The Holy Spirit Baptism – A Separate Experience

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WeigtingApplesAndOranges_3The purpose of this post is to show that getting “baptized with the Holy Spirit” is not the same thing as “getting saved and having the Holy Spirit come to live inside of you.”

I get a lot of questions about this when I talk to people about it.  For a long time it was one of my biggest areas of confusion.  But once I received the Holy Spirit baptism, that confusion was gone.  I had already been a Christian for around 30 years when I finally received it, so I knew immediately that it was a separate experience.

However, I would never ask anyone to base their doctrine on my own personal experience.  So, I will not use my experience as part of this teaching.  Instead, I will rely on the Bible.  It just so happens that the Bible matches my experience.

Let’s begin with this fact:  there are a lot of different things that the Holy Spirit does with us.  There are a lot of different roles He plays in our lives.  For example:

  • He makes us look more like Jesus over time (2 Cor 3:18)
  • He teaches us and helps us remember things (John 14:26)
  • He tells us things that are going to happen in the future (John 16:13)
  • He convicts us of righteousness (John 16:8-10)
  • He helps us to be confident of our position as God’s children (Romans 8:16)

That is just a short list, but in this short list there is such great variety.  And even though many of these are related to each other, there is a different purpose for each one.

There is a purpose for believing in Jesus, getting saved, and having the Holy Spirit live inside of you.  There is a different purpose for receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.  The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a separate and distinct work of the Holy Spirit, with its own distinct purpose and effects.

When a non-believer hears the message of the gospel and chooses to believe in Jesus and receive salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of that person at that very instant.  The theological term for this is “the indwelling.”  It means the Holy Spirit dwells inside of you.  This truth is found in many places in the Bible (Romans 8:8-11 for example).

Once a person has the Holy Spirit living inside of him (indwelling), he is now eligible for some other experiences that the Holy Spirit brings, the greatest of which is known as “The Baptism with the Holy Spirit.”

When a Christian receives the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, then he/she receives power (Acts 1:8) to represent Jesus in a way that he/she was not able to previously.  This power is available for every Christian to receive, but unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, there are a lot of Christians that never receive it.

These are two separate experiences, and two separate works of the Holy Spirit.  The “indwelling” is when He comes to live inside of you.  The “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” is when He equips you with power.  These are both important, but they are not the same thing.  They produce different effects and are given for different purposes.

To illustrate this point, we will look at two examples in the Bible.

Acts 8:4-16

4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But 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, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But 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. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

 

In this passage, Philip is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to people in Samaria, and demonstrating the power of God.  In verse 12, people believe his message and get baptized with water.

Acts 8:12 – But 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.

According to Jesus, this means these people have been saved (Mark 16:16).  They have received salvation.  They are born again.  They are Christians now.  They have Holy Spirit living inside of them.

Then, word gets back to the apostles in Jerusalem (approximately 40 miles away) that these people in Samaria have believed the gospel and received salvation.  So they send Peter and John to them so that they can be baptized with the Holy Spirit and receive the power that comes with it.

Acts 8:14-17 – Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

It took some time for the news of the Samaritan’s situation to travel from Samaria to Jerusalem.  Then it also took some time for Peter and John to travel to Samaria, find the people, and lay hands on them to get baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Based on the geographical facts alone, we can assume that there was at least a day or two in between the time that the Samaritans got saved and got baptized with the Holy Spirit.

If “getting saved” and “getting baptized with the Holy Spirit” are the same event, then this passage makes no sense at all.

But they are not the same event.  They are different.  It is absolutely clear beyond any possible argument.  There is no way around this fact.  “Getting saved” and “getting baptized with the Holy Spirit” are two separate events.

But, just to establish this truth from another story, let’s look at another passage in Acts where the difference is made plain again.

Acts 19:1-7

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he 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.”

3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Then 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.”

 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

In this passage, Paul meets some people whom he (incorrectly) believes are Christians.  He asks them this question:  “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

(Before we go any further, the simple fact that Paul would ask a question like this is proof that he believed that these were two separate experiences.  His question shows that he believed a person could be “saved” but not baptized with the Holy Spirit).

