The Baptism With The Holy Spirit

There are five instances recorded in Scripture where the baptism in the Holy Spirit occurred. These are all found in the book of Acts. There are three times where Scripture clearly states they spoke in other tongues. It is a fact that three times gives us proof that people receiving the Spirit speak in tongues, the Bible says "In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every word be established," 2 Corinthians 13:1; Deuteronomy 19:15.

We will examine these three definite witnesses, as well as two others, which we can assume, correctly, to be also witnesses. There are five occasions we will observe in Acts.

The First Time. This is in Acts Chapter 2, particularly verse 4. It was on the Day of Pentecost. The eleven and others were willing to obey Jesus. They believed Him when He said they would be baptised in the Spirit. We too, must believe and not be full of doubt!

On The Day Of Pentecost, which the Jews were still celebrating, the one hundred and twenty disciples were all together in an upper room. Suddenly, from heaven came a noise like a violent, rushing wind, filling the whole house where they were sitting. They were not even kneeling! There is no mention of any acts of religion!

Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributing themselves, resting on each one of them. The tongues of fire are never recorded as being repeated on later occasions. The Presence of God was manifested in the Old Testament Tabernacle as fire. Here, the Holy Ghost appeared in a mystical fashion in "tongues of what appeared to be flame, separating so that one settled on each of them," TCNT translation.

Throughout the Old Testament (Old Covenant) times, fire was a significant manifestation of the Presence of God, on Mount Sinai, in the Tabernacle of Moses, in the consumption of animal sacrifices and fire also came down from heaven in response to the sacrifices of individuals, such as Elijah, Gideon and Manoah. In Acts 2:3 we note the cessation of the Old Covenant in the final appearance of visible fire. There are two Covenants, one of Law and one of the Spirit as specified in 2 Corinthians 3.

The New Covenant of the Spirit began in Acts 2:4, and the literal fire and visible manifestation of "tongues of fire" became "speaking in tongues" for all times under this New Covenant. Instantly they were filled with the Spirit. This resulted in inspired utterances of speaking in other tongues. Praying in tongues is part of the filling of the Spirit.

Relevant Points In Acts 2 we note:-
    a. They were all filled with the Spirit.
    b. They began to speak with other tongues. They began. They began to speak and with other tongues This was the prophecy of Joel 2:28, "upon all flesh".
    c. It was the Spirit who was giving them utterance.

Every time someone is baptised in the Spirit, to this very day, everything in a, b and c, will be repeated.

The following factors are noticed:-
        i. There was great noise.
        ii. This caused crowds to gather around the place where they were.
      iii. They were bewildered. The supernatural acts of God are so foreign to mankind that even the most godly will marvel at his "strange" acts as the Scripture calls them.
        iv. Some heard someone speaking in his own language. There are fifteen kinds of people mentioned, Therefore at least fifteen kinds of languages were spoken. The scriptures do not say how many other languages were used.
        v. They could hear them glorifying God.
        vi. The scripture does not say they were preaching in other tongues or that the listeners understood that they were preaching to them.
        vii. In that crowd of many thousands, it would have been impossible for them all to hear amongst the one hundred and twenty voices speaking loudly in another tongue, a sermon or teaching in any specific language. The languages given by the Holy Ghost were not for preaching. There were those who caught enough of their particular language to hear that the speaker of that language was glorifying God. A few thousand people would be unable to hear languages spoken at the same time by one hundred and twenty people.

Sometimes we ourselves have heard people being baptised in the Spirit speaking English, which language they did not know. It has indeed glorified God and His works.

Some people even though perplexed, wanted to know what was going on. They were the genuine inquirers, as we see in verse 12. Some in verse 13, were mockers. We know that there are some, even believers, born again, who do likewise today.
Mockery and scorn say, "It is of the Devil." How can we attribute the wonderful works of God to the Devil?

Also, the onlookers thought that the one hundred and twenty were drunk, full of sweet wine. This was only because they were speaking languages the onlookers knew they had never learned. A drunk person often will speak incessantly.

At Pentecost also, Isaiah 28:11,12 was fulfilled. God said He would speak through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, "but they would not listen." Paul quoted this in 1 Corinthians 14:21. In verse 22, he writes, "Tongues then are to interest unbelievers" or as another translation reads, "Tongues are to attract unbelievers”. There we who believe in speaking in tongues have the greatest miracle in our midst for attracting unbelievers to become believers. It is not healing and miracles of healing but speaking in tongues that Paul says will attract unbelievers to become believers. Many come to meetings to get healed but never believe in Christ.

After all this happened, Peter, who doubtless had been speaking for some time in other tongues, stood up to preach. He did not preach in other tongues. Peter used the common every-day language, probably Aramaic, when he preached to them.

He showed, Acts 2:16,21, that this outpouring had been promised by the prophet Joel 2:28,29, "'And it shall be in the last days', says God, 'That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even upon My bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit, and they shall Prophesy'."

This promise was not just for the Jews. It was also for the Gentiles, for whoever would call on the Lord in faith for salvation.

