The power of a Spirit-filled life
"Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)
This is known as the Great Commission. In Acts 8, verse 5 and 12 we see how this commission was worked out through the preaching of Philip in Samaria:
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them ... But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
The Bible speaks about John baptizing in water, so according to the Great Commission,these people believed in Jesus, they were saved, they were water baptized but they never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8:14-17 we read: " Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
We can see from the scriptures that just because a person has believed (been born again - see John chapter 3), been water baptized and saved doesn't mean they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In John 20:22 we see that the Holy Spirit regenarated the disciples, but it was on the day of Pentecost that they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. The born-again experience and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are two seperate events. There might be a short time length between them, or there might be a longer period of time.
Someone may ask: "Why do I need the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I am a Christian and I am going to Heaven anyway".
Well, that's true and it is great, but what about your life here on earth? You see, even Jesus that was God in the flesh didn't start His ministry before the Holy Spirit came and rest upon Him. If Jesus needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need that? It is impossible to live a Christian life and be a strong witness to the rest of the world without the baptism (=empowerment) of the Holy Spirit. It is like trying to attack hell with a water pistol!
Being born again, you receive Jesus in your heart and His Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives in you: "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom 8:9)
Your spirit and His Spirit become one: "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Gal 4:6)
Having the Spirit of God living in you is not the same like having the Spirit of God resting upon you. It is like comparing drinking a glass of water with diving into the sea. When you dive into the sea you are wet from your head to your toes. It is vissible. It is evident! The same goes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is evident. There is power in your life! You see things from a different prespective. You can do things that you could not do before. Your gifts and talents operate in a higher level. In every single chapter in the book of Acts there is at least one miracle taking place! In Acts 8:18 Simon the sorcerer saw with his own eyes people receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit when the disciples layed hands on them. It was evident!
The Holy Spirit is a gift (Acts 2:38-39). You do not deserve it, you can't buy it (Acts 8:20), you can't be good enough to earn it, but you do have to ask it. If you have never asked Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, why don't you ask Him now? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13). Why don't you ask Him today?
"Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)
This is known as the Great Commission. In Acts 8, verse 5 and 12 we see how this commission was worked out through the preaching of Philip in Samaria:
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them ... But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
The Bible speaks about John baptizing in water, so according to the Great Commission,these people believed in Jesus, they were saved, they were water baptized but they never received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 8:14-17 we read: " Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
We can see from the scriptures that just because a person has believed (been born again - see John chapter 3), been water baptized and saved doesn't mean they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In John 20:22 we see that the Holy Spirit regenarated the disciples, but it was on the day of Pentecost that they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. The born-again experience and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are two seperate events. There might be a short time length between them, or there might be a longer period of time.
Someone may ask: "Why do I need the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I am a Christian and I am going to Heaven anyway".
Well, that's true and it is great, but what about your life here on earth? You see, even Jesus that was God in the flesh didn't start His ministry before the Holy Spirit came and rest upon Him. If Jesus needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need that? It is impossible to live a Christian life and be a strong witness to the rest of the world without the baptism (=empowerment) of the Holy Spirit. It is like trying to attack hell with a water pistol!
Being born again, you receive Jesus in your heart and His Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives in you: "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom 8:9)
Your spirit and His Spirit become one: "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Gal 4:6)
Having the Spirit of God living in you is not the same like having the Spirit of God resting upon you. It is like comparing drinking a glass of water with diving into the sea. When you dive into the sea you are wet from your head to your toes. It is vissible. It is evident! The same goes with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is evident. There is power in your life! You see things from a different prespective. You can do things that you could not do before. Your gifts and talents operate in a higher level. In every single chapter in the book of Acts there is at least one miracle taking place! In Acts 8:18 Simon the sorcerer saw with his own eyes people receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit when the disciples layed hands on them. It was evident!
The Holy Spirit is a gift (Acts 2:38-39). You do not deserve it, you can't buy it (Acts 8:20), you can't be good enough to earn it, but you do have to ask it. If you have never asked Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, why don't you ask Him now? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13). Why don't you ask Him today?
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