Acts 1:5 (NIV)
You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
There is much skepticism and confusion about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Reactions to it range from total disdain for the events on the days of Pentecost to fake and Satanic manifestations of counterfeits. We are told not to treat prophecies with contempt (1 Thessalonians 5:20) and not quench the fire of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Theological evangelicals who are purely cerebral without ever being baptized in the Holy Spirit write it off as Huey. Pentecostal and charismatic leaders emphasize handling snakes, speaking in tongues, and other Divine manifestations to such an extent that they are bordering on Satanic counterfeits (2 Thessalonians 2:9). To understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, it is essential to understand what it means and doesn't mean.
The first instance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was baptized in the Jordan. At that moment, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him bodily as a dove (Luke 3:22). That was a unique and rare manifestation of the Spirit of God. The Lord Jesus Christ did not speak in tongues. Instead, He was filled with Divine power and was led into the wilderness by the devil to be tempted and tested (Matthew 4:1).
The second instance was when the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles in bodily form, forks or tongues of fire, and a violent rushing wind (Acts 2:1). That powerful manifestation of fire and a hurricane strength Divine wind has never happened since. The Apostles were baptized with fire as the fire forks rested on each. That was the first manifestation of speaking in tongues or foreign languages, which locals could understand gathered there from across the world. This should serve as a rebuke to those who downplay entirely the physical manifestations of the Spirit of God. Just because some have never been baptized in the Holy Spirit does not make it fake.
When I received the Holy Spirit and was baptized in Him, there was inexpressible joy and a feeling of floating on the clouds as though every burden was lifted. Although I had rebelled against God's will, the Holy Spirit eventually worked in me to fully surrender to the Lord and His will. That was the culmination of the baptism in the Holy Spirit when the word of the Lord started coming to me (Ezekiel 12:1, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Zechariah 4:8). A man baptized in the Holy Spirit can be sinless or entirely sanctified (1 John 3:6-9). This does not mean sinless perfection but only that he has the power within him not to sin, which he did not have before. As the Holy Spirit works to yield more of our flesh to righteousness (Romans 6:13-14), we notice a transformation in our lives. We are no longer addicted to the same habits or thoughts. We no longer seek out the same friends or are addicted to the same habits. In other words, the Holy Spirit is conforming us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is manifested in us. It could be instantaneous in a few cases, like with the Lord Jesus Christ, but in most cases, the manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit or reception of the Holy Spirit works out over time (Romans 8:29).
It is wrong for Christians to ignore or ridicule the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, believers should be aware of fakes and counterfeits from Satan as well.
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