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Discipling 12
Lesson 13
Baptism Of The Holy Spirit
Concept:
One of the last sets of
instructions that Jesus gave His disciples was
to go to Jerusalem and wait. What a command the
Lord gave to them. The disciples are charged
with excitement about His resurrection and they
have just experienced the power of the new birth.
Peter has personally experienced the joy of
being restored by Christ, Himself. All of their
hearts had to be overflowing and I am sure that
Jesus was the talk of the town. In their
thoughts they cried, "You all know the
resurrection does not happen every day. Could
there be a better time to hit the streets and
begin to share this new love with everyone than
right after the resurrection?" But the Lord had
a better plan that would be more fruitful. His
plan was to send the disciples to Jerusalem and
have them wait. Can you imagine how hard waiting
would be especially when you didn't know what you
are waiting for? Jesus told them to wait for the
promise of the Father. In John 14:16, Jesus told
them that another Counselor just like Him was
going to come. He also explained, in verse 26,
what the Holy Spirit would do when He came.
The amazing thing to me is that 120 of His
disciples actually obeyed and spent ten days
together praying and being in one accord. There
is a miracle! Then the day of Pentecost happened
and Jesus fulfilled what John the Baptist had
prophetically declared. John said Jesus would
baptize in the Holy Spirit and He certainly did.
There was a sound like a rushing wind. Could the
Holy Spirit be showing that He is real and He
can change the natural environment just like
Jesus did? Everyone had tongues of fire on their
heads, showing that this baptism is for everyone.
They got so filled, that they ended up in the
streets but this time not just with excitement
but also with power. There was great joy and a
great harvest of souls had come into the
kingdom. This is always the acid test, were
lives changed? The answer was definitely yes.
The disciples moved with a new boldness, Peter
preached with a new authority, and people
responded with a new eagerness. That sure
sounds like something that we need today.
Is this Pentecostal experience truly for today?
Are tongues real and necessary? We want to look
at the scripture and allow the Word to answer
our questions about the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit and its relevancy to us today.
Application:
Scripture Definitions:
Acts 1:8
* Receive power: Take hold of miracle
power, violent encounter, ability to
respond, ability to serve and share
* Come on you: Arrive, attack, influence
* Witness: record, martyr
Acts 2:38
* Gift: Dorea, The very person of the Holy
Spirit, the entire person not just a part
Luke 24:49
* Promise: announcement, pledge, divine
assurance of good
* Endued: sinking into a garment, cloth,
anyone clothed with this power will be
able to have confirmation of His truth
Ephesians 5:18
* Filled: cram, level up, be complete, "be
being filled", a continually being filled
Scriptural Examples:
1. Acts 1:8
2. Acts 2:1-4
3. John 7:37-39
4. Acts 2:33, 38,39
5. Joel 2:28
6. Acts 4:31
7. Acts 6:5
8. Acts 10:44-48
9. Acts 19:1-7
10. Acts 8:14-18
11. I Corinthians 14:18, Acts 9:17
12. Luke 11:11-13
13. John 1:33
Scriptural Consequences:
1. Luke 24:45-49
2. Isaiah 28:11,112
3. I Corinthians 14:15-17
4. Acts 1:8
5. Jude 20
6. Romans 8:26,27
7. I Corinthians 14:14,15
8. I Corinthians 14:4
9. I Corinthians 14:16
10. James 3:8
11. John 16:13
12. Ephesians 6:18
13. Ephesians 5:18,19
14. I Corinthians 12:30
15. I Corinthians 1:4-9
Summary:
Has anyone ever questioned you
about the necessity of being baptized with the
Holy Spirit? Their argument usually is "I
received the Holy Spirit when I was saved".
Our response should be, you are absolutely
right. We can't get saved without the Holy
Spirit being involved. However, we have already
looked at a number of scriptures that emphasize
this "second" work of the Holy Spirit. The
disciples were certainly born again before the
day of Pentecost but they were directed by the
Lord to go and receive this infilling, which
was promised by the Father. Cornelius, in
Acts 10:4-48, was saved, filled with the Holy
Spirit, and baptized in water. Acts 19:1-7 shows
us being "born again" and receiving the Holy
Spirit are both important ingredients for
believers. The Baptism was certainly not given
to cause separation in the Body but to bring
unity. We must not get preoccupied with the gift
and forget who gives the gift. It is about an
opportunity for us to receive from the Lord the
enabling that better testifies of the greatness
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Also you may have been confronted with the
question about "tongues". Are they necessary?
Are tongues the only evidence of the Baptism?
I don't think anyone can read these scriptures
and say that tongues are not part of the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit but they are certainly not
all of the Baptism. They were part of the first
initial evidence but the evidence of the Baptism
didn't stop there. Right after the outpouring
they begin to share the goodness of the Lord with
a real supernatural power. Tongues are not
necessary for those filled with the Holy Spirit
but why would I not want to receive this good
gift from the Lord. You don't have to choose
one part and leave the rest, take the whole
package and enjoy it all. Remember that
everything we are given is so that we can be
blessed to be a blessing. If you are running
over, then you will spill on everyone around
you. You will experience new authority and a
joy that hasn't been part of your life before.
You will pray with a new confidence and
boldness, and the revelation of the Father's
heart will become more real than ever before.
Action Point:
v
If you are not filled with
the Holy Spirit let someone in your group of 12
pray with you to receive this great gift. If
you have received the Baptism, then begin to
pray in the Spirit for 30 minutes a day. Then
share the dynamic that happens because of your
praying in the spirit with the group next
meeting. Get ready for the supernatural to
open up like never before in your life.
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