If you have accepted Christ, do not hesitate to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, if you have not already done so.
You will be given the Power of the Spirit upon you, who will then communicate to your spirit, and you will be given empowerment to witness for Christ!
AND you will be given power to overcome evil!
AND new light will shine upon the scriptures!
AND creativity will come forth!
AND your spiritual gifts will operate!
AND you will be empowered to follow God and Christ!
AND you will do “the greater works” ...the ones only possible through the fullness of the Spirit.
Many of you will also receive your heavenly prayer language and speak in tongues. This is usually “the evidence” that you have been baptized in the Spirit. It was in scripture…
There are too many “benefits” of walking in the baptism of the Spirit to tell! (smile)
I know I can’t do anything without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Soon I hope to write and publish my own testimony of life as a Believer “after” the Baptism of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is Heaven’s Messenger. He relays messages from heaven…from God and Christ…and reveals them to us here on earth! He communicates these messages to believers, Spirit to spirit, His Spirit to our spirit. He is continually relaying messages between heaven and earth, back and forth!
The Spirit had to be present for salvation…yes… but this measure of the Spirit is not the measure of faith but of God’s grace. All believers have the Holy Spirit as a seal upon them and they’re as much saved as Spirit-filled Believers (the term The Church gives believers who have asked for and have been baptized in the Spirit). All believers will be given guidance, and they have the Word. Salvation was an act of their faith and they have received it and all the blessings the blood purchased at the cross. They access God through prayer, are loved, etc.
But now have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to All Believers:
Asking for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is also an act of a Believer’s faith!
The Baptism of the Spirit
the Empowerment to Be Witnesses
is a measure of the Holy Spirit that requires an act of our faith
to ask and to desire
to have the fullness of the Holy Spirit
reigning within us
and taking control
of every aspect of our lives.
Until any believer is willing to
ask God to “take the controls”
he or she will indeed be missing out,
…only they may not know they’re missing out.
Most of us don’t realize the value of a gift until we “receive it”…like my grandma…she didn’t have a clue how much she was missing out of by not asking for a microwave, until she finally, years after the rest of the family got their gift of one, asked for one from my grandpa! She told me, had she known how much easier and less stressful her working in the kitchen would become… freeing her… lifting burdens… she would have asked for one years ago!
She didn’t know what she was missing!
She regretted not asking sooner!
She wasted a lot of time, and exerted a lot of effort, in delaying her request!
Same is true of asking for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit!
I’m going to explain now, to those who haven’t yet asked for the baptism of the Spirit, what the Lord revealed to me, and what modern man can liken it to. Okay? And, when you “understand” this analogy, then fear and anxiety can leave you, and then you will ask, then later, you can share this with your friends about this good gift, Okay? (smile)
—–
Here’s the analogy, and this image will help you envision what I’m saying:
When you watch a show on a black and white TV you “get the whole show, the story line, the scene, the emotions, the credits, just everything”. So, you can enjoy it, get its message, and are content. Same is true for a believer from the moment they are saved. They are receiving communication from the Spirit. Liken the Spirit to be as the workings within that TV. You couldn’t receive the communication or program otherwise.
When a person “consecrates his life to Christ”, joining his will with God’s will, in his own commitment to God, not just relying on God’s commitment to him, then this is as tuning that show in on a color TV! Then you “receive” not only what you got on the black and white tv, but you get to see the color of their clothes, the sky, their skin color, and all things that then enhance your viewing and make it so much more pleasurable to watch.
Many of you are here… Expressing there is nothing wrong with the workings of your TV… you’re perfectly content… you just don’t know yet that available to you is HDTV! (smile)
When a person is “baptized in the Spirit” it is like suddenly you’re receiving from the Spirit in HD! The workings of the TV are suddenly transmitting in full power! Upon receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, The Spirit is suddenly relaying to you programming that is bringing everything in with so much more clarity! You are filled! You know it! It’s like you’re right within the show! A part of it! No longer are you viewing an image in either black and white, or color…you didn’t even realize all was a bit fuzzy…but now, you are suddenly experiencing “clarity” such as you never thought possible! Had you known, you would have wanted to exchange your black &white, an even color tv, to receive the programming on the HDTV! That clarity makes you notice things from the word of God that you never saw before! You hear and see more precisely! The workings of that TV are enabling you… from the clarity and enhancement you are receiving from the Spirit and the Word… to have the power to Be Christ’s witness! That clarity is bringing forth righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost, which is the Kingdom of God! He’s reigning supreme! Yes, you are watching the same show that you were watching on the black and white tv, and the color tv, but you had no idea of the power of HD! …How it enhances your walk and empowers you to do the works of the Spirit! Joy fills your soul! Your members – eyes, ears, hands, feet – are suddenly The Holy Spirit’s to control! You’re really “amazed” that so much life and light is now yours! It is an amazing experiencing! One subsequent to salvation, although I’ve known people who’ve asked for The Baptism of the Holy Spirit as they were converted and didn’t waste any time. (smile) It is definitely an incredible experience you do not want to delay, for it marks the beginning of God using you mightily, if you stay surrendered to the Spirit!
