Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The disciples had already received the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them, John 20:22, but now Jesus tells them of a further filling known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

“For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)

This is really the major doctrine about the Holy Spirit that Satan has covered over within the church.

Many Christians today aren’t experiencing being filled to overflowing because they haven’t received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They haven’t experienced the fullness, and they have yet to be empowered.

There’s a special anointing, a special empowerment of the Holy Spirit that awaits.

The word, “baptism,” gives us this understanding. The word means to be completely immersed. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “I want to completely immerse you in the power of the Holy Spirit, flooding every compartment of your life.”

We see this same meaning in what Jesus said in Luke 24:49.

“I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

The word “endued” means to completely cover, or clothe oneself in. Jesus is saying He wants us to be clothed in Holy Spirit power.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit isn’t some academic exercise that sounds good in church but has no application in our everyday lives. Rather it is the one thing that we as believers need above and beyond everything else, which is why Jesus told His disciples to wait for it.

We need this baptism of the Holy Spirit if we are ever going to make an impact upon this present generation. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit so we can be like a river of living water allowing the Holy Spirit to overflow our lives so we can overflow God’s mercy and grace in the lives of everyone we meet.