THE HOLY SPIRIT

Receiving the Holy Spirit is also called the baptism with the Holy Spirit, which means that the Holy Spirit lives in us and the body of disciple becomes the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, Jesus commanded disciples: “Not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise fo the Father, which you have heard from Me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

At that time, the disciples did not understand the meaning of being baptized with the Holy Spirit and they believed that Jesus would establish a worldly kingdom on the earth after he resurrected. So the disciples asked Jesus: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus said to them: “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8)

Receiving the Holy Spirit is Different from Being Touched by the Holy Spirit and Being Filled with the Holy Spirit.

Receiving the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit dwelling in people and will not depart from people. People can also be touched by the Holy Spirit and be filled with the Holy Spirit before they receive the Holy Spirit which dwell in them.

(1) People are moved by the Holy Spirit, so they come to believe in Jesus. Even if a person has not been baptized with the Holy Spirit, he can also be moved by the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, many people were already moved by the Holy Spirit, but at that time the Holy Spirit had not yet descended, and no one had been baptized by the Holy Spirit because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

(I Corinthians 12:3)Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

(Mark 12:36) For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

(John 7:39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

(2) Being filled with the Holy Spirit does not necessarily have to be being baptized with the Holy Spirit. John baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb, but the Holy Spirit had not been given yet at that time.

(Luke 1:15) For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

(John 7:39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

(3) Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is the same as receiving the Holy Spirit, which happens after Jesus ascended to heaven. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, no one was baptized with the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 1:4-5) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

(John 7:37-39) On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

(4) Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is to born of the Holy Spirit, which is the important part of born again. Only those who are born again from the water and from the Holy Spirit can enter the kingdom of heaven. Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of inherit an inheritance in heaven.

(John 3:3) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(John 3:5) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.