The Energy Crisis in the American Church

Chapter Three Just What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Next to the person of Jesus and the great debates that have been over His Pearson, I think the Holy Spirit has been a great battle field in the American Church, and in fact, Churches all over the world. Not that it has been the cause of the battle field, but we have made it the battlefield.

Now I am not talking about Churches as a cooperative organization, but I am talking about the individual in their quest and in their study for meaning about the Holy Spirit. It is because we have so little lack of the inter-workings of the Spirit that I feel we don't really understand it.

It is not my purpose to get into the gifts of the Holy Spirit at this time. I will say, in passing, that it is my full intention in subsequent pages to deal with the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit and to answer questions like these:

"Is it true that the Spirit's gifts were for the Apostles only during their day?" "Is it true that the Spirit's gifts are for one's own personal benefit?"

"Is the evidence of spiritual renewal in our time making the work of the Holy Spirit today's most pressing issue?"

"Are these gifts, namely these nine spiritual gifts in 1 Cor. (for there are others mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament) for today?"

And, "Why are so many evangelical Christians answering the questions negatively, limiting these to a day gone-by? These are questions that we will deal with in forth-coming chapters. But the basis of these comments will have to be predicated upon this forth coming chapters in the light of the energy crisis in the American Church.

Background

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Well, to get the answer we would have to go to God's Word. In God's Word we would search the scripture and we would discover that there are just a very few places where the phrase is mentioned – "Baptism of the Holy Spirit". One is Matthew 3:11. It reads like this: "I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who comes after me is mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Now there are four other scriptures that say the same thing. They are found in the books of Mark, Luke and two places in the book of John. For all practical purposes, then, the one stated in Matthew would be representative of the writings in the "Gospels".

The second verse comes from the book of Acts. Acts 11:16,17 and Acts 1:5 which reads, "While He was in their company He told them not to leave Jerusalem. You must wait, He said, for the promise made by my Father about which you have heard me speak. John, as you know, baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit and within the next few days."

Now, these are the only Scriptures that I can find in God's Word which use the phrase "baptized with or with the Holy Spirit". There are others that use the phrase, "filled with the Spirit" and it is my contention that there is a difference. My viewpoint may not be the right viewpoint, and, it may not be your viewpoint, but it is my viewpoint.

Birth Of The Church

The gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was different from the gift of the Holy Spirit on baptism. We are immediately going to run into a hand-up of semantics using words that mean one thing to me and one thing to you. For example, I might say, "I flew to church last Sunday." Someone years from now who hears this sermon or who might have heard those words on a tape would possibly think that I literally "flew" to church. You know what I mean, but someone in the future may not. Especially is this true when one is removed in space and time plus language.

When the manifestations were given very clearly upon the Day of Pentecost, I feel this was a very definite historical occasion in the fulfillment of a predictions made by Joel in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament the gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to individuals. Now, when I use the word "gift" and "gift of the Holy Spirit" I mean there were times when men, heavily endowed, within and without, spoke as messengers of "God. They were "filled with the Sprit of God."

But in the New Testament, upon this day of Pentecost, God was then going to give the Spirit to a group, namely, the Church. The question can even be asked, "Was the birth of the Church at Pentecost?" Some say, indeed, that is when the Church came into being for there God's Spirit came and the Church became.

Others say, and this I might add might be what more are inclined to believe, that the Church was already there because Jesus had spoken about the Church long before the day of Pentecost. At the day of Pentecost, the spirit came in such a way to the Church that it unified the Church, brought unity to that group of people constituting the Church It was at that point a consciousness on their part of Spiritual mission. They were endowed, as a Church, with power. The spiritual relationship of a person to the Lord constitutes that part of the whole universal Church.

When Joel predicted this, he said, "There will come a time when God will pour out His Spirit." And he was looking forward to that time. A specific historical event which occurred that day at Pentecost is described clearly to us in the New Testament. Nowhere in the New Testament or in the other writings do we find a repetition of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

We are baptized into the Church, following our profession of faith in Jesus. My thesis is that the Spirit of God was bestowed once and forever at Pentecost. When we came into the Church (not the one on the corner, but the one in the "Heavens) it is done by our conversion. After the point of conversion we can, upon every occasion of our life and as many times as we do desire avail ourselves of the opportunity to have more of the Spirit;. The assumption of the presence of the Spirit is available today for all believers if we just would receive it. Let me just go back and say this: receiving the Spirit was essential to becoming a Christian;. Receiving the gift of the Spirit that which today falls into the charismatic movement and similar moments is not an essential matter for salvation. It is, as I see it, essential to a more fuller relationship with our dear Lord.

