So what is the Holy Spirit Baptism?

Now that we've talked about what the "Latter Rain" is all about (a specific outpouring of God's power at the end of time to help us finish the work and be prepared to meet Him), let's talk more specifically about what it means to receive the Holy Spirit baptism. This is a personal experience and we don't need to wait for the Latter Rain for this!

Unfortunately, there’s many confusing theories in Christianity regarding what it means to have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians equate receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit with ecstatic feelings and experiences: “Being slain in the Spirit,” having the “Gift of Tongues,” etc. For others, the idea of receiving the Holy Spirit is a very scary concept.  They don’t know what to expect and there is the fear that receiving the Spirit would put them out of control, kind of like being on a spiritual hallucinogenic drug. For a third group, receiving the Spirit is the Christian equivalent to becoming a spiritual superhero with supernatural powers. So what does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit baptism? Is it even something that we should seek?

Let’s look at what the Bible has to say.

First off, the Holy Spirit is what leads us into and convicts us of truth (see John 14:26; 16:13).  Discovering truth always happens through the medium of the Word of God (see John 17:17). Unfortunately, the acceptance of truth is not merely an intellectual process.  We have many emotional/psychological biases against it due to the love of sin, our pride and independence, or our esteemed traditions. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has to give us an additional “kick,” so that we have the ability to accept it (John 16:8-11). We receive the Holy Spirit when we understand, recognize, and grasp the importance of incorporating the Truths of God’s Word into our life. But it doesn’t stop here, we must act on this new understanding, and this is what sets us free from the deceptions and bondage of our sin(s).

The evidence that we have received the Baptism of the Spirit is the manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit in our life.  Having the Fruit of the Spirit (not just one, but all) demonstrate that the Truth has indeed set us free (see John 8:32). 

In Galatians we read the following:

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, such as immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, magic arts, animosities, strife, jealousy, bad temper, outbreaks of selfishness, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousings and everything of the kind, of which I warn you as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Whereas the Holy Spirit demonstrates the Fruit of the Spirit: But the Spirit’s fruition is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, generosity, fidelity, gentleness, self-control. There is no law against these. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:19-24, MLB).

So in reality, when we ask for the Holy Spirit, we aren’t just asking for some supernatural outpouring of mystical power. Rather, we are asking that God will reveal to us our sinful spirit, our pride, our selfishness, and our weaknesses. We are asking that He will replace our natural sinful fruit of the flesh with His fruit of the Spirit.

You see, when we pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, what we are praying for is that our attitudes and thought processes will be radically and totally changed from that of the World.  We are praying for the mind of Christ to become our own. We are praying for His unselfishness, His love, His humility to replace our own sinful tendencies. 

Oftentimes, now days, when we pray for the Holy Spirit, our prayers turn into merely a repetition of the same request over and over again. “Please send us your Spirit! Lord we need your Spirit?” people pray. We need to pray this prayer, but we need to pray this prayer intelligently. Praying intelligently means that we are praying that the Spirit will have free reign in our life. Praying intelligently means that we are asking for the Holy Spirit to change us—our heart, thoughts, attitudes, habits, in short everything.

Some people think that when they receive the Holy Spirit, they receive the power of miracles.  They do receive power and it is a miracle! However the primary power that they receive is that their sinful, selfish, prideful human being can be made into something completely new—a body and heart that can fully manifest the power of God’s love!

So let's pray for this miracle today! :-)