly father, and he loves me as his child here on earth, and by that fact I am not afraid of him. I pray for his blessings, and help. In Reply: I believe you and thank you for study and honesty. One thing that we should consider is this, in our baptism [or any other action of faith] was it scriptural. It sounds like to me that you got dipped into the titles of God. I felt an immediate difference when I got baptized into his name of Jesus. Acts 2:38-22:16, Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 3:17, Titus 3:5 and a host of other scriptures mention the need for the name of Jesus to be used in all – to include our baptism. only one scripture misused by some mention the father (whose name is Jesus – John 5:43) and the son (who was called Jesus in Matt. 1:21) and the Holy Ghost (who was only sent in jesus’ name in John 14:26). This is unscriptural. We must two or three witnesses for all things said Jesus in Matt 16:18, Paul in 2 Cor 13:1 and Moses in Deut 17:6. One scripture wonders bring about false doctrines. Ask the mormons why the abues 1 Cor 15:29-33 to baptize for the dead! We know all the apostles baptized only in Jesus’ name (See Acts 2:38; 8:12-16; 10:48; 19:5, ect) to include Matthew himself. Who to believe? Jesus and His apostles> Yes, see Eph 2:20. Or a changed gospel message that’s cursed > no. see Gal 1:6-12. I challenge you to obey every word of God as per matthew 4:4 and become baptized because of belief in Jesus’ name and feel, see and know the difference between life (only in Jesus) and death (the titles). Peace.
Thank you very much for this article. it really has cleared so many issues i was having, and the way you explained everything, so easy to understand.
i have a question as regards the baptism of the holyspirit. During the confession session with the lord, the sins you really do not have any knowledge about, how does one go about that?
Thanks once more, may the Lord grant you strength to run this christain and finish well, Amen.
Hi Alfred, regarding your question about how to confess sins we aren’t aware of, just a simple, Lord, please forgive me for any and all sins that I am not aware and I ask the Holy Spirit to start to reveal these sins to me.
a few years back I have a powerful refilling of the Spirit. That’s what I called it at the time. I knew it was something more..something greater than what I already received..when I received Christ as my savior. But I didn’t know what it was called. I read in Mark, chapter 8, verse42 about Jesus touching a blind man 2 times. So I called what I had received simply a second touch. Now I know what its called! Thank you for this article. I am in the process of writing my second book which is titled..Two Kings within one heart. And for me that’s what it was like.. lstening to 2 Kings within me. 1 King pulling me in one direction.. and the other King wishing me to go his way. Just as in the Old Testament story of Saul and David.. fighting for the right to be king. Before David could rule.. Saul had to die and like Saul.. we must die to self or to the flesh .. before Jesus can rule in our hearts.
Can you do me a favor and pray that the Lord helps me get a water baptism, and can you also pray that I get the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Prayer is powerful and I would really love it if I could get some extra prayer from a dear brother or sister. Can you also pray that God continues to call my family because I want them to get saved too. Thank you and God bless <3
When i recieved the Holy Spirit of God i was really slain. I feel trembled and my self was shaked. It was unexplainable moments in my life. And i will never forget it that moment. That,s the moment when i accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior. When i,m baptize with water i,m completely deffirent.
I find this quote a bit disturbing. “There is no greater gift than this one. With this gift you are truly born again into the kingdom of God and you will go straight to heaven when you die and cross over. This gift now gives you true eternal life with the Lord.” This is not biblical, there is no where on the bible where it says you will go directly to heaven, it does say that if you are “in Christ Jesus when He comes in the clouds of heaven and every eye shall see him, the dead in Christ will rise first to meet him then all of us…..”
I do agree we must make our “hearts” ready to receive the Holy Spirit. Christ promised another comforter who would teach us, guide us. Christ breathed on the disciples and said receive ye the Holy Spirit before he ascended, but it was not until they were all in one accord, until they had humbled their hearts, until in faith they had prayed and understood the gift of the Holy Spirit was to bring others into the kingdom that they received it fully.
Unfortunately, this information is incorrect. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God, yes, it is an indwelling (it lives inside of you), and no, you don’t get it the second you get saved.
The disciples went to a town where the people were saved and asked them “Did you recieve the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said, “No, we didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit!” (Acts 19:2) How could they have recieved the Spirit the minute they got saved if they didn’t even know it existed yet? The evidence of recieving the Spirit is speaking in other tounges. See:
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.
So, the evidence for recieving the Spirit is speaking in tounges. Many people bought into the “you recieve it as soon as you get saved” philosophy, but this is misleading.
So if you don’t have it yet, does that mean God loves you any less? No! You’re a Christian just as any other.
Recieving the Holy Spirit is the natrual progression of your faith. It’s like dating (salvation), getting engaged (baptism) and getting married (recieve the Holy Spirit).
