The baptism in the Holy Ghost is the endowment of power from on high upon a sanctified believer. It is the promise of the father. When a Christian receives this gift of the Holy Ghost, it is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking a language previously unlearnt (Acts 2:1-4).
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The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is not the same as the new birth, salvation, conversion or sanctification. Though Jesus prayed for the sanctification of His disciples, He commanded them to wait for the endowment of power. While the sanctification experience keeps us pure, the baptism of the Holy Ghost fills us with power and authority.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal being or a wave force or influence but a divine personality, whom we must honour, worship fellowship with and listen to as much as we do God the Father and God the Son. In fact, the Holy Ghost is the third person in the trinity(2 Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19).
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The endowment of the Holy Spirit’s power triggers the sanctified believer into effective soul winning and edification of the body of Christ. Our Lord Jesus was able to do much in His earthly ministry because He had the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Much more than the results we see in our evangelistic outreaches in our life would be accomplished, if we become empowered by the Spirit. In fact, until the believer is Spirit filled, he is powerless; cowardice and prone to sudden failure. It is the Spirit that sets him on the path of success previously unknown, unattainable and unimaginable.
Many great men of God, who did exploits for God, both in the Bible days and in our contemporary times, were all filled with the Spirit. The disciples were unlearned and ignorant men (Acts 3:6), and had no beautiful cathedral, yet they effectively carried out the great commission and fulfilled their ministries because they were endowed from on high with the Holy Spirit.
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Phillip the Evangelist, Paul the Apostle, Elijah; The Prophet of Fire, Elisha and a host of others subdued kingdoms, preached righteousness, fought the good fight of faith and performed great wonders through the Spirit’s power. We can also accomplish much with the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost helps us in so many ways like;
- Praying and interceding for souls (Romans 8:26, Zechariah 12:10)
- Productive Counselling
- Overcoming persecution and discouragement
- Bring down miracles and supernatural interventions (Acts 13:6-12, 12:5-11)
- Giving us divine comfort in times of trouble
- Helping us to overcome our challenges.
Even though God has promised the Holy Spirit’s power, there are conditions to be met before anyone can be endowed with power from high. These conditions are thus;
- Genuine salvation experience with evidence of a transformed life (Acts 2:38,39).
- Purification of Heart (Ezekiel 36:26,27).
- Total consecration to God, His service, and seeking only for his Glory (1 Chronicle 29:5, Proverbs 12:1,2)
- Strong thirst and desire for the spirit’s power (John 7:37-39, Isaiah 44:3)
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It is therefore necessary as believers to meet this conditions, so as to enables us access this wonderful gift from God.
SELAH...
Please share your thoughts.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit joins us to the body of Christ, it actualizes our co-crucifixion with Christ! well written brother!
..TH
@STEEMCHURCH
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No, a believer doesn't necessarily speak in a new language when they receive the Holy Spirit. That happened at Pentecost but it doesn't happen any more. In the similar way, believers received salvation at one time and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, believers today receive the Holy Spirit at the same time they receive salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, intercedes with God for us, and leads us into truth.
You shouldn't emphasize tongues when miraculous healings aren't occurring either. The lame don't walk. The deaf don't hear. The blind don't see. The dead aren't being raised either. Those things happened in the early church. They don't happen now.
Even the spiritual gifts at Pentecost were for a specific purpose in a specific time and place. They were there so people could hear the gospel in their own language. Not only to speak another language or a new language.
(Acts 2:3-11 NIV) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. {4} All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. {5} Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. {6} When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. {7} Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? {8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? {9} Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome {11} (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
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The Baptism of the Spirit can be a pitfall since so many people who have experienced it long for it again, almost to the point of putting the validity of their faith in the experience instead of the clear teaching of the word of God. Thanks Edema!
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True
Thanks for your indepth contribution
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Agreed! That said, how can one go back to the worldly life after having experienced known God? We are called to continue living and hungering for God.
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Being filled with the Holy spirit allows us access to power and authority of God.
For one to be filled with the spirit, he needs to be genuinely transformed with a pure heart seeking and thirsting power to serve Jehovah.
I love this post, have a blessed sunday.
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We must give an open expression of faith in the act of water baptism in obedience to Jesus Christ. Baptism was the universal experience of all Christians in the New Testament. There were no unbaptized Christians after Pentecost. Christ had commanded it ( Matthew 28:18–20 ) and the church practiced it. So we do today.
Therefore, I invite you to experience the greatest thing in the world: Repent, trust Christ, open yourself to the power of his Spirit, be baptized in his name, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Shalom
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The holy spirit is very powerful and it is good to have the holy spirit because he guides and protect us, not only that he leads and direct us in the right path and he would not allow us to fall victim of any evil circumstances.
dayjee
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Receiving the holy spirit is one of the best feeling ever. You get liberated from all form of fleshy things and dwell more in the spirit. God give us such gifts for greater understanding.
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Christ while he was on earth promised his desciples of the comforter whi is the holly spirit.
God from the old testament has always be there for his childreen in those days .life as christain should always be reflected by what the spirit says.
God has prepared the table before us all we need to do isto accept him in our life and every other things shall be added unto our life
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Sanctification continues after the baptism of the Holy Spirit. My impression is we are never completely sanctified in our earthly bodies.
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This new to my believe I think I will do more research
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This are my prayers for your good work you'v done on steemit:
Ephesians 3:16
"i pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being".
Isaiah 60:5 NIV
Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you.
Those are my prayers from you today and so shall it be.
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Thanks for the prayer
I say Amen to them all
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The baptism of the Holy Spirit came upon Peter and the other disciples and they spoke in different tongues, the bible personally said.
This is the baptism of the holy spirit, here it cleanses and gives a new purpose and anoints people to do the bidding of the God.
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