"And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.", v.21.

     a. It is for the last days. Are we not living in the last days?
    b. It is to be a general outpouring, for all mankind. Therefore, it must extend to this day and generation. The term "all mankind" cannot be said to have been exhausted at the time of the outpourings in the early church.
    c. This would include supernatural utterance with visions and dreams that are not ordinary. These supernatural things are for the last days that began on the Day of Pentecost. We live in these last days.
    d. He promised to pour His Spirit out upon His bond slaves.
    e. All of us preach Romans 10:13 to unbelievers so they can be saved. In our day and generation, "Whoever will call upon the Name of the Lord (which means Jesus, our Jehovah is salvation) will be saved."

"Whoever calls on the name of the Lord" was quoted by Peter in Acts 2 for the same period as "the last days," when God promised to pour out His Spirit. We call on His Name today. Therefore, all of us have the right to say that God wants us to be filled with the Spirit today, in the same way in which they all received on that Day of Pentecost.

In verses 38, 39, Peter states that all His hearers were to repent in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, which we believe is for our day and generation.

He said for them to be baptised in water. We accept that also is for today. He promises them, those who would obey these injunctions, that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as he and the others had received it . That also must be for today.

He states further that the promise is "for you," that is those who were listening. "And your children," this being the next generation, which certainly would extend beyond the times of the Apostles, "And for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."

We, today, are "far off," in a different generation than those of that day. Many of us are geographically far off. We in this day, have been called by the Lord our God, and certainly are included in the "as many." Therefore the promise of the baptism in the Holy Ghost is for us today.

The promise of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is for you. It is for you who believe in Jesus, who have at some time or other, called upon the Name of the Lord for salvation.

Acts 8 Explained

The Second Occurrence of the baptism in the Spirit is when Philip went down to preach Jesus Christ in Samaria. Signs followed his ministry and many miracles and healings took place. So great was the operation of God that it appears the whole city turned to Christ. Then Philip, verse 12, baptised them all in water.

These people were saved, believers. They were born again. Otherwise Philip would not have baptised them.

The Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the city had received the Word of God. They knew that as yet, the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of these new converts, yet they anticipated the promise was for them also. These Samaritans were already saved, and baptised in water. Two apostles, Peter and John, were sent down.

Peter and John laid hands upon the people so they would receive what they had experienced, apparently doing so one by one. The people "received the Holy Spirit." By now it would have been some days at least since they had all accepted Christ and been born of the Spirit. The news had first of all to reach Jerusalem. Then it would have taken some time for the apostles' journey.

Therefore, it was definitely a different experience from that of being born again, as it took place sometime afterwards.

In Acts 8:18, it is clear that it was not just a "faith experience" where one by faith assumes God has given something in spirit only, is evidenced by the fact that "Simon saw... that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of... hands".

Our natural eyes do not see what takes place in the spirit realm. We can only see what takes place in the realm of the senses that our bodies possess. He obviously saw them using their mouths to speak in tongues.

Our assumption that in Samaria they spoke with tongues even though it is not stated, is a certainty.

The first outpouring of the Spirit with the first class of people was manifested with tongues of fire. This time, there were tongues without manifestation of fire. They received the infilling of the Holy Ghost which is expressed in the supernatural Holy Ghost inner fire-provoking and fire-kindling Spiritual experience, flowing out by speaking with other tongues in prayer, praise, worship and intercession.

Speaking in other tongues will always accompany being filled with the Spirit as a day to day experience. It is the only Scriptural and common manifestation that follows a new infilling of the Holy Ghost.

The third instance of someone being baptised in the Spirit is in Acts 9:1-18. This was in the case of Saul.

The Third Occasion. Saul had a vision of Jesus on the road to Damascus. He did not know who He was. In his sinful state, he fell to the ground, or "was slain." On hearing the Voice say, "I am Jesus". He obeyed Him and went into the city where he prayed for three days.

In this manner Saul was saved. Thus he became a believer. He was born again. Also, he was struck blind. Then the Lord sent Ananias to him, Acts 9:10-16. In verse 17, he prayed for Saul, so that he might regain his sight, and be "filled with the Holy Spirit".

At this time, having already believed, he received this different experience of being "filled with the Holy Spirit." This was three days after his conversion. This infilling of the Holy Ghost was what happened to the others in chapters 2 and 8. Chapter 8:18 and 19 uses the words, "the Spirit was given" and "Receive the Holy Spirit".

It states in 1 Corinthians 14:18 "I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all." That was not the Gift of Tongues. It was the measure of his spirituality (the place of the Spirit) in his private prayer life. This should challenge all believers. If he spoke so continuously in other tongues in his prayer life, so should we.

His name changed from Saul to Paul. His life consisted of much praying, singing and praising in other tongues. This speaking in tongues is a prayer or worship language given for the use of the believer through the baptism in the Spirit, which is granted by Jesus, the Baptiser.

The Fourth Occasion is in Acts 10. Peter was given a vision. He obeyed even although it was contrary to his Jewish beliefs.

In the gathering with Cornelius, a Gentile, were his relatives and close friends. Peter commenced preaching the gospel. Verses 44-48 show how the "Holy Spirit fell upon" all those who were listening to the message.

Obviously in their hearts the people believed in Jesus as they listened to Peter preaching the gospel of Christ. God bypassed the act of baptism in water immediately after conversion, as He did in the case of Paul, Acts 9:17, 18. As they were sitting and listening they were baptised in the Holy Spirit.

