This week we covered a baptism no man has the ability to conduct. It is only received by a personal encounter with Christ Himself. Scripture tells us that man baptizes with water, but it is only through Christ we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. We learned that it is this baptism that enables us to maneuver through life with an escort. The nature, attributes, and characteristics that belong to God have been encased within the Spirit of Holiness. The reception of this divine spirit imparts wisdom truth and understanding. He delivers direct messages from God and gifts us with insight beyond human awareness. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what assists in the transformation of our soul.
Also, this baptism is what empowers us to be effective witnesses for the kingdom of heaven. It is by faith and through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that we are able to articulate the truth of God. Within our cooperation with the Spirit of truth, the power of God is manifested through miraculous signs and wonders. Therefore, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is also a necessity to serving God correctly.
This baptism is so necessary that Christ Himself had to receive the Holy Spirit for the completion of His assignment. On many occasions, He expressed how the words He spoke and the things He did were not done by His own ability, but instead it was manifested by the power of God. Therefore the reception of the Holy Spirit and our cooperation with Him is a required component for our transformation as well as our service for the kingdom of heaven. In addition, the Holy Spirit is God’s stamp that indicates we are really His. Without the Holy Spirit, we are unable to do the things that God asks of us. God is a good Father and if we are ever unsure as to whether or not the Holy Spirit is active in our lives, His word states if we ask in faith we will receive.
The bottom line is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the seal of our faith. He is the essence of who God is and the distributor of all that God has. As a believer, If we have not made the decision to present our bodies as living sacrifices to become a temple for the Spirit of God. We are not His and everything He has asked us to accomplish is impossible.
However, to make that decision welcomes the Holy Spirit into our lives So the work and power of God can be seen in and through our lives. We are called to use our bodies as temples and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is like Christ consecrating are temples Himself. For change and the ability to serve the kingdom correctly, we are in dire need of being baptized in the Spirit.
Scriptures for this week
MATTHEW 3:7-11
ACTS 11:1-16
ACTS 8:4-25
JOHN 16:7-15
JOHN 14:25-27
I CORINTHIANS 2:9-14
MARK 13:3-11
EPHESIANS 1:13-14
LUKE 3:21-22
ROMANS 8:14-17
GALATIANS 4:6-7
ACTS 1:4-8
LUKE 4:14-21
I CORINTHIANS 12:4-11
LUKE 11:5-13