When Does This Baptism Come?

As I have mentioned, the receiving of the Spirit is a one-time thing. Having said that it was at the time of conversion. God endues you endows you, in fills you with a salvation Spirit. In 1 Cor. 12:13, the words are "For by one Spirit we are all baptized as into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free." All are baptized. Not one here and there, not those who have met certain conditions, but ALL – every member of the body of Christ. That experience, therefore, takes place at the time of conversion, and is already past so far as the believer is concerned.

But once IT is in you can call upon God's Spirit, and when you call upon God's Spirit in faith you will have experiences that will occur to you and that will be so great that you experience a baptism of the Spirit. You are drawing a filling from the Spirit. You are latching onto that which is available at that point.

The words are by Jesus: "You go forth to every part of the world. You proclaim the Good News to the whole creation Those who believe it and receive baptism will find salvation. Those who do not believe it will be condemned. Faith will bring these miracles: believers will cast out devils in my name and speak in strange tongues; if they handle snakes or drink any poison that is deadly, they will come to no harm.

Those who are sick, on those they lay hands and they will recover.".

We always have hang-ups when we speak of baptism. When I say "baptism" one might think of the baptistery in the Church house. Some do believe it takes place when people have hands laid upon them, or when they don't have hands laid upon them. It may be with or without gesture. It may be at home, school, at work, it may be in the car but it is always in expectant faith.

The Holy Spirit's Workings

God's Word tells us many things about this Holy Spirit. As we read God's Word – that is the only basis we have to learn more about it – we find that when we accept Him as a personal Savior, this Holy Spirit comes into us, placing us in the body of the Christ, which has already been indwelt by the Spirit of God. But we don't always have the power, and this is the thing that is disturbing to so many Christians.

Why is it, if I am a Christian, that I cannot do what Jesus said to do? This thing disturbs us and it is there is the energy crisis in the American Church today. We don't have the power. Now listen to this letter that came from a personal "Up until now, my main complaint about the Church as been its sophisticated approach to religion. Everyone is afraid to show feelings for Jesus. Now, I know it is not just in our churches, it is in our lives. "We are not living, we are just existing."

Each of us could be an active, vibrant being, alive with the Spirit. Now when this occurs, some say they have been baptized with the Spirit. That is O.K. It is my contention that we are not receiving these things from God as we should. It is NOT because there is no power, but we are not claiming that power.

On another note: Why do we get discouraged? Why do we get blue? Why don't we have victorious living? Why can't we stand up, hold our head high and claim these promises from Almighty God? It is because, within us, there is not that sound, firm faith in God. It is coming to the churches in America I do believe but that it seems He is moving in other countries faster than in our own America

In 1966 in Philadelphia this Charismatic renewal began. It has spread to hundreds of communities through the Catholic Church. Not only in our Catholic friends but it is evident in all the main line denominations where here and there (though sometimes misused) people are begging to accept what God has said in the Bible and claim the promises for His Church body.

It does take place when people have hands laid upon them, or when they don't have hands laid upon them. As I mentioned earlier, it may be with or without gesture. It may be at home school, at work. It may be in the car, but it is always in expectant faith.

Today's Happenings in Light of the 1st Century

It would be very false to characterize this new-found faith life that is happening in Churches across the country as purely emotional experiences. But, certainly human emotions are tied up in this because you can't divorce human emotions from your love and from your actions, and from your response emotionally to other people around you.

Some denominational Pentecostals hold that unless one speaks in tongues they have not received the Sprit. One could say that if you accept Jesus and you become a Christian then you draw this available power to your life and when you have the infilling then you will (can) speak in tongues. You do not have to speak in tongues in order to be saved. You don't have to speak in tongues when you are baptized in the water, either by pouring, sprinkling or immersion. "Some think that when the point of conversion is experienced then that is the time. Yes, it can happen that way. My experience has been that it is a "time" following conversion – in the Christian walk. It is also important to note that many do not receive the speaking in tongues when they ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. For some it comes later, for some never. I have known some in this category and that is ok.

It is my feeling that the example in Acts very clearly states that the baptism in the water is not the same thing as the baptisms of the Spirit. Let me share with you very briefly Acts 8.

Here the people of the city of Samaria were present and Phillip preached to the group and the whole group was baptized. THEN Peter and John came down and laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now, I am not contradicting myself about baptism of the Holy Spirit and receiving the Holy Spirit. I indicated earlier that I believe that are two different things/happenings. So here we have an example of some people who were saved and baptized and THEN they received the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 19 Paul is at Ephesus with a group of believers. He says, "So you know about the baptism of Jesus?" They said "We never heard of such a thing. We were baptized with John's baptism." So they were instructed and then they were baptized. Very clearly it was then that the Holy Spirit came upon them. Well, this is very good if one was trying to prove this point, but when one turns to Acts 10 the very opposite thing hapopened.

