Christian Foundations (14): The Baptism in the Holy Spirit (1)

The word BAPTISE means IMMERSE. There are 3 foundational Christian BAPTISMS: (1) Baptism into Christ, (2) Baptism into Water, and (3) Baptism into the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Although we received the Spirit WITHIN at salvation, we also need to receive the Spirit UPON to empower us to be a witness (the Baptism in the Spirit). The PURPOSE of this Baptism is to RECEIVE POWER to fulfil the great commission. After salvation, the next step is to embrace Christ's mission, and surrender our soul and body to God to receive His supernatural power to be His witness. This fulfils of the 2nd part of the Blessing of Abraham: “I will (1) BLESS you (salvation), and (2) you will be a (channel of) BLESSING (to others)” (Gen 12:2). This 2-fold BLESSING of the new creation follows the same pattern as man’s original creation (see Genesis 1:27, 2:7 and Genesis 1:28). Likewise, (1) God first BLESSES us with His Spirit WITHIN (at our New Birth), then (2) He wants to BLESS (empower) us to be a BLESSING by His Spirit UPON, so we can go forth and multiply ourselves by fulfilling the Great Commission (Mark 16:15-18, Matt 28:18-20). He promised to give us the POWER of the SPIRIT to do that (Luke 24:48-49, Acts 1:8). This Baptism is God’s empowerment (blessing) upon us to be a blessing, to communicate His life and blessing to others through the Gospel. God released and communicated the BLESSING by speaking WORDS of life (Genesis 1:28). Likewise, having received His power through this Baptism, we transmit the BLESSING of the SPIRIT to others through our WORDS. As in physical multiplication, we MULTIPLY ourselves spiritually by the transmission of blessing (life) through the SOWING of SEED (God's words). God wants us to be filled with His Spirit (Eph 5:18), for we can't (1) live the Christian life, and (2) be a witness in our own strength. This Baptism is God’s POWER upon us for the PURPOSE of fulfilling God’s mission for our life, that is centred on the great commission. There is a 2-fold RECEIVING of the SPIRIT, as seen in Acts: We receive (1) the SPIRIT WITHIN at salvation, and then (2) the SPIRIT UPON at the Baptism in the Spirit. The same Spirit we receive at salvation wants to come upon us and clothe us with His power. So there is an experience subsequent to salvation of being baptised in the Spirit. *1. Old Testament Prophets gave a 2-fold promise of the Spirit, called the Promise of the Father, that would be fulfilled in the New Covenant: (1) The New Birth and Spirit WITHIN all believers, for our personal connection with God, blessing and holiness (Ezekiel 36:26-27). (2) The Spirit UPON all believers, to empower them to be a blessing to others (Joel 2:28-29). In the Old Testament, although some prophets, priests and kings had an anointing of the Spirit UPON, no believer had the Spirit WITHIN, and so, even for those with the Spirit UPON, this was not necessarily permanent. The prophecies say in the New Covenant established by Christ, (1) all believers will have the Spirit WITHIN, and also (2) the SPIRIT UPON will be available to all. *2. John the Baptist announced Christ as the One who will bring this Promise of the Spirit to fulfilment. He is the first to use the phrase: ‘Baptism in the Spirit’ and so these verses are definitive as to its meaning. He used the analogy of Baptism in WATER to describe the Baptism in the SPIRIT: “I indeed BAPTISED (immerse) you IN WATER, but He will BAPTISE you IN the HOLY SPIRIT” (Mark 1:8, Matt 3:11, Luke 3:16). This tells us JESUS is the Baptiser (Agent), who baptises us in the MEDIUM of the HOLY SPIRIT. So just as John immersed men in water, so the water covered them, so when Christ baptises us in the Spirit, we will be immersed (covered) in the Spirit. Thus, this Baptism is the Spirit UPON. Likewise, Jesus said in Acts 1:5: “John truly BAPTISED IN WATER, but you shall be BAPTISED (immersed) IN the HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now.” *3. Jesus was baptised in the Spirit when He was baptised in water. He did this as our example, representative and pioneer, showing what He wants to do for us: “the HOLY SPIRIT descended in bodily form like a dove UPON Him” (Luke 3:22). His experience proves there is a 2-fold experience of the HOLY SPIRIT: (1) He already had the SPIRIT WITHIN Him from His conception, but (2) only when He was baptised did He receive the SPIRIT UPON Him, clothing Him with the supernatural power He needed to fulfil His ministry. John 1:32-33: “John bore witness, saying: “He who sent me to BAPTISE with WATER said to me: ‘UPON whom you see the SPIRIT descending, and remaining UPON Him, this is He who BAPTISES IN the HOLY SPIRIT.” The same Jesus, who received the Spirit UPON Him, baptises us in the Spirit. Thus, as the Father baptised Jesus in the Spirit, so Jesus baptises us in the Spirit. He described the result of His BAPTISM in the SPIRIT in Luke 4:18: “The SPIRIT of the Lord is UPON ME, for He has ANOINTED Me to PREACH the Gospel to the poor; He has SENT Me to HEAL...”