Peter and his friends knew the "Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also, because they heard them speak with tongues." This was an outpouring similar to what took place on the day of Pentecost. They were speaking with tongues and exalting God. How do we know? Because those who were with Peter heard them speaking with tongues.

They called it "received the Holy Spirit just as we did." It was a tongues speaking experience. Then the new believers were baptised in water later.

When Peter was explaining this outpouring to the apostles and brethren in Acts 11, he said this, in verse 16, "Then I remembered the word of Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit'."

He tied it in with the words of Jesus. In verse 17 he says "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us..." This clearly indicates that Peter now recognised the same promise given to Jews was also for Gentile believers. See Acts 15:12.

So far, on these four occasions there is evidence that they spoke with tongues as they were baptised with the Holy Spirit. Twice the scriptures emphatically state that they did indeed speak with tongues.

"In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established."

There is no verse in the whole of the New Testament where it indicates even any one person was baptised in the Holy Spirit, unless he or she spoke in tongues.

The Fifth Occasion is in Acts 19:1-6 where about twelve men were shown that they must receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Paul had gone to Ephesus. He found some disciples. He knew these were believers in Jesus. He discovered they had been baptised in water according to John's baptism. These verses show you do not have to speak in tongues to be saved.

It was obvious to Paul that they lacked something, so he questioned them as to whether they had received the Holy Spirit, or he could have heard about Apollos, Acts 18:25,26. "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Some translations say, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"

The question would have been senseless if Paul thought that to believe in Jesus as Saviour was to automatically "receive the Holy Ghost." There is still a lack today in believers who have not received the Holy Ghost in this way.

Paul knew that they did not know about the Person of the Holy Spirit, He realised their baptism in water lacked something. Even though they had received John's baptism, he rebaptised them in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then he laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them, or as one translation says, "descended on them".

That they spoke with tongues and prophesied is clearly stated.

The verbs are in the imperfect tense and indicate that these happenings are to be for a very long time in history.

These believers experienced what the disciples had in Acts 2:4, when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues.

Many a person has said, "I am baptised in the Spirit, but I don't speak in tongues yet." To that brother or sister we say, "Praise God, you have been anointed by the Spirit. Thank God He is real to you and has blessed you. Right now you can receive the Bible way."

A believer may have received many blessings from the Lord without speaking in tongues. The Father desires to bless His children. If he does not speak in tongues, the believer needs to add a far greater dimension of the supernatural. He should receive the baptism in the Spirit, which always is to include speaking in tongues.

Some have great objections to speaking in tongues. They consider it peculiar. Yet those very same Christians, together with those of us who speak in other tongues, all believe implicitly the Word of God is the Revelation of God Himself. We believe it is infallible.

Consider the peculiar things many of the prophets were required to see and do.

Sometimes people say, "God will give it to me when He is ready," or, "I will get it in God's timing." The Bible says, "behold now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation," 2 Corinthians 6:2. The baptism is included in the salvation blessings. The time to receive is now. God's timing is now. That we are to speak in other tongues is the evidence of scripture.

It has been my personal experience that many believers need to have the baptism in the Spirit ministered to them. Some will receive as they pray alone.

That Paul ministered the Spirit when he laid hands on the Ephesian believers, is revealed in Galatians 3:5,6. He says, "He therefore who ministers to you Spirit, and works miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ...even as Abraham believed God." He did this, even as Abraham (not God) believed.

Paul's ministry to others was through faith, not because of obedience to the Law. The same Greek word for "ministereth" is used in 2 Corinthians 9:10; Colossians 2:19 (translated "supplies"); 2 Peter 1:5,11 (translated "add").

Also, by the Spirit, we work the miracles. 1 Corinthians 12:10,28; Acts 6:8; 8:6,13; 19:11; Revelation 13:14; 19:20; John 14:12. Paul "worked" miracles, as in the above-mentioned verses. Therefore, if a man "works miracles," a man "ministers the Spirit." Of course, we know that this is the operation of the Holy Spirit through us.
There is an idea around the world that we can "impart" something to others. Different preachers are trying to "impart" being slain, laughter, the anointing or healing, We cannot impart anything from God as they are trying to do. They take this idea from certain teachings regarding the "laying on of hands" on the animal in the Old Testament, in Leviticus 16:5-10.

It was done on the annual Day of Atonement, when one goat was sent out into the wilderness, a type of Jesus. The sin of the people was laid upon it. This could not mean that everyone's sins were in actuality put upon this goat. It meant the goat was taking their place in sin with its guilt.

Jesus, in 2 Corinthians 5:21, also took our place of sin with all its guilt. Sin was not imparted into Jesus. We must understand Scripture correctly. Therefore, let us understand that we do not "impart" any spiritual blessing "held" by ourselves into others. However, Satanic demons can come into such an impartation from a person and that would be as the preacher or person knowingly or unknowingly acts from the soul.

Rather, a preacher must "minister" which means "render aid or service to a person." We render service to others by the laying on of hands in the Name of Jesus as He works through us by His Spirit so that Jesus Himself imparts whatever He wills according to the Word. This can be healing, the outpouring of the spirit or other spirit-ual gifts.

