In a soon-coming post, I will explain how to easily receive the baptism in the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Many of my readers have struggled to receive the baptism, and their prayer language along with it, and have become frustrated and even despairing of ever receiving. This is due to much wrong traditional teaching, which has hindered the Body of Christ from receiving what the Lord has always meant for every believer. We’re going to clear that up, and help you receive once and for all — even if you have been prayed for dozens of times in the past and have been disappointed.
In preparation for that, I would like to lay the foundation of what the baptism in the Spirit is.
John the Baptist said of Jesus, “I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming … he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16).
Every believer in Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Romans 8:9 tells us, “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not one of his.” Jesus promised His disciples right before His death, “And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him, neither does it know him. But you know him, for he dwells with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16, 17).
He goes on to say that it is by the Spirit living within believers that He and the Father will abide with them (John 14:18, 23). When we tell little children to “ask Jesus into your heart,” what we are really saying is, “Believe on Jesus and yield yourself to Him, and when you do, the Holy Spirit will come to live inside.” It is through the Spirit that the Father and Jesus also reside with us. It is because the three Persons of the Trinity are one God.
When Jesus first appeared to the eleven on the day of His resurrection, He commissioned them and gave them authority to carry on His work, “and when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit'” (John 20:21, 22).
Was this the baptism in the Spirit? Clearly it was not, since Luke tells us in Acts 1:3 that Jesus continued appearing to the apostles for yet another forty days, instructing them about the Kingdom of God, which they were to cooperate with Him in establishing on the earth, and during that forty days, “being assembled together with them, [he] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, ‘Which,’ he said, ‘you have heard of 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). He also told them, “You shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses …” (Acts 1:8).
Although the disciples were already believers, having received the Holy Spirit, there was yet a further infilling that God wanted them to have, which would give them power to witness effectively for Him in a way that they could not otherwise do.
We will look at what that further infilling was next time.
What Is the Baptism in the Spirit? (Part 2)
Common Questions About the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Part 3)
How to Easily Receive the Baptism with Tongues
The Baptism in the Spirit: Why You Need It & How to Get It — Mp3 Download or CD
Out of the Fire 
It confuses me that the Bible infers in 1 Cor 12 that not all get the gift of tongues, yet Pentecostal doctrine claims tongues is for all believers. Can you explain that?
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Hi Laura,
You might want to read my series, The Power of Your Prayer Language. Part 1 explains the difference between the personal prayer language and the gift of tongues for body ministry in the corporate setting.
Thanks for asking, and I hope you enjoy the latest series!
Blessings, Lee Ann
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Hi Lee Ann~
I just read all of the posts you linked about prayer language. Was there something in there about a prayer language being for all believers?
Laura
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Hi Laura,
I am not sure if I explained this point fully in The Power of Your Prayer Language series, but I will try to talk about that in the upcoming posts. I do believe that it is every believer’s privilege to have a prayer language. Without it, we are very limited in our ability to pray rightly. Praying in tongues is a way that the Spirit helps us pray perfect prayers, according to the will of the Father (see Romans 8:26, 27).
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Hi Lee Ann~
In Romans 8:26 & 27 the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groaning that cannot be uttered. The Greek word for “cannot be uttered” is alaletos, which means unspeakable. If the Holy Spirit is praying something unspeakable, it must be silent.
Also, since not all are given the gift of tongues (1Cor. 12:29,30) you are claiming that the Father has left some people “very limited in their ability to pray rightly”. This encourages a class system in the body of Christ and is divisive.
Laura
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Hi again, Laura,
Please see my reply on 1 Corinthians 12:29, 30 (previous). I would agree with you that there is not a class system with Father. He wants all to partake of the ability to pray in tongues. All are welcome to receive if they wish to, as is the case with all of His wonderful promises.
As to Romans 89:26, 27 — I tend to agree with you that “groanings which cannot be uttered” refers to something other than tongues. Many of us who are intercessors have experienced “groaning” in prayer. Sometimes it is outward, where a groaning sound can be heard. At other times it is completely within. Either way, it is an intense type of prayer, and it is brought about by the Spirit, not as a natural thing, when it is genuine.
I realize that much Pentecostal teaching has claimed that this groaning is praying in tongues. I think one of the important concepts that we can take away from these two verses is that, whether tongues or whether groanings, we absolutely need the Spirit to guide our prayers in order for them to be all that they should be. When we are praying in tongues (or for that matter, groaning) we can have confidence that the Spirit is praying through us prayers that are perfectly in accord with Father’s will.
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