THE FORGOTTEN GIFT

In my last blog titled “Do you know Him” I briefly explored the theme of having a conscious relationship with the Holy Spirit.   As I mentioned I started to ponder on this topic due to a short conversation our family was having regarding the Holy Spirit. Consequently, the conversation has placed me on a several weeks journey of going back to the WORD and rediscovering what the scriptures have to say about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

As I have combed the pages of scripture Old and New Testament I have asked myself several questions and am curious as to what others may think. Has the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit fallen out of our Western Christian church teaching? If so, why? Are we losing something important? How imperative is it to our Christian walk?  Have we redefined the term baptism in Holy Spirit in an attempt to correct what man perhaps has misunderstood or misinterpreted?

In my review of the WORD OF GOD I can say we are losing something vital. Why? Jesus last command to His disciples is to go out and be His witnesses carrying the message to the nations. But, He tells them they need to be equipped instructing them to stay in Jerusalem until they have been clothed in power from on high.  You see what the flesh cannot do the Spirit can do.  In other words what us human beings can’t reach in the natural can be reached with the Holy Spirit moving in us, through us and among us. 

Have you ever considered that before the disciples received the Holy Spirit they denied Jesus, they had unbelief, they questioned if He was the Messiah. We read after the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts this was not the case.  In fact it was quite the contrary they received power to witness and they went out with boldness declaring the Kingdom of God.

The Holy Spirit and His baptism is the antidote that conquers fear, doubt, insecurities and defies all our natural circumstances.

In the church of Ephesus where Apollos served as pastor (Acts 18:24-28) the scripture gives us a good sense of who this man was.

   Apollos was an eloquent man

   He was mighty in the Scriptures

   He was instructed in the ways of God

   He was fervent in spirit

   He taught the things of the Lord

   He knew only the baptism of John—Nothing about the baptism in the Spirit.

When Paul visited Ephesus he opened the door through which the Spirits power manifested itself. The gospel message was there but they had not received the Holy Spirit in power.  Paul comes lays hands on them they received the Holy Spirit and they revolutionize Ephesus.

What caused this revolution? It was not Paul it was the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through men.  

Can we experience this same revolution in our lives, homes, schools, community and workplaces? ……Absolutely!!

I am convinced today more than ever we the people of God need a fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit. Let us remember just like Peter, the word of the Lord, “John, indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in Holy Spirit. If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord who was I that I could withstand God?” (Acts 11: 16-17)

Let’s run after the forgotten gift and pray, come Holy Spirit baptize me again!!