Releasing the power within!
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. The trinity is composed of God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes to live inside the believers to give guiding and teaching from Christ. The Holy Spirit is The One through which we learn obedience and through which we receive help in dealing with our particular situation.
1. Jesus is The Lamb of God.
1 John 1:29-33 (HCSB)
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. 33 I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
John the Baptist may previously had personal contact with Jesus (Luke 1:39–45), John did not actually know Jesus as the Son of God at first contact with Him. This was revealed to Him by the Spirit of God.
By reading, prayer and listening to the preached word the Spirit of God is invited into our lives and hearts. After our commitment is made, many things are revealed to us and all the gifts of The Holy Spirit are given to us.
1.1. Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament foresaw the time of redemption as being a time that the Holy Spirit was made available by being poured out on the people of God. It was not only John The Baptist who anticipated the Spirit being made available for the people of God. In his writings, Paul refers to Jesus as the second Adam who became “a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Paul makes sure that the intended meaning of this was clear. Paul does this by painting a word picture comparing the first Adam and the last Adam. The “life-giving spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are described in different terms depending on their activity in the Church. This identity is known to us because Jesus is life-giving. Jesus’ fulfilled the role as Messiah starting with His resurrection and ascension. If you are in Christ, you will also be in the Spirit.
1. Corinthians 6:11
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
2 Corinthians 3:6
And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit was sent after Jesus ascension, to be the substitute of Jesus. The Holy Spirit now lives inside the believers. Believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit after believing and being baptized in water. This enables Christians to serve God.
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Through receiving the gift of The Holy Spirit, we become energized by His Holy Spirit. We have then become anointed, carriers of His grace.
2. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Acts 1:4-5
4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
2.1. Ten Scriptural Reasons to Speak in Tongues
One of the great blessings of the Pentecostal experience is the gift of a spiritual language (or languages) known as speaking in other tongues. All of God's gifts are given for specific purposes and all are so the people of God and the Church “can profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7, KJV).
Rather than Spirit-filled Christians being caught-up in arguing with negative believers over the “rights and wrongs” of tongues (God told us way back in Isaiah His people would refuse to accept Him speaking via the avenue of tongues - Isaiah 28:11-12), we need to know the positive purposes of why we should speak in tongues regularly. Let the Scriptures speak and let us receive with an open-heart all that He desires for us in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit:
- God Speaks to us Through Tongues: “For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people ...” (Isaiah 28:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 14:21).
- We Speak to God: “For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to man, but to God” (1 Corinthians 14:2).
- In the Spirit we Speak Mysteries (“secrets between friends; what is known only to the initiated”): “For he that speaks in an unknown tongue ... speaks unto God ... in the Spirit he speaks mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2).
- We Edify (“build up”) Ourselves: “He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself” (1Corinthians 14:4 and Jude 20).
- Tongues and Interpretation are Gifts of The Holy Spirit: “To another many kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:10). The nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 are given to unite and build up the body of Christ via the individuals who exercise (or manifest) them in the love of Jesus. “I would that you all spake with tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:5).
- Tongues is our Spirit Praying: “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays” (1 Corinthians 14:14).
- Tongues are for Speaking, Praying and Singing unto God: “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding as well ...” (1 Corinthians 14:15-17).
- Tongues are to Bless (“to speak well of, praise, as men toward God”) and Give Thanks to God: “Else when you shall bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned (“one who has no professional knowledge” - of the Spirit; has not been initiated or sealed - Ephesians 1:13)say Amen at your giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what you are saying” (1 Corinthians 14:16-17).
- Tongues are for a Sign to Unbelievers: “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (1 Corinthians 14:22).
- Tongues are for All to Benefit Spiritually: “I would that you all spake with tongues ... I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all ... Wherefore, brethren ... forbid not to speak with tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:5, 18, 39).
Let me encourage ALL to “press in” that is move close to the Holy Spirit more and more to gain the benefits of” speaking mysteries to God.”
John 7:37-39 Amplified Bible
"Now on the final and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood forth and He cried in a loud voice, 'If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me - who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me - as the Scripture has said, Out from his innermost being springs and rivers of living water shall flow (continuously). But He was speaking here of the Spirit, whom those who believed - trusted, had faith - in Him were afterward to receive. For the (Holy) Spirit had not yet been given; because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honour)"
2.2. How to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Acts 19:1-6
1 It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.
Galatians 3:5, 14
5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
2.3. Everything we receive from God it is through FAITH.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
When I pray asking God to be baptised with the Holy Spirit I must believe that God have heard my prayer. I can now start act on my faith that God have heard my prayer and start speaking in tongues to God in an unknown language.
In the beginning it may only be a few words that I repeat, but as I continue to pray in tongues I will develop this new unknown prayer language.
Jesus has now been honered!
The Gift of The Holy Spirit has now been given!
You and I can now be gloriously filled with God's Spirit and speak forth in other tongues to fulfil the purposes of God for our day!
Jesus said: "These signs shall follow them that believe; In My name ... they shall speak with new tongues" (Mark 16:17 ).