Introduction to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Introduction: We are going to teach on the gifts of the Spirit. I would love to be able to demonstrate what I am teaching but I cannot. They are not my gifts but His and He gives them as He chooses not as we chose. Let me say, however, you will never find the gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in the life of someone who has not been Baptized in the Holy Spirit.

I. Are the gifts for today?

1 Corinthians 13:8 - 13 (NKJV) ⁸Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. ¹¹When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹²For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now - I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. ¹³And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

• Prophecy will fail

• Tongues will cease

• Spiritual knowledge will vanish

1. When?

¹⁰But when that which is perfect has come,

2. What is the perfect?

   • The Bible? The “canon” of scripture did not come into being until 400AD! The original text had disappeared so which was perfect – the Latin translation, or perhaps the English KJV in 1611?

ILL: I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God but I also know that the original Greek and Hebrew texts do not exist – that the Bible as we know it was developed over centuries and each language has its distinct translations and interpretations. So the Bible was not what Paul was referring to!

• When I see Him “face to face”

• Now all revelation is imperfect “¹²For now we see in a mirror, dimly”

• Mystery

^{I Tim 3: 16}And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God^£ was manifested in the flesh,

Justified in the Spirit,

Seen by angels,

Preached among the Gentiles,

Believed on in the world,

Received up in glory.

ILL: The fact of the matter is I do not know what God looks like!

3. Until “that day” I need every help I can get!

1. The nine gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:1 - 11 (NKJV) ¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ²You know that^ you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. ³Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. ⁴There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ⁸for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by ^the same Spirit, ¹⁰to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

A. Three gifts of revelation – the eyes of God

• A Word of Wisdom

• A Word of Knowledge

• Discerning of Spirits

B. Three gifts of Power – the hands of God

• Special faith

• Gifts of healings

• The working of miracles

4. Three vocal gifts – the mouth of God

• The gift of Prophecy

• The gift of Tongues

• The gift of Interpretation

2. Understanding the Gifts

1. God wants you to understand the Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1 - 2 (NKJV) ¹Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ²You know that^ you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

B. Each believer is to have at least one

1 Corinthians 12:4 - 7 (NKJV) ⁴There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

C. We are to desire Gifts and ask for them

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NKJV) ¹Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

D. The Holy Spirit is the source of the gifts

Hebrews 2:1 - 4 (NKJV) ¹Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ²For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, ³how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ⁴God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

5. We are not to neglect the Gifts

1 Timothy 4:12 - 14 (NKJV) ¹²Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, ^in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

2 Timothy 1:3 - 7 (NKJV) ³I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. ⁶Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

IV. Description of the Gifts

1. Word of Wisdom - has to do with future events

Illustration of Word of Wisdom

Acts 21:10 - 14 (NKJV) ¹⁰And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” ¹²Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”

• Agabus was a Prophet but prophecy does not always tell the future it is forth-telling as well as for-telling. A prophecy can make things happen a word of wisdom tells what will happen!

1. Word of Knowledge – has to do with the now!

Illustration of Word of Knowledge

John 4:7 - 18 (NKJV) ⁷A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” ⁸For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. ⁹Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” ¹¹The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? ¹²Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” ¹³Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” ¹⁵The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” ¹⁷The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ ¹⁸for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

ILL: A man stepped into the darkened room where I was ministering. I said, “The man who just entered the room said to himself, ‘if God is real let Him show it and I will turn my life over to Jesus. Sir, God is and you need Jesus in your life!” The man ran to forward and gave his life to Jesus.

ILL: I was in a counseling session. The woman was greatly distressed and had even been in a mental hospital. Suddenly the Holy Spirit spoke to my mind. “Ask her about her underwear!” I thought, “I don’t care what kind of underwear this woman is wearing” Once more the Spirit said, “ask her about her underwear!” So I said, “Is there anything unusual about your undergarments?” She stared at me for a moment and then tearfully replied, “they were given to me at the temple endowment ceremony when I married my husband for time and eternity. He has since divorced me and remarried with the same ceremony and I am going to be his second wife in eternity!” Now before I was saved as a Christian I was a Mormon and a member of the priesthood of the Mormon Church. That Word of Knowledge, like the Word of Knowledge to the woman at the well helped me to get that women set free!