When he says “when you first believed,” he is making an assumption that they believe in Jesus.   He is thinking that they are Christians…followers of Jesus.   They answer him, and they have a short conversation.  Paul finds out that they were not Christians after all….they were actually disciples of John the Baptist.

So he immediately tells them about Jesus.  They believe and get baptized in water…which (again) according to Jesus means that they are saved at this point (Mark 16:16).  After this takes place, Paul places his hands on them and they get baptized with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues.

First, they hear about Jesus, then they believe and get baptized in water.  This is “getting saved.”

After they get saved and get baptized in water, Paul ministers the baptism with the Holy Spirit to them and they receive it and speak in tongues.

These are two different events, even though they events are only separated by a few minutes or more.

This is what Paul was asking them about in verse 2 when he asked if they “received the Holy Spirit when they believed.”  He was assuming they were Christians, and he wanted to make sure that they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit also.

If “getting saved” and “getting baptized with the Holy Spirit” are the same thing, then again this passage makes no sense at all.  Why would Paul even ask such a question if he didn’t believe there was a difference?

Now, to summarize, I want to make some statements that I hope will bring some additional clarity to you as you read them.

  • When a man (or woman) chooses to believe in Jesus, he is at that point “born again.”  The Holy Spirit takes up residence inside of him.  He is a Christian.  He has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him.  He is a child of God, a member of His family, and a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Immediately, from this moment on, that person becomes eligible to get baptized with the Holy Spirit and receive power to help him represent Jesus better.  The person can receive this Holy Spirit baptism immediately, or he can wait many years to receive it, or he may even go to the grave never having received it.
  • The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not the same as “getting saved.”   It is a separate event, with a different purpose.
  • The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is not a requirement to go to heaven.  It a tool to help Christians be more effective at representing Jesus while they are alive on the earth.
  • The Baptism with the Holy Spirit does not make you better than other Christians.  It makes you more effective than you were.
  • The Baptism with the Holy Spirit does not put you at a higher rank.  You have already been seated with Jesus at the highest point possible in the universe the moment you got saved (Ephesians 2:4-6).
  • The Baptism with the Holy Spirit doesn’t make God love you any more.  God loves you the same whether you choose to receive it or not.

That brings us to the end of this post.   Use the links below to continue, or to go back the series homepage.

 

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Angels and Demons 1 (Audio)

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Title:  Angels and Demons 1

Subject Matter:  In this class we discuss different ways that demons attempt to affect people.  We also share some practical ways that believers can exercise authority over demons.

Speaker:  Neal Leazer

Recorded March 19, 2014 at Spirit Filled Living – a local church in Apex, NC

You can download the audio by right-clicking on the following link:  Angels and Demons

Introduction to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

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One of my favorite things thaActs-1-8-web-nivt I get to do in life is to teach people about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, and to lead them to receive it.  I have had many opportunities to share about it in a lot of different settings, and I get to see people receive it on a regular basis.  I love it!

When I talk to Christians about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, I get a lot of different reactions.  Some people will be afraid, or offended, or just apathetic.  Others will be more positive, ranging from curious to excited.  Somewhere in the middle there are people who either think they might have received it (but they really haven’t), or they have been wanting it for a long time but they don’t know what to do about it.

I believe that nearly all of these mindsets are caused by some form of confusion.  There is a LOT of confusion about this topic.  And although the fruit of that confusion is displayed in different ways, the root is confusion.  I also believe that there is an enemy (Eph 6:12, Mark 4:14-15) that has been actively sowing this confusion among the believers for a long time.

I am writing this series of posts about the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to combat some of this confusion.  I will be sharing scriptures that address some of the main areas of confusion, and I hope that it will help you if you are looking for answers.  The Bible is my source, and I have proven what I will be presenting through experience.

