“Wait for the Promise of the Father. . .” – Acts 1:4
Timeless teaching teaches timeless truth. Being Spirit-empowered people of God is a prime theme of the Book of Acts. At the end of Acts 18 we see that the acts of the Spirit were not performed merely by those who were educated or naturally gifted, like Apollos. No, those used by the Holy Spirit were ordained or anointed to do so. The same is true in our day. Such an anointing is an empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This empowerment was first introduced by Jesus in Acts 1 where He spoke of the Promise of the Father, a baptism with the Holy Spirit that empowers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:4-5, and 8). This empowerment is described as being baptized with the Holy Spirit because it is a total surrender of self, an emersion in the Spirit. Such an experience is necessary for serving the Lord. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience described as a coming “upon” (Greek preposition epi) and is an overflowing. Jesus referred to this when He spoke of “rivers of living water” that would gush from the heart of the one baptized with the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39). It is Jesus who pours out the Holy Spirit in this way upon those who desire it (Acts 2:33). This is an experience received as a gift of God’s grace through faith (Acts 15:8-9).
What we see in the Book of Acts is that, according ot Jesus, being baptized with the Holy Spirit is a necessity and it should be normalized for those who serve Him. In Acts 1 Jesus insisted His disciples wait and proceed no further in the Great Commission until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, and 8). In Acts 2 at Pentecost, the hundred and twenty in the Upper Room were baptized with the Holy Spirit demonstrating spiritual gifting. Of those Peter stood and preached the gospel with newfound power resulting in the conversion of three thousand. In Acts 4 we see the refilling or refreshing of the early disciples with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). In Acts 5 we see the powerful rebuke of the Spirit to those faking hypocritically this life in the Spirit. In Acts 6 and 7 we see the powerful service rendered by the Spirit filled. In Acts 8 we see the insistence by Peter and John that the converts in Samaria receive this empowerment. In Acts 9 we see enemy Saul converted to servant Paul. He was converted on the Damascus Road as no one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:5 and 1 Cor. 12:3). He is then empowered as Ananias lays hands on him and prays (Acts 9:17). In Acts 10 we see the Gentile Pentecost and those of Cornelius house saved and empowered by the Spirit. We then see the Spirit leading the Apostles on the First Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14), and Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15-18), and Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:22-21:17), where they encountered all kinds of people and difficulty but were used powerfully to preach the gospel and overcome opposition. Yes, all of this was a product of the baptism with the Holy Spirit experienced by those early followers of Jesus.
What we see throughout the acts of the Holy Spirit in this book is that Holy Spirit empowerment is essential for ministry and fulfilling the Great Commission and should be the norm. We see the normalcy of this empowerment in the inquiry of the Apostles to the disciples they meet along the way. In Acts 19 we see that upon encountering the disciples in Ephesus, Paul asks if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. Evidently, something was missing in their makeup. Paul recognized it and what was missing was important enough that Paul sought to help them find what they were lacking. How about you, have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit? When you look in the mirror, or go to church, or fellowship with other Christians, do you have a sense that something is missing? If the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a necessity according to Jesus and should be the norm for the servant of Jesus, shouldn’t we be asking, “Am I baptized with the Holy Spirit?” Have you received this baptism with the Holy Spirit?
A prerequisite question might be, “Do you know what the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is?” In Jesus last of seven letters to the Last Days Church He spoke of the Laodiceans, a lukewarm church that turned His stomach (Rev. 3:14-22). Are we that Church? Certainly in many churches of our day something appears to be missing. Many have lost their identity of being the “pillar and ground of the truth,” moral conscience, and fulfillers of the Great Commission to the world (1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 28:18-20). Instead the Church is trying to fit in with the world. Many churches are consumed with being relevant to the trends of the world. They want to fit in. They expend their energy to be in step with the world instead of calling the world to get in step with the Lord. Many churches have mistakenly bought into the idea that the Church needs to become like the world the reach the world. But the Bible says friendship with the world is to be at war with God! (1 John 2:15-17). The Church is off course, derailed, groping around in this world’s darkness. I believe the reason for this is we have forgotten and in some cases actively forsaken the need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
What is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?