We are told in the Word that we go from glory to glory! Right! The Spirit takes even spirit-filled believers a step further, and we must want that too! And cooperate!
We can undergo a baptism of fire! When we receive the Baptism of Fire, which is also a baptism, we will even go a step further into depth and clarity, so I will liken this to a 4K HDTV viewing experience! Wow, even a step past the HDTV?! Yes!! Christ begins to take out everything “unholy” in your life! Fire refines, Fire purifies, Fire sets ablaze! Fire destroys anything unholy in your life, so you can be made ready to meet your bridegroom. Fire destroys those things that will cause your witness to be questioned.
Fire on your “brick house” — think “The Three Pigs” now–won’t harm it, i.e., you, but it will take out the “big bad wolf” who wants to come in! Your house will stand firm, no matter how strong Satan blows, because your house is well built and is on a solid foundation. Some people receive this as “an experience” (literally feeling God’s heat upon them), while others receive this as a process. However, you undergo a baptism of fire, you’ll know it is happening. Many of God’s spirit-filled saints have been going through a baptism of fire in recent years. Fire “purifies”! Some testify they have been baptized with the Spirit and with fire at the same time.
Matthew 3:11
John says, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
This verse alone reveals three types of baptisms: the baptism of water, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire. The latter oftentimes happening together…
The Spirit’s measure – operating in your life – changes. He doesn’t change… how you’re “receiving” changes! One is deeply immersed in the Spirit of God! The workings within you now bring you “fullness”…the Spirit to your spirit, so your “experience” is clarified, and this changes You!
The Spirit is upon you and abides in you.
I hope you are understanding with this analogy of the TV types and can relate to how it doesn’t change “what” you’re seeing, but “how” you’re seeing… and desire the Baptism of the Spirit, so you can BE Witnesses!
Seeing clearer, and having less doubts, causes boldness to share your faith! Seeing clearer, and with more color, causes creativity to come forth in a way you never thought possible. Being “right in” the programming due to “oneness” with the Spirit. Your members respond even! Mine did! My hands instantly became The Spirit’s, not just my tongue! (Read my testimony and you’ll know what I mean!)
I’m here to tell you, you can go a step further, and go deeper, by reaching out and asking God to give you this good gift! Until you do, you will not know how much easier your life will become! The Spirit, when surrendered to, then does the doing, and not the striving of your flesh! You want this good gift! Trust me!
The baptism of the spirit will change you forever!
Righteousness, joy, and peace are from the Holy Spirit! That’s The Kingdom of God! Romans 14:17 tells us that!
You want the Holy Spirit to fill you! …to abide in fullest measure within you! …enabling you to do what you could not do otherwise for the advancement of his kingdom! You just might not know it yet! (smile)
Just ask and believe and receive. It’s as simple as that.
Don’t make being baptized in the Spirit so hard!
God can’t wait to fill you full of His Spirit and delights to do this for you! (smile)
Listen to Jesus’s own words of Luke 11:13:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Notice, his children are “to ask”…
Notice, the Holy Spirit is a “good gift”!
Now, notice something many don’t see at first glance: This applies to those who already are His Children! “Your heavenly Father” can’t be applicable unless you are a Believer. This means “the baptism of the Holy Spirit” is a subsequent experience to your salvation…to your becoming a child of God. Subsequent means “coming after something in time”.
This is why scripture gives us the account in Acts 19:2 that Paul found certain disciples and:
He said unto them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.”
Then in verse 6-7 it says,
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.
So, Believers are to ask for good gifts from Father God.
Believers are to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit!
Believers do not “automatically have” the measure of the Holy Spirit that is available to them!
Quit listening to those who would scare you away from receiving what God the Father wants to give you!
It’s not another spirit you will receive. The Holy Spirit will be given you in fuller measure!
As I mentioned before, John the Baptist declared in Matthew 3:11:
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He… will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Many immature believers have gone astray because they did not ask and receive The Baptism of the Spirit…their source of empowerment…to stand against the hoards of hell!
Without the baptism of the Spirit, Believers can often operate “in the flesh”. This is why they can make matters worse, when trying to win souls; or they stumble and fall into sin, even though the blood of Jesus saved them.
Peter failed Christ, though he was a believer in Him, did he not? He was even a friend! Even after Jesus was resurrected and asked him, “Do you love me?” he lacked boldness and was ashamed of his failures toward Jesus. He was even back fishing, neglecting ministry. But look at what Jesus told him and the others to do, in obedience. They were told by Jesus (See Acts 1:5 and 1:8) the following:
“For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Amazing! Peter and the others who were instructed to wait in the upper room, did so. And when Peter was baptized in the Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, then he was a changed man!!!