3. Discerning of Spirits

Illustration of gift of Discerning of Spirits (this is not judging people)

Acts 13:6 - 12 (NKJV) ⁶Now when they had gone through ^the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹²Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

4. Gift of Faith

Illustration of the Gift of Faith (this is special faith for a situation)

Acts 28:1 - 6 (NKJV) ¹Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. ²And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold. ³But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. ⁴So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” ⁵But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

5. Gift of Healings

Illustration of the Gift of healings (this is not the person being healed faith but a gift to the one through which the healing comes)

Acts 3:1 - 10 (NKJV) ¹Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ²And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; ³who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. ⁴And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” ⁵So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” ⁷And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. ⁸So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. ⁹And all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

6. Gift of Miracles

Illustration of the gift of miracles ( the gift of miracles puts aside physical laws – such as Jesus feeding the multitudes)

Acts 8:34 - 40 (NKJV) ³⁴So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” ³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. ³⁶Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” ^37Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” ³⁸So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

ILL: Philip was transported from near Jerusalem to Azotus -Minister Randy King and myself were transported in an automobile from near Richmond VA to Fairmont West VA in a matter of minutes. The next time we took the trip it took hours and we passed through towns we had never seen before.

7. Prophecy

Illustration of how prophecy is to be used – it is not fortune telling!)

1 Corinthians 14:1 - 5 (NKJV) ¹Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ²For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; ^for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

• Edification = build up, strengthen

• Exhortation = encourage and motivate

• Comfort = sooth in time of sorrow, remove hurt.

1. Tongues and interpretation = prophecy and must do the same things!

Illustration: Prophecy tongues & interpretation must be confirmed!

1 Corinthians 14:26 - 33 (NKJV) ²⁶How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. ³⁰But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³²And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

ILL: If it cannot be confirmed do not accept it!

Over 30 years ago a woman from Dunn NC prophesied that my ministry would be like in three pipes, each would be larger then the first and out of the last pipe sparks would fly out to the world. A short time after a man from South Africa prophesied that my ministry would be like three buckets, each would fill with water, from the third bucket drops of water would go around the earth. Both my spirit and the elders agreed with both prophesy. The first building closed to our ministry moving us into a second, the second closed and we built the Cathedral of His Glory. TBN put the Cathedral on satellite and sparks went to the world. Our missions have carried the water of the Gospel to the world. Those prophecy have strengthened, encouraged, motivated me and in times of trouble they have removed sorrow.

When I was in Denmark two years ago a Pastor came to my hotel room who had a Word of Wisdom for me he told me some things that were going to take place in my ministry – some things I did not like – but he also told me that after these things some very positive things would happen. I already had been told by the Holy Spirit some of what he was telling me – the end results I am beginning to see but his words encouraged me during the difficult times.

Conclusion: The gifts can be imparted and activated by the laying on of hands by anointed ministry gifts.

Romans 1:8 - 12 (NKJV) ⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— ¹²that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

715 - The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Matthew 3:7 - 12 (NKJV) ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹I 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. ¹²His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

1. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not salvation.

1. What it takes to be saved.

Romans 10:5 - 10 (NKJV) ⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”^{ 6}But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”^ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”^ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

• Righteousness comes from the heart = relationship

• Salvation comes from the word = confession

Acts 2:38 - 41 (NKJV) ³⁸Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” ⁴⁰And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” ⁴¹Then those who ^gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

2. When the Disciples were saved

John 20:19 - 29 (NKJV) ¹⁹Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were ^assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²²And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ²⁴Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” ²⁶And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” ²⁷Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” ²⁸And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, ^“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

• Why He breathed on them!

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV) ⁷And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

• Dead men walking!

Ephesians 2:1 - 10 (NKJV) ¹And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ²in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

• “He made alive” – That’s what happens when a person is “Born Again”

• Believed - ²⁷Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

• Confessed – “Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

2. Christians need to be Baptized in the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:4 - 8 (NKJV) ⁴And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; ⁵for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸But 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.”

A. Why? - Power!

B. When?

Acts 2:1 - 4 (NKJV) ¹When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all ^with one accord in one place. ²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

• While the Holy Spirit is a Person – reference last week’s message – He is a person of Spirit therefore He cannot be restricted in time or space. They were all filled!

3. Eight years after Pentecost:

Acts 8:9 - 19 (NKJV) ⁹But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. ¹⁴Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

• They believed Philip

• They were baptized in water

• They sent for Peter and John

• They prayed for the believers that they would receive the Holy Spirit

• They laid hands on them

• Simon recognized that they had received and wanted the Holy Spirit for himself

4. Paul received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit three days after his conversion on the road to Damascus

Acts 9:17 - 18 (NKJV) ¹⁷And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord ^Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

• He received the Holy Spirit Baptism when Ananias “laid hands on him”

5. Ten years after Pentecost Cornelius and the gentiles receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and tongues.

Acts 10:44 - 48 (NKJV) ⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

6. Twenty years after Pentecost the disciples at Ephesus received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:1 - 7 (NKJV) ¹And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples ²he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” ³And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” ⁵When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷Now the men were about twelve in all.

