The Baptism in the Holy Spirit (10): The Baptism in the Spirit in Acts (2)

In Acts, we see a consistent pattern when people came to faith in Christ: (1) They were born again and received the Spirit WITHIN. (2) Then later, they received the Spirit UPON, empowering them to fulfil the Great Commission. This separate experience is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts gives the PATTERN for the Church for the whole Church Age, including the 2-stage ministry of the Spirit. We see this 2-stage experience in the life of JESUS, and the APOSTLES: (1) the Spirit WITHIN (John 20:22) and (2) the BAPTISM in the SPIRIT (Acts 1:4,5,8, 2:1-4). The disciples needed special preparation before receiving this, because it requires a specific surrender to God. We must embrace His Mission (the Great Commission), and dedicate to do His will, asking His Spirit to come UPON us, to empower us to fulfil it. For our personal life with God, we need the Spirit within. But for our ministry (like Jesus), we need the anointing of the Spirit upon us, to be fully effective. The SAMARITANS had a 2-stage reception of the Spirit (Acts 8). They received the Gospel and were baptised (v5-6,12,14). At this point (1) they were SAVED with the Spirit WITHIN (Mark 16:16), but (2) they had not yet received the Spirit UPON (v14-16). So, Peter and John prayed for them to receive the Spirit, for He had not yet fallen UPON them. Then they received the Spirit (v14-17). The apostles knew the Spirit had fallen upon them, for there was outward evidence. Also, Simon SAW the SPIRIT was GIVEN through the laying on hands by the apostles (v18). This was speaking in tongues as in Acts 2:4 & 10:44-46. When Simon offered Peter money for this gift (v19), he replied: “You have neither part nor portion in this MATTER (‘logos’ = word or utterance)” (v21). PAUL was saved when Jesus appeared to him (Acts 9:5-6,15-17). Then 3 days later (9:9) Ananias came to him and laid his hands on him, to be FILLED with the SPIRIT (v17), as in Acts 2:4, which he confirmed later in 1Cor 14:18: “I thank my God SPEAKING in TONGUES more than you all.” Paul confirmed these 2 stages when he asked the EPHESIANS: “Did you RECEIVE the HOLY SPIRIT when you BELIEVED” (Acts 19:1-2). When it was clear they were not saved (v3), he preached the Gospel and baptised them (v4-5), so now they were saved, but had not yet received the Baptism in the Spirit, for it was only when he laid hands on them, that the Spirit came UPON them and they SPOKE with TONGUES” (v6). The Gentile Pentecost proves speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the Spirit UPON, just as it was at Pentecost (Acts 10:44-47, 2:4). The Baptism in the Spirit includes speaking in tongues, so you have not received the full experience until you have yielded your tongue to the Spirit - only then have you allowed Him to fully come upon you. Acts 11:15: “As I began to speak, the Holy SPIRIT fell UPON them, as UPON us at the Beginning (Pentecost).” This is called being BAPTISED in the HOLY SPIRIT (Acts 1:5, 11:16). Peter interpreted this event in Acts 15:7-9. “So, God (1) who knows the heart (that they were saved), (2) acknowledged them (outwardly, before the Jews), by giving them the Holy Spirit (upon as well as within), just as He did to us (Jews at Pentecost), and (demonstrated to us that) He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts (salvation) by faith” (v8-9). Although in Acts 10 the Gentiles received the Spirit UPON at about the same time they were saved, Peter pointed out it was still a 2-stage experience, for (1) they first received the inner experience of being purified by faith, and then soon after (2) He gave them the Spirit upon, as an outward sign, proving that He had accepted them. There are 3 spiritual STATES: *(1) UNCLEAN (negative) because of sin. *(2) CLEAN (a neutral state - zero), also COMMON. *(3) HOLY (positive). Only BLOOD can cleanse the unclean. A CLEAN thing can only be made HOLY by the HOLY SPIRIT, symbolised by OIL. Thus, anointing with oil makes something holy. Only God’s Spirit in us makes us holy. The more we surrender to God, the more His Spirit possesses us, and the holier we become. You can’t make something HOLY unless it’s first been CLEANSED. (1) It has to be CLEANSED by BLOOD, and then (2) it can be anointed with the OIL of the SPIRIT, and so be made HOLY. (1) BLOOD was applied, cleansing the unclean thing and then (2) OIL sanctifies the common thing. (Ex 29:21, Lev 8:30, 14:17,28, Ezek 16:9). In Acts 15, Peter was saying the fact these Gentiles were anointed with the HOLY SPIRIT upon, was an OUTWARD PROOF that God had CLEANSED their HEARTS, when they put their faith in the BLOOD of Christ. (If they had only received the Spirit WITHIN, there would have been no outward evidence to the Jews that God had saved them). When we believe (1) we are cleansed by the Blood of Christ, and (2) set apart to God, by the Spirit within us, who is manifested outwardly, when He comes upon us. The fact they had the Spirit upon proved they were accepted by God.