Sunday 23 September 2018

Baptism in The Holy Ghost (3)

Friday 21st September

Question: What is the significance of the filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

Points covered in the last discussion:
1. It meant the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise of God in Joel 2:28-29 to pour out His Spirit upon all His people in the end times.
2. Since the last days of this age had begun everyone was now confronted with the decision to repent and believe in Christ.

New Points covered:

3. The disciples were 'endued with power from on high'

    Jesus said this would happen in Luke 24:49, it did happen in Acts 1:8 and the people noticed (Acts 4:13,33). 'Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.' Acts 4:13

Peter and John were totally different after the filling of the Holy Spirit compared to previously. Their boldness made them stand up and speak out in front of people who questioned them and even threatened them. Stephen is another example of someone who spoke boldly after being filled with the Holy Spirit. He was not intimidated by threats (Acts 6) , but instead he had the face of an angel.

See also Romans 15:19, John 16:8

1 Corinthians 14:!3-15, 18-19 and Romans 8:26 talk about speaking in tongues It's an 'unknown tongue' that we have not learned, but have been gifted with. If we pray with the spirit and then with understanding, we know what we said in tongues. Paul encouraged people to pray in tongues but with an interpretation so that the church may be edified.

4. Those who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit longed for others to be saved (Just as the Spirit longs for people of every nation to be saved). 

Romans 10:1 'Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.'

 Romans 9:1-3 Paul refers to a great heaviness (burden) in his heart that others would be saved.

Acts 2:28-40 Paul longed for others to be saved and urged them when he spoke

Acts 1:8 Having the power of the Holy Spirit enables us to be witnesses

5. After receiving the Holy Spirit, the disciples became ministers of the Spirit. They led others into the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 2:38-39 The promise is for all to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Acts 8:17 Believers in Samaria received the Holy Spirit after the disciples prayed for them.

Acts 9:17-18, When Ananias prayed for Saul, he prayed that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44-48 First time for the Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit when Peter was preaching to Cornelius. They spoke with tongues too and then got baptised with water.

Acts 19:6-7 John the Baptist's disciples received the Holy Spirit and spoke with tongues after Paul laid hands on them.

The Holy Spirit enables us to do the work of the Lord. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is for us today and being anointed by His power is essential for the ministry we are doing.












Wednesday 19 September 2018

Baptism in the Holy Ghost (2)

Friday 7th September

Speaking in tongues:

1.
There are tongues of men (all the languages spoken on earth) and there are tongues of angels (those languages which are not spoken anywhere on earth and even the devil doesn't understand. My spirit communicating directly with God's spirit.)

1 Corinthians 13:1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

2.
At Pentecost, Acts 2:5-12, people from everywhere were gathered in Jerusalem, and were amazed when they heard the disciples speaking in tongues because they could pick out their own languages being spoken. Clearly the disciples had never studied or learnt these languages so it was considered a 'supernatural and Divine' event.


Question: What is the significance of the filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

1. It meant the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise of God in Joel - that God was going to pour out His Spirit upon all people in the end times. 

Joel 2:28-29
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Acts 2:16-21 Peter proclaimed to the crowds that what they had seen and heard was what the prophet Joel had prophesied many years earlier.

Acts 1:4-5, Matthew 3:11, Luke 24:49, John 1:33 The disciples were asked to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is something more than the baptism in water they had seen already.  They would be filled with power from on high.

2. Since the last days of this age had begun (as the prophet Joel spoke of) , everyone was now confronted with the decision to repent and believe in Christ. 

Acts 2:17 (Peter referred to Joel's prophecy)
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Acts 3: 19-21
Repent ye therefore and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since the world began.

Matthew 3:1-2, Luke 13:3 Repentance was preached by John and Jesus.



Sunday 2 September 2018

Baptism in The Holy Ghost (1)

31st August




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


Question: What happened to the followers that first pentecost?
  • they heard a sound like a rushing wind
  • they saw tongues of fire on each of them
  • each was filled with the Holy Spirit
  • each spoke in another tongue
Question: What's the difference between being baptised with the Holy Spirit and
being filled with the Holy Spirit?
  • Being baptised with the Holy Spirit is part of what happens when we get saved.
  • Being filled with the Holy Spirit is part of being renewed. We can be filled multiple times, even daily, but we will only be baptised with the Holy Spirit once.
  • Even people in the old testament times were filled with the Holy Spirit before anyone had actually been baptised with the Holy Spirit.

Question: What if you once spoke in tongues but then didn't speak in tongues after this?
  1. If the gift of tongues has been given, God will not retract it.
  2. We can ask for this gift to be renewed.
  3. The gift of tongues needs to be used and practised.
Matthew 3:11 (NKJV) John talking
'I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'


John 14:16-17 (NKJV) Jesus talking
'And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him for he lives with you and will be in you. '


Jesus promised that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is available to all believers even today.


Acts 1:4-8
Tells us that the Holy Spirit is a gift and that we will receive power when he comes on us.
This power will enable us to be witnesses.
The disciples were not given any dates or times for first receiving the Holy Spirit but just told to wait in Jerusalem, which they did.


Acts 2:38-39
Tells us to repent and be baptised and we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a promise for 'you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call.'


Acts 10:44-48
In Acts 10 the Holy Spirit is poured out for the first time on the gentiles.


'The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said "Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptised with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ.'