UNDERSTANDINNG SPIRIT BAPTISM

Pre-requisite

1.Be Open minded

2.Be teachable.

3. If you are religious or a stereotype...it may not profiting

 WHAT TO UNDERSTAND

 When man was saved, it was his spirit man that received salvation. By definition Man himself is a spirit that has a soul that lives in a body. When we get born-again, the spirit is reborn as a baby into the kingdom, hence the need for spiritual growth. But this can't be achieved on our own, for we know not the kingdom, the way and we are ignorant of other Spiritual factors on the Journey of salvation.

1Cor 12:3 ‘’...nobody confess Jesus is lord except by the Spirit of God. This means that everyone who is born again as come in contact with the Holy Spirit, who brought them to conviction to confess Jesus as Lord.

However this first contact is not enough. I call this first contact the level of repentance and induction. But hear what Jesus says to the disciples after three years of being inducted.

Act 1:8 "…But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth…"

Even after three years Jesus told them, you are not fit for this "football match". But excuse me; we still went to preach in your name and devils where subject to us,

Luke 10:17 so why are you talking about Power... Which Power again?

The reason why the disciples could preach and do all that they did was because Jesus was still with them, much so they used what is called delegated authority... Remember they said in your name devil's were subject to us.

Unfortunately, Many believers, Pastors, Evangelist, etc operate from this level. It works even till tomorrow. It’s a case of teaching someone how to fish and giving him fish. Yes they both have fish. But one can eat fish at will, any time, any day... But the other must wait till he is given. God wants us to be carriers of him directly.

After three years, they still needed something ‘’...POWER...’’ now this power is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

These two levels of power is the reason why many back slide and not being able to operate effectively in ministry / the Journey of salvation. Friends, according to Jesus testimony, Power is required.

We can also call the first realm of believers, ‘’Cornelius believers’’… He knew God; he gave alms and gave tithes but did not know Jesus. In the same way, some know Jesus but know not the Holy Spirit. Some think they know him but unfortunately, many do not understand this power and its operation.

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

1. He is the third person of the trinity.

2. He is the Spirit that makes God, God.

3. He is the spirit that was in Jesus, which operated in him.

4. He is a Helper.

5. He is a Teacher

6.He convicts

7.He is the Power of God

8.He is the Spirit of Performance

9.He is not "going in trance" or speaking in tongues.

10. He is a person like Jesus, sent from God.

11. He is a Spirit, so he can manifest everywhere unlike Jesus who was confined by a body.

12. He is the Spirit that operates in true prophets.

13. He is the strength of the Apostles.

14. He is not a gift,(Although is coming is a gift to the world) but he gives gifts... Explained in the course of study.

DETAILS OF THE HELP MINISTRY

Joh 14:16 "…And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever…’’

Joh 14:17 "…even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you…’’

Joh 14:26 "…But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you...’’

 Joh 15:26 "…But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of me…’’

Joh 16:13 "…However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come…’’

When Jesus was on earth he ministered life to those who were with him, he mentored them, he revealed God to them, he revealed the kingdom, and he told them the truth about their life style and beliefs. Now all Jesus did, was done in the energy of the Holy Spirit as nothing that God would do, would be done by the arm of flesh. Remember, our weapons of warfare are not carnal. In other words, The Holy Spirit is tasked with the responsibility to continue in the same ministry as Jesus. Jesus taught, the Holy Spirit is also a teacher, Jesus revealed mysteries to is disciples, the Holy Spirit is said to reveal things, etc. Now all this teaching, counsel, etc is to help the newly born again spirit of man to grow, to attain spiritual Maturity/stamina and power in the inner man. The Bible calls him another Helper. So he is a type of Jesus that must live with us. He has more insight into the spirit realm and more so he is God in pure form, so therefore we must have him.

IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - who can have the Holy Spirit?

 Mat 3:11 "…I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire…’’

The above statement is credited to John the Baptist. Talking to all who came to see and hear him in the wilderness. Emphasis…He spoke to all.

As explained earlier. Some operate in the realm of the Baptism of John, which is that of repentance. Those who study the Bible well will note that Jesus and John the Baptist preached the same message, and more so, John was the one who was to reveal Jesus and testify of Him. In his testimony, he said the one that would come would give you a higher dimension of baptism, what I am doing is just and introduction. Only him as the Power to Baptize with this "New  water". He will no longer use physical water like I do but a spiritual one, that when you are baptized in that water it will become a well in you that will continually spring unto life eternal.

