06 - THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
ICE BREAKER / GAME
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GROUP SESSION VIDEO
GROUP SESSION CONVERSATION GUIDE
MATTHEW 3:11-12 NIV (John the Baptist said) I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will BAPTIZE you with the HOLY SPIRIT and with FIRE.
Jesus later uses the same expression:
ACTS 1:4-5 NKJV And being assembled together with them, (Jesus) 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; 5 for John truly BAPTIZED with water, but you shall be BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
This prophetic experience unfolded to them on the day of Pentecost:
ACTS 2:1-4 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were FILLED with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Here we have another expression, “FILLED with the Holy Spirit,” used synonymously with “BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit.” We read in…
ACTS 10:44-46 NKJV While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit FELL upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the GIFT of the HOLY SPIRIT had been POURED OUT on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Peter himself describing this experience in Jerusalem, told the story in this way…
ACTS 11:15-17 NKJV And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit FELL UPON them, AS UPON US at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If therefore God gave them the SAME GIFT as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"
Here Peter distinctly called the experience which came to Cornelius and his household, being “BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit.” Thus we see that the expressions…
- “…FILLED with the Holy Spirit…” (ACTS 2:4)
- “…the Holy Spirit FELL…” (ACTS 10:44)
- “…BAPTISM with the Holy Spirit…” (ACTS 11:16)
- “ …God gave them the SAME GIFT…” (ACTS 11:17)
- “I send THE PROMISE of my Father upon you…” (LUKE 24:49; ACTS 1:4)
- And “CLOTHED WITH POWER from on high…” (LUKE 24:49)
…are all practically synonymous.
THE FILLING ISN’T TO BE A ONE-TIME EXPERIENCE
ACTS 2:4 to ACTS 4:30 (TWICE FILLED)
ACTS 2:1-4 NIV When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were FILLED with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
ACTS 4:31 NKJV And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all FILLED with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
EPHESIANS 5:18 NKJV “…but be (BEING) FILLED with the Spirit…”
So What Is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit? In our first answer let’s consider the general idea of being “BAPTIZED” with “THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
- “Baptized” (Immersed)
- “Immersed”
- “Saturated”
- “To be fully pervaded”
- “Thoroughly permeated with”
IMMERSED IN “WHOM”? WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
- He is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding
- He is the Spirit of Might
- He is our Comforter, Counselor, Strengthener, Standby, Advocate, Helper, and Intercessor
- He is “PEACE that passes all understanding”
- He is our spiritual rest
- He is the anointing behind miracles
- He is hope and vision
- He is faith and conviction
- He is passion and purpose
- He is omnipotent – there is nothing He can’t do
- He is omniscient – there is nothing He doesn’t know
- He is omnipresent – there is nowhere He hasn’t been
- He is grace and unqualified acceptance
- He is forgiveness and unending mercy
- He is “love” personified
- He is the PROMISE of the Father
- HE, THE HOLY SPIRIT, IS THE ONE SENT TO IMMERSE OUR LIVES, INSIDE AND OUT!
MODERN DAY EXPERIENCES
Charles Finney (1792-1875)
Charles Finney, an evangelist and later founder of Oberlin College, had used the expression “baptism of the Holy Ghost” to describe an early experience with God in his life. A few hours after what Finney described as a face-to-face encounter with Christ, the following occurred:
“I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost…without any recollection that I had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul…. Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love…. I wept aloud with joy and love; and I do not know but I should say I literally bellowed out the unutterable gushings of my heart. These waves came over me and over me, one after the other, until I recollect I cried out, ‘I shall die if these waves continue to pass over me’… yet I had no fear of death” (Charles G. Finney: An Autobiography, 20-21)
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody, a nineteenth-century evangelist, pastor, and founder of Moody Bible Institute, after many years of preaching, related how two women would say to him regularly, “You need the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Moody reflected thereafter,
“I need the power? Why, I thought I had power [because] I had the largest congregation in Chicago and there were many conversions. I was in a sense satisfied.”