To kick things off, here is bullet list of items that will be explained in more detail later.  These are the short answers to some of the questions I get asked most often:

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit…

  • Is extremely important, and should be taught regularly in any Christian assembly
  • Is a definite event…it is not a process
  • Is not the same thing as getting saved and having the Holy Spirit come to live inside of you
  • Is accompanied by obvious evidence (the ability to speak in tongues) that is observable by any witnesses that are present
  • Has only one prerequisite:  you have to be a Christian in order to receive it
  • Is available to every Christian right now with no waiting
  • Should be viewed as a free gift, rather than a badge or a reward for service or good conduct
  • Should be viewed as a tool to be used, rather than merely an experience

I also want to give a definition, because that helps me when I am learning about a new topic:

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a definite experience, subsequent to salvation, where the believer is given supernatural power to represent Jesus more effectively.  For everyone that receives it, it includes the ability to speak in tongues.  It also includes a variety of other forms of empowerment that may vary from person to person.

Whether this makes you curious, or offended, or excited, I hope you continue reading the rest of the series.  This subject is worth the time you spend on it.  The Baptism with the Holy Spirit will change your life!

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What is the Purpose of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?

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powertools_000In this post, I am going to attempt to answer the following question:  “What is the purpose of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?”

There are a lot of ways to answer that question, and there are a lot of angles to approach this from, but the short answer is this:  It is a power tool* that helps you be more effective on your mission to represent Jesus.

(*Please note that I am not saying the Holy Spirit is a power tool.  He is God almighty, the third Person of the Trinity.  Rather, I am referring to the effect this Baptism experience has on a believer.)

For a more detailed explanation, we will examine what Jesus said about it when He was prepping His followers who were about to receive it.

In  Acts chapter 1, we get to see some of the very last words that Jesus ever spoke to His followers before He ascended to heaven.  The Baptism with the Holy Spirit was the topic.  Here is the full quote:

Acts 1:4-8

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; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  But 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.”

According to Jesus, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit brings power to the believers.  The result is that the believers will be equipped to represent Jesus better than before.

You shall receive power…

I want to take a moment to elaborate on the word “power.”  It is translated from the Greek word “dunamis” which means miraculous strength, power and ability.  In the New Testament, this word is used to describe supernatural signs, wonders, and displays of power.  It means “miracle power” or “supernatural ability.”

So the Lord is telling these disciples that they were going to receive power….power that would enable them to go beyond their natural abilities.  He was saying that miracle power would soon be given to them by the Holy Spirit.  They were about to be empowered supernaturally.

It is worth pausing here to meditate on this fact.  Jesus says that His followers would receive miraculous power and ability when they are baptized with the Holy Spirit.  He wanted His representatives to be equipped for the mission He was sending them on.  This is still true today.  He still wants His followers to be equipped in the same way…but we will deal with that in another post.

You shall be witnesses…

The audience in this passage is a group of people that had been with Jesus for up to three years.  They were taught and trained by Him in person, and they had already experienced going out to represent Him (Luke 9:1-6).

Then, after His death, burial and resurrection…just before He ascended to heaven…He gave them what we call “the great commission.”  It included instructions for going out into all the world as His representatives.

However, Jesus told them not begin until they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit.  The people who had been trained by Jesus in person still needed some extra equipment.  They needed more than training, and more than experience.  There was something else He wanted them to have.  There was something else that they needed.

(Side note:  If these people needed extra equipment, then I feel very safe in saying that any believers that have not been trained in person by Jesus will need this extra equipment all the more).

What they needed was to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  For what purpose?   They would be empowered to represent Jesus in a new way.  They would receive something that would enable them to be more effective at their mission.  They had previously been given an assignment (go into all the world…), and now they are about to be given equipment to help them do it.

This is like giving power tools to a carpenter, or like giving a calculator to an accountant.  It is a “tool” that gives you the ability to fulfill your calling more effectively.  Sure, the carpenter can build a house with hand tools.  But that same carpenter can be much more effective when he has a power saw, a drill, and a nail gun.

That leads us to the answer to our question:  What is the purpose of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?

