“For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)
“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals;
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11)
2. Meaning of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
- Corinthians 1:21-22 says, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”
Matthew 3:11 says there is not only baptism of the Holy Spirit but also the baptism of fire. It says, “He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Let us first look into how we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, what the baptism of fire is, and how we receive it. Before Jesus was born, God sent John the Baptist to this earth first, with the duty to prepare the way for the Lord. God let him preach that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. Also, John the Baptist proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near!” and in the Jordan River baptized with water those who repented.
John the Baptist testified to Jesus saying, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. So first, how do we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
To receive the Holy Spirit, we first have to know why Jesus is our Savior and why we have to believe in Him to be saved. Also, we have to realize that we were sinners for not believing in Jesus Christ and repent of it.
Of course, we have to repent of all other sins, too, but we should realize the greatest sin is that we did not believe in Jesus Christ and repent of it. After we realize that Jesus is the Savior and that we were sinners, and repent of it, we have to open our heart, and believe and accept Jesus as our Savior.
Then, as said in Acts 2:38, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” the Holy Spirit, the gift of God will be given. Then, as said in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,” you receive the authority of God’s children and receive salvation.
Likewise, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the surest evidence of salvation. We are not saved just by attending church. We are born again when our dead spirit revives by believing in Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit. From that time, our names are written in the Book of Life in Heaven. Then, we can call God “Abba, Father” and we can pray with true faith.
We can receive the answer to our prayer only when we pray with faith, and before we receive the Holy Spirit, we cannot gain this kind of faith. But after we receive the Holy Spirit, we know that we are children of God and that the almighty God is our Father, so we gain the faith that the Father will answer to us when we, His children ask Him.
Once you receive the Holy Spirit, you try to live within the Word of God, the truth. The Holy Spirit lets you discern what sin is and helps you to live a righteous life within the word of God, and not in sins.
So, you can discard the desires of the flesh that you used to follow before you received the Holy Spirit, and begin to follow the desires of the Holy Spirit to act the truth. Therefore, only with the Holy Spirit you can overcome this dark world and live a life in the light, so that you will be saved and enter into the heavenly kingdom.
No matter how long you have been a Christian, if you have not received the Holy Spirit you do not have the assurance of salvation nor can you live by the Word of God. Only when you receive the Holy Spirit, you have the assurance of salvation, will be able to cast off sins everyday, live in the light with His help, and receive complete salvation.
Therefore, though you attend church to gain eternal life and enter into the heavenly kingdom, you still definitely have to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and live a life in the light. If there is any new-believer or newcomer who has not received the Holy Spirit yet, other members should help them, and they themselves should also try to live by the Word so that they will receive the Holy Spirit.