If Christians need power, where does this power come from? The simple answer is the Holy Spirit. God chose to give us His power in the person of the Holy Spirit. This process is called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The word baptize means “to dye” meaning that every fiber of our being is fully immersed into and changed by the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is in all four Gospels, and it is prominent in the final instructions Jesus gives in the beginning of Acts. It is essential that we are fully immersed in the Holy Spirit if we are going to walk in power.
Ironically, many Baptists reject the baptism of the Holy Spirit as charismatic error when it is plainly taught in all four Gospels and the book of Acts. This rejection is not historical Baptist doctrine. Spurgeon spoke of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as did many other giants of the faith. Simply put, the Holy Spirit is our birthright which we have woefully neglected.
The Bible also uses several other terms to describe the Spirit empowered life. It is also referred to as being filled with the Spirit or being anointed by the Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. This instruction is given to those who already are believers and have the Spirit of God indwelling them.
In Scripture, many people are filled with the Spirit at their conversion, but this is not always the case. The book of Acts records many instances where Spirit indwelt believers were filled with the Spirit a while after their conversion. This is not just a “transition” period between dispensations as some have supposed. The same disciples who were filled with the Spirit in Acts 2 were filled again in Acts 4. Again, Spirit indwelt believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5.
How then is one baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit? The answer is plainly taught in Scripture.
First, you must repent and be baptized. You cannot be filled with the Spirit when you are unregenerate, living in sin, or unwilling to publicly identify with Christ.
Second, you must desire to be filled. This is where Satan has deceived much of the church. He has distracted us from what is ours in Christ. Many believers do not even know what the anointing of the Holy Spirit is and therefore do not desire it. God will bring His children to a place of hopelessness and even despair so that they long for the filing of the Spirit. We must earnestly desire the Holy Spirit to take over every aspect of our lives.
Third, we must obey. Disobedience grieves and quenches the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We cannot be filled with sin and the Spirit. He is the Spirit of holiness. We must be willing to obey Him in every area of our lives.
Fourth, we must earnestly pray for the Holy Spirit. God has promised to give His Spirit to those who ask Him. We must ask and keep asking until we receive.
Lastly, we must believe. We must believe that there is such a thing as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We must believe that God will give Him to us in answer to prayer. We must ask in faith believing that God will give us Himself.
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