The purpose is to give supernatural power and ability to a believer that will enable him to fulfill his calling more effectively.  It is a power tool that helps you be more effective on your mission to represent Jesus.

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Gifts of the Spirit – Manifestation of the Spirit

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One of the most helpful keys in understanding the gifts of the Holy Spirit is found in the phrase “manifestation of the Spirit.”  Paul uses this phrase in 1 Corinthians 12:7.  Here is the quote, along with some surrounding verses to provide context:

 

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

10 to 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.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

 

The Greek word translated “manifestation” in v7 is the word phanerosis.  It means “expression” or “manifestation.”  It means that something invisible has become visible.  It means something undetectable to our senses has become detectable.  A manifestation of the Spirit is when the invisible Holy Spirit makes Himself detectible to our senses.  It is a way that He expresses Himself to you and through you.

The nine gifts of the Spirit listed in the passage above are nine different “expressions of the Holy Spirit.”  These are nine different ways that the Holy Spirit makes Himself detectible to our senses.  In v11, we see that these expressions take place at the time of the Spirit’s choosing.  In that same verse we also see that these expressions will take place in or through whichever person He chooses at the time.

Here is a way to describe this, using and example of one of the many ways this could happen.  Let’s say that there is a group of people praying together, and the Holy Spirit decides that He wants to do something in the group.  He chooses someone from the group and gives them the means to express what He wants to happen.  It may be a prophetic message of comfort, or a nugget of divine wisdom, or any number of other things.  The “expression” is presented to the person the Holy Spirit selected, and if they choose by faith to cooperate, then the gift is exercised and the people are blessed.

Another way to describe this is through an analogy.  Each gift of the Spirit is like a firecracker.  You are handed a firecracker, and you set it on the ground, light it, and then it explodes.  Then you no longer have it because you have already used it.  (However, there is an unlimited supply of firecrackers that will be handed to you when they are needed.)

Each “spiritual gift” takes place when the Holy Spirit desires to express Himself.   That means there is no pressure on you to make something happen.  It also means that you don’t need to take a test to see what your spiritual gifts are…at least the ones in the list above.  If you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, then you have all nine of the “manifestation gifts” available to you at any time He wants to express Himself in one of these ways.  That is very exciting, to say the least.

So, what is my part?

God wants you to “pursue love and desire spiritual gifts…” (1 Cor 14:1).   In the same way that He wants us to pursue love, He also wants us to desire spiritual gifts.

It is important to have this perspective, and to remember that this whole thing was His idea.  It is not something you are trying to earn, and it is not something that you need to try to talk Him into doing.  He already wants to do this with you.  It seems like Holy Spirit enjoys expressing Himself to us and through us.  It also seems like He is willing to take action more than we realize.  He likes “handing us firecrackers.”

If you want to grow in the gifts of the Spirit, you should talk to Him about it.  You should get to know Him better and spend time in relationship with Him.   It has been my experience that the more I get to know Him, the more often I seem to recognize when He is about to do something.   As I learn to discern His voice better, I am able to participate in whatever He is doing more often.  That is not a prerequisite, but it is very helpful.

You can ask Him to train you to recognize His voice, and you can deepen your relationship with Him by intentionally including Him in your daily activities.  Talk to Him.  Tell Him what you are thinking about.  Ask Him for advice about whatever issues you are facing, or whatever decisions you are making.  Develop a habit of being mindful that He is always with you to help you.  One of His names is ‘The Helper.”

It also seems that there are certain situations where He becomes particularly passionate about making Himself tangible to us.  He will bring out the gifts when there is a need that can be met by Him.  For my wife and I, we operate in the gifts most often when we are ministering to someone that is is need of divine rescue, or when we are helping to equip other believers.

Start taking steps of faith, and go out to meet the needs of others.  This is pursuing love and desiring spiritual gifts.  This puts you in a position where you can join in with whatever Holy Spirit is doing.

“Thank you Holy Spirit that you want to express Yourself through me.  Teach me how to recognize Your voice and join in with whatever You are doing.  Amen!”

Speaking in Tongues…what are we saying?