Friends, life and the Journey of salvation without this High order of Baptism are and will be full of difficulties.

 WHO CAN HAVE THE BAPTISM?

 1. The baptism is for ‘’ALL’’ who thirst for it.

2. It is not only for a set of people, it is for all.

THE BAPTISM

  The word baptism is from the word baptizo which means to immerse. In others, by baptism of the Holy Spirit we mean fully immersing into the Spirit, we are not talking about the visitation of the Spirit as of Old. We are not talking about ankle level immersion, waist level, and shoulder level immersion but being fully immersed and buried in the spirit. This is why the Bible talks about the Holy Spirit being a seal of our salvation.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is simply being enlisted into the school of power. It involves the partaking of the power of God directly the same way Jesus did. Partaking of divine energy, divine knowledge. Partaking in what made Jesus. Listen you can never be like Christ without the ministry of the Holy Spirit…Forget it. You will just be living a fake life, fake ministry, you will tell the congregation don't fornicate but will be the chief fornicator; you will struggle to forgive when they offend you... You will place less value on spiritual things that matter, etc. The baptism is Empowerment and Spiritual awakening of the spirit man.

Friends, I tell you, the secret of escaping worldliness or carnality and defeating powers of darkness seamlessly is in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is what made Jesus… JESUS... of a truth we are more than conquers for we have the Spirit of God himself within us and not just within us; we are fully immersed in him.

 THE SEAL

 Eph 1:13 ‘’... In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise...’’

Studying the above verse, there are three processes involved in our complete salvation.

1. Hearing of the word...

2.Believing the word... When you give your life to Christ and become born again.

3. Receiving the seal of Promise. The Holy Spirit.

You can see that the seal of the Holy Spirit is important and by seal we mean baptism of the Holy Spirit and not just having a knowledge of him, not just mentioning him in your prayers, not just reading about him, but experiencing the full immersion /relationship itself for your advancement in the kingdom. You are not complete until you are sealed with the spirit. You need it. Negotiating the baptism of the Holy Spirit for another thing is an application to the school of babes.

WHEN YOU ARE BAPTIZED

 Act 2:4 "...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...’’

Act 19:6 "...when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied..."

Act 10:45 "...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..."

1. When you receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit that is, when you are baptized, it comes with the evidence of speaking in tongues as seen in the scripture above.

2. Sometimes it comes along with a gift... In the case of Paul in the scripture above, those he prayed for received the baptism and also prophesied. Prophesy was a gift received and the baptism is the immersion, the encounter the spirit man has.

Please pay attention because this is where many get confused, due to their back ground.

 SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS OF TWO DIMENSIONS

 1. Tongues as a result of fullness:

When we receive the fullness, the Spirit gives us utterances. This utterance is more for intercession and personal edification. This is not prophesying. Not all Speaking in tongues is related to trance or prophesying. This is another topic.

2. Tongues as a result of prophesy:

This is the utterance given when a man prophesies and in trance. This order of tongues is as a result of gift of the Holy Spirit which he has promised to pour out on his children in the last days. Prophesy is just one of the many gifts.

CONCERNING GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Gifts of the spirit operates with the principles of spirit upon. Where the power of God comes upon you and departs after operating. A typical example is seen in the lives of prophets, priest, Kings and a selected few in the old order. Spirit upon gives your spirit man extra ordinary abilities. This is good but there is another realm of operation called spirit within.

CONCERNING FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Spirit upon does not change a man but uses a man and gives him abilities. God has not nullified this mystery. As a matter of fact both operations of spirit within and without are in the church today and both must work together in us for the perfection of the body.

Spirit within changes a man, Christ in you, the hope of glory. The holy spirit in you the hope of glory. Now Spirit within works out the fruits of the spirit in us. It brings us to the realm of character formation; it forms our inner man by the word of truth that we allow in. It gives us the nature of God. It bears witness to the truth that we are sons of God.

The final destination of the spirit of the lord is within us.

These two operations of the spirit are very critical.

One imparts the nature of God, the other manifest the power of God.

The spirit within is of higher order. Those who manifest spirit without, without spirit within will fall into sin and unrighteousness because they don't have fellowship with the spirit upon them. At that moment they are just vessels. I can hear someone asking, can God use a sinner?

The Bible says, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. This means that our sins could not stop him. Sin is not a barrier for God, rather a barrier for man. God can approach us if he chose to, but we cannot. God can use anything he chooses to use. The great, great, great mother of David bodily was Rehab the harlot.

