The Baptism of the Holy Spirit with Evidence of Speaking In Tongues
Part I – "Who Is This For?"
Mark 16:17 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (KJ)
Just this past Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, I was watching the news
and I saw consumers lined up outside our Target department store. They were
there in hopes of purchasing a $50 CD Stereo system which normally sells for
$380. Some shoppers told news reporters that they were there at 3:00 a.m.
waiting for the store to open at 7:00 a.m.; however, I was not there. It wasn’t
a "race thing" or an "age thing" or a "gender thing."
It was an "information thing." I missed the sale because I didn’t
get the information.
Ever since Veronica and I began to teach this subject at the campus bible
study, we have had Christians come from different denominations and receive
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. We learned
the major reasons they hadn’t received this before was simply because of a
lack of information or inaccurate information. Some of our brothers and sisters
had been told — "you don’t need that" or "we don’t do that
here." Others felt that the gift of "Praying in the Holy Spirit"
or "Speaking In Tongues" was reserved for Pastors, Evangelist, Deacons,
Elders, Bishops and so on, yet the word of God clarifies that this is not
so. So the very first question that we need to ask ourselves is — "Who
is this for?"
Our text tells us that speaking in "new tongues" is one of the
signs that will follow those who do believe. In simpler terms — everyone
who believes in Jesus Christ has access to this gift. To make this even better,
Jesus himself said that the believers will speak with new tongues in His Name!
So if you are a believer in the one, the only, the true and living Saviour,
this gift has your name on it and we’ve got the word of God to back this up.
Acts 10th Chapter (KJ)
39And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the
Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40Him God raised
up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41Not to all the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him
after he rose from the dead. 42And he commanded us to preach unto the people,
and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of
quick and dead. 43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out
the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and
magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47Can any man forbid water, that these should
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
In this text Peter is preaching at Cornelius’ house with the disciples present
and the Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles there (44th). Now the thing that
tells me that this upset the "traditional belief" system of the
disciples is that they were astonished (45th). If this were "business
as usual," the disciples would have had an expectation of the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit, but they didn’t because their belief was that this was
only for them. This is why they were surprised that these "Gentiles"
now had what they had even though it was through the same vessel, Christ.
Thank God the Holy Ghost showed up and shattered a bad belief system, but
what if He hadn’t? What if the Disciples had kept operating in this belief?
Would they have taught this "bad belief" to others? It surely is
possible, and we see evidence of bad belief leading to bad teaching today.
This type of teaching tells us, "you don’t need the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit" simply because that person doesn’t have it or hasn’t studied
it.
The best way
to never have what you don’t have
is to hang around people that don’t have
what you want.
Just meditate on this for a moment before you continue reading this message.
You see, to break out of poverty, you don’t hang around broke folk. To get
over sickness, you don’t hang around disease ridden people. To get the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit, you don’t need to find out about it from people who have
never had, don’t wanted it, and don’t see themselves having it. From our text
in Acts, the unsaved Gentiles got the Baptism of the Holy Spirit due largely
in part to association. Once you make a quality decision on getting what God
has for you, then the next step is to get "hooked up" with a ministry
that teaches this Baptism and receive this gift that the word of God confirms
is yours.
Based on God’s word, we see the Gentiles, who were once sinners, get converted
and gain access to the same heaven, the same spiritual gifts, and the same
blessings the disciples had access to. Now if we see this and then realize
that we once were in the shoes of those very Gentiles, who became blood bought,
born again Christians, then there should be no doubt that we have a divine
right to access the spirit realm through praying in the Holy Ghost. After
the Gentiles were converted by the blood, we see the prophesy of Mark 16:17C,
(they shall speak with new tongues;) fulfilled in Acts 10:46A(For they heard
them speak with tongues). That same prophesy still holds true today for every
believer.
It amazes me that believers in Christ will stand in a line for 30, 40, 50
minutes, fight traffic and crowds to save a few dollars, yet be apprehensive
about receiving what heaven has for them with no cost. No lines, no waiting,
no layaway, no rain checks. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is yours for the
taking — for free!
Believe And Receive!
Next Week – "Part II – How Essential Is It?"
Next week we plan to take you to a text that I am sure you have heard preached
more than a dozen times. However, right in that text is mentioned praying
in the Holy Ghost. Why has it been overlooked?