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When God inaugurated the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, speaking in tongues was part of the kickoff celebration.  Every believer that was there was speaking in tongues.  It was given as a free gift to every follower of Jesus.  And this gift is still available to every follower of Jesus.

Speaking in tongues is a way to communicate with God that goes beyond the limits of the human intellect.  Without supernatural revelation from the Holy Spirit, we don’t normally know the exact content of what we are saying when we speak in tongues.  However, we can see from Scripture that it will usually fall into one of three general categories.  Those are categories are:  praise, prayer, and proclamation/declaration.

 

PRAISE

Acts 10:44-46

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.  And 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.  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.  Then Peter answered…

1 Corinthians 14:15-17

What is the conclusion then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding.  I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.  Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?  For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Ephesians 5:18-19

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…

 

Speaking in tongues is a wonderful way to praise and glorify the Lord.  It allows your spirit (the part of you that was born again) to give glory and honor to God in ways that you are not capable of when you are limited by your human brain.  This is likely a part of what Jesus was talking about in John 4, when He told the woman at the well “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

Personally, this is one of my favorite ways to worship Jesus.  It gives me a way to express things to Him with my spirit that go beyond mental abilities.  Sometimes, I just run out of words in my natural mind, so I go into the spirit and give Him glory supernaturally.

 

PRAYER

 

1 Corinthians 14:15

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

 

Ephesians 6:18

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–

 

Romans 8:26-27

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.

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

Speaking in tongues gives you a way to pray when you need to go beyond your rational intellect.  When you don’t know how to pray, or even what to pray for, then pray in the spirit.  That is one of the reasons God gives us this ability.  He knows that we need it, and He wants us to use it.

I use this very often, and often I get to see tangible results.  Through praying in tongues, I can receive insight and wisdom for different situations.  It is tool that God has given me to use when these situations arise.  Sometimes I see things in a new light, sometimes I get revelation on things I didn’t even know I was asking about, which is extremely exciting and awe-inspiring..  This is because I am praying with my spirit, and not with my natural mind.  There are things that are revealed to us in our spirit that our natural minds do not comprehend without some supernatural assistance (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).

We should take Paul’s advice. We should pray in tongues, and we should pray in English (or whatever your natural language is). It is good to do both. It is biblical to do both. It is effective to do both.

 

PROCLAMATION/DECLARATION

 

Acts 2:4,11b

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance….

…”we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:2

For 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 (Greek musterion: the hidden wisdom of God).

 

There will be times when you are speaking in tongues that you are announcing how awesome our God is.  You may also be declaring His wisdom into a situation.  You are making declarations that our God is mighty, and you are speaking His will out into the earth.

Sometimes, even though you can’t understand it, you can tell when you are doing this because of what is going on inside of you, and because of the way your speech changes tone.  You will notice that you are not speaking in a way that sounds like you are asking for help.  Instead, you are speaking with authority and you sense that something powerful is happening.  It can sometimes be accompanied by strong emotion and forcefulness, almost like the way a police office would deal with a criminal who is resisting arrest.  This can difficult to describe to someone who has never experienced it, but if you have done this before you will know exactly what I am talking about.

 

SUMMARY

These are three general descriptions of things you might be doing when you are speaking in tongues:  praise, prayer, and proclamation.  Praying in the spirit is not limited to these three, but these cover a large part of what is going on while you do it.  The more you pray in the spirit, the more you will experience each of these.  All of them are great, and all of them are for us to use in our life.

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Why Speak in Tongues?

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Why would anyone want to speak in tongues?  What is the point?  What good is it?  What’s the big deal?

Those are questions I used to wonder about, and it all seemed so strange to me.  Then one day I received the power to do it myself when I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, and my opinion changed.

Once I started doing it, I began to see things change in my life.  Some changes were subtle, but others were huge.  I spent a lot of time studying the subject, and I found that the Bible has a lot to say about it.

If you have received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and you have started speaking in tongues, then I believe this article will be of great help to you.  If you are simply curious about the subject, then I hope this will help you on your journey to learn the truth.