Usually “charismatic” Christians will have long alter prayers while you try to “get filled” with the Holy Spirit. This is not what took place in the Bible. But if you are seeking the Holy Spirit, it is good to get with other believers and pray to recieve it. It may not happen the first time you ask. Every person is different, for me it took three attempts during prayer at church. There is no secret formula. God loves you and he wants you to have His Spirit! It’s a beautiful gift, and in my experience we usually don’t recieve it right away because we still have hinderances or things we are dealing with internally. Sometimes its hinderances in the people or place we are in. Sometimes people recieve it and they weren’t even asking for it! It is God’s gift, and he will give it when he sees fit. One thing is for sure though, the Spirit is promised to you as a Christian so you will recieve it eventually if you desire it!
This is the secondary baptism – there’s water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is what John the Baptist was speaking of when he said “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” Mark 1:8.
The Corinthians scripture was Paul speaking to Spirit-filled believers, that is why he said “Don’t you know you’re the temple of the Holy Spirit?”
Another example of the baptism or recieving of the Holy Spirit is when the angel notified Mary that the Holy Spirit would “overshadow” or overtake her and shape Jesus within her womb. (Luke 1:35)
DO NOT feel bad if you don’t have the Holy Spirit yet. If you are earnestly seeking God for it, he will come to abide in you. God LOVES you. Jesus gave up HIS Spirit on the cross so you could have it. This is what the Holy Spirit is: the very presence of God. It is our telephone cord, as the author states – it also fills up our empty house once we have been saved (cleaned up). It produces the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, comforts us, heals, works miracles, gives us joy and peace.
Speaking in tounges is a gift of God as well, and a lot of people only speak in tounges once (when they recieve the Spirit) and never do again. So don’t feel bad if you can’t. But know that it is evidence of the indwelling of the Spirit, and it is a gift that you can have if you ask God for it.
Jesus wouldn’t be a very good defense attorney for us if he didn’t provide us with some definite evidence that we have recieved his Spirit! That is what speaking in tongues is. And along with that some people experience crying, shaking, rolling, passing out, etc. I personally have only ever spoken in tounges and cried. I’ve also experienced the sensation of overwhelming joy – that was a fruit of the Spirit I immediately recieved when I recieved the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
This is a really confusing issue for a lot of people – I have been to churches of a few different denominations and they all have different opinions about it. But this is what I have learned through study of the scriptures – it is plain and clear. I hope this helps you. 🙂
Also, if you want to read more about the Holy Spirit and what it does, check out Acts chapter 2 and so on!
Baptism now saves us as in 1 Peter 3:21. Paul baptized others in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins in Acts 2:38. As far as obtaining the Holy Spirit, one does have it after baptism as per Jesus in Matthew 3;12-16. The gift of the Holy Ghost is another portion that comes with tongues as per 1 Cor. 12. Salvation does not come by unknown or other tongues but by belief manifested in the grace of God given as by Mark 16:15-17; James 2:15-26; Eph. 2:8-10. If one must speak in tongues to be saved, and Jesus only got baptized- our perfect example and high priest – then why didn’t He do it? Obviously the signs include healing. If one does become born again of the water baptism and subsequent infill of the Holy Ghost, and don’t get healed as one of the signs, are they going to hell? No. Because the apostles received the holy spirit and not a promise of it in the book of John. The obtained another portion in Acts 2. Just because Parham the Pentecostal received the holy ghost first before baptism in Jesus name, nobody in the scriptures is required yo speak in unknown tongues but new tongues. They say no more four letter words but speak his praise. Tradition never needs to triumph truth. No apostle ever required anyone to speak in tongues to prove salvation. That’s a lie.
let me first just start off by saying that this page has helped me immensely with different questions i’ve had on my mind. i’ve grown up in the Pentecostal church and now that i’m older, i’m making my own decisions. i have gone to Pentecostal church camp and revival and absolutely love it! there’s been crazy chains broken for me and i believed that i had spoken in tounges. i even felt that the Lord revealed my calling for the future to me. but i’ve made some terrible mistakes since then and now have started doubting my faith and if any of this stuff is even real. i still have faith that there is a God, but i’m just not sure about the rest… i want to but there are just so many different opinions. i’d really appreciate a response to get some more questions answered one on one. if u can’t get back to me, i just ask that you would pray for me. i’m trying to change but i’ve just had so many questions lately and really need some guidance. i feel like i’ve just kidded myself into thinking the things i WANT to hear God say are true… i guess what i need is just someone to talk to, or like i said, just prayer. thank you in advance 🙂 God bless and thank you for all the things you do here!
Thank you so much for explaining this so well. I had just read in Acts today about being baptized in the Holy Spirit and heard other preachers preach on it and I was confused since I receive the Holy Spirit when I was saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. No I understand this so much better He fills our souls. Thank you for taking the time to articulate this so well.
Interesting article – Leaves fodder for my seminary paper on misconceptions of the same topic. I will cite it liberally. I have many biblical corrections to make but only one at this time. Folks often quote Ephesians 5:13 about the need to be filled by the Holy Spirit as if we are a vessel that can be drained of the same. The Greek word “filled” means to be controlled – as a sail is controlled (filled) by the wind or “permeated” as in flavoring (my steak will be filled with flavoring). It DOES NOT imply a physical or soul filling – what an abomination of Watchman Nee’s teaching. The pentecostal church of today (read Nazarene, UPC, Church of Christ, Church of God, Disciples of Christ, Apostolic and many more) for some extra-biblical reason, seek a second spiritual experience. Paul in Galatians 1:8 called this teaching Anathema – look it up.
