The Spirit of Truth (part 5)

The Baptism With The Holy Spirit

10.17.2021

John 16:13-15 (NLT)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

Review

1. September 12 – Deception

In a strange way today, we seem surrounded by lies, distortions, deceptions, and twisted truths that only present a partial picture of whatever we are dealing with.

2. September 19 – People will be looking for all kinds of ways to deal with their pressure or “pain.”

Pain looks for pleasure.

Overeating, alcohol, drugs, porn, sex, mobile phone.

Psalm 16:11 – In your presence is fullness of joy; pleasures forevermore.

3. September 26 – Repentance

Repentance is the open door to Him in every life.

Whether you are not yet a Christian or you have known Jesus for many years, repentance opens the door in your life for the Holy Spirit to work in a fresh way.

4. October 3 – A Coach And A Partner

In an age of great change, challenge, danger, and unknowns, God has given us a personal coach to help us navigate through these troubled times.

Today – The Baptism with the Holy Spirit

The first century Church had to deal with political upheaval with Roman dictators.

Socially, they experienced a deep moral plunge in their culture. The Roman Emperor Nero had a teenage boy castrated, that became his lover.

In spite of the pressure of persecution and the pressure of living in a godless culture, God moved in a tremendous way to energize believers with His power.

The Power of the Holy Spirit available to believers provided the counterbalance they needed to confront the lies, the persecution, and the pressures of everyday living.

We are at the same place today!

And we need the power of God found in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to counteract the coming challenges.

On September 12^th, 1976, at 7:20 pm, after rededicating my life back to Jesus that morning, I received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.

On September 12^th, I celebrated my 45^th year of Spirit-filled living.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit changed my life forever! And this experience will forever change yours too if you will yield to it!

My story – my mother, as a Baptist Sunday School teacher, received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit in 1975.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the second work of the Holy Spirit in our lives

The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us in the new birth, and then comes upon us in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to give us power to bless others.

Jesus specifically mentions the Baptism with the Holy Spirit:

Remember that in John 20:22, Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, Receive the Holy Spirit.

I believe that they were born again right then!

Then, after appearing to them for 40 days, and just before He ascended to heaven, he told them of a tremendous experience they would receive.

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.

Luke 24:49 (NLT)

And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.

 

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

 

They already had the indwelling, now they needed the Baptism of the Spirit. One produces character; the other produces power!

Notice Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit came to the church on the day of Pentecost, and has been available to us ever since.

Acts 2:1-4 (NLT)

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

The power of the Holy Spirit came upon the believers on that day, and that power enabled them to BE witnesses for Jesus.

The disciples began to speak in another language that came from the Holy Spirit. In those languages, they were able to talk to people from 17 different nationalities that were present in Jerusalem during the feast of Pentecost.

Notice Acts 2:5-21 (NLT)

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. 7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. 19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Peter kept preaching:

Acts 2:37-41 (NLT)

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit brings God’s power into daily living.

Peter denied Jesus during His crucifixion, but after the Baptism with the Holy Spirit he became a bold follower of Jesus.

Look again at Acts 1:8 (NLT):

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Power:

=Dunamis: Inherent power, capable of reproducing itself, like a dynamo

We get three English words from Dunamis: Dynamic, Dynamite, Dynamo.

Dynamic:

pertaining to or characterized by energy or effective action; vigorously active or forceful; energetic: the dynamic president of the firm.

Dynamite:

any person or thing having a spectacular effect.

Dynamo:

an electric generator, especially for direct current.

This power enhances our ability to walk with God, and empowers us to bless others in a more full way.

It was not just for the early church, but was for every generation of the church age, including today!

Three supernatural things happen when you’re baptized with the Holy Spirit.

 

1. Supernatural witness

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Me – September 13th, 1976 – a Monday – boldness came…

 

2. Supernatural understanding of the Word

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Matthew 1-5. Again, Monday, September 13th – after work…

 

3. Supernatural way to pray.

1 Corinthians 14:14 (NKJV)

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Spirit to spirit communion with God…

 

Action Points:

1. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit comes with being born again.
2. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is available to Christians who want more!
3. To receive, all you need to do is ask.