Here we go….

1 Corinthians 14:14

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Notice here that when you speak in tongues, it is your spirit that is doing the talking.  It is not your mind or your emotions, and it is not the Holy Spirit.  It is your spirit.

Your spirit is the part of you that was born again when you believed in Jesus and got “saved” or “born again.”  The spirit of a Christian is also known as “the new creation” (2 Cor 5:17) or “the new man” (Eph 4:24).  When you become a Christian, your spirit is made brand new, spotless, and intimately connected to God (1 Cor 6:17).  Praying from your spirit means praying from that place of righteousness, holiness, perfection, and communion that was created inside of you by God.

When you speak in tongues, you are speaking audibly from your born-again spirit  You are going beyond the limits of your intellect, praying and talking to God is ways that you could not do otherwise.

This kind of prayer is a spiritual exercise that gives your spirit greater influence in your life, because you are making your mind, your body, and your emotions submit to your spirit.  It gives you a way to practice spiritual actions in a tangible way.  This alone is good enough reason to speak in tongues as much as possible, and I believe it is one of the reasons that Paul the apostle said “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all” (1 Cor 14:18).

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

Speaking in tongues give you a way to speak to God that goes beyond your mental abilities.  You can pray with your spirit, without being limited by your intellect.

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

The word that is translated “mysteries” is a Greek word that means the hidden wisdom of God that has not been revealed yet.  Praying in tongues allows you to speak God’s wisdom over the situation you are praying about, without being limited by your ability to comprehend it.

1 Corinthians 14:4

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

When you speak in tongues, you are “edifying” yourself. It is a way to strengthen or build yourself up that works supernaturally.  When you need strength, you can receive it by speaking in tongues.

Jude 20-21(NET)

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.

Speaking in tongues is a faith building exercise, since it can only be done by faith.  Every time you do it, you are operating in faith, and your faith is strengthened as a result.

Ephesians 6:18

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

This passage comes at the end of a section in Ephesians where Paul is giving instructions on how to “be strong in the Lord” and to “stand against the wiles of the devil.”  The instructions include putting on the whole armor of God.  Praying in tongues is a powerful tool for us to use in spiritual warfare.

Romans 8:26-27

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. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Praying in the spirit provides a new way for the Holy Spirit to aid you when you don’t know how or what to pray.  He works in you helping you pray the things that are needed, even if you don’t know what those things are.  This passage is also another example of a reason to pray in tongues when you are weak.

There are many reasons to speak in tongues, and there are many benefits that come as a result.  Like Paul says in Ephesians 6:18, I encourage you to pray in tongues at all times.  It is a great blessing that God has given us, but it is only as good as our willingness to put it to use.

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God’s Will in Healing part 2 – Timeline

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The Bible presents a timeline of the human experience.  It begins before we were created, and it goes beyond our time on earth into the infinite future.

When we look at the timeline, we can see some places where God’s will towards mankind is on full display.  These are the times where there are no opposing forces or corrupting influences in the picture.  As we examine the details about these points in time, we learn interesting things about God’s will.  In this post, we are going to use these to look at God’s will in healing.

The first point on the timeline we will look at is the Garden of Eden.

The Garden of Eden

Beginning on the day where Adam was created. and extending to the point where he and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, we have a very good view of what God’s will for mankind looks like.  This is the time where man lived on earth prior to what we call “the fall of man.”

During this time before “the fall” we are told that Adam and Eve lived in an environment where everything was “good.”  From the context, we see that their bodies were free from disease and decay, and they would apparently live forever if they were to continue in the state they were in.  There was no sickness, depression, anxiety, fear, greed, crime, or poverty.   They had been given dominion over the earth and over all of the other living things on the earth.

This is a time in the Bible where God’s will was in full effect, on full display and this is what God’s will for mankind looks like:  healthy bodies, healthy minds,  healthy emotions, abundant supply for every need, and a perfect unhindered relationship with God.

That was the state of our environment before Adam and Eve chose to allow the influence of Satan and sin to enter.

