Born Again - Now What?
-- King James
2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
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.
Despite what many believe, it is only a small part of the function of the Holy Spirit.
God has so much more for you, if you will receive it, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
This is an experience subsequent to salvation.
--Acts 8:12,14-17
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 you 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.
--John 14:16-18 Amplified Bible
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.
-- King James
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
WE, our body becomes the temple of the Holy spirit, whether we are born again only or if we are spirit filled.
---Ephesians 5:17-18
God’s will for you as a believer is to be filled with the spirit.
I urge you today if you have not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, you need to.
WHY?
The Holy Spirit performs constant abiding functions in us:
He:
- Regenerates us: John 3:3-8 (Jesus talking with Nicodemus.)
- Indwells in us: Romans 8:11, (read) 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 (read)
-- Revised Standard (read NKJV)
Romans 12:11:
“Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.”
It is God’s will for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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.
Acts 10:44-46
Acts 11:15-18
These believers heard the word and received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:1-6
These believers heard the word and Paul laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirits
How did everyone know they received the Holy Spirit?
They spoke with other tongues!
When you are filled, whether it is alone, hearing the word, praying, or having hands laid on you,
You should expect to speak in other tongues.
Speaking with tongues is always the first manifestation.
You may not feel a thing, you may not feel different, fuller, wiser or more complete.
The way you will know, is you speak with other tongues.
Speaking with tongues is a step of faith. You open your mouth and the Spirit in you does the rest!
Many believers are robbed of the fullness of God’s will for them, because they do not understand speaking in tongues.
It is not you doing it. ( This is the first thing that will cross your mind - I made that up!)
You open your mouth and the Holy Spirit does the speaking.
It may sound like gibberish, or a partially recognizable language.
Don’t fight it!
Many spirit filled believers will tell you that they didn’t speak in tongues right away.
I didn’t.
It was because I couldn’t let go. Once I took that giant step of faith and opened my mouth it just flowed out of me.
That is what you have to do.
Speaking in tongues is not the same as The Ministry of tongues and interpretations.
---1Cor. 12:29-31
These verses refer to the ministry of tongues and the interpretation. That is as the Spirit wills and He will give you the message and the interpretation, or someone else will be given the interpretation.
This is to edify or build the church.
--Cor. 14: 1-12
When we speak privately, we speak mysteries, that only our spirit and God understand.
Praying in tongues is for your edification and is done privately or at that time in the service when all are worshiping God in tongues.
Reasons to speak in tongues.
- It is the initial sign and it build your faith.
God promises us we will speak in tongues as a sign we have been filled.
When you open your mouth and speak, it is a step in faith and it will build your faith in
Other areas. Acts 10:46
- It is for your personal edification.
1 Cor 14:4 (read NKJV)
- Living Bible
1 Corinthians 14:4:
“So a person ``speaking in tongues'' helps himself grow spiritually, but one who prophesies, preaching messages from God, helps the entire church grow in holiness and happiness.”
- New Jerusalem with Apocrypha
1 Corinthians 14:4:
“hose who speak in a tongue may build themselves up, but those who prophesy build up the community.”
You speak in tongues to build your spirit. To tune your spirit to the things of God and make you more receptive to the spirit, so that you can hear God when he speaks to you.
It Keeps you spirit controlled and not flesh controlled.
- Keeps our prayers in line with God’s Word:
-- Living Bible
Romans 8:26:
“ And in the same way--by our faith --the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how to pray as we should; but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.”
-- Weymouth's New Testament
Romans 8:26:
“In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what prayers to offer nor in what way to offer them. But the Spirit Himself pleads for us in yearnings that can find no words,”
Many times you may feel the need to pray in the spirit but you don’t know what for, But you pray until you feel release. You may just start praising God, singing either in the spirit or with your understanding, or you may just feel peace.
1 Cor. 14: 13-17
As you grow in the Lord, you should ask Him to help you pray with the understanding of what you are saying in the spirit. He will answer and guide you to know what you are praying.
- Keeps you free from yielding to the flesh.
1 Cor. 14:28
You can pray in tongues anytime, anywhere you are under attack or in a situation that is not spiritual.
- It is a way of praying with out ceasing and giving thanks.
1Cor. 14:16
When we pray in tongues it is a way of giving thanks well, but do it privately, because there is not one to interpret and the unbeliever will not understand what you are giving thanks for.
- It brings the tongue under subjection.
James 3:5-10
The tongue is untamable, unless we pray in the spirit regularly and use it to glorify God and not say unscriptural worldly things.
We are to bring the tongue under control and the way we do this is to pray in the spirit.
Psalms 17:3
You purpose that your mouth will not transgress, by pouring out righteousness and love from your spirit by praying in tongues and with the understanding.
Matt: 12:34
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Keep your tongue under control, and your body will follow.
Speak life not death, faith not unbelief.
Born Again - Now What
Study Notes
- Baptism in the Holy Spirit - subsequent to salvation.
- God’s will for you is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Abiding functions of the Holy Spirit:
- How do you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
- Reasons to speak in tongues.