Introduction to the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

One of my favorite things that 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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