I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit when I was going to an Open Bible church in Spokane, Washington. One Sunday morning I came into the sanctuary and could feel the presence of God coming down from the ceiling of the church. God’s Spirit moved mightily that morning and I began to be filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues and for several hours after I felt like I was walking about 6 feet off the ground. God does have this blessing for Christians. At the time I had never even known anything about this, because I was raised in a Southern Baptist church. At this time I had been praying a lot and seeking God but I didn’t ask for this blessing, Jesus just blessed me with it. His love is so almighty and full !!
It is true that the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.
When Paul said “be filled with the Holy Spirit”, he meant “be controlled by the Holy Spirit” in all areas of your being i.e spirit soul and body. He didn’t mean you need another baptism in the soul. You have rightly said “there is one baptism”. It is a matter of allowing the Holy Spirit to influence you totally, which is a process, not a once off thing.
I just discovered this site, doing some research on the Ouija board, and like what I’m seeing here! As to Spirit-baptism, the book of Acts shows five different times, where already-saved people received Spirit-baptism; it is a separate experience, subsequent to salvation. I have heard of a few people receiving this AT salvation, but usually it is a separate experience. Holy Spirit takes up residence in us at conversion; but He is allowed full access to our soul, with Spirit-baptism.
John 14:16-17 says that a lost person cannot receive the Holy Spirit. If the baptism is a gift why you need steps to receive it? At pentecost Acts 2:4, they all received the Holy Spirit and they all spoke in tongues, why then don’t all save people speak in tongues? For salvation do you ask the Holy Spirit or Jesus to save you? Acts 1:8 says you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, so as to become a witness, why if you already have him do you need Him a second time? Paul met/received Jesus on the road to Damascus why then was he directed to go to Damascus and receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit before his ministry could began? This is the way I understand it; First you have to be saved, then in order to prove you are saved you have to receive the Holy Spirit, to prove you have receive the Holy Spirit you have to speak in tongues, otherwise how will you know?
1st Cor. 12:13 Paul is instructing the Corinthian Church and says,For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body,and have all been made to drink into one spirit. Paul is speaking to every Christian in the Church .Explain this to me.
Hi Roger
1st Cor. 12:13 talks about the Holy Spirit baptizing us into the body of Jesus Christ. We were made to drink, that is, to take in the Holy Spirit who then brought our spirit to life. We are now part of the body of Christ – Believers. This happened at salvation time. But we are baptized with the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ. This time, Jesus endues (covers) us with the power from on high – the Holy Spirit:
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49).
John 14:15-17 If you love me, keep my commandments. I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, because he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything that I have told you.
Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.
wow I really appreciate the writer of this articles,may the lord God give you more strength and more grace to continue with this article. it’s so life changing.
I am 63 years old now and when I was in my early 20s I was searching the word of God. I was given the gift of the Baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT.Praise the LORD!!!!
When this experience was manefested on me. It instantly happened when I said ” Yes” to the Pastor when he asked me if I believed.
A powerful Hot wind started from my feet and moved to my mouth and out came an echoing ( to me) of a language I had no idea what happened or what it meant.
At this time I had only got to the scripture (Least ye be born of water and the HOLY SPIRIT ye shall not see the kingdom of heaven.
This is why I had gone to the Edmonton Revival centre and said to myself I am not leaving there until I get what I need to recieve and if there is something I want it.
I wish I knew then what I know now and I should have been more prepared as I did not realize from not reading more of the word and I needed fellowship and a church to be able to have strong guidance. I never stopped thinking of my JESUS but I did backslide but Here I am again searching praying and worshipping. PRAISE THE LORD!! May you experience what I did .Being prepared and understanding how to not resist and be headstrong as I was is important I believe.GOD BLESS each and everyone of you!!!!!!!!
The same thing happened to me. I actually asked the spirit to give me time and he did. 20 years later I’m longing to be that in touch again. The stupidity of youth!
Hi Denese,
I believe that God has given you time so that he can teach you as opposed to leaving you in a church where you would be taught doctrines of demons.
Gods spirit can guide and corrects us, even before we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost ( which will be accompanied by speaking in tongues). If you will wait upon God he will lead you into the truth, something that you will be hard pressed to find in any of these organizations of men that call themselves bible believing churches. May God be with you in your journey and open your understanding to all things and may he give you perfect judgment, in the name of the messiah, Yahoshua. Be patient and know that God loves you and will guide you into all truth if you seek him with your whole heart. And, at his timing you will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit which will be confirmed by speaking in tongues. If you have already received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, just believe in the name of Yahoshua and God will lead you and complete the work he has begun in you, when you first believed.