Manifesting spirit upon without spirit within is like a ship without a captain... It will take special grace of God to be disciplined. So anytime you see a servant of God that God uses and you can confirm God uses that person, but their life does not manifest the fruit of the spirit. You just take the message and leave him with the mess he is in.

Sometimes I hear people say... How can I hear or listen to this sinner? They wouldn't hear them because of their life styles. By the Spirit of discernment you should be able to know Gods voice. (My sheep knows my voice, the voice of the stranger they would not follow Jhn 10:5) So pick the message and leave the mess. It could be that GOD is still working on that individual.

WHY SPIRIT BAPTISM

 Spirit baptism is not just about speaking in tongues, but the focus is to bring the inner man into the fullness of God through Christ. As a matter of fact it makes the works of Christ laudable, that is, it amplifies the works of God in Christ.

On another level, let us study the book of acts, Timothy and Joel to understand why Spirit baptism.

2Ti 3:1-2"... But know this that in the last day’s perilous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy... "

2Pet 3:3 "... knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lists..."

Act 2:17 "...in the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams..."

Joe 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions..."

Taking a look at the above scriptures... You would discover that there is a phrase common to all of them, which is “last days"... Now the big question did God choose to wait until the last days before he would release his spirit upon all flesh?

WHY THE LAST DAYS?

 In everything you do, do not forget that there is a battle going on because of our lives in the spirit realm. I say battle not war because Jesus won the war on the cross for all humanity. But the battle continues till the trumpet sounds. And we must fight if we must enter into the promise of God.

Now, the scripture says in the last days....he said difficult times shall come, worldliness will increase, men will be lovers of themselves. Peter said scoffers will come, that is, those who will mock other believers for doing what is right... For example waiting and keeping yourself before marriage is now to some people old fashioned. When they hear, they will mock you.

Now another salient question is why the sudden increase in the works of darkness?

The answer is simply due to the increase in demonic activities in the heavenlies. With the understanding of this spiritual battle for souls in the spirit realm, the devil is increasing is deadly attacks on the end time Christian.

Now, it is due to this that God will be sending is spirit in the last days. To help deliver believers from the onslaught of the wicked.

You can see now that you have lazy Christians, these days, they only talk but no action, materialistic in nature, with little or no sense of sacrifice and self discipline. The list goes on and on.

So in other to escape these attacks. Believers must be sealed. You remember the module above?

Believers must be sealed with the Holy Spirit of power.

ENGAGING THE SPIRIT

We understand that it doesn't end on baptism of the Holy Spirit... We must learn to stir up the waters of the Spirit. He is a living spirit, he lives and must be engaged.

HOW TO ENGAGE THE SPIRIT OF GOD

1. Believe in him and that he is from the father through Christ.

2. Acknowledge him in all you do.

3. Take time out to pray in tongues often.

Now concerning praying in Tongues... Many also miss it here... Because they say... They don't understand what they say... So they keep quiet and do not do so.

Understanding what you say when you pray in tongues is in levels. It will come as you grow. Furthermore, you understand some, and you don't understand another.

4. Obey his instructions... When you don't, he may not talk again.

5. Understand he doesn't work in church alone. He is everywhere.’’

6. Study the word

7.Pray in your understanding.

8. Flee from un forgiveness

9.Flee from fornication /Adultery

10.Flee from willful sins.

MYSTERY OF PRAYING IN TONGUES

1 Cor 14:2 "... anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit... 

Anyone who prays in tongues the scripture says utters mystery... By mystery we mean, the supernatural, deep things, that human man cannot think of or settle out in prayers, we mean engaging things that are naturally beyond you and making them work.

So what happens when we pray in tongue. 

What does our spirit do and what does the Holy Spirit enable our spirit to accomplish?

1. We praise God

2.We send Angels on errands...That is Angelic forces are stirred up on our behalf.

3. The spirit through us, intercede for others.

4. We enforce the promise of God for Our lives.

5. We raise up a standard up in the spirit realm.

6. We set the fire in the word of God loose.... It is encouraged that Pastors, song ministers, etc do this very well before there ministration... Fire will fall. It simply gives your ministry /ministration weight in the spirit realm

7.It turns us to Fire.

8.It opens our understanding of the word of God, life, business and career that we may understand more than our teachers.

9. It sharpens your divine insights.

10.It sharpens and gives spiritual gifts more weight.

11.It makes your utterances fire branded.

12.It puts your guardian Angels on red alert. Many have sleeping guardian Angels that is  why the enemy gets them.

13.It kills our crave for sin...That is, It awakens us spiritually and deaden us to the flesh.