This message was preached by Colin D'cruz at Word of Grace Church on November 25th, 2018. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.
Q. What does the word ‘Baptism’ mean?
It’s ‘Immersion’
An example of this is ‘Dip tea’. What do we do with a tea bag? We immerse the tea bag in water.
In New testament, baptism in water is recorded 4 times in gospel lessons and 5 times its recorded that Jesus is the one who would baptize us in Holy Spirit.
Matt 3:11 – “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.
John the Baptist went around telling people to repent and get baptized in water and that someone greater will come and baptize them in Holy Spirit.
What is the importance of this?
Acts 1:4-5 – On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
This is very important.
Suppose a person gets pushed in a swimming pool, he gets to know it. Looking at him drenched, all the others get to know that he was immersed in water.
Acts 1:8 – 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.”
When Holy Spirit comes on you, you will receive power to become witnesses. The significant signs of a person baptized in Holy Spirit are Power, Boldness and Prophecy or Praise
Joel 2:28 – “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
These words spoken by Joel came to pass on the day of Pentecost –
Acts 2:2-4 – Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:14 – Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
Here, what we understand is that when the people received the Holy Spirit, they got transformed. Sometimes, we feel timid, not bold enough to step up or speak up for God or share the gospel. The apostles were like that too. They were behind the locked doors for a very long time as they feared the Jews.
Matt 26:69-70 – Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee”, she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about”, he said.
Peter was afraid of a servant girl, he denied Jesus because he was not baptized with the Holy Spirit.
The same Peter, after getting baptized with the Holy Spirit, received power and boldness.
When Peter and John were brought before the priests, they were asked by what power or what name they healed the lame beggar, here is how Peter displayed his boldness through the Holy Spirit -
Acts 4:8-10 – Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
These days, there is a lot of division especially when it comes to baptism.
Baptism in water is very important but required only once.
Baptism in Holy Spirit is very important too. But it is required not just once.
In Acts 4:23-30, its written that after the release of Peter and John, they went back to his people, reported everything, and all of them raised their voices and started praying to God.
Acts 4:31 – After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
This shows that they were filled with the Holy Spirit once again.
Eph 5:18 – Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit
We need to be constantly filled with Holy Spirit
When we get baptized with the Holy Spirit, we receive power.
Acts 5:15 – As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
1. What can we do to get constantly filled with Holy Spirit?
i. Be thirsty for the Holy Spirit
John 7:37 – On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink”
ii. Pray like early believers
Luke 11:11-13 – “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 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!”
2. How do we know we received power?
i. Our heart will be filled with the Holy Spirit
Our heart overflows. An example is Jar filled with water. Once it gets filled, it overflows. Similarly, when our heart gets filled with the Holy Spirit, it overflows and we speak in tongues, we prophesy etc
ii. Experiential thing
When we get filled with the Holy Spirit, we feel something. We will know and experience love of God in a great measure.
An example is we feel our earthly father’s love to a great measure when he takes us in his arms, hugs us and kisses us. We don’t feel the same measure when he just walks with us.
So what is next?
We need to pray, spend time with God, exercise our boldness, power and other spiritual gifts.
If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t be discouraged. Keep exercising.
No comments:
Post a Comment