Acts 3:6 is not speaking of an impartation. It reads, "'I do not possess silver and gold but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.' Then he grasped him and helped him up".

This is what he had - the possession of grace and spiritual gifts, 2 Corinthians 6:10. By virtue of the power and authority of the Name (not by virtue of what was resident in Peter) the man walked. The "name" stands for the revealed nature, character, office and authority of Jesus Christ and what He is.

Peter "spirit"-ually stood in the Presence, nature and authority of Jesus Christ. The power of Christ flowed into the man, out from the innermost being of Peter where the Spirit of God abides. Peter did not impart this but his word was with power because of the Person and Presence of Jesus Christ by His Spirit, Who then acted in healing. Peter could be said to have "healed" the man, but it happened as described above.

Does not the same thing prevail when it comes to believing on Christ as Saviour? Do not the majority of those who come to Christ do so because someone or some preacher has ministered the Word of God and salvation to them? When believers are baptised in water, are they not ministered to? Is not the Word of God ministered to God's children for spiritual growth? The same applies in the matter of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Many times people who have been unsuccessful in receiving have said to me, "Maybe God does not love me," or "Perhaps I am too great a sinner," or "Could it be my involvement with the occult in days past that stops me from receiving?" Sometimes they remark, "Perhaps it's not the right time? I must await God's timing."
Then, on other occasions, I have met up with believers who are working for God, living a holy and Christian life. They are faithful in church attendance, reading the Bible and praying. Still, they have not yet received.

Because they know their lives up to that point show certain maturity, many times they settle for the opinion, "Everybody is not supposed to speak in tongues when they receive." Some will even say, "I did receive - without speaking in tongues."

To all of these precious ones let us say, "Yes, speaking in tongues does accompany being baptised in the Spirit." "Yes God does love you. You have not failed Him. His Blood has washed you clean. The occult involvement is of the past and has nothing to do with your not yet receiving. 'Now is God's time'. You can receive right now, because the Bible says, 'Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation'."

As most people need someone else to minister them the baptism in the Spirit, it is for us who minister to ensure that we experience the anointing, know the right ways and say the right things.

Three times in the New Testament we find the expression, "The just shall live by faith." Being baptised in the Spirit occurs in the realm of faith. It is not by works of any description. Prayers, praise or fasting are not the means. Can we pray ourselves into becoming saved? Must we not "believe in our hearts"?

We are saved by grace through faith and we are baptised in the Spirit by grace through faith.

How are we to minister the baptism? Through the gifts of faith and miracles.

The gift of faith apparently operates in such a way that the person being ministered to receives Divine-given faith. I have often seen people receive who have said to me, "I didn't really want it," or "I didn't believe I would receive it."

After many years of our waiting on God, it has now become normal in the meetings that one hundred per cent of those coming forward receive the baptism at that time.

All receive through faith and the Gifts of the Spirit working through us.

In Acts 1 "They tarried”. Jesus commanded His disciples to "tarry" until they were endued with power from on high. This they did. They had to tarry or wait for the coming of the Day of Pentecost, so that the Feast of Pentecost could be fulfilled.

After that first outpouring, no one in the book of Acts ever tarried. We do not need to tarry. The early Pentecostals, of whom I was one, did not know any other way. So we tarried. However, it is not scriptural.

The disciples were tarrying or waiting for the Holy Ghost to come from heaven. Their tarrying was not a measure undertaken by them to receive. It was done at the command of Jesus.

Why were they required to tarry? They were tarrying or waiting until the Day of Pentecost came. The outpouring of the Spirit was to be the fulfilment of the Feast of Pentecost.

On that glorious Day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost was sent down from heaven to this earth. He has never left the earth. He has been here all through the centuries until now.

Therefore, we do not need to tarry for Him to come. We do not seek for Him to come down from heaven. He is here. The Comforter has come. We spread the tidings round, "The Holy Spirit has come. He is here. We do not have to 'tarry' or 'wait' for Him to come."

The practice of tarrying came into being in U.S.A. in the early 1800's under the Primitive Methodists. They "tarried" for the supposed "blessing" of tearing up the roots of sin from one's nature. They called this blessing, the "baptism of the Spirit." They had wonderful and powerful meetings.

It is amazing that God blesses people who follow Him despite the error and confusion in their doctrines. God delights to bless His children. The early Pentecostals to a large degree followed on from Methodism and Holiness preachers.
Fasting and praying, the singing of choruses, crying, shouting, and repetitive praise such as "Hallelujah" are forms of works, when they are used as efforts to receive anything from God.

Let it be understood that by faith one simply receives. God is the one who gives, but we must receive.

Satan knows the power of the church lies in praying in other tongues, and in the operation of the Spirit’s gift. He opposes it. As the Spirit of God manifests Himself through the believer in praying in other tongues, according to the will of God, the Father above hears and answers the cry of the Spirit.

The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. These weapons are supernatural. One of them is prayer in the Spirit which includes praying in other tongues.

