Elementary Principles of Christ | Baptism of the Holy Spirit

In this post, I want to continue talking about what the Bible calls the - Elementary Principles of Christ. This post is a continuation of an earlier post, so I urge you to read the earlier posts before you read this one. (Read | Repentance from dead Works) (Read | Water Baptism)

I believe it is important for every Christian to get a hold of these elementary truths of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2): 

• Repentance from dead works and of faith towards God
• Doctrines of Baptisms
• Laying on of hands
• The Resurrection of the Dead
• Eternal Judgement

In this post we will talk about the Doctrines of Baptisms. Notice that it says Baptisms, meaning there are many types of Baptisms. We will concentrate on the doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in this post. 

The primary reason why God gives us the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is so that we may receive power to be a witness. The scriptures say: 

And being assembled together with them, He (Jesus) commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit gives us power to be a witness. When a person comes to Christ and is saved there is this peace and joy that settles in. Many receive physical and mental healing. Many are refreshed with new hope. Many begin to walk in the light of complete forgiveness and are set free from religious bondage. That is when Christians want to tell others about what God has done for them. (Mark 7:36) They just cannot hold themselves back. This is when you need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit more than anything else. I am sure when the disciples saw the risen Christ they could not wait to tell everybody about what they had seen and believed. But Jesus Christ commanded them to wait. 

This is what God says: I know you are excited about your New Life in Christ. I know you want to tell everybody. But wait for the Promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5) I will give you power to be my witness. 

God not only wants us to be His Witness, he also wants to give us His power and might to do it.

The power that God gives us through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is in the form of gifts and ministries. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We see that there are many gifts and ministries and the Holy Spirit gives them to those who believe freely. The scripture also tells us to earnestly desire the best gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:31). Every gift is for the profit of all. (1 Corinthians 12:7). It is not necessary that you operate only in one gift or ministry. You could also be operating in multiple gifts and ministries in the same day. 

Most of all, you will be very effective when witnessing to others because it is no longer your power but the power of God working through you. I freely operate in the ministry of teaching, the gift of different kind of tongues and the gift of prophecy. There are times when I might operate in other gifts as well. 

When you begin to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit witnessing becomes more effective and powerful. (1 Corinthians 2:4) 

(Also read | Baptism of the Holy Spirit - 1 | Baptism of the Holy Spirit - 2 | Speaking in Tongues)