He preached with power and authority, in boldness, and without fear. Thousands came to the Lord that very day! And this began his advancing the Kingdom of God! The works of the Spirit, not Peter, then manifested …to include healings, deliverances, and preaching the gospel in the Name of Jesus! Signs and wonders occurred too! And he is but one example!
Others who were baptized were Changed! Empowered! Emboldened! Stephen, Phillip, the disciples and the women too in the upper room…those saved and baptized that day…many went forward from then on, empowered by the Holy Spirit!
The Church began and it grew! All from “the baptism of the Holy Spirit!” Even Gentiles received “the baptism of the Holy Spirit”. This revealed to the Jews and Peter that hey, they’re speaking in tongues too! They have received the Holy Spirit too! So, wow, God has made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith too! Their “baptism in the Holy Spirit” was an evidence to all the World that they were God’s children too! Hallelujah!
If you are getting tired of being ‘knocked around’ in your faith, then ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit! It is the Spirit within you that gives you power to overcome!!
Believers today, especially in this hour of emboldened evil by the Enemy’s forces, need the baptism of the Holy Spirit! My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will bring the body of Christ to unity!
I’m going to shift gears here and see if I can relay, the correct way, what I’m now hearing with my spirit:
The Baptism of the Spirit
is necessary
for The Army of God
to receive its Commander in Chief’s
Instructions and His Battle Plans!
I am speaking of Jesus,
And Believers that make up His Army.
The Messenger
that communicates
between heaven and earth,
and between the Godhead and each individual’s spirit,
and between the members of God’s Army,
Can’t operate at full measure!
Unless
Individual Believers begin to
ASK FOR and RECEIVE
The Fullness of His Spirit
The Baptism of His Spirit!
How can Jesus do what He wants to
without communications fully open?
How can He move us as one, i.e., in one accord
if we are divided on even whether
To Ask
For His Holy Spirit in fullness!
It’s like having a fuse lit…
i.e., someone comes on fire for Jesus, in the fullness of the Spirit due to their baptism in the Spirit…
and then the Enemy incites believers of a different doctrine to put out their fuse!
Instead of them detonating and doing the enemy’s camp major harm through the works of the Spirit,
their fuse fizzles out…
And this does Christ harm!
It’s a victory for The Enemy then!
Oh, if we could only see it!
Fear of asking is fizzling out Faith to ask!
And not asking is keeping many believers
in a childlike state,
rather than them going on to maturity.
Many remain in the camp
instead of going out to do battle against the forces of darkness!
…instead of bringing increase of souls
to the Kingdom of God!
Many remain in the camp
and yet they criticize spirit-filled Believers
who are out advancing the Kingdom
with the fullness of the Spirit.
Many believers won’t ever operate in the works of the Spirit as Peter did, because of unbelief in the baptism of the Spirit. They go together, brothers and sisters! You can’t have one without the other! The Baptism of the Spirit is required for the Greater Works of the Spirit.
And God is ready to do the greater works!!
Can you understand what is being communicated?
I pray so, for I feel an urgency in my spirit, to write this so Believers will respond…and ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit for themselves!
You, a Believer, have nothing to lose…
You have only to gain…by asking!
You will be empowered!
It will be an amazing experience!
And victory awaits!
But think of what the Lord has to gain!
A servant who is full of the Holy Spirit…
Able to receive orders from Him…
Receiving with clarity…
Empowered to carry out those orders!
Excitement for his hands and feet can now move!
Able to pray in the Spirit.
Able to march forward as He commands!
Able to truly lead as your Commander in Chief!
HE WANTS YOU
BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
YET, IT IS AN ACT OF YOUR FAITH
AND YOUR FREE WILL
JUST AS SALVATION IS!
A tremendous gift is offered…you…
But even He can’t make you ask.
Yet he sure wants you to know He has this good gift!
For you!
If you’ll but ask…
so…
Ponder this exhortation from the Spirit.
Will You Respond?
—–
Yes, you can be saved…without this experience….
without this filling…but you will run out of oil.
You are one of the ten virgins with a lamp
…awaiting the bridegroom…yes
But realize only half of them kept their lamps full.
The oil is the Holy Spirit.
When the foolish virgins realized
their oil was running out, they said,
“Give us some of yours! Our lamps are going out!”
They couldn’t see in the darkness!
Without their oil.
It was the midnight hour!
They needed the oil for The Light.
Theirs was running out!
Suddenly,
They all needed to go out to meet the bridegroom!
Even the wise virgins could not see in the darkness to go out to meet the bridegroom without their oil. Good thing they had an “extra measure!” They needed this measure of the Holy Spirit! It was more than the foolish virgins had, but they still needed their measure, and they could not spare any of their oil.
It was too late, for the virgins whose oil ran out! The bridegroom came and the wise virgins went with him to the wedding banquet. The door was shut, and the bridegroom said, “I tell you, I don’t know you.”
Which kind of virgin do you want to be? One of the wise virgins or one of the foolish virgins? Just Jesus’s descriptors should give us a clue of our choice! Wise or Foolish? Hmm… let me think!
Ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Get your oil replenished!