Holy Spirit Baptism

Food for thought / Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire.

In the absence of precise and complete teaching on the question, many people adopt the strategy of fake it until you make it and it seems to work! It is completely legitimate to try something.
The Bible says that if you ask your Heavenly Father to give you the Holy Spirit, he will give it to you. (Luke 11:13 and Matthew 7:11). Of course He will, if your motive is purity and holiness, completely unselfish, not just to show off! Jesus gave it well to his apostles even before his crucifixion. But beware ! It’s not about Baptism itself here. Even if they have manifested the gifts of Healing and deliverance it is only gifts of the Spirit! because holiness is not given without humbling oneself, fasting and purifying oneself constantly. Gifts are given, but not holiness.

In meanwhile, once we got this connection and this intimacy with the Holy Spirit, why not ask him to teach us this lesson we have learned badly? Have we really learned it? And why not start all over again with the Holy Spirit who is there to guide us in all truth?

This is what I recommend, instead of going to teach a good recipe that works for me.
I am satisfied with nothing less. Because the promises of Jesus are of supreme Excellency and he always has more to reveal to us. If he promised me something and I didn’t experience it as intensely, I would look for it all my life!

I don't want to teach what he revealed to the just curious, because royalty is not simply offered to everyone. Sanctification and the quest for holiness is required. Didn't he say: "In my father's kingdom there are different mansions". The kingdom of heaven is for all faithful believers. But the most holy Kingdom of God is only for the saints! Heavenly Jerusalem is for the very holy and wise virgin souls not for foolish virgins!

In the Gospel of John 3: 5 Jesus said well to Nicodemus "If someone is not born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God". But that does not mean he is completely excluded from paradise! But that’s not the topic of our study here.
So let's go back to the basic lesson on baptism in the Holy Spirit.

I only paint an introductory sketch here.
As a Christian, for a deep examination of conscience, let us face all these questions.

§ Can an unbeliever be guided by the Holy Spirit even before his confession of faith?

- God is omnipresent and it is indeed the Holy Spirit who guides the sincere soul towards the bearers of good news and it is He who converts to faith.

§ Have we not all received the Holy Spirit on the very day of our salvation?

- Of course, even before baptism in water. But it’s just a soul connection I believe. It is not immersion in the Holy Spirit or baptism.

§ Was baptism in water essential for our salvation?

- Not at all but it is salvation that calls upon it to begin the process of continuous repentance. Jesus himself demonstrated it for all who want to follow him.

§ Is baptism in water not enough to strengthen the connection with the Holy Spirit?

- It will surely strengthen the connection but nothing can replace the full baptism. As you know well, John the Baptist said: "He who comes after me will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire!"

§ If we already have the evidence to communicate with the Holy Spirit and manifest certain gifts, doesn’t that mean that we are already baptized in the Holy Spirit?
- It only proves that you have just reached the line to finish the race. Please, don’t stop there beloved! As long as you were doing everything out of pure love for your neighbor and gratitude for the Lord, you are just at the line to finish the race. One step more!

§ If I have asked our heavenly father many times to give me the Holy Spirit, should we not assume by faith that our baptism in the Holy Spirit is already done?
- Any believer can ask for and obtain a better connection and get it. But the quest for sanctification and holiness is a prerequisite for total immersion in the Holy Spirit.

As you know, the Lord Jesus had breathed well on his disciples telling them: receive the Holy Spirit, but they were not already baptized in the Holy Spirit. They had to wait for the day of Pentecost. Hadn’t they?

They did preach very well the good of the kingdom which is at hand but not yet the good news of salvation, because the resurrection had not yet taken place. They have only demonstrated that the kingdom of the supernatural is indeed within reach through the obvious manifestations of healings and deliverances in the name of Jesus.

If this was already proof that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, why then, before his ascension, Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem in order to receive the Holy Spirit with power from on high? It was absolutely a mandatory step in order to testify effectively and forcefully all over the world.

Going to evangelize today, we can clearly see the damage of burnt grounds because of religious evangelization made by simple proselytism and without passion or demonstration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Even in good faith, evangelism without the gifts of the Holy Spirit produces perhaps more social rejection than true conversions of the heart. It only responds to a need for belonging without genuine conviction.
Does Jesus really like it? Is number more important than quality? This is probably one of the reasons why upset people leave the church.

Can you imagine, if one of the disciples of Jesus would have said to himself: "I do not need to wait in Jerusalem, I will go for it immediately. I feel I have it all"! What would be the reaction of Jesus?

§ Do you believe that the day of Pentecost was really the great day of their baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire?

- Absolutely, and it was a total immersion to the overflow of anointing and flames. Weren't there more than 3000 conversions in Jerusalem that same day?
So beloved, do you want to prepare carefully and wait for your personal day of Pentecost? Jesus will surely be there when you are really ready.