Yes, and the Baptism in the Spirit gives me power to overcome sin that otherwise, I couldn’t overcome and over fear the I couldn’t overcome and He does still heal. I have been healed numerous times and have seen others receive miracle healings. I am 66 years old now and I, as a young girl, saw a lady in my church began to hear after being prayed for who had been deaf, so I know it is real. Also, she began to scream (not crazy) but out of excitement and joy, after being deaf for so many years. There are people, who do things, out of the flesh, that makes it look like we, people who have been filled look like we are crazy or cultish, but the scripture plainly shows the truth to those who are open to His Spirit. It’s from the heart that we can understand, not by the flesh.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is still a present reality. It is quite erroneous to believe that this wonderful experience and gift of God has seized, if on properly analyses Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost, the following were eternal truth that Peter presented to his audience in Acts chapter 2:
1. The gift of the Holy Spirit was a promise made of old by God that belonged to the LAST DAYS not LAST DAY. From the apostolic time till now we are still living in the LAST DAYS.So the gift is for us as well. 2:16-27
2. That the gift according to prophet Joel is for ALL FLESH within the last days who will repent and turn to Christ. 2:17
The repentance and salvation is the condition for receiving it. 2:37-38
4. That the gift was not only for them(the apostles) but for those audience he was addressing, their children, those afar off and as many as the Lord will call. 2:39.
Remember that it was their speaking in tongues that drew the crowd to them and it was the same tongues that some in the crowd thought were manifestation of wine, therefore it was the same tongues that Peter addressed here.
So long as the Lord keep calling (saving) people, tongues will continue.
I really thank God for bringing me to this site. On the 14 day of September 2017 I was baptized in the Holy spirit. It was the greatest experience I have had. I was baptized with the evidence of speaking in tongue. The baptism lasted for 5 hours. During this hours I was speaking and communicating with the Lord. After that night the spirit was with me both day and night, and I can feel it very well. I really love the moment. Now I always feel it if I sing worship songs or reading and studying the word of God. The Holy spirit in me has intoxicated me by leading to start preaching the word of God. I denounce the devils with his angels, and every entanglement of the world. I love Jesus Christ so much. I begin to see vision and start hearing his voice.
I advice everyone that needs the gift to be hungry in spirit for they shall be filled with the spirit of God. I love all of you all.
Thanks i saved 4 years ago with the meaning to read the bible. Learned so much and went to learn more at RE-Generation classes. 12 step verse designed to get closer to God. We prayed for a child of our kids leader. They were over praying in hospital at time. The whole class prayed and i for one felt the holy spirit rise up. The child healed by morning now a healthy girl. Spirit rose up when praying for my cousin’s boyfriend. He had a mass on his lung. Grew so fast Doctor said it was cancer. Two weeks later they scanned before surgery. Could not find anything so they did whole body scan nothing. This the holy spirit or Baptism on Holy Spirit. I am still seeking the Baptism. Will go through all the info and purge any unknown sin.
Thanks i was saved 4 years ago with the want to read the bible. Learned so much and went to learn more at RE-Generation classes. 12 step verse designed to get closer to God. We prayed for a child of our kids leader. They were over seas praying in hospital at time. The whole class prayed and i for one felt the holy spirit rise up. The child healed by morning now a healthy girl. Spirit rose up again when praying for my cousin’s boyfriend. My cousin that cuts my hair prayed and felt holy Spirit rise up in her too. He had a mass on his lung. Grew so fast Doctor said it was cancer. Two weeks later they scanned before surgery. Could not find anything so they did whole body scan nothing. This the holy spirit or Baptism on Holy Spirit. I am still seeking the Baptism. Will go through all the info and purge any unknown sin.
I do wonder as to your comment that the second baptism of the Holy Spirit is to do with the soul. As the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is supernatural and the mind cannot understand the supernatural, for example tongues. Then how can the soul (mind, will, emotions, and intellect) operate? Ephesians 6:18 says, “And pray in the Spirit Your soul cannot pray in the spirit. I believe you get the indwelling and infilling. When you get saved you are sealed by the Holy Spirit- indwelling. When you get baptized in the Holy Spirit, tongues is the evidence and that is the – infilling and the infilling is continually topped up (river of living waters).
So, is it possible to receive the baptism of the holy spirit and not speak in tongs right away? I believe i have the baptism, how ever I cannot yet pray in tongs. Does this mean that I do not have the baptism of the holy spirit? or is it something that will take time?
Hi Kassidy,
From the Word – You were all baptised with one Spirit, so yes as ALL Christians are baptised with the Holy Spirit. All Christians have the Spirit and all Christians have access to commune with God. All Christians have gifts from God – be those ones that may be deemed “power” gifts or otherwise.
From the Word – Do all speak in tongues – no.
If all are baptise with one Spirit but not all speak in tongue then the answer is no, if you believe in Christ and have received the Spirit of God then you are baptised regardless of whether you speak in tongues or receive any other “power” gift.