Believers need never fear they could receive a demonic spirit as they seek God for the baptism in the Spirit. This is an impossibility if they act according to the Word. With full assurance of faith believers approach the throne of God. Obedience to the Word of God ensures that it is God who responds. Following exactly the Word of God and its promises assures us that God will answer according to that Word. 2 Corinthians 1:20, "For many as were the promises of God, in Christ is the Yes that fulfills them. Hence it is through him that we affirm our amen in worship".

Paul was not guilty, in verse 17, of forming plans on worldly principles. There can come into the church such plans or "moves." The false apostles in that church were doing such things, with many people accepting them as true apostles. Let all do as Paul did by following the Word of God and preaching Jesus Christ. He did not follow preaching philosophy, psychology, humanism or prosperity, laughter and falling over instead of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit that includes speaking with other tongues.

Power

For many years there has been a major emphasis on Acts 1:8, where Jesus promised, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses”. Truly, we should place emphasis on this verse.
Unfortunately, I with others, did not check the real meaning of “power” in the Greek. It has been the custom to infer that we are all to have a power that should produce “signs and wonders” and “healings, miracles and raising from the dead”. This has meant that most have never understood the real meaning of these blessed words of Jesus to us. The fundamentals in relation to the wonderful outpouring of the Spirit have been lost to us.

The actual meanings from a dictionary of “power”, “dynamis” in the original are – “potential”, “power in reserve”, “power to do miracles” “authority”, “mighty work” and most importantly, “the miracle itself”.

When we look at all these meanings, we are faced with the fact that the doing of miracles is mentioned only once. “Potential” in the main would refer to what happens in our inner beings, Ephesians 3:16, “that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit”.

“Power in reserve” can be seen as showing that this power as mentioned according to Ephesians, is abiding within the recipient, ready to be initiated as the need arises.

“Power to do miracles”, the only reference to anything like signs and wonders, implies that Christ’s miracle power is available when needed and should I say stirred up? See 2 Timothy 1:6, “Stir up the gift that is within you”. The gift of the Holy Spirit is to be stirred up according to Jude 24 by “praying in the Holy Ghost (other tongues)”. Praying in tongues is a miracle and other miracles involve any gift of the Holy Spirit that is the enabling to bring miraculous help to those in need.

“Authority” must relate to Romans 5:17, “If, because of one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

“Mighty work” has reference to every work of power that the Holy Spirit is able to perform within us and through us to others. Within us would include all works of sanctification, holiness and the fruits of the Spirit, while mighty works through us to others must include everything the Spirit can do through us in all kinds of blessings to others.

We have been blinded by the notion that “power” refers only to wonderful healings and miracles.

In actuality, to see people born again and filled with the Holy ghost, is far more glorious than seeing the lame walk and the blind see with other kinds of healings. We ourselves have seen much of both.

“The miracle itself” to my being, portrays the very power that Jesus was speaking about. That power is in the miracle of speaking or praying in other tongues.

Because Jesus said this, we should respond by saying, “Yes, Lord, I believe that this miracle of speaking in other tongues, is the supernatural miracle that we all must emphasise. Therefore, Lord, I will put my belief into practice and pray much in other tongues, even as the apostle Paul did”. He said in 1 Corinthians 14:18, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you”.

The message from the Holy Spirit comes across the centuries to us today, "and you shall receive the Holy Spirit. For the promise (Acts 1:4; 2:4,16,33,39) is for you and your children, and for all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself".

He is not talking about salvation, or the born again experience. He is explaining what they themselves had experienced as related in Acts 2:3,4, which was the gift of the Holy Spirit. Regarding salvation, he said they were to repent and be baptised for the remission of sins.
 

The baptism in the Spirit is the promise of the Father. It is to be received after the experience of salvation. This can be for instance one minute, one hour, one month or one year after.

To receive let us look at Mark 11:24, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

So you must make the request, "Lord, I ask for the baptism in the Spirit." Then on the authority of the Word of God, you believe you have it already, before there is any sign or feeling.

It does not depend on our feelings. We do not know the Holy Spirit is in us because we "feel" it, although feelings do get touched. We know He is there because God says so.

Neither does receiving the baptism necessarily depend on our "desire." I have known folk to receive who had no desire as they later told us. Feelings are not to be the basis for receiving and neither can desire be such. It is the touch of the Holy Spirit in lives that is all important.

What is required is obedience to the Word of God which commands us to "Be being filled with the Spirit," Ephesians 5:18 (Present Continuous Tense in the Greek). Their being filled with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost involved their speaking in other tongues.

After that, we must pray often in other tongues to receive "a continuous supply of the Spirit”, Philippians 1:19, or "the giving of the stored wealth of the Spirit." As we believe we reach out in faith. Our wills obey God. We do what the apostle Paul did. He said, "I will pray with the Spirit," 1 Corinthians 14:15 .

The emphasis is always to be on obedience, faith and the will and not on feelings or works of religion. As well, we should realise that the baptism in the Spirit is not meant to be the culmination in the experience of the believer.

The baptism in the spirit is one experience. It is not the culmination. Rather it is to be the entrance into a rich life in God. We are to be so filled with the Spirit of God that it is our common experience to be praying to the Lord in other tongues.

The experience of the baptism is the "sealing" spoken of in Ephesians 1:13-14, "In Him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, and had believed in him were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit."

