The Indwelling of the Spirit and the Baptism of the Spirit; they aren’t the same thing:
The Holy Spirit is not simply a “power we get”… He’s a Person within the Triune Godhead. He’s Almighty God and not simply a “force” as some denominations teach. The Spirit of God is a Living Person who indwells every Born Again Believer just as we see in John 20:22 which says: “Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
When the Holy Spirit indwells a Believer, that is what “makes” you a Believer; you aren’t truly His if you don’t have the Holy Spirit:
Romans 8:9 “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)”
When the Spirit of God takes up residence in your life, He brings the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and recreates your spirit; you literally become a new creation! Your old life is gone and your new life begins. You are now a Child of God by Grace through faith.
All of the above stated, while the Spirit of God gives you new life and while your sins are forgiven, you and I must still be Baptised in the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Spirit at Salvation is not the same as receiving the Spirit in Fulness. Many wrongly believe that they have “all” of the Spirit’s power when they come to Christ.
The Believers who received the Spirit in John 20:22 (which is quoted above) received the Spirit AGAIN in Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
The same Peter who denied Christ three times was then – after he received the Spirit in JOhn 20 and after he was filled with the Spirit in Acts 2 – led 3000 people in one sermon into the Kingdom of God:
Acts 2:14 “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd…”
Peter had already received the Holy Spirit after the resurrection of Jesus, just as John 20:22 states clearly; however, he did not receive the Baptism in the Spirit until the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) which brought him not only into forgiveness and cleansing.. but into great power!
Jesus promised that those who already have the Spirit IN them can receive the Spirit ON them:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ( Acts 1:8)
He earlier said in teh same conversation with His disciples who had previously received the Spirit in the book of John: “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)
Thus, we see the Biblical pattern:
1- You receive the Spirit IN you at conversion
2- You receive the Spirit ON you in the Baptism
The Spirit IN you is for “you” while the Spirit ON you is for power to witness.
Many today say that it’s really all “whatever you want to believe” and that “it doesn’t matter”. Friend, the entire Word of God matters and it’s completely and absolutely inspired by the Holy Spirit. There’s not a single passage of Scripture that “doesn’t matter”. In fact, those who say such things wrongly bring others to believe they’ve received something they have no evidence of.
Peter was a fearful coward at one time as were the disciples:
John 20:19-20 “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”
The disciples were “fearful”. Even in verse 20 when they received the Spirit IN them… they didn’t suddenly receive power over fear or anything else; in fact… nothing seemed to externally change.
Not so when the Day of Pentecost came. On that day, when they received the BAPTISM in the Spirit (Acts 1:5), these same disciples who were so fearful before now stood and boldly proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ to thousands of pilgrims visiting Jerusalem.
Today, run to the Word of God and cease listening to the arguments of men AGAINST the Baptism in the Holy Spirit; it’s clearly in the Word… even in chronological order. We see the Spirit when He comes in and we then see what takes place when He comes ON His People.
Without this mighty Promise of being Baptised in the Holy Spirit, you and I would have no Book of Acts today. In the same way, if we deny the Baptism in the Spirit as a subsequent event promised to all Believers, our lives will be powerless, our ministries will be lifeless and our churches will be dead and dry.
Join us at Revival House Fellowship on Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM as Pastor Bruce Muirhead brigs a word on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and then lays hands on all in attendance to receive this mighty Filling!