Blessings,
Mark
Wrong! I thought so too. Until the Lord came and baptized me with the Holy Spirit and it is very supernatural. He sealed me then for the last days said I was 144,000 gave me the gift of prophecy and the He chose me for a time such as this! I seen who I was in the spirit and wow! I was scared of myself God bless you all. Never assume but pray and ask God for His truth. Take the limits off of Him and let Him be God. Oh and btw I didn’t ask Him to do it..I just seemed Him first in everything. Seek His face, get obsessed about Him. He loves that. And I got the gift of tongues before that in prayer. He told me to lift up my hands, I obeyed and He gave me the gift and a cry of the spirit came up and it wouldn’t stop for about a few hours. I just soaked in it and after that I was elevated fast and that is why I think I got baptized in the HS because I prayed in the spirit for hours all the time. Hope this helps.
Tongues is one of the gifts of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Not the initial gift, but the most widely given gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit .
There are no scripture’s that I know that say all will speak in unknown tongues when you get the Holy Spirit. You may get one or more of the gifts of the spirit, tongues being only one. Not all get this gift and it is false to say the they do. There are nine gifts which 1Corinthians 12-1-12 tells about.
Hi Patrick
All who believe shall be saved just as all who do not believe shall be condemned. And speaking in new tongues is one sign that shall follow all those that believe. Jesus said:
15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:15-17).
Being sealed and being baptized with the Holy Spirit is two different things. The moment you accepted, repented of your sins and believed in Jesus, you were given a seal or a stamp that sets you apart. It means that you belong to God and not Satan, that “seal” is the Holy Spirit promise of guaranteed redemption. It means when you believe in God you are already save but not yet received the baptism or filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8: 14-17 says this “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”
Acts 8:14-17 tells us that the people of Samaria had received the word of God and had already been baptized in the name of the Lord of Jesus which means they were already save and sealed with the promise of redemption but have not yet receive or baptize of the Holy Spirit.
They couldn’t be baptized in holy Spirit till an apostle were present. This was to avoid the beginning of 2 separate churches. Notice in chapter 12: they received baptism of HS at salvation. This was because an apostle presented the message , was a witness that gentiles could be part of the church. This was to unify the church as one body. Otherwise the Jews would not have accepted the gentiles into the church. There is only one baptism.
They had already received the Word and been baptized with water in the name of the Lord Jesus and afterwards they were prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. Also, Simon wanted to buy this gift, so it had to be something he could see. You cannot see salvation.
Yes praise GOD. the Baptism of Holy Spirit is for service.
No Baptism of Holy Spirit well then no power.
And note they were filled ongoing read book of Acts, more than once , its a daily and ongoing situational request for service and use it or lose it.
relationship communion with GOD is where the power comes from
Pray in the Spirit
Worship in the Spirit
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is wonderful!! I pray that many of my brothers and sisters including myself will overflow and overwhelm with the Holy Spirit releasing all holy emotion in us and we all speak in tongues.
I cannot see anywhere in scripture where a born again person has to sit down for a week writing out their sins! God chooses not to remember them why on earth should we. Jer 31.34. Jesus forgave my sins past, present and future. He took away my sinful nature and replaced it with His righteousness. Yes I am still capable of sinning but if I do it is against my new nature. I am no longer a sinner.
Is there anywhere in scripture where a born again believer has demons on the inside? The Holy Spirit lives in me and there is no room for demons.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a free gift from God and does not come with all the hoops to jump through that you have added.
You are a brother in Christ and with the love of Jesus I pray that you will come into a full revelation of his grace.
I agree with your first three points but you are putting in conditions and requirements that Jesus didn’t put in in your fourth point.
We are cleansed by the Holy Spirit not by ritual before he will come in.
Every blessing. Peter
Does it mean that if you have nightmares e.g. spiritual attacks, are these not demons? you are not baptized by holy spirit?
Hi Colliins
I have learned that when we encounter an unclean spirit such as a nightmare it may be either because we allowed ourselves to be deceived by one or most prevalent is when we seek God in our lives and spend time drawing closer to him , the enemy will do whatever it can to dissuade one.
We are constantly in a spiritual war on this earth and it is thus even more important to draw close to God and spend time with Him and His word and continue in prayer
There are many scriptures referring to spiritual warfare and the snares of the evil one
One of which is Ephesians 6: 10-18
This world is a dark place sometimes and we have to remain vigilant in our faith to not walk in fear.
God Bless
To all who are are trying to sort this out, or seeking the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, please, read this carefully. This article is filled with errors and leaves a very wrong impression. It is typical of several, not all, charismatic churches. I am NOT implying that these errors are intentional to deceive people, but sincerely desiring to teach God’s word. Just in error.
1. There is NOT ONE SCRIPTURE that tells us to seek after the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Not one, in either Testament or any version.
2. At Pentecost, the Baptism came on schedule, as the Lord had predicted before He ascended. It DID NOT come as a result of the disciples praying for it or any other human effort.
3. In ALL instances in the New Testament, the Baptism came when the people believed, NOT LATER.
4. We, too, receive the Baptism when we believe and are baptised in water.
5. There is ONE BAPTISM in the Holy Spirit, but MANY FILLINGS.
6. There are many, many, many instances in the Old and New Testaments where people were FILLED with the Holy Spirit. When Peter stood up and preached at Pentecost, he was FILLED with the Holy Spirit. We are filled with the Holy Spirit when we seek after God and seek to walk closer with Him. We may the be filled at special time to perform special tasks, to minister to others, to manifest our gifts, etc.