After the Ephesians listened they believed and were saved according to Romans 10:9. They then received the promise of Acts 1:4. A seal is an imprint made upon wax. The baptism is the imprint made upon us who have God's great salvation. It shows clearly that He owns us.

It is a definite experience. It continues on from the salvation experience. Another translation reads, "You believed in him and were sealed as his by receiving the Holy Spirit, which he had promised."

The Holy Spirit is in every believer. We are born of the Spirit. Isaiah 12:2,3 teaches us that the Lord God "has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." There is within each believer, a well of salvation. The well is the Spirit of Christ. In John 4:14, Jesus told the woman of Samaria, "The water that I will give will become a well of water springing up to eternal life." This comes as the Spirit, as clearly shown in Romans 8:9, "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him".

The baptism in the Spirit concerns not a well but a river. Doubtless the river flows from the well or spring within us. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7:37-39 as the ritual of pouring out water by the priests was taking place, Jesus stood up. He called out, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink... Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive."

We ask Jesus for the baptism. We believe we have received. We drink in the Spirit from the Lord Jesus Christ. Then a river begins to flow. It is the river of the Spirit. It flows from within us.

We do not wait for the Holy Spirit to come from heaven. He descended on the Day of Pentecost.

You have asked according to Mark 11:24, so "All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you."

Further, you have believed that you have received. Now has come the moment to "drink." With your Spirit, drink of the Holy Spirit, in an act of faith and deliberate action. The Holy Spirit is flowing like a river as you drink.

The promise of the Lord in Isaiah 59:19 is "He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Spirit drives."

James 2:26 says, "Faith apart from works is dead." In many places, I have seen local pastors and believers acting faith on the lame, for instance, who have been commanded to walk in the Name of Jesus.

I remember doing this myself. There was a woman who was lame. We said, "Walk, in Jesus' Name." Then, she was encouraged to commence walking in Jesus' Name. As this person responded in faith, she began to walk. She was totally healed. Faith acts.

So also with the baptism in the Spirit. To receive there has to be the moment for faith to act. The "works" of faith are not the religious or spiritual efforts that stir up emotions, faith or feelings. It means to do the "action" of faith.

It has nothing to do with repeating "Hallelujah," "Thank you Jesus," or the singing of choruses as a means of receiving the baptism in the Spirit, which are in effect, "works of religion" as also is fasting. Religious works are almost void of the Holy Spirit. They are not the operations of faith. Romans 14:23, "for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin”. It is not necessary to even attempt to "bring down" the anointing! The anointing, the Spirit of God Himself, is in every believer, 1 John 2:27. To do these things is really an effort to get oneself into a so-called state to receive, or even worse, attempts to move God to act. Such works are dead works of religion.

We draw near to Him and touch Him. We are drawn into His Presence, or we move into His Being in Spirit. Another truth is that He, by His Spirit IS within us. You seeking believer, must act, with faith.

In Acts 2:4, Luke relates, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and (they) began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

Let us note:-
    a. The Holy Spirit does not speak.
    b. We must speak.
    c. To speak we must use our voice box, tongue and lips.
    d. As we began to speak, the Holy Spirit is there to give utterance.

They obviously did not say repeatedly, "Hallelujah" or "Praise the Lord" at that time in their own language. They began to speak in tongues.

They began to "speak" in other tongues. That is all the Bible says. Speaking is not shouting or whispering. It is to use a normal voice in speaking. It is not wrong to shout or whisper but the most appropriate thing to do is to speak.

There is no mention of an accompanying shaking, clapping, jumping, laughing or crying. The Bible sign is to speak in other tongues.

Some do become quite emotional. That could be due to former demonic influences in their lives or former hurts, scars and a history of emotional upset in their lives. Then again, others may laugh, which could be the natural result of their experience. The main thing is to speak in tongues. When a person newly receives, one allows a certain freedom of action and expression even if it disturbs others.

If demons automatically go out when the person begins to speak in tongues, and there is a brief period of shrieking, yelling, screaming, or even of falling down, the one ministering quickly commands demons to leave and never return, in Jesus' Name. Then the person must be encouraged to speak for a long time in other tongues.

If correctly taught, most people will speak in tongues easily, in a moderate tone of voice and with a fluency that should accompany the new language of the Spirit.
The beginning of speaking in tongues should be extended as soon as possible into speaking, with faith and the will, many new words. Just speak and keep on speaking in tongues.

To be Pentecostal is to speak in other tongues, according to Acts 2:4. Saying "Hallelujah" or "Praise the Lord" does not make a person Pentecostal. Clapping the hands, laughing, falling over, shaking or yelling does not make a person Pentecostal or Charismatic. People can do all the above things and it will not make them one bit Pentecostal.

According to the Bible, we can only be called "Pentecostal" if we speak often in other tongues and go on to the Gifts of the Holy Ghost as shown in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 to 14. The Bible sets out the experience on the Day of Pentecost as being the Pentecostal way. They spoke in other tongues. Peter emphasized also the need to repent, believe and to be baptized in water. Pentecostal people will experience Galatians 3:1-3 in their churches as well as 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. The "Pentecostal" believers of those days were to obey all the epistles. Pentecostal believers and in fact all believers should obey also.

