Lesson 8: Water Baptism / Baptism of The Holy Spirit

Baptism is a controversial discipline. My goal here is to show you from the Scriptures what it means, what it does to a believer, and why it is necessary. Many people hold different views about it, but since God’s Word is our guide, we don’t need to worry or be carried away by false doctrines.

Water baptism is a symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism is performed after one becomes saved. Water baptism is done by immersion and emerging from a pool of water, not sprinkling of water. It is an outward demonstration of an inner experience of newness.

I had a water baptism after I got saved, and it was a beautiful experience. I had a feeling of a new step toward a new life. It became my reference point along my journey as a Christian.

Jesus had a water baptism (Read Matthew 3:13-17). Worthy of note are the following key points:

• Jesus’s ministry commenced after His water baptism. It was His launching point.
• Jesus was given Heaven’s approval after the baptism.
• God’s Spirit descended upon Him.

What does it mean?

• It symbolizes being washed clean from sin (Mark 1:4-5).
• It symbolizes death to our old nature (going into the water) and receiving a new life in Christ (rising from the water). See Romans 6:3-4.
• It symbolizes separation from the world’s sinful way of life.

Why do it?

• It’s an instruction for all nations. Read Matthew 28:16-20.
• It signifies new life for a believer (Galatians 3:27).
• It prepares you for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). The Holy Spirit cannot fill unclean vessels.

Who should be baptized? Those that have repented of their sins, confessed their sins, and have started a new life in Christ. Water baptism is not salvation but a discipline for a believer after salvation.

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

There’s a Scripture I would like you to read before you read further. Acts 1:8 tells us, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

My friend, there is that power that you need in order to run your Christian race to win. You cannot receive this power until you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without this power, the race will be difficult. You already know Who the Holy Spirit is and what He is set to accomplish. It is practically impossible for anyone to live a victorious Christian life without the help of the Holy Spirit.

This lesson is aimed at knowing how to be filled with Him. So, let’s look at the first church that received this baptism and also see what they experienced afterwards (Acts 1).

In Acts 1:4, just before Jesus left the earth, He commanded the disciples not to leave a city called Jerusalem until they had received the Gift the Father promised: The Holy Spirit. He said they had received water baptism, but they also need the baptism of the Spirit. They did as they were told; they assembled in an upper room as they waited for the Father to send the Holy Spirit. Note that they were in God’s presence (1:14-16). They prayed and shared God’s Word among themselves. (Great things happen in God’s presence: you hear God speak and you experience divine encounters.) Suddenly, they had a visitation from God (Acts 2:1-4) and they received the Holy Spirit, also called the Holy Ghost. Read it here in Acts 2:4: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

What happened after they received the Holy Spirit?

• They spoke in unknown tongues so much that other people heard them speak in their own language (Acts 2:7-12).
• They led many more to Christ and ministered the baptism of the Holy Ghost to them. Three thousand (3000) souls were added to their group. A huge movement began for Christ.
• They performed signs and wonders among the people (Acts 2:43).
• No one lacked anything; they had enough and ministered to the poor (Acts 2:45-47).

When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you receive the power to do great things. The Holy Spirit is the force you need to accomplish exploits for Christ. Doing things in your power is hard, but when they are done through the Spirit, they become easier.

Speaking in tongues in brief:

One of the signs of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is your ability to speak in unknown tongues. Speaking in unknown tongues is a good weapon to confuse the enemy of your communication with God. It also helps you communicate in Spirit with God. The devil does not understand this spiritual language.

How do you speak in tongues?

There are no rules to this. Once you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues is a gift that accompanies that. You can receive this gift during Holy Ghost services, by laying of hands, or simply in the corner of your room as you wait on Him. Note that everyone receives this gift at different times. All you need is faith and the readiness.

Mine was not immediate. At first, I was worried because I saw and heard others praying in tongues around me and I thought something was wrong with me. We had another prayer meeting and after being prayed for, I spoke in tongues. It felt weird at first but the more I prayed, the better it became. Let me tell you, there are many times in my life even right now that praying in tongues is what I rely on. When I don’t know what to pray for, I pray in tongues. Praying in tongues is the language of the Spirit.

There are times that I sit in God’s presence and when my words are not enough to commune with Him or I can’t comprehend what God is saying to me, He moves me to pray in the Spirit. These are the best times: times when the Lord takes over. You can experience it too.

What else does the Spirit gives you after baptism?

Gifts of the Spirit

After the baptism of the Holy Spirit, there are gifts of the Spirit that are promised to believers. The Spirit gives these gifts to each believer as He purposes. Please read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. These gifts are: the discerning of spirits, speaking in diverse kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues, the gift of faith, the gift of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift healing, the working of miracles, and gift of prophecy.

I will advise that you desire a gift and trust God to give you what is best for you. You need the gifts to profit as a child of God. These gifts are needed to advance the gospel to the world. Take the gift to discern spirits as an example. We have too many look-alike and deceiving situations in our world today, but the gift to discern will save you from danger.

Which gift(s) do you desire?

VIDEO:

Lesson application:Read the following scriptures (Acts 10:46-48, acts 2:36-41) about those who were baptized after salvation. If you have a church family, ask about their baptismal program and start one if you are not already baptized.