I hope this helps those who are seeking after God and desiring to serve Him in any way possible.
Thank you for this enlightenment.
I felt myself becoming quite disturbed while reading it. Your clarification is most appreciated.
I will continue with my walk with the Lord and praying for His perfecting of my being.
Let me disagree with you. If that was the case, why then would Paul ask the disciples whether they have received the Holy Spirit after their being saved; if it was not possible or necessary? And you saying nowhere is it written that we should receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, shall we then take it that the following scripture does not exist in your version of scripture?
ACTS 19:1-3
1. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2. and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3. “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.…
It plainly states that they were baptized with the baptism of John. John was preparing the way of Salvation. These Brothers were looking forward to the Baptism that comes through Jesus, and Paul explained it to them, and they received The HS.
This was a unique situation that God orchestrated to reconcile two people groups that had always been at odds with each other. Much like with Phillip and the Samaritans, their is a history and a culture that we do not have access to if we read o n l y the verses and do not go deeper into Studying the Scripture as they were meant to be studied.
In the case of Acts, it is a historical book that traces a unique time that is not repeated. This is a time when God was first forming the church of today. To try to mimic Acts or expect Acts to happen all over again likely happens when a person does not take into account the historical context of the book of Acts. As Christians we are called to intellectual and moral responsibility :] But that is not an accusation or an attack, we are all growing.
The apostles, and specifically Peter were given the keys of heaven. This was a conversation that took place between them and Jesus. We were not there. Jesus was not talking to in the exact way He was talking to them. For the sake of the initial founding of the church and the reconciliation of various people groups in a setting that is NOT LIKE TODAY, God determined to give the apostles the ability to pass on the Holy Spirit in unique ways so as to verify their unique ministry as given to them by Jesus. As Jesus said, He chose them and they did not choose Him. It was specific and unique to that time. At this point, there is only one reception of the Holy Spirit. The author was right in saying so. Regarding the relationship of the spirit to the soul to the Holy Spirit, I am not sure where Scripture expresses exactly what was said in this article. Some of what he said does have portions that reflect what proverbs teaches regarding the heart and the multifaceted human being but Scripture does not teach a second baptism. There is a continual process of sanctification that makes us more like Christ and less like our old selves. That process, were you to lay it out on a spectrum, would show lower filling at the beginning and greater filling at the end.
Also, it is good to study the book of Acts in order with the epistles and New Testament writings. Doing this adds a TREMENDOUS depth of understanding to the text. It helps to explain thing like:
why was Paul able to heal yet he never got healed himself, nor did Sosthenes, nor did Timothy’s stomach issues?
What is meant by tongues when we consider the time of the event, the greek used, the reference to Isa and Paul’s explanation in 1Co 14?
Why do miracles not occur as they did in Acts?
There are individual times of “filling” but not in the sense that there is a version 1.0 and a 2.0. The almost verbatim explanations in Eph and Col help to show that being filled with the spirit is equivalent to letting the word of Christ dwell richly in you. We see this because their is a list of results that are exactly the same.
I would also warn not to be to experiential. While experience has its place it is not everything. The word is everything. Faith is incredibly important as well because often times what we feel and our circumstances do not seem to line up with the truth of God’s word. While there can be experiences and there will be of some kinds (although I would not purpose in your heart to seek crazy experiences for the sake of having crazy experiences) it is dangerous to use experience as a way to determine your christian identity and sanctification.
God’s ultimate goal is conformity to Christ. Romans 5-8 does really well in explaining that we are new creations still waiting to be fully redeemed – while having to always deal with our unredeemed parts in this life. That is not to say that we will not make progress but it is good for all of us if we can be sure to identify false expectations and eliminate them so as to prevent any false condemnation/guilt.
Hope this helps.
God bless all of you in your walk with the Lord.
Thank you to the author for their time invested and the stimulating of this conversation.
The reason for Paul asking was to clarify that they were followers of Jesus the Christ not John or anyone else with a Messiah complex. There are always those claiming truth and we need to know what saviour or god they are engaging. It was simply a beginning step to testing the spirit of the disciples. It is a wise practice for all of us. Once you identify that the other is not actually a believer with full understanding of the gift and opportunity that Jesus Christ offers, you can instruct or pray with them to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It shows the Holy Spirit leading us to ask good questions to introduce others to Christ.
I accepted Jesus as Savior when I was 14 yrs. old while my father read the Bible out loud which was a ‘miracle’ in itself as he never read scripture & we didn’t attend church & didn’t even know anyone who spoke of ‘knowing’ Jesus. Well, I didn’t spiritually grow for a few yrs but the Holy Spirit was with me, eventually putting ppl in my life who knew the Lord. I wed at 19 & started watching Oral Roberts on TV. That’ when I heard about the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” as I had not stated attending church. Hearing Roberts put this desire in me for the power of God. One day I asked God for forgiveness bc I hadn’t really been repenting of sin in my life. Didn’t really recognize it as sin. But when I did this, I felt this ‘power’ or ‘anointment’ come on me. It was wonderful! Like liquid love. I was being immersed in God’s Spirit. Then God led me to the Bible (which I hardly ever read), I opened it & it fell on Acts about “the Baptism of the Spirit.” Maybe I was then filled with the Spirit but it definitely felt like the Holy Spirit came upon me like it was a 2nd Baptism. Then God began to use me & I knew I could speak in tongues but It didn’t happen until someone laid hands on me. I find praying in the prayer lang. to be a most formidable weapon against the enemy. “When I don’t know how to pray, I pray in the Spirit.”