"Hallelujah" is not speaking in tongues. To speak in tongues to the Lord is a far greater experience than repeating "Hallelujah".

To someone who has spent a lifetime amongst Pentecostals and Charismatics, it is obvious the use of "Hallelujah" has taken the place of a fundamental and wide operation of the Spirit of God. This lack is in both individuals and churches.

We should mention stammering. It does happen sometimes that the person begins to "stammer." This is because they refuse to speak. To speak, one has to use one’s tongue, lips and voice.

Isaiah 28:11,12, "Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, He who said to them, 'Here is rest, give rest to the weary, And, Here is repose'." It has a connection with speaking in tongues. As mentioned elsewhere, Paul quotes this passage in 1 Corinthians 14:21,22, referring to tongues.

According to Scripture and experience, praying in the Spirit is a wonderful spiritual, emotional and physical rest. The peace of God can fill the pray-er, through this rest and this repose. God has promised in Hebrews 3 and 4 that there is His spiritual rest for the people of God. It is rest from works for salvation and from walking in salvation. There is rest from worry and in trouble, rest in the Lord for victory over sin. Added to this is the wonderful rest a believer can experience often in prayer in other tongues.

The person who begins to stammer should persevere with a definite speaking by using tongue, lips, mouth and voice. Then he will find himself speaking a clear language.

In verses 10 and 13, we read, "Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there, so that they will go and fall backwards, be injured and snared and captured." The message became one of law and doing, falling backwards and in captivity, instead of hearing and receiving the outpouring of the Spirit and receiving rest in the Lord.

It is very strange that the Bible says, "They will go and fall backwards" as being something contrary to the will and way of God. This was because they did not receive the right message, which was being filled with the Spirit with speaking in tongues as the only sign and general phenomenon.

Falling backwards, as commonly occurs is not a sign of the blessing of God, according to this scripture. One practice is to always have a "catcher" so that they will not hurt themselves! These verses in Isaiah mention this - "go and fall backwards and be injured - and snared." In any case, throughout Scripture, when people did fall at the presence of God or angels, they fell forwards on their faces. They were then set on their feet.

Sometimes people try to teach believers to speak in tongues. They should be told to speak in tongues by the Spirit. When believers are told to say, "Hallelujah" or "Ba, ba, ba" they may find it difficult to speak proper tongues by the Spirit.

There are times when a person does not wish to leave the area of his mind and/or soul. He should be taught to use faith and to act in the area of his spirit.

Shaking, jumping, loud clapping and other strange emotional clamour show a lack of surrender to the Holy Spirit within. Speaking in other tongues is what is from the Holy Spirit.

We all are creatures of soulish emotion. Emotions are part of the human make-up. However, the Holy Spirit flows from our innermost being, meaning the spirit not the soul, John 7:38,39. The "innermost being" (inaptly translated in the KJV 'belly'), is the area of our spirits and is not the source of the soul or its emotions.

The Bible sign of being filled with the Spirit is speaking in other languages and not shaking, falling over, jumping, slapping, laughing, crying or any other emotional activity. Paul said, "My spirit prays". To receive blessing only in the soul or emotions, stops the person from receiving proper infillings of the Holy Ghost.

In Acts 2:4, "they began to speak in other languages". It is clear from this verse that they spoke in other languages only. They were sitting. They did not even use "Hallelujah".

They were speaking from their spirits by the Holy Spirit, in other languages. Each received a language and not two or three words. Each received a language from the Holy Spirit specifically for that person. Each language is different.

Also, it is good to remember that a foreign language always sounds strange to our ears. It often does not even sound like a language! Praise God for the way He works.

The Bible does not say we must speak at length in tongues to be able to say, "I have received." In fact, one translation of Acts 2:4 says, "They began to speak short, pithy sentences." Receiving means there is also the miracle of speaking in tongues.
The sign we have received the baptism in the Spirit is that we speak in other tongues. This is the heavenly gift to us.

You must drink in the Holy Spirit with your spirit. At that moment, the Spirit begins to flow like a river from within. You believe it, despite any lack of feeling. We are not operating through emotions but through faith.

As you drink, the Spirit gives you His empowered ability to speak in tongues. You are still in the realm of faith and now in the control of the Spirit. By an act of faith, with an act of your will, you begin to speak in tongues. The voice box, tongues and lips have a miracle happen to them. You must open your mouth and with your will determine to use your voice box, your tongue and your lips. You cannot speak two languages at once. You must stop your own language, Tamil, including "Hallelujah”. You begin to speak only other tongues.

At that very second, the Holy Spirit will act in response to faith. The supernatural words begin to flow. Miracles have taken place. Besides the miracle that is the Person of the Holy Spirit, there is the miracle of speech and an unrecognised miracle in the brain. The Spirit of God has caused the right side of the brain to produce speech while leaving the normal left side used in speech, to remain dormant. It is supernatural prayer. There is a deep miracle of the Spirit's flowing from within.

Oh, marvellous grace! As you do your part, which is as described, the Holy Spirit does His wonderful, supernatural act. He gives you "utterance" because He is filling you and flowing like a river from deep within your inner most being. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to speak unknown languages.

The words and language come from the mind of the Holy Spirit and not from our minds. There is sometimes ecstasy which is supernatural.

