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The term “Baptism in/of the Holy Spirit” is Biblical.
John the Baptist prophesied it: “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11 ; Luke 3:16)
Jesus said it:
“For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:5)
“But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 AMP)
And the consequence was that on the Day of Pentecost: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4)
The Apostles said it:
The Apostle Paul:
“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”
“John’s baptism,” they replied.
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:1-6)
The Apostle Peter re-iterated Jesus words:
“And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)
And again when justifying baptising Gentiles (Cornelius’s household) in water:
“ ‘As I began to speak,’ Peter continued, ‘the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?’ ” (Acts 11:15-16)
Please understand that “baptism in the Holy Spirit” is not conversion. Conversion/salvation is entirely and solely through accepting Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord.
At that point you are a Christian, a child of God, and God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16 tells us: “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
At that point you are saved. At that point you are born again. At that point you are a Christian.
In John 20:22 those to whom Jesus was speaking had already been born again when Jesus came to them after His death and resurrection:
“And with that He (Jesus) breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’.” (John 20:22)
Now understand that Jesus was speaking to His disciples. They were His followers. Many, (particularly the Apostles), had been with Jesus for the duration of His ministry and teachings.
He breathed on them telling them to “receive the Holy Spirit”.
Surely as followers of Jesus these people were by the Bible’s definition – “Christians” at this point – for at this stage they had received the Spirit who testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
So, if receiving the Spirit at Christian conversion is all there is then why did Jesus tell the disciples to wait for what we now know as the day of Pentecost?
To receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, that is why.
The “baptism in the Holy Spirit” is a distinct and separate endowment from conversion.
It can happen at the same time as conversion, or it may happen later in a Christian’s life – especially if they do not know anything about “baptism in the Holy Spirit”.
“Baptism in the Holy Spirit” usually happens with the laying on of hands with prayer for it to happen, it also often happens in worship for those who seek it.
It is Jesus who baptises people in the Holy Spirit.
Why do we need the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
We need it to empower us with the same power that Jesus had when He walked this earth doing His ministry.
We also need it to lead us and guide us in Godly living. And to minister effectively to the needs of the church, the Body of Christ.
With “baptism of the Holy Spirit” we become empowered to use the “gifts of the Spirit” – which are the same gifts Jesus used for ministry.
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