Baptism in The Holy Spirit
What Makes you a new creature when you are born again?
The work of the Holy Spirit creates in you, a new spirit You are born again. The Zoë life of God comes to dwell in you and you are a new creature. This is the redemptive work of the Holy Spirit in you.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent to salvation.
"Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.’" Acts 8:14-17
The Samaritans were saved by hearing the teaching of Phillip. Peter and John were sent to help them go a step further. They laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.Christ’s purpose in sending the Holy Spirit was so that He, a divine personality might live in us.
Is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit necessary?
NO, but the constant indwelling of the Power of God in your life manifested by the baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary for you to live a complete life as a Christian!
There is no reason for a believer to feel alone, hurt, forlorn, or empty. You can be filled with the Holy Spirit who serves as your Comforter, counselor, helper, intercessor, advocate, strengthener and standby.
The only requirement to being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be born again.
God’s will for you as a believer is to be filled with the spirit.
"Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, "
Ephesians 5: 17-19
The Holy Spirit performs constant abiding functions in us:
- Regenerates us: John 3:3-8 (Jesus talking with Nicodemus.)
- Indwells in us: Romans 8:11, 1Cor. 3:16
- Serves as our comforter: John 16:7,
- Serves as our Helper- Guide: Gal 5:16 "it helps us to walk in God’s will and not according To the flesh.
- Serves as our teacher: 1Cor. 2 : 12-13., John 14:26
How do you receive the Baptism?
You have to be born again, and you need to be willing to receive. God can fill you with the Holy Spirit anywhere, in you car, your home, your shower.
You can also be prayed for by someone God has led to perform this function and with the laying on of hands receive it.
It is God’s will for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Other Scripture References:
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God…" Acts 10:44-46
" "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.
Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, `John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"
Acts 11:15-17
"And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'' And they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.'' And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?'' So they said, "Into John's baptism.'' Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.''
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."
Acts 19:1-6
The Apostles’ Creed The Oldest Creed:
The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest creed, and lies at the basis of most others. Though not, as the long-current legend of its origin affirmed, the direct work of the Apostles, it has its roots in apostolic times, and embodies, with much fidelity, apostolic teaching.
Old Roman Form:
First, the Old Roman Form is given from the Greek of Marcellus, of Ancyra, 341 AD. It runs thus:
“I believe in God the Father Almighty. And in Jesus Christ His only (begotten) Son our Lord, who was born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary; crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost; the holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; (the life everlasting).”
The Received Form of the creed reads thus: “I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of Heaven and Earth; and in Jesus Christ His only (begotten) Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven; and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the
Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.”
- Baptismal Confession:
The real origin of the creed has now been traced with great exactness. The original germ of it is to be sought for in the baptismal confession made by converts in the reception of that rite. The primitive confession may have contained no more than “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God,” but we have evidence within the New Testament itself that it soon became enlarged. Paul speaks of the “form of teaching” delivered to converts (Romans 6:17), and reminds Timothy of “the good (beautiful) confession” he had made in sight of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12). Similar language is used of Christ’s confession before Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13). We may perhaps conjecture from the epistles that Timothy’s confession contained references to God as the author of life, to Jesus 707 Christ and His descent from David, to His witness before Pontius Pilate, to His being raised from the dead, to His coming again to judge the quick and the dead (1 Timothy 6:13; 2 Timothy 2:8; 4:1).