§ Can’t we honestly say: it might be their second baptism in the Holy Spirit or might that be only their baptism in fire?

- The safest guess is that they received this double baptism on the same day.  Furthermore, when in front of the crowd, Jesus the Most Holy one had indeed received his triple baptism at once. The visible and audible signs were obvious proof of this. He did not show euphoria because he was already very holy and nothing was surprising to him.

 

§ If one is already saved by grace through faith, is it necessary to proceed to the different baptisms and why?

- It is authentic salvation which makes this passionate call to the whole process of sanctification up to the ultimate. If salvation frees us from the sentence of hell and even from the fear of death, baptisms and the gifts of the Holy Spirit open the doors of grace to us here and now. They will produce the fruits of grace to benefit all around.

§ The holy scriptures speak of one God and one baptism. Why are we talking about all these baptisms in God's plan? Are they optional choices or imperatives?

- The whole baptism in Holy Life is essentially three in one! One is not complete without the other two. They can sometimes occur both or all three at the same time. As you know, it takes oil, oxygen and the spark of fire to produce flame and light. Without that, like all ignorant, we’ll have to wait until the end of our earthly days to see the light

Without being imperatives for salvation in eternal life, these are not optional if we want to enjoy and share a victorious adventure in the Lord here now. Why skimp and leave everything until later?
In my opinion and especially for this end of time, it even becomes an urgent imperative to consolidate faith through personal experiences and experiences. Because the enemy is well armed, determined and in a hurry to pulverize all faith and make us doubt everything and ourselves (identity and gender ...) to the point of slipping and even renouncing the faith!
Times are getting more and more dangerous my beloved.

§ The majority of Christians have not had this experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit and some do not even know this grace is still available. Why be the exception and really care?

- It is not a question of majority or a minority. It is no question of voting. For by one man all of humanity was contaminated and fall and by one man in truth against all, salvation and grace became available to all.
If the Lord has given himself body and soul as a living sacrifice for the salvation of your soul, Would you dare make a better bargain to offer yourself as a gift to the King of kings?
But again, it is a matter of dignity and honor. Love does not force anything.

§ Can any Christian man or woman, Evangelist or Pastor bestow the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

- Out of ignorance, there are many who do so, improvising in good faith.. But the Bible shows us that only the apostles and the prophets can impart and bestow it and show how to speed up the process of sanctification.
The chapter 8 of the book of Acts of the Apostles illustrates an unequivocal demonstration. We all know in (8:12) that Philip was an excellent evangelist who converted many Samaritans; not only with his eloquence and his testimony, but with numerous demonstrations of the gifts of the Spirit: healings, deliverances and miracles. This was to the point of unseating their greatest magician Simon and converting him! Philip even baptized them all in the water of repentance including their great magician.
Why then did he call on Peter and John and bring them from Jerusalem to baptize them in the Holy Spirit?
It is not only out of deference and respect for hierarchy, I am sure. But given the urgency of the circumstances and the fact that they are new converts, the utmost discernment was required! Didn’t he say: rare pearls should not be given to pigs? Since there has been no sanctification or high aspirations, it was a must.
Indeed, if there were not Pierre on the scene, Simon the magician would not have been ejected. He who aspired to buy the gift of baptizing by the Holy Spirit, so funny even before even receiving his baptism in the Spirit. It was thanks to the alertness of Peter, he was severely put in his place.

Therein lies a life lesson for all the faithful who want to follow the example and the straight line established by the martyrs of the faith. It is not a matter of legalism or hierarchy. If we want to offer Jesus virgin and pure souls, we must go through the hand of those who represent him best.
If they are not available, we must follow all the sanctification process until Jesus himself pours out the fire and the unction of his grace on the candidate.
In the meantime, check with yourself. Are you fully filled with the Holy Spirit?
It is not just an honorary title for the ego. Dying to yourself is all about being completely selfless!

§ Is it biblical to impart this level of baptism in  masse and even remotely? If not is it forbidden as a sin to do so?

- We have just spoken of a collective baptism of the Spirit Samaria lying hands on each one, but it was not remote at all, even if it is given by great apostles who perfectly represent Jesus and act only under the fire of his presence. No fast food please!
That said, no sin if done in good faith and without interest of fame or show. But the result remains doubtable.

On the other hand, I would add a good one: if baptism in the Holy Spirit was not so important and even essential, why then did Paul question the Ephesian congregation about their baptism and administer to them the baptism of the Holy Spirit laying his hands on each one?

That’s all beloved. As if by chance, I recently came across the perfect video clip teaching and confirming this fundamental biblical lesson that I am sharing with you. Thank you Father.
Here is the hypertext link taken on January 10, 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep8jnt5k3P8