“You have spent many years of your life in the shallow end. You wade there, in your own strength. You focus on what you need, what is important to you. You say you believe in me, but you don’t live that way. I want you to know me, I want you to need me. I want a deeper relationship with you. So, I am inviting you to the deep end. When you get here, you will try to keep your head above water on your own. But in time, you will tire. The waters will overcome you. You will feel like you are drowning. That is exactly where I want you! You will call out to me, and you will see me. There I will give you comfort, security, and safety for the rough waters. The rough waters will not go away, the waters are still deep, but you can rest in me, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. The darkness will not go away, the deep waters will not narrow, but you will feel me in a close and intimate way. You will see me in ways you have never seen or known before.”
These were the (rhema) words spoken deep into my Spirit years ago when leaving the Pensacola (Brownsville) Revival (Sept 1995). And still today they play a major part of the foundation for this article. All these years later God is still pleading with me to live in the deep end, totally dependent on the Word of God, and the power, presence and the leading of the Holy Spirit. There have been many questions along the way, and I am sure there will still be many more during this walk. But the question for today is as follows:
"Is there a second blessing after salvation?" This is a question that is often batted about often in modern Christian circles. Both in those that I have interacted with as well as all over the world. This question does seem to be more of an issue in American Christianity than in other congregations of believers abroad. The danger of this phenomenon is the potential division of the body of Christ into two categories: those who are "mainstream" Christians and those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. It has the potential to create an either/or type of approach. This, of course, would be an incorrect way of Christians looking at this topic, and, here is why. If you were to step outside into a soft heavy dew, it would take a long time to get completely wet. On the other hand, if you were to step outside into a torrential rainstorm, you'd be drenched immediately. Those who have not experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (meaning a specific dynamic experience) are not second-class citizens by any means. They are the ones in the heavy dew who experience the Lord over a long period of time and can be just as blessed as those who suddenly step into the blowing rain of the Spirit's presence. In fact, the Baptism of the Spirit can be a pitfall since many people who have experienced it long for it again, almost to the point of putting the validity of their faith in “the experience” instead of the clear teaching of the word of God.
The baptism and the Supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit Did not Cease, but Merely Got Lost in the Worldliness of a Distracted Church John Wesley from “The More Excellent Way”
Being raised Southern Baptist this subject was not really discussed, taught or believed in. More often it was discredited, downplayed, overlooked, skip over...and like the Gifts of the Spirit, was taught to be no longer relevant in today’s church. This teaching comes from Scripture, my experiences and what God has taught me over the last 20 plus years. So let’s go deeper with What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a term used to describe a movement of the Spirit upon and/or within a believer usually, sometime after the person is saved. There is controversy surrounding this phenomenon as to whether it is legitimate or not. Some people believe that once a person is saved the Holy Spirit is residing in the person and there is no subsequent "baptism in the Holy Spirit." In other words, they maintain that this Baptism of the Spirit occurs at salvation. Others believe that the Christian can experience an additional movement of the Holy Spirit sometime after salvation. It is generally, but not exclusively the charismatic movement that supports the practice and teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The other term of “second blessing” is also rooted in the Pentecostal doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is described variously as the crucial blessing to be sought, the ultimate experience to strive for, and the greatest achievement of the Christian. According to Pentecostals, the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, is generally credited with originating the term second blessing. The Assemblies of God website states, “All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This was the normal experience of all in the early church. The AG’s further teach that "this experience is distinct from and after the experience of the new birth or salvation or “being born again.” AW Tozier stated, “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what the church does would go on as normal and most would not know the difference.”
We do need to make it clear that all Christians receive the Spirit upon their conversion and in this sense, all Christians have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. This means that they are saved and that they have all they need at that time to be able to live godly and holy lives. 1 Cor. 12:13 says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."
However, there are many Christians who claim to have had this "secondary" experience of the Spirit. They say that it has brought great blessing and comfort to them. Furthermore, they say that the result of the experience is a renewed dedication and appreciation for God, a stronger desire to read the Bible, a stronger desire to fellowship with Christians, and a deeper sense of the worship of God. Millions of Christians who claim to have had this experience forces us to deal with the question, Is it real or not? Confusion about the baptism and the filling of the Spirit can lead to confusion in doctrine. The filling of the Holy Spirit (also known as sealing or indwelling) happens at salvation and is for all believers
(Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13). We are never commanded to seek it or pray for it, but by faith receive it. The Baptism of the Spirit can happen both at and after salvation, based on our responses to God; and We are commanded to pursue and be filled to overflowing with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and we are also told to earnestly desire spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:1) Not to be confused with the fruits of the Spirit.
The filling of the Spirit is found many times in Scripture and always refers to an endowment of power to accomplish a task. The Spirit came on Samson (Judges 14:6,19) to give him the power to defeat the Philistines. The Spirit came on Mary and empowered her in the birth of the Messiah (Luke 1:35). When Peter was arrested and brought before the council (Acts 4:8), he was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and declared with boldness and clarity the truth about Jesus.
The term "baptized in the Holy Spirit" occurs several times in scripture so let’s take a deeper look at a few verses:
Luke 3: 15-16 more than just a water baptism, also a baptism by the Holy Spirit (2nd baptism) and fire (power)
John 7: 38-39 speaking to believers, saying that when the Holy Spirit comes, they would receive…some say this began after Pentecost, but again speaks of two different events
John 20:19-22 Jesus breathed on his disciples and said receive the Holy Spirit…This was before He ascended, and this same group was later in the upper room and tongues of fire descended on them and they spoke in tongues (two different baptisms)
Heb 6:1-5 speaks of the doctrines of baptisms (plural), the heavenly gift, partakers of the Holy Spirit, and of the powers of the age to come, the laying on of hands
1 Cor 14: 1-4 earnestly desire spiritual gifts, which come from the impartation of the Holy Spirit (2nd baptism)
Acts 1: 4-5 awaiting the empowerment and baptism of the Holy Spirit (they were already believers)
Acts 1: 8 power, they were endued with power (the Holy Spirit fell on them)
Acts 2: 1-4 shows an example of God giving one the ability to speak in another language that they did not previously know. So that all would know the power of God. (again, it happened to all who were present) personal example: once saw a man stand up and give a tongue, and we waited for the interpretation. Two visitors later said that He spoke in an ancient dialect that they knew as a kid. They were from North-Eastern Europe.
Acts 4: 30-31 2nd baptism brings boldness and demonstrations of power (says they were all filled with the Holy Spirit) followed with signs and wonders
Acts 8: 14-17 this group were already believers but had not been baptized in the Spirit. Peter and John laid hands upon them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit in verse 18 it says Simon saw this and tried to purchase and profit from it. So, what did he see as a manifestation of the Spirit? It could have been some kind of miracle, but I believe it was the speaking in tongues…. Simon not being a spiritual man (spirit-filled) had to see something in the flesh.
Acts 10: 44-48 the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, while Peter was speaking. In this case baptism by water followed. (Kind of messes with our theology, protocol, and order)
Acts 19: 1-7 again believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues
In all these scriptures, it says all were baptized in the Holy Spirit after being believers, and all spoke in tongues. In my personal study and experience, it is the Holy Spirit baptism that facilitates the gifts, it opens one to experience and operate in the spiritual (supernatural) realm. It brings power and demonstrations of that power. 1 Cor 2:1-5 says with words and power from the spirit....and it