languages as the Spirit empowered them. A group of people gathering for the feast heard the ruckus of raw Pentecostalism. They had two basic responses—some were amazed and others thought this noisy bunch was drunk.
That’s where Acts 2:14 comes in. Peter stopped speaking to God in his unlearned, spiritual language and began to address the gathered crowd (prob- ably in Aramaic or Hebrew), preaching a most convincing and well-ordered ser- mon. His content was obviously outside of his natural ability.
This is where the utilitarian function of tongues helps us understand pre- cisely why we need the baptism: if we can trust God to order our words in the spiritual language, we can trust Him to order our words in English to unbeliev- ers. The baptism is all about saying the right things, the God-inspired things— first in tongues, but most significantly in our known languages as we propheti- cally minister words from God’s heart. Since the day I began to understand Acts 2, I’ve never had to argue initial
evidence with anyone. Biblically, tongues are a prophetic confirmation of a prophet- ic anointing to be a prophetic witness. That’s why Peter explained the event as the fulfillment of Joel’s oracle where one day everyone could be a prophet. Suddenly tongues take on a vital, func- tional role to the believer who wants to be a prophetic witness. Why do we need the baptism? It’s all about God affecting what we say, plain and simple. We don’t need the baptism so we can speak in tongues; we need the baptism so we can speak to lost people. We also get the added benefit of communing with God in a new lan- guage the moment we receive.
Understanding the “Where”
The “where” I’m addressing refers to not only the atmosphere in which some- one can receive but also the actual venue. Is it only at red-hot camp meeting “Holy Ghost nights,” or can someone receive the baptism after eating a stale donut at a men’s prayer breakfast? Can it happen in someone’s car on the way to work? I believe we have over-romanticized the reception process so much that many ordinary folks exclude themselves from receiving.
When seeking the baptism, there are some exceptional days when you can almost hear the wind and see the fire of Acts 2. These are wonderful occurrences, but they are just that, exceptional. Many times I’ve witnessed large groups of peo- ple receive rather quietly.
You don’t have to create a highly charged atmosphere or be in a special meeting to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The bottom line is, Jesus is the Baptizer, 24/7, and He wants to show Himself to people as their personal Baptizer in the Spirit today.
Understanding the “Who”
Many seeking believers fall into the trap of believing they need to meet with someone who has a special gift to minis- ter the baptism. Nothing could be further from the truth. Only Jesus can baptize in the Holy Spirit.
It is true God gives unique spiritual passions to individuals and special levels of faith can be cultivated for any area of ministry (evangelism, healing, compassion ministries, Spirit baptism, etc.). However, in ministering the Spirit baptism, just as in witnessing, people merely present the truth and guide the way. Jesus does the supernat- ural part—He always does the hard part. The premise of our ministry is simply, “Jesus wants to.” Jesus wants to save, fill, heal, and restore. When you are firmly convinced Jesus wants to fill you with His Spirit, you realize He will, as in every other area of ministry, supply what you lack. He is the One with the special gift! I mentioned a special level of faith could be cultivated in this area. Let me explain. When I first received the bap- tism at age 12, I couldn’t imagine why anyone else wouldn’t want to receive it too. I began praying for all of my friends, and a few strangers, to receive the gift. In my zeal, God was gracious as some were filled; however, many were not. This was most likely due to my inexperience and general lack of couth.
Out of frustration, I stumbled upon a prayer request that has since become a heartfelt fixture in my devotional life: “Father, give me the faith to believe that everyone I pray for will receive this gift.” I’m not sure how it works exactly, but I’ve discovered when you ask anything according to His will, He hears you. Why not ask Him for your baptism? Since you know Jesus wants to fill you, why not partner with Him and give Him the opportunity to empower you with a greater level of faith? Why don’t you pause and ask Him right now?
Tim Enloe is an evangelist from Wichita, Kansas, commit- ted to connecting people from every walk of life with the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Visit
www.enloeministries.org for more information. This article is excerpted from
his book, Helping Others Receive the Gift: Insights on Spirit Baptism From God’s Word and Personal Experience.
EVANGEL • MAY 2010 13
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