The Holy Spirit

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday February 5, 2008

Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit in two different ways. First He spoke of the Holy Spirit being a spring of water welling up to eternal life (Greek: zoe: the life of God):

John 4:14 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
"but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit inside each believer when he is born again; the Holy Spirit is the one who causes the rebirth and the life of God to enter our born again spirits:

Titus 3:5 (NIV)
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Then Jesus mentions a different function of the Holy Spirit:

John 7:38,39 (NIV)
38. "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

This time there are streams of living water flowing OUT of the believer!

Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes UPON a believer, he will receive POWER:

Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes ON you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The supernatural power of God is available to every believer through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said supernatural signs would accompany those who believe:

Mark 16:17,18 (NIV)
17. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18. they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

The disciples did exactly what Jesus said; the Lord worked with them and confirmed His Word with the signs and wonders that accompanied it:

Mark 16:20 (NIV)
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

The difference between the ministry of a person baptized in the Holy Spirit and a person who isn't is that signs and wonders will accompany the preaching of the Word when the minister is baptized in the Holy Spirit.

God tells us that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for EVERYONE for all time; it was not limited to the early church:

Acts 2:38,39 (NIV)
38. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for ALL whom the Lord our God will call."

Notice that Peter said to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and then he mentioned the people would ALSO receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He was confident of that because the early church always got people baptized in the Holy Spirit after they were saved. I wish the church as a whole would get back into that habit!

Jesus said you can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit simply by asking for it:

Luke 11:13 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Notice that you don't get born again by asking; the Bible says we are born again because we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead! (Romans 10:9) That's how we know Luke 11:13 is talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

If you have not yet received the baptsim of the Holy Spirit, simply ask God in prayer and believe you have received it! The evidence of speaking in tongues will follow if you open your mouth and speak the words the Holy Spirit gives you.

PRAYER
Thank You Father for baptism with the Holy Spirit. Thank You for our wonderful salvation that gives us access to so many wonderful gifts and promises. Help me to remember the great blessings I have received and not take them for granted.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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