This month’s teaching explains the different workings of the Holy Spirit when a person first

becomes a believer in Jesus Christ and when a believer, who is already indwelt with the Holy
Spirit, receives the mighty baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire.

When we are born again the Holy Spirit baptises us into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).
In the work of the new birth the human spirit is recreated by God, after God in righteousness and
true holiness (Ephesians 4:24). The old human spirit dies and a new spirit is made (2 Corinthians
5:17). This new human spirit is a fit place for the Holy Spirit of God to live and God takes up
residence in the newly born again person’s spirit (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16). Every born
again child of God enjoys the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit forever.

In contrast to the born again experience which is a work of the Holy Spirit, the baptism with the
Holy Spirit is a work of Jesus (Luke 3:16). The born again experience is for people who have
previously not believed on Jesus Christ. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is only for people who
are already indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jesus desires to baptize his body (the body of Christ) with
the Holy Spirit and fire.

When Jesus said in Acts 1:5 to His believers, who had already received the Holy Spirit more than
forty days earlier (John 20:22), ‘you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit’ he used the Greek
word ‘baptizo’ which means ‘to make whelmed, fully wet (Strong’s dictionary). To whelm
is to overcome or engulf completely (Webster’s dictionary). To engulf is to flow over and
enclose (ibid). This is quite different to the word used by Jesus when he first appeared to his
disciples on that resurrection evening when he showed unto them his hands and his side (John
20:20) and breathed on them and said receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:22). This Greek word
‘lambano’ has the simple meaning of ‘to take’ (Strong’s Dict.). Jesus’ disciples were
born again when they sighted Jesus’ resurrection and believed in their heart that God had raised
Jesus from the dead. The disciples confessed Jesus as Lord and they received the Holy Spirit. This
is the moment they were saved (Romans 10:9-10) and no person can be saved except the Holy
Spirit dwell in them (Romans 8:9). Forty days later Jesus instructed His, Holy Spirit-indwelt,
believers to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is when the Holy Spirit would not come
to live in them (the Holy Spirit was already inside their newly created spirit) rather the Holy Spirit
would completely immerse and engulf them. This would be the coming of the supernatural power
of God upon His disciples to be able to perform miracles, signs and wonders; the mighty
‘power’ (Greek ‘dunamis’) of God (Acts 1:8).

In Acts 2:1-4 we see the Holy Spirit coming ‘upon them’ (v3) and filling the disciples to
overflowing as they began to speak with other tongues, as the (Holy) Spirit gave them utterance
(v4).

Let us now examine some additional scriptural evidence for born again believers receiving the
baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The people in the city of Samaria heard Philip preach Christ (Acts 8:5). They gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake (v6) many were healed and there was great joy in the city (v7-8). They
believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus, they
were baptised (12). Samaria had received the Word of God (v14). Nobody can dispute these
Samaritans had become Christians. They were born again; they had believed in and received Jesus
Christ and were baptized. This means the Holy Spirit must be now living inside their Spirit; they
are now the temples of the Holy Spirit! As we continue to read this account we see the apostles in
Jerusalem sending Peter and John to pray for these new Christians, and lay their hands upon them,
that the Holy Spirit might fall upon them (v16). The apostolic pattern laid down for the church, in
the bible, is to lay hands on new believers for the baptism of the Holy Spirit; to pray that the Holy
Spirit would come ‘upon’ the believer.

A further example of this pattern is in the life of Saul who later was named the Apostle Paul. In
Acts 9:5 Jesus reveals himself to Saul. Saul confesses Jesus as his Lord (v6). This is the moment
of Saul’s conversion when he is born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. God appears to
another Christian, Ananias (v10) who is instructed by God to visit Saul. Notice how Ananias calls
Saul his brother (v17) and lays his hands on Saul that Saul might be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Saul, God’s chosen vessel, that great and beloved apostle to the Gentiles later wrote he would
that ye all spake with tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5) and that he speaks with tongues more than ye
all (v18). Saul was certainly baptized with the Holy Spirit when Ananias laid his hands on him.

There are more examples in the bible concerning believers being baptized with the Holy Spirit
(Acts 10:44-46; 19:6). Space does not permit further discussion in this forum. I would, however,
encourage you to carefully study the book of Acts and look for this apostolic pattern laid down for
the church. Jesus desires that you be baptized with the Holy Spirit, to be filled to overflowing,
speaking from your spirit in unknown tongues (1 Corinthians 14;2, 4, 14-15). Do not let the
traditions and fear of men steal from you this wonderful, powerful, blessing that Jesus has for his
body. Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence (Acts 1:5
The Holy Spirit comes within the believer in the New Birth or as it is

sometimes called, conversion, being born again, receiving remission of sins,

receiving eternal life, or receiving Christ as Savior and Lord. But on the other

side of that dual working, the Holy Spirit comes upon the believer when he or

she is baptized in the Holy Ghost. That is an experience of the enduement of

power.