In Acts 10 the happening is with Cornelius and his household. We find that the Holy Spirit fell upon that household before they were baptized. (wow) There is clearly no connection betweens the mode of baptism and the gift of the Spirit. This shows clearly that baptism is not a condition of salvation. It is said that the Holy Spirit fell on them before anything is said about their being baptized in water.

In the Epistle of Paul, it is clear that every believer, when he believes receives the Spirit. Every believer you in the 20st century (now the 21st century with the printing of this transcribed message) where you are – when you believe, you receive the Sprit. It is made very clear. When you become a Christian you are a child of God. From that point you can draw upon His power. But, having said that, it is the INFILLING of His Spirit in you that is made available. Receiving the greater "outpouring" is available, but NOT necessary to become a Christian.

In Conclusion

May I say this – that the filling of God's Spirit comes when an individual requests it. Having said that, let me say it again: When an individual requests the infilling is when that one receives such.

Now, there is an occasion when that blessings comes to man for the very first time. From that first time, from that first spiritual crisis he can date his future "fillings" of "experiences". God's Spirit comes to you when in simple faith you said "Lord, I could not save myself, so I cried out to you for my salvation. Now, I am crying out to you to accept an infilling of that spirit with the gifts that are mine to receive. The results will be lives of peace, power and victory. You will have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. "There will be less worry and more purpose.

It just seems to me that as a matter of study both of Christians in this present day and in the early days of the Church that in addition to the gift of the Spirit received at conversion there is another time" for accepting that special infilling which will correspond to that of signs and effects, like the disciples. This blessings of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is to be asked for and experienced.

So, the question is, "What do you call it? Call it what you will, the fact is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit has been received. Some call it the "Filling of the Holy Spirit."

When one has this baptism of fullness, there will be a new desire to pray, a new desire to read the Scriptures, a new desire to begin to form a type life that is geared to spiritual growth.

One will want to commune with God as never before.

(Insert 2015 Nancy and I lived together for 53 ½ years. (I write that in retrospect). She one night went to bed with me, but woke up in Paradise with dear Jesus, whom she loved so much. My point is what if we never spoke of our love one to another each day The end results would we would not have learned the ins and outs of each other. Strangers we would have been. Our relationship would have been in trouble. But it was a most wonderful relationship, that many from time to time people have commented on (Let me chase one rabbit!) When Nancy's house mother in the dorm where she was staying at the Graduate School in New Orleans, heard of the engagement – she said, "Nancy, never let a day go by without saying to Neal, "I love you." Now back to the transcription:

We also have also learned to say "I love you, Jesus". Having said that, our relationship with the Lord must become sweeter as the days go by.

Now, my encouragement to you, my dear reader- if you have not experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ask for it. You know the Bible does say, "We have not because we ask not.":

It is coming to a person near you. In some areas, and in some churches the effects are like the falling of dominoes. Oh, what a gift. "On the Gentiles also was poured out the Gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 10:45) "Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Again, "After that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 1:13) The verse in Ephesians 3:18 is one of importance. "Be filled with the Spirit." "Be being filled" as it is in the original. Every true believer has received the Sprit, but not all have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in the context of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Yes, all are sealed. But not every believer has been so baptized. Therefore the command, "Be filled."

I once asked an individual, "Why be a spiritual pauper when you can thus receive the Baptism?" One just has to say, "I want it" AND the answer is there. Then –one possible next step is to receive one's prayer language or Heavenly language. We will talk about that.

Here is my prayer for you: (1979)

Our Heavenly Father, there is so much we don't know. There is so much we want to know. At least the important thing to know is that by ourselves we just can't make it.

We are not talking about going to Heaven. We are talking about just making it in this world. Living is hard and indeed, there are things that pull us down as Christians. The Devil, with his effectiveness places before us the stumbling blocks over which we fall. Give us eyes to behold and ears to hear these great Scriptural truths that you have for us.

For those Christians who have lived so many years a mundane Christian life, we pray they would say, "Lord, right now, I want my life to change. I want to see things differently.

I want to experience things differently. I just want to be a different person and I believe it can happen."

We pray that the Spirit of Almighty God would descend upon our hearts. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Let me continue a 2017 declaration: Abba Father, in the name of Jesus I ask that the reader of these lines be so touched by your Holy Spirit that they would cry out for more and more of the fullness that is experienced by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, thus adding their extra "wattage" to the energy crisis in the American Church. In the name of Jesus. Amen.