My Pastor taught us many things and the most important was the “Baptism of The Holy Spirit” which is a must have for everyone. I am a back slider who walked away from the church because I thought I was going to be a Pro football player and you didn’t see Christian pro football players in the late 80’s-1990’s. It was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made in my life.
I was fortunate to be a witness in my church every Friday night was “Healing Night” in our church. My pastor had all the Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit which he gladly taught us how to get them through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit but on Friday Nights like I said after a short service he would call on all the people who needed healed from whatever they needed. I have seen the Blind see, the deaf hear, the broken walk, the people with cancer healed immediately. This is real… more real than anyone can imagine. Jesus said we can have all these powers here on earth to help others all you have to do is pray and ask for them but you must know how to do this.
The first step is you must say the sinners prayer and accept “Jesus as your Lord and Savior”. Second you must be “Baptised with Water” to wash your fleshly sins away and allow the Holy Spirit to start working on you and purifying you. Third you must have the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” now I call this “Baptism by Fire” because you are going to speak with a Fiery Tongue and be ready to be hit with the most wonderful feeling you have ever felt, I was blown off my feet when I first was hit with the Holy Spirit!! Don’t you worry you will not be hurt by any means people will be there to catch you but it doesn’t matter the Lord won’t allow you to be hurt in fact you will probably be instantly healed of anything.
The week you plan on asking for the Baptism pray to the Lord that whole week letting him know you want and you need The Holy Spirit badly the more you want it the more he wants to give it to you! Read the Nine Gifts Of the Holy Spirit and ask Him for which one you would want and why. This doesn’t stop with the Baptism this is the beginning of a new life for you. Some people get one of the Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit when they get the Baptism but this choice is God’s choice to which one you will receive.
The day you set to try and get the Baptism of the Holy Spirit it is always good to have people who have the Baptism around you praying for you to receive it and guiding you. You can do this at Church or at home the Lord doesn’t care where. The way we do it is first starting in a prayer letting the Lord know your intentions and ask right out for what you want. We were taught to be relaxed praying on your knees or laying down but be comfortable because it just doesn’t come immediately. We say Glory, Glory, Glory over and over again this is glorifying God and praising him at the same time. You might be praying Glory, Glory, Glory, for minutes, hours, or days it depends on you because you must let the Holy Spirit take you over. Once it starts you tongue will start sounding like it’s slurring words or sounding like jibberish but this is the Holy Ghost starting to come into to you. Let it happen do not be afraid because you will receive a feeling like you never have before trust me. The first time I felt it I thought I was in Heaven.
Let the Holy Spirit come into you and you will start speaking in tongues …..let it happen …..you will smell the most beautiful fragrances like you have never smelled before, like you are in Eden smelling the exotic flowers that God has created for us. If for some reason you have prayed for hours and haven’t received the Baptism do not think you did something wrong or that you are not worthy just try again another day keep at it because it will come. Most people do not receive it there first time sometimes it can take a week sometimes more but you are showing the Lord something too! You are showing him that you won’t give up on him and he surely won’t give up on you. God Bless you all and pray for me because I am going to start my journey soon!!
Russ
That sounds absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience. You are truly blessed to have that kind of pastor and church, and to have received the Holy Spirit with such support and guidence.
What kind of journey are you going on? God Bless you on your journey wherever God leads you.✝️
Where is the church you went to and what is the name of it? I would love that kind of experience❤️ I truly need a pastor who can heal and deliver. Is he still alive?
Hello Michael, your analogy of the house is excellent! I always knew that the soul and spirit were at war (1 Peter 2:9-11) but thinking of it as letting Jesus into our “houses” and letting him clean up every area of our lives our social life, love life, free time activities, emotions and grievances etc. Thank you for clarifying it even more for me. You are a blessed and annointed man.