I encourage you to get your Bible and turn with me to the Book of Acts. Let’s look at one of the main themes of this Biblical book that gives us the account of the birthing and early years of the Church. Let’s return to our roots to see the nature of this Promise of the Father, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
First, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is something that Jesus said was necessary; it is something we need to wait for, something we should make sure to have, before we try to serve Him – Acts 1:4. We may accomplish some things for the Lord in our own strength, but we will never accomplish or do as much as we could, as fruitfully as we could, as God-glorifyingly as we could, if we have the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Without the Baptism with the Holy Spirit we will be more like the disciples were pre-Pentecost; confused, fearful, boastful, ineffective. With the Baptism with the Holy Spirit we will be more like the disciples in the Book of Acts. Jesus wants us to be more like His Church in Acts, which is why He insisted the disciples wait in Jerusalem until they received it. That is why He wants us to be baptized with the Holy Spirit as well.
Second, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the “Promise of the Father” – Acts 1:4. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is something the Father has promised to give us. As a “promise,” it is a gift of His grace. If it is by grace, then it is received by faith not our works. This is an important first step relating to this experience that is important for us to grasp.
Third, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is something Jesus gives us – Acts 2:33. On the Day of Pentecost Peter said that Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God the Father, and that the Promise of the Father, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, is something Jesus, “poured out” on the recipients of Pentecost. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is something we should ask Jesus to provide to us.
Fourth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an enablement provided by the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:5. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is a Person, not a force or energy. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an immersion in the Spirit in terms of us fully surrendering to Him and His will. It is when the Holy Spirit not only fills us as at conversion (i.e. being born again – John 3) but overflows us as He comes “upon” us. This is, like water baptism, an immersion of self in the will and power of the Spirit.
Fifth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an empowerment – Acts 1:8. Jesus described it as “power,” (Greek dunamis) or the power to do. This power transcends our own strength. It is not our talent or ability but an empowerment that is the result of the Holy Spirit coming upon (Greek epi preposition) us.
Sixth, the Baptism with the Spirit is power to witness – Acts 1:8. The word “witness” (Greek martys – pronounced mar-tus) means a witness in court, one who testifies to historical facts like the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, an example of the impact Jesus has in your life, one who shares the truth as it is laid out in scripture. We get the English word martyr from this word and sometimes a Christian witness gives their life to be a witness, e.g., Stephen in Acts 7. This witness can only truly be lived out in the power of the Spirit.
Seventh, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is something received by waiting for it in prayer – Acts 1:12-14. About 120 disciples waited in the Upper Room praying for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. This is an experience we should wait on the Lord for in prayer.
Eighth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit involves spiritual gifting – Acts 2. On the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they spoke in tongues. Tongues is a spiritual gift that enables a person to worship God and enhances their prayer life. It is not the only spiritual gift that accompanies the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, and you don’t necessarily have to speak in tongues to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost Peter demonstrated the spiritual gifting of tongues, discernment, faith, wisdom, prophecy, teaching, and evangelism. In Acts 3 the spiritual gift of healing is given by the Spirit. In Acts 5 the spiritual gift of discernment is seen. Etc. A good study would be to study through Acts looking to identify the spiritual gifts used in the power of the Spirit. At the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit provides us with gifting or enablement to serve Him beyond our own capacities.
Ninth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit gives us holy boldness – Acts 2 and 4. The Apostles stood before their enemies at Pentecost and in Acts 4 and boldly testified to Jesus. The Holy Spirit enables us to be brave and courageous in our witness for Jesus.
Tenth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience that needs to be refreshed – Acts 4:31. In Acts 4 when the disciples prayed it states they were “filled with the Holy Spirit” (an expression used to often refer to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit). This was a refilling and is due to our own human limitations.
Eleventh, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is given to serve – Acts 6-7. Being filled with the Spirit was a prerequisite for those serving just a s much as it was for the Apostles who were giving themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word of God. No matter how or where you serve, do it with the power of the Spirit. Indeed, serving the Lord is an outlet for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Twelfth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent or following being born again – Acts 8 and 9. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost came after the disciple’s conversion (Gospels and Acts 1-2). Peter and John prayed for the Christians in Samaria to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). Saul, who was knocked down off his high horse by Jesus, was instantly saved (“Who are you Lord?” – Paul referred to Jesus as “Lord” which can only be done by the enablement of the Spirit – 1 Cor. 12:3), and then empowered by the Holy Spirit when Ananias prayed for him (Acts 9). In Acts 10 the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles concurrently with their conversion. Apollos received the empowerment of the Spirit after his conversion (Acts 18). The disciples in Ephesus received the Baptism with eh Holy Spirit after they were saved (Acts 19). Sometimes the Baptism with the Holy Spirit comes concurrently with conversion (i.e. at the same time or in close proximity to) and sometimes it comes after conversion.
