In Acts 1:3-5 we find that Jesus, having returned from heaven where He had been since His resurrection from the dead, has been meeting with His disciples for 40 days during which time He spoke to them “concerning the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”  The kingdom message had been his focus during His time of ministry.  See The Kingdom of God.  And being assembled together with them on the Mount of Olives just outside of Jerusalem, He instructed them to return to the city and “… wait for THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER, which you have heard from Me.  For John truly baptized with water, but you will be BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now.”  Jesus had been with His ministerial disciples, telling them what to do, how to do it and what would be required for them to perform the preaching, teaching, healing, delivering, miracle-working ministries He had called them, and those who would follow them, to fulfill.  Though the majority of His disciples had not been called into official ministry, all would need to receive THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM in order to stand up to what was coming their way and to meet their Maker with their holiness intact.

Recall that John the Baptist had told those coming to his baptism that a man would come after him who would be far superior to him in every way, One whose shoes he (John) was not worthy to loosen.  This One would baptize them in the Holy Spirit, and with fire.  That One was His cousin Jesus of Nazareth.  Throughout the first 29 years of His life Jesus had been accompanied by the Holy Spirit, but had not received the Spirit baptism.  His coming to John for water baptism enabled Him to receive God’s Spirit into His heart (mind).  One will note that He had neither preached a sermon nor performed a miracle before receiving the Spirit on the baptismal level.  In His case it came in the form of a dove and totally saturated Him.  All who are His true disciples must also receive the Spirit baptism in like manner.

After His baptism Jesus fasted 40 days and then called 12 men to follow and obey Him as His ministerial disciples.  As he had for 29 years, they would operate under the umbrella of the Spirit until they were converted following His death and resurrection.  Three and one-half after His baptism in water and Spirit, the Spirit baptizer would bring John’s prophecy to pass by baptizing His loyal followers in the Holy Spirit.  What was about to happen to them was unbeknown to them as they met in an upper room in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D.  After that day their world, and the world in general, would never be the same.  So what exactly is the Holy Spirit baptism.

The word “baptize” comes from the middle eastern practice of dying wool by placing it in a vat containing whatever color of dye one wanted the wool to become.  The process was very effective in that the baptizers knew how to cause every hair to become totally saturated with the dye.  To “baptize” in the English language literally means to “immerse,” leaving no part above water.  Those who practice baptism by sprinkling are knowingly defying the expressed will of God.  The  practice comes from the practice of baptizing infants, which God never condoned.  Anciently, Israelite infants were dedicated to the Lord, not baptized because they had not sinned–had broken no Law (1 Jn. 3:4).  The people to whom John spoke understood the concept of baptism.  However, they did not understand the Holy Spirit baptism and neither do the vast majority of church people today.  When one is baptized in water he is experiencing “John’s baptism” (Acts 19:3) for the remission of their PAST SINS (Rom. 3:25).  Water baptism is not an act that produces salvation.  Knowing this, the apostles laid hands on those who had received John’s baptism and they received the Holy Spirit–were Spirit “baptized”–were “converted.”

As Acts 19:3 tells all God seekers that they must be baptized in the Holy Spirit and then follow the leadership (“voice”) of the Spirit from within if they are to have any hope of salvation.  Only those who are so led by the Spirit and obey it’s “voice” are true sons of God (Rom. 8:14).   Only by having the Spirit of power within can a believer overcome Satan’s call to sin, then walk in the holiness necessary for salvation (Rev. 1:23).   Because church people are not taught these Bible Truths they believe that they are saved following the performance of a prescribed ritual and undergoing water baptism.  And having believed Satan’s false prophets concerning Adam’s miracle sin transfusion, they “know” they can now sin with impunity due to God’s grace made available by Christ’s death.  Knowing that it is futile to resist Satan, they have no need of God’s Spiritual power in their lives.  These deceived souls call themselves “Sinners Saved By Grace.”  Instead they are low hanging fruit for the devil.  SSBG (99.99% of professing Christendom) do not have, are not led by and are not empowered by God’s Spirit.  Regardless of how religious one is, or how deeply one believes in Jesus, WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT ONE CANNOT RESIST THE POWER OF SATAN.  All true Christians have God’s Spirit of power by which they are ABLE to obey God’s command and promise to “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jam. 4:7).

Another reason for those called to the ministry to receive the Holy Spirit is explained in Acts 1:8 where Jesus tells His disciples that upon receiving (being baptized in) the Holy Spirit they would “… receive (God’s) power” … and would THEN become “… witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”  The question now becomes, witnesses about what?  Jesus said they (and their ministerial descendants) would witness unto HIM.  Does this mean that His called ministers are to teach and preach about the person of Jesus–about the man Himself?  This is what is put forth as the Lord’s gospel throughout the entire world.  The word “gospel” means “good news.”  The church teaches that the good news is about Jesus Himself.  God never said this, neither did Jesus.  So what is the gospel God’s ministers are to preach (witness) demonstrate with Holy Spirit POWER?  The answer is: the gospel to which Jesus bore witness, the gospel He told His apostles to proclaim–the GOSPEL OF THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD.  This is the kingdom Jesus will establish upon His return.  This is the kingdom from which Father, Son and their true believers will rule and reign the earth for 1000 years (Rev. 20:4).  Afterwards they will rule the universe forever (Heb. 2:5-10).  See God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  The purpose of The Gift of the Holy Spirit is to empower true KINGDOM SEEKERS to “walk as Jesus walked” (1 Jn. 3:4) to be as pure “as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) and to “… overcome (temptation)” as Jesus overcame” so that they can “… sit with Me on My throne” in the Kingdom of God (Rev. 3:21).  Recall that Jesus said that we must: “Seek FIRST the KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS (GOD’S) RIGHTEOUSNESS,” then everything we need will be provided for us.  Righteousness is the absence of sin.  Sin is the breaking of the Law.  Only by the power of the Holy Spirit operating from within us can we refrain from breaking God’s Law–sinning.  No sin=righteousness.  Unless we are led by and empowered by the Holy Spirit we cannot resist Satan–we cannot be righteous.  In Matthew 10:22 Jesus tells us that without righteousness/holiness one cannot be saved.  As the honest reader will admit.  Receiving the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential if one is to have any hope of receiving eternal life.  L.J.