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Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was available for all his followers. All they need to do is ask the Father and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this study we will be looking at what it means to receive the Spirit and when a person receives the Spirit and the evidence of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In the old testament the Spirit came upon only a few of Gods people to quip them for serves, now he is available to all Gods Children.
Question to thank upon; is does a person receive the gift of the Spirit at their conversion when they are born-again or do they receive the Spirit some time after they are born-again? Are they two different experiences or the same experience?
Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is
mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with
fire:
Jesus Said:
John 7:37 - 39 In the last day, that
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that
believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was
not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet
glorified.)
What does it mean to be "baptized with the Holy Spirit"?
John 14:15 - 18 If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Jesus referred to the Spirit as paraclete, a Greek word referring to any person who helps another. A person who gives comfort, good advice, wise instruction, or moral support of any kind is a paraclete. Jesus spoke of the Spirit as another Paraclete.
The Spirit's work is to teach. He is the Spirit of truth, He helps us remember, understand, and live by the commandments of Jesus.
The Comforter Which is the Holy Ghost The Father will send in my name.
John 14:23 - 26 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:6 - 14 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
The Spirit makes the world aware of its sin. He reveals our need to believe in Jesus, who removes our guilt and makes us right with God.
The Holy Spirit:
A) reprove the world of sin
B) of righteousness
C) of judgment
When the Holy Spirit comes he brings revelation of Jesus, he revels Jesus to you. He does not talk of himself or magnify himself, he guides you into truth, shows you things to come, and glorifies Jesus.
Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 1:8 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 all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
When the Holy Spirit comes he comes to empower you to be an effective witness. The Holy Spirit empowers us to testify for Christ to all people.
Acts 2:1 -13 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
Acts 2:14 - 18 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Joel 2:28, 29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
Acts 2:38, 39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The promise of the Spirit is to you and them that are afar off.
While Peter and John were on trial for their faith, the Spirit empowered Peter to preach. Jesus had promised that under these circumstances the Spirit would tell the disciples what to say.
(Acts 4:3, 5, 7,8 NLT) They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning. The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation,
Luke 12:11, 12 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Acts 9:17, 18 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Ananias called Saul, Brother for he must have received Jesus as Lord, Then Ananias laid his hands on him, and the scales fell from Saul's eyes and he was filled with the Spirit.
What role did the Holy Spirit play in Paul’s missionary work?
(Acts 13:2 KJV) As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. {3} And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. {4} So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
(Acts 16:6 KJV) Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, {7} After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
The Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to do God's work as Apostles, to do missionary work, they where sent out after prayer and laying on of hands. On there journey the Holy Spirit guided them where to go and where not to go. We can see the Spirit helping them as Jesus said (he will guide you, you will have power, ye shall be witnesses).
Acts 8:5 - 8 Then Philip went down to the
city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the
miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out
of many that were possessed with them: and many taken
with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Miracles and signs and wonders accompany Philip’s preaching, and the people of Samaria believed and where baptized.
Acts 8:14 - 17 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Peter and John came down from Jerusalem to minister the baptism in the Holy Spirit to the new converts "for as yet he had fallen on none of them." The ones who believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom and the name of Christ were baptized. When Peter and John came from the apostles in Jerusalem to see these new converts, They laid their hands on them and they received the Spirit.
Acts 19:1 - 7 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 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.
Paul discovered a small group of believers, perceiving that something was missing in them.
He asked them: Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?
Ask yourself would Paul ask since ye believed, if when you believe you receive?
He would have asked them if they were believers not if they have received the Holy Ghost and also Notes he said since ye believed.
They had not heard of the Holy Spirit, but only on the promised one, the Messiah, which was to come “Jesus ".
John 1:11, 12 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Jesus said: John 11:25 - 27 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
According to John's baptism, they had to repent and believe on the one to come, Christ Jesus. So they were believers according to what Jesus said.
Paul baptized them in water in the name of Jesus which is a symbol that a person has died to the old way of life and has been raised to a new kind of life in Christ.
They were baptized as a sign of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
After Paul baptized them he laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues and also prophesied, which are gifts of the Spirit to build and encourage the believers.
These Disciples believed first then when more knowledge understanding came they were baptized, by water and Spirit and this was years after John the baptizes.
Acts 10:1 - 3 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Acts 10:9, 19, 20 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
The Spirit clearly told Peter to go with the messengers from Cornelius.
Acts 10:24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Acts 10:42 - 11:1 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Acts 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
The gift of the Holy Ghost to Cornelius and other Gentiles as they heard the gospel, He makes His presence known by enabling the new Christians to speak in tongues and magnify God.
This is the first example of the gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit. The Jews thought that salvation was just for them, they looked at gentiles as unclean. Because of this God gave Peter a vision to teach him that God is no respecter of persons. The Jewish Christians were stuck in there traditions of their ancestors. The gift of the Spirit to the Gentiles opened there eyes, When the Holy Spirit came in power upon the converts, God was obviously approving them.
Acts 11:15 - 18 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
These are two different experiences.
We need to see that conversion and baptism in the Holy Spirit are not only separate experiences; they are given for separate and distinct purposes.
Conversion is that experience of a non-Christian becoming a Christian "born again", while the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the experience for a Christian to equip them or in power them for some serves.
You need to relies that we are not saying that you do not get the Holy Spirit at salvation. The Holy Spirit at salvation, comes and lives in you. The baptism of the Holy Spirit or the filling of the Spirit, we well see in more detail is for a different function, serves and power.
The New Birth = That is called being born again. We are born again by the Word of God.
1 Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
John 14:16, 17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
When you believe with your heart in Jesus. The Holy Spirit recreates your spirit, brings life to your spirit, restoring fellowship with the Father, making you a new creature in Christ Jesus. The infilling or the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is, on the other hand comes after you are born again and is not a one time event. Believers were filled with the Spirit more than oneness.
Peter heals a lame man at the Temple in Act 3:1-26, and preaches to the people. Acts 4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, They were arrested for the night, then questioned and let go. Acts 4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. Acts 4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. Peter and John reported to the assembled of believers - They prayed for boldness to speak thy word.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Here we see that the believers were filled again with the Spirit, receiving boldness to spoke the word.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
John the Baptists
(Luke 1:15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
(Luke 1:41-42) And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: {42} And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
(Luke 1:67) And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
120 in the upper room (Acts 2:4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
(Acts 4:8) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
(Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(Acts 9:17) And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
(Acts 13:9-10) Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, (Elymas the sorcerer) {10} And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
(Num 11:25) And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
(Num 11:29) And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Moses had wished that we all where Gods prophets and Joel prophesied that we would be.
(Joel 2:28-29) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: {29} And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
1 Cor 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.