Thirteenth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit involves the Spirit’s directing us – Acts 11-14. The Spirit directed the disciples to embark on their missionary journeys. This doesn’t mean the one baptized with the Holy Spirit will necessarily be directed to foreign lands by the Spirit, it does mean the Holy Spirit will direct us where He wants us to minister. Fruitfulness is found in places where we minister by the direction of the Spirit, but also opposition. Fruitfulness is not necessarily seen in the conversion of souls but involves the presentation of the gospel giving people an opportunity to respond to the gospel.
Fourteenth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit involves heart purity – Acts 15:8-9. When Peter described the experience of the Gentiles at Cornelius’ house being converted and baptized with the Spirit, he did so saying it involves, “purifying their hearts by faith.” the Baptism with the Holy Spirit involves a purification of the heart from those things that are displeasing to God and that hinder the Spirit using us. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit, therefore, is connected to holiness and sanctification in our walk with the Lord.
Fifteenth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is received by faith – Acts 15:8-9. When Peter describes the Gentile Pentecost and outpouring of the Holy Spirit he says their hearts were purified “by faith.” As we mentioned earlier, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a “promise of the Father.” If it is a “promise,” then it is a gift of God’s grace. A gift of God’s grace is not something we work for, but something we simply receive, by faith. Pray for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and receive it by faith.
Sixteenth, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a baptism in the love of the Spirit – Romans 5:5. The fruit of the Spirit, or what the Spirit produces in us, is “love” (Galatians 5:22-24). “Love” (Greek agape – pronounced a-ga-pe) is the term used to describe God’s love (e.g. John 3:16). This “love” is sacrificial and fully committed. This is a love that sacrifices self in the service to God and people. This is a supreme love of God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and a sacrificial love for our neighbor (e.g. Matthew 22:37-40). This love is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). This love should compel or motivate us in all we do (2 Cor. 5:14-16). Without such love what we do has no eternal value (1 Cor. 13). The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a baptism or overflowing of His love. What we see in Acts is the result of the Spirit pouring out His love into the hearts of the disciples. Their sacrifice, boldness, risking their lives, persistence in the face of persecution, all of it, is the product of the Spirit’s overflowing love in them.
When the apostle Paul was on his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23-21:14) he came to the major city of Ephesus in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Once in Ephesus Paul came across some “disciples.” As Paul met and likely began to fellowship with these disciples, he perceived that something was lacking in their walk with the Lord. Paul’s spiritual gift of discernment led him to ask, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” These disciples weren’t acting or living in a way that someone would normally act if they had the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives. If the Holy Spirit is in and upon you the love of God will rule your heart and overflow you (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Perhaps Paul didn’t see the presence of God’s love in them. Perhaps he didn’t see the power of the Spirit in them (Acts 1:8). This caused him to inquire more deeply into their spiritual state.
If Paul were to fellowship with you or your church, would he have the same response? I often wonder if Paul wrote a letter to me or my church today, what might he say, what would he commend, what would he correct? Would he treat us as Corinthians or Galatians? Would he observe us to be fleshly, “carnal,” mere “babes in Christ”? (1 Cor. 3:1ff.). Would he chide us for trying to continue in the flesh or our own strength, that which was birthed in the Spirit? (Galatians 3:1ff.). What would Paul see in me, in you, in our church if he visited us today? The inspired word of God provides us a mirror to answer that question (James 1:22-25). Are we a reflection of Jesus and His word today, of His instruction to proceed no further without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit? Or are we a mottled mess of the flesh lacking direction, powerless to lead? Look to the Lord. Look to His word. And remember one other comment of Paul, “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).
The question remains, “Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit?” If you have any doubt, pray, and seek the Promise of the Father, in the name of Jesus, in the power of the Spirit.