We do not understand a word we are saying. We will never understand what we say unless a supernatural interpretation in our own language is given to us. Our spirit is praying, not our minds. As the Scripture says, "No man understands" - including the one speaking, 1 Corinthians 14:2.

Sometimes mankind has made such a god of his intellect that the value of the spirit is disregarded. Our spirit is that part of us which God has created to communicate with Him.

Also, cannot the Holy Spirit produce far better prayers and worship from His mind, through our spirits, than ever we can produce from our own minds?

Once we begin to speak as the Spirit is flowing and giving the utterance, we must keep on speaking in tongues. Do not stop speaking. The Spirit will not cease His flowing in this way as long as by faith we keep on drinking of the Spirit. Faith continues to receive. Faith yields to the Spirit. Faith speaks in this supernatural way of new tongues. It allows the Spirit to give more words.

Faith and submission to the Spirit is what is required of us. This means that we speak in tongues, as this is what the Spirit desires. To submit to Him in this instance means that we speak as He gives the words.

Every person is different. Some will receive without showing any emotion. Let me say that once their praying has finished and they start sharing their experiences their faces show evidence of the glory of God. There is joy, an emotion! A point is that we receive an experience in the baptism in the Spirit, whether having emotion or not.

We as believers in Christ are to have experiences.

After believers receive the Holy Spirit as they did in the early church, the Scripture brings assurance that, "the anointing which you received from Him abides in you," 1 John 2:27. That anointing regarding truth stays, as well as the anointing in the baptism of the Spirit.

The ability to pray or worship in other tongues remains. We note that one is required to stir up the gift of God that is "in you", 2 Timothy 1:6. You must stir it up, by faith. Paul said, "I will pray with the spirit," 1 Corinthians 14:15. The will wills to pray in this way. Faith acts. The Holy Spirit flows.

It is for you to follow what has been ministered above. You can drink of the Spirit and immediately begin to speak in other tongues. The Holy Spirit who is in you as a well, will begin to flow like a river.

Sometimes there is confusion about the difference between the gift of tongues and the tongues we receive when we are baptised in the Holy Spirit.

Some think the gift of tongues is the tongues language spoken in accordance with Acts 2:4. Because of this they have settled for an experience without speaking in tongues as a sign they have received. They argue that they received the baptism in the Spirit, but there were no tongues. It was not necessary, they say, as not everyone receives the gift of tongues.

They are correct in saying that not everyone receives the gift of tongues. Reading the list set out in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 makes us all aware of the fact that the ministries and gifts are distributed to each one "individually." Also the Word of God clearly states "to another" is given one gift and "to another" is given perhaps some other gift.

Regarding the gift of tongues, we read, "to another various kinds of tongues." This gift of tongues is indeed a gift, not received by all, but a gift given by the Holy Spirit.

The baptism in the Spirit is a gift also, but it is Jesus Christ who is the Giver of the baptism and not the Holy Spirit. John prophesied that One was coming after him, who would, "baptise you with the Holy Ghost and fire." Luke 3:16, Jesus is the Baptiser.

The accompanying feature of the baptism is that, "they began to speak with other tongues." As the two gifts, the baptism and the gift of tongues are given by two different Persons of the Godhead so the features of each are different.

The Baptism in the Spirit provides a supernatural prayer and worship language. It is directed to God. This will be until Jesus comes or we die. It is meant to be used and increased thus continually edifying the pray-er. This language flows from within, "Out of our belly shall flow rivers of living water," K.J. John 7:38." "Belly" is sometimes translated "heart" which is the Bible term for "spirit." The original Greek for "innermost being" (belly) comes from the Hebrew word used in Exodus 17:6, for the water coming "from within it," i.e. the rock that was smitten. "Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, (the interior cave of the rock)". This portion was probably read at the Feast that Jesus attended. The expression "from within him," relates to the interior cavity of the rock, from which the water came. "Innermost being" has no connection with the stomach. It is applied first of all to Christ Himself, then to the man whose thirst He quenches, and whom He indwells by His Spirit when he is born again. It has a far deeper meaning than from the "stomach" of a person. Quite often prayer in this supernatural language is activated by the person's will.

The Gift of Tongues is a different anointing. It comes upon the person There is a different touch of the Spirit which is distinguishable from the usual. There generally is a conclusion of this tongues language within two or three minutes. It does not come from "within" as occurs in the speaking with tongues that came as an accompaniment to the baptism in the Spirit. Rather it would appear to "come upon" the person.

It is not a general bestowal as is the baptism. Only the minority of God's people receive this and many more should receive this Gift of Tongues. In relation to the baptism everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour is supposed to receive, could, and should receive the tongues language.

Jesus is the one who gives the baptism in the Spirit as an experience. As with all gifts, one must receive it, or take it, through faith or by the means of faith. Not in faith. "In faith" could imply it is merely in the realm of faith, and to such an extent that it remains hidden in the mists of obscure "spirit," wholly a mystical experience without any substantiality or tangibility.

"Through faith" implies the manner in which it is received. It points to an experience that is tangible, evident and can be heard, invading the area of the senses from the spirit realm.

As has been proved in the earlier chapters of this book, the baptism with the Spirit is accompanied by &q