Soon though, the two godly women were praying with Moody, and…
“they poured out their hearts in prayer that I might receive the filling of the Holy Spirit. There came a great hunger into my soul…. I began to cry out as I never did before. I really felt that I did not want to live if I could not have this power for service.”
Sometime later Moody related this:
“One day, in the city of New York – oh, what a day! – I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name. Paul had an experience of which he never spoke for fourteen years. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him so stay His hand. I went preaching again. The sermons were not different; I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world.”
(W.R. Moody, The Life of DL Moody, 146-147,149).
30 MARKED BENEFITS AND EVIDENCES
ACTS 2:33 NKJV Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
ACTS 6:3 NKJV Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business…”
How did anyone know who was full of the Holy Spirit?
- Supernatural Boldness
- Unity and Oneness in Relationships
- Generosity of Heart
- Possessing Supernatural Power
- Favor and Goodwill
- Contentment
- Good Financial Stewardship
- Hunger for Word of God
- Reprioritizing Friendships/Relationships
- Love of Serving Others
- Love to Pray and Worship
- Love of Organized Church Life / Owned the vision
- Spiritual Life Is Perceived as Awesome
- Expressions of Gladness and Joy
- Simplicity of Heart
- Steadfast Diligence
- Evangelism & Love for People Outside the Faith
- Dynamic Faith
- Supernatural Wisdom
- Speak in Supernatural Languages
- A Deep Desire to Live Holy
- Singing Praise/Melodies In Heart
- Exuberant Thankfulness
- Mutual Submission/Tenderness of Heart
- Inspired Speaking and Prophesying
- Effectiveness In Spiritual Authority
- Nine Operational Gifts of the Spirit
- Intensified Fruit of the Holy Spirit
- Resilient Energized Hope
- Unusual Freedom
THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT: A NECESSITY, OR A LUXURY?
CLOSING THOUGHT - HUNGER FOR HIM
- Have you been immersed?
- Have you been re-immersed…are you filled now?
1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-21 KJV QUENCH (extinguish) NOT the SPIRIT. 20 DESPISE (displace or set aside, regard lightly, or not esteem) NOT prophesyings. 21 PROVE ALL THINGS; hold fast that which is good.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:31 NKJV But EARNESTLY DESIRE the BEST GIFTS. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:39-40 NKJV Therefore, brethren, DESIRE EARNESTLY to prophesy, and DO NOT FORBID to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
QUESTIONS
- After watching this session’s video, what is your biggest takeaway, “ah ha” moment, or challenging thought? Why?
- When you hear that a believer is capable of being baptized, or immersed, in God the Holy Spirit, what images does this inspire?
- In the Group Notes (above) there are 30 benefits to being baptized in the Holy Spirit. If you had to choose only 1 of them to be fully immersed in, which would you choose?
- The fullness of all 30 of these benefits are simultaneously available to the believer. Describe the visionary imagery that this might inspire in you to pursue?
- What do you think holds people back, causes people to pause or shut down, from this experiential relationship with the Holy Spirit?
PRAYER
Prayer time with the Group.
ENCOURAGEMENT CONNECTION THIS WEEK
PRAY FOR GROUP MEMBER - Pray for at least one person in the Group. Try to identify someone who hasn't been prayed for, or given an encouraging Scripture. Don't worry about feeling inadequate as a prayer. No one feels like they are professional prayers, at least not when they look into eyes of the Almighty God. Praying the Scriptures over people is the best way to learn how to pray effectively. Simply find a Scripture, put the person's name in the text, and pray those words out loud. Then ask the Lord to help you think of things to say to Him about them that would help their lives.
ASK FOR A SCRIPTURE WORD - Ask God to give you a Scripture to give them to encourage, comfort and edify them. You can Google search "God's Promises" and find a plethora of appropriate texts. Look for one that seems to give you a spark of energy as you think about the person you have been praying for.
DELIVER THE WORD TO THEM - Then send them an email, text or phone call to encourage them. This is how the Holy Spirit works in our lives. As you practice these movements you will expand your own capacity with God, all while giving people much needed hope and strength.