7. The Post-Apostolic Church

• Tertullian in 240 AD wrote: “Not that in water we obtain the Spirit; but in the water we are cleansed and prepared for the Holy Spirit. Following Baptism the hand is laid upon us inviting the Holy Spirit.”¹

• Origen in 284 AD, “ For this reason was the grace and revelation of the Holy Spirit bestowed by the imposition of the apostles’ hands after baptism. Our Savior, also, after the resurrection, when old things had already passed away and all things had become new.. His apostle also being renewed by faith in His resurrection says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”²

• Martin Luther 1546 AD. His great hymn A Might Fortress Is Our God 4^th stanza “The Spirit and gifts are ours” The German History of the Christian Church states that Luther was “a prophet, evangelist, speaker in tongues and interpreter.”³

• George Fox and the Quakers 1650 AD. “W received often the pouring down of the Spirit upon us, and the gift of God’s Holy eternal Spirit as in the days of old, and our heart were made glad, and our tongues loosed, and our mouths opened, and we spoke with new tongues, as the Lord gave utterance, and as His Spirit led us, which was poured down upon us on sons and daughters. ⁴

• Count Zinzendorf 1727 AD. The entire congregation was overwhelmed by the Spirit and fell to the floor. At communion the Spirit came and they “hardly knew whether they belonged to heaven or earth…spiritual gifts began to be manifested in their midst, Christian women and young people were filled with the Spirit and prophesied. “ German historian Dr. Warneck declared, “This small church in twenty years called into being more Missions that the whole evangelical Church has done in two centuries.”

• John Wesley 1790 “At about three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground… We broke out with one voice. ‘ We praise Thee, O God.” At one time while Wesley was preaching people “dropped on every side as if thunderstruck.” At another time as they started to sing John and Charles burst into loud laughter. He wrote, “we could not refrain, thought we were ready to tear ourselves in pieces.”

• Thomas Walsh, a friend of Wesley wrote: “The influence of His Spirit wrought so powerfully, upon me that my joy was beyond expression, the Lord gave me a language I knew not of, raising my soul to Him in a wonderful manner.⁵

• Charles Finney, 1873, “When I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit I wept aloud with joy and love and literally bellowed out the unutterable gushing of my soul.” ⁶

• D. L. Moody 1899 “I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York – oh what at day – I cannot describe it. …I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had an experience of His love so that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons were not different and yet hundreds were converted. I would not be placed back where I was before that blessed experience for all the world…⁷

ILL: I’m not even going to tell you about William Seymour and the Azusa Street Revival, or about Oral Roberts and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, or about Kenneth Hagen, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hynn or John Haggai, Joel Olsten – but you would never have known about any of them had it not been for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

I was raised a Mormon, ordained into the Mormon priesthood as a child but was saved at the age of 28 years, I was called into the ministry and have been an ordained Baptist minister for the past 49 years. I was testifying in a court case and the opposing attorney asked me, “Sir, you are not a normal Baptist Minister are you?” No I’m a Baptized in the Holy Spirit minister and as a result my ministry has built 96 churches, a world missions organization, an orphanage, a feeding program for 2,000 deprived children, and a TV program that is seen in 71 nations of the world!

II. How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

1. Put away:

   • Pride, In 1918 Professor B.B. Warfield in his book Counterfeit Miracles stated that there had not been a miracle since the death of the original twelve apostles.⁸ Since there had been no miracles in his ministry (the only evidence he had) he had to conclude there could not be any. God will not give you anything you will not have faith for!

   • Fear

Luke 11:9 - 13 (NKJV) ⁹“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹If a son asks for ^bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

2. Acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

3. Ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Spirit

4. Receive by faith

5. As an act of faith open your mouth and praise Him

Conclusion: The normal way of receiving is to have someone who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit lay their hands upon you. I will do it if you want to receive but I must give you a warning. – the Baptism in the Holy Spirit comes with a price!

Acts 1:7 - 8 (NKJV) ⁷And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸But 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.”

1 Eddie L. Hyatt 2000 years of Charismatic Christianity, Charisma House. p. 18

2 Ibid. p. 19.

3 Ibid. p. 77

4 George Fox, The Great Mystery of the Great Wore Unfolded; and AntiChrist’s Kingdom vol 3. AMS Press. 1975. p.13

5 William R. Davis, Spirit Baptism and Spiritual Gifts in early Methodism Cross Fire 1974. p.12

6 Hyatt. Op.cit. p.127

7 William Moody, The Life of D. L Moody, Revell 1900 p. 149

8 Benjamin B. Warfield, Counterfeit Miracles Banner of Truth 1983 p.23-24