27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 01 01-05 THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 14 Acts 01 04-05 The baptism of the Holy Spirit
📖 Acts 01:01-05
14 – 17Jun2022 – *The baptism of the Holy Spirit* - _Acts 01:01-05_ - THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Bible reading: _John 7:37-39_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are calling us to experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We need not be hesitant but come to you in total abandon, for this is about being full of You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 1:4-5 And 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; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now*."_
We have considered the baptism of John and how the Lord built the bridge from the baptism of John to His baptism. We will now look into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit will bring us into the fullness of our relationship with Jesus.
_John 1:15-18 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for *He was before me.' " (16) And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. (17) For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (18) No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him*._
*We can release ourselves fully to Jesus, for in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are filled with all that Jesus has of Himself and the Father*.
This is what the Lord told us about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
*_John 7:37-39 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified._*
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a special experience, which was to be given only after Jesus would be glorified. It was an experience given to those, who hunger and thirst for more of Jesus. We don’t come to Jesus to receive gifts from Him, we come to Him to be filled with Jesus. Don’t we all long to have more of Jesus?
As we have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Lord does specific and important work in us. This is the work of purifying us.
*_Luke 3:16-17 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (17) His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."_*
The Lord will clean us deeply, as we are baptised in the Holy Spirit. The Lord will confront in us, aspects, that we ourselves may not even be aware of. He will cleanse us so that we are holy before Him.
*_Malachi 3:2-3 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap. (3) He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness._*
*This refining and purifying experience are for the sons of Levi. The sons of Levi are the ones anointed by God to serve Him. The Lord will not spare the sons of Levi but take away the dross and all that is unworthy and not pleasing before Him. This is what happens at the baptism of the Holy Spirit*.
When the baptism of the Holy Spirit took place, Peter connected the experience with the prophecy of Joel.
_Acts 2:16-21 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: (17) ‘AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. (18) AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY. (19) I WILL SHOW WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND SIGNS IN THE EARTH BENEATH: BLOOD AND FIRE AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. (20) THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD. (21) AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.'_
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was to reconcile people to Himself. People should be saved from the eternal fire but come into the fullness of life in Him. Signs and wonders would take place but these were not an end in themselves, these were to be part of God’s work for people to be saved.
*My longing*
```“Lord Jesus, I long to be filled with You.”```