A source of much confusion in the Church is the question of whether a believer is baptized with the Holy Spirit at the time of Salvation, or not. Salvation happens when one makes the decision to repent of his sins and confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A separate chapter regarding Salvation is included in this book.
At the time of Salvation, the Holy Spirit regenerates the previously dead spirit of the believer. The human spirit, separated from (dead to) God because of the fall in the Garden of Eden, is now quicken (made alive again) by the Holy Spirit Who has come to live within it. This is sometimes referred to as the New Birth or having been Born Again.
John 14:17 says this: “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.”
The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit comes with great power and benefit. Having the Holy Spirit living within is having a direct connection to the infinite wisdom and infinite power of God.
Theologians teach that seven attributes of the spirit are “The Spirit of God, Wisdom and Understanding, The Spirit of Counsel and Might, The Spirit of Knowledge and of The Fear of the Lord” (Isiah 11:2).
The Book of Revelation makes mention of the Seven Spirits of God in several passages. The Seven Spirits of God are all inclusive within the Holy Spirit. He is that same Holy Spirit that resides within the believer. Look again at the referenced attributes in the previous paragraph. They are an on-board resource for the Born-Again Believer.
When the Holy Spirit comes to live within a believer, He brings with Him the nine fruit of the Spirit from the book of Galatians, chapter five. They are “love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.”
The Lord tells us in John chapter 16 that the Holy Spirit of Truth will guide us to all truth. He says that the Holy Spirit will take that which is His and show it to us. The Apostle Paul writes in the eight chapter of Romans that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.
The Holy Spirit leads and teaches the believer. The indwelling presence of The Holy Spirit sharpens the intuition or discerning abilities of the believer. Conscience or the propensity to “do the right thing” is strengthened. Ezekiel chapter 36 speaks prophetically of the New Birth and the renewing of the Spirit Within. It speaks of the “sprinkling of clean water and cleaning the believer of all filthiness and from all idols.” The Lord goes on to say: “And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
The Holy Spirit within the believer makes the believer intrinsically like God. Second Peter says that the believer is a partaker of “the divine nature.” The believer is become innately like God once again; “In His Image and after His Likeness.”
The indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost is the Baptism by Jesus Christ. It is for fruit bearing. Jesus referred to it in John chapter four as “a well springing up to everlasting life.”
Given that the blessings mentioned above are are only an overview of those that are imparted to the believer, it is not difficult to understand how the companion working of the Holy Spirit is overlooked.
God expects and has made provisions for a two-fold development in His Spirit Filled Children. Firstly, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Remission of sin, The New Birth, Receipt of the Spirit of Christ and The Fruit of the Spirit are accomplished.
The work of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit happens within the believer. The believer has received the Holy Spirit but has not yet been Baptized with the Holy Spirit. The two are different.
Baptism with the Holy Spirit began at Pentecost and fulfilled this Promise by Jesus to the Disciples: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8).
Acts 2:4 is the first New Testament example of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit when the 120 believers that were assembled in that upper room spoke with Other Tongues as the Spirit gave the UTTERANCE.
Baptism with The Holy Spirit begins with a decision. The decision to receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit and to submit to Him should ideally accompany Salvation.
Speaking in Tongues requires that the believer be yielded to the Holy Spirit. It is the gateway for the further Outpouring of the Spirit and for the manifestations (exhibitions or expressions) of the gifts of the Spirit and UTTERANCES for ministry.
In preparation for The Revival and The Rapture of the Bride, every local assembly of the Church must unify and come into compliance with the instructions of the Lord i.e., “The Great Commission.”
After Jesus Christ had risen from the Grave and before ascending back to Heaven, He gave these final instructions to the disciples: “And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:15-18).
These instructions will be performed by an anointed outpouring of UTTERANCE.