This is my first time browsing into your website and all the articles are what I have been looking for all these years. I am so blessed with these articles. Very very very clear as crystal.When I first started reading the verticals I feel like taking whole day leaving out other company work that I am doing. However, I will certainly feeding the Word of God from this wonderful website as from today on wards and I believe, I will be spirit full and a powerful person in Spiritual warfare, healing, restoration and deliverance ministry where I live or go. God richly Bless the authors of these articles.
this article is one of the best explanations ive ever seen on this subject. back in 2012 sometime during the year, my life seemed to be at nearly rock bottom. i drank every night almost (not heavy) and a few other things that i probably should not have been doing. (it was directly after this experience that all changed.) i remember i was sitting in the driver seat of the car, not driving just listening to the radio and having a cig. (we didnt smoke in the house.) it was a bit warm that day, sun was out, and i was buzzed on something. all at once i felt someone else take the “wheel” so to speak, and i was put in the passenger seat. my wife said that i was yelling something the whole time, but i dont honestly remember yelling anything, i couldnt really hear anything at all now that i think about it. she had gotten scared or something to that nature and was standing right next to the driver side door. at the time i just remember that i was feeling very hot, and had to get out of the car to cool off, but i didnt have too much control of the wheel, if none at all. it took every ounce of strength i had in me to open the passenger side door, fling it open, and spill out onto the driveway. (which was loose gravel.) as soon as i hit the ground i felt like i was in a very dark place, and i was struggling for some reason. right after that it was like someone just turned on every single light around me to the point it was blinding. i felt so much joy, happiness, love and every blissful emotion you could imagine all in one intense shot. after this i began to get my senses back and remember reaching up to the sky (my back was on the ground) repeating “i love you” over and over again. i still feel a presence with me every once in a while to this day. my life was starting to spin out of control, and all it took to fix me was for him to tell me he loved me. may sound pretty wild, but over the years, ive learned to have more faith in life.
This is my first time browsing into your website. But the good news is all the teaching materials i been in search for are all on your site. All the articles here are what I have been looking for all these years. I am so blessed with these articles. Very clear as crystal.When I first started reading the verticals I feel like taking whole day leaving out other company work that I am doing. However, I will certainly feeding the Word of God from this wonderful website as from today on wards and I believe, I will be spirit full and a powerful person in Spiritual warfare, healing, restoration and deliverance ministry where I live or go. God richly Bless the authors of these articles.
I believe that accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and saviour and being baptized in his name is enough to prove i believe in the Lord… its just that he hasn’t pour out his spirit upon me yet… God bless you.
I’ve already been baptized in the Holy Spirit and it was a wonderful experience..like one you can never imagine. He searched my heart then too and gave me the gift of prophecy. But I never prepared for it, I didn’t know I was going to even get baptized this way with the Lord. I thought water baptism was the only way and I did that at 12, but no the Lord did this Himself and said He chose me so I don’t think being mentally prepared is important just spiritually. Anyhow my question I was searching for is with all this being said am I still able to have an unclean spirit? Someone mentioned this and I wanted answers..if anyone can help please and thank you.
Michael I am confused, In Acts 19:2 Paul asked did you receive the Holy Spirit….they said no, whereas he described when baptised with water (John the Baptist) you show your desire to turn from your sin to God, but to be baptised in the Name of Jesus and hands laid on you you receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. Now my questions why did Paul tell them to be rebaptised to receive the Holy Spirit? Even Paul was baptised (when he was Roman soldier) and when he converted he was baptise to receive the Holy Spirit? Please give me more clearance on this subject
Kind regards
Although it was common practice to baptize with water, water doesn’t guarantee that the Holy Spirit will dwell in us. When people say they have been baptized, we have to probe a little to find out just what they mean by that. If they say that water was poured on them, it was the ceremony; however, if they say they had an experience in them that was life changing, it was the Holy Spirit (this, however, is very subjective). Therefore, while water was used to baptize people, there is a secondary baptism that takes place through the Holy Spirit. Peter explains this in a very straight forward way in 1 Peter 3:21 when he says, “Water symbolizes baptism that now saves you…not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection.”
Hello Michael,I have been struggling with being “filled” with the Holy Spirit for years! Yes I had hands laid upon me, nothing, Baptized, nothing,asked God to fill me with the Holy Spirit,Nothing. I currently have been “flat lined”meaning I don’t feel like reading the Bible,don’t feel like praying,I feel forsaking.I prayed for understanding (Bible)my prayers are lackluster and seem like a waste of time.Sorry for the long e mail but this has been most of my life! I’m 62.And the strange thing is my son is going through the exact same thing!Actually he went through it first I tried to encourage him and now I know what he was talking about!I have been an ineffective Christian. I even tried years ago to just give up, but like Peter said “Lord where am I to go..?” Embarrassingly,I have talked to about 20 Pastors and Christian Counselors,but they basically said the same thing.”sounds like you love the Lord and are on the right track keep praying about it”.I haven’t tried what you said yet quite frankly I’m afraid,because if i do and nothing changes,well I’m not sure how much more my faith can take!Thanks for listening.And if your right, Thanks for saving my walk.
i was reading your words ,and i read about weeping,i may have clicked on a high lighted portion on readiong all.can you direct me to where i read that.thanks.i also received on three seperate occasions.physically received.when i was 20 years old,when i was 33 years old and recently when i was 63 years of age.each one was different in its own way,i’m sure it is the trinity i am now 68 and acquiring wisdom,through the holy spirit.i wanted to tell you this,but my reason and question was about the section on weeping.thanks from alan.
which verse supports the second baptism, which is of the soul? Also which verse supports the “more” closeness to God once the soul is baptised.
This is such a great scriptural explanation, which totally shatters all of the ignorance, opinions and thoughts of the false teachings of the past.