PENTECOST
T
HE BAPTISM in the Holy Spirit is the inheritance of ministry power for every New Testament believer (Acts 2:39). Though the promise is
still for us today, receiving this gift doesn’t automatically happen; believers still need to personally seek to be filled with His power. This seeking process can become frustrating if we don’t fully understand a few simple concepts. The good news is that the process is not complex or dif- ficult; Jesus is still our baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and He simply wants to help us.
Understanding the “When”
When should a believer seek to receive the baptism? Should they start seeking immediately after their salvation experi- ence, or should they wait until they have matured spiritually?
We want results similar to the Book of Acts, but we can’t expect Acts-like results when we reject Acts-like processes. The two basic steps of apostolic discipleship in Acts are (1) water baptism and (2) Spirit baptism; then teaching and fellow- ship would follow. Jesus told the newly born-again believers to put life on hold until they had received this gift (see Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8).
The first Pentecostal outpouring was so strongly marked by this model that it affected the sermon that day (Acts 2:38- 39). We see the Samaritan revival in chap- ter 8 and the Gentile revival in chapter 19 following the same discipleship model. In chapter 10, Spirit baptism actually pre- cedes water baptism.
The apostle Paul admits he was inten- tional in putting supernatural empower- ment before teaching because he didn’t want the Corinthians’ faith to rest on the wisdom of men, but rather on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). He went on to say he did speak a message of wisdom (teaching), but it was to the mature—not to the beginner (v. 6).
Why did the apostles embrace such a model? Because it was the same model under which they were discipled. Just
12 EVANGEL • MAY 2010
by Tim Enloe
UNDERSTANDING
THE BAPTISM
Receiving the Holy Spirit’s gift doesn’t have to be confusing.
ask Paul, whose life was altered fol- lowing an epiphany on the Damascus interstate. Jesus prompted Ananias to begin Paul’s discipleship the same way (Acts 9:17-18)—again experiencing the two baptisms first before entering the Lord’s learning program in Arabia (see Galatians 1).
I am convinced that teaching finds a deeper resting place in the hearts of those who have been filled with the Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit can be sought by every Christian, no matter how young in the Lord.
Understanding the “Why”
The first outward sign (or initial evidence) of Spirit baptism is speaking in unlearned languages (or tongues).
But that first sign is not the purpose for the baptism.
The first two or three years of my min- istry saw very few people actually receiving the baptism. I was so frustrated. After all, that is what our ministry was supposed to target, yet there seemed to be some kind of barrier. After a few days of frustration and prayer, fasting and introspection, the Holy Spirit began to show me I was approach- ing this blessing with an argument for the initial evidence. I began to reevaluate my approach alongside the Book of Acts, par- ticularly the second chapter. Suddenly, the light turned on! I began to see the “why” was functional in ways I had never previ- ously understood.
On the Day of Pentecost, they were all filled and began to speak in unlearned
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33