When Adam and Eve believed the lie from Satan and rebelled against God, they chose to lay aside God’s will for themselves.  They chose to obey the temptation of Satan, allowing his will to come into the picture.  They introduced a corrupting influence into their environment by their own choice.

Beginning at this point in our history, we start to see a change.  There begins to be increasing amounts of things like murder, rape, robbery, sickness and disease, mental and emotional problems, and so on.  None of these things were God’s will for mankind.  They came as a direct result of rejecting the will of God and accepting the influence of sin and Satan.  Sickness and disease did not come into the human experience because of God’s will.  God told them not to do it.   He didn’t want them to experience sickness and sin and death.  Man wasn’t designed to deal with the knowledge of good and evil.  Man was designed for relationship with God,

(Please note that I am not implying that every sickness is a result of the sin of the individual, nor am I saying that every sickness is caused by the devil.    What I am saying is that without sin and the devil, we would not see any sickness in our world).

To summarize:

  • When God’s will was in full effect, there was no sickness
  • When man rejected God’s will and invited the influence of Satan and sin, then sickness entered the human experience.
  • Health was God’s will.  Sickness was not.

And now, we will fast forward to a time in the future.

The New Heaven and New Earth

At some point in the future, our present world will be replaced with a new one (Revelation 21:1).  This new creation is called the “new heaven and new earth.”  It comes into existence after the final judgment, where Satan and all of the fallen angels (along with all people that rejected the offer of eternal life from Jesus) are removed from our environment.  Notice some of the characteristics of this new environment from Revelation 21:4

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

As you read the various descriptions of the new creation, you will find that it is very similar to the Garden of Eden in many ways.  For example, there is no death and no pain.  There is no sin or crime.  There is no depression, worry, or anxiety.  Instead there is health, eternal life, joy, abundant provision, and many other wonderful things.

To summarize once again…

  • When we see God’s will for mankind in full effect, without the influence of sin and Satan in the equation, there is no sickness or disease in the picture.
  • The only time sickness comes into play is when Satan and sin are influencing the environment.
  • Sickness is not God’s will for man.  Health and well-being is God’s will.

Let us now proceed to the third example that I want to share…the life of our Lord.

The Life of Jesus

Jesus came to do the will of God the Father.  Jesus always said what the Father wanted to be said, and He always did what the Father wanted to be done.  This fact is talked about repeatedly throughout the New Testament.  John 5:19 provides a nice summary for us:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Jesus showed us what God’s will looks like when someone chooses to obey it perfectly.  He put the will of God on display for all of us to see.  We can look at Him to learn about the will of God.

If we examine the attitude of Jesus towards sickness and disease, we can see what God’s will is on the matter.  Based on the information we have in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have a clear and consistent picture.  What we see over and over again is Jesus healing people that are sick.

Jesus healed all that came to Him.  There is not a single example in the life of Jesus where a sick person comes to Him for healing and does not get healed.   Conversely, there is not a single example of Jesus afflicting someone with a disease or sickness.

Where sickness is concerned, the attitude is very consistent.  Jesus always healed people.   And since Jesus only did the will of God the Father, then it was always God’s will in action when Jesus was healing the sick people.

This is spelled out very clearly for us by Peter in Acts 10:38:

…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Notice that Jesus brings healing, while the devil brings oppression in the form of sickness.  Jesus doesn’t make people sick.  Jesus heals sick people.  Sickness is oppression from the devil.  It is so clear and plain that you almost need help to misunderstand this.

To summarize:

  • Jesus demonstrated God’s will perfectly.
  • Jesus always healed every sick person that came to Him
  • Jesus never put sickness on people.
  • Sickness is a result of the influence of Satan and sin

Putting it All Together

In the Bible, whenever we see God’s will in full effect, free from the influence of sin and Satan, the resulting environment  includes healing and health.

The period of time where sickness is present is when sin and Satan have influence.

Healing is God’s will for mankind, and it is His will for you.

Next in Series:  God’s Will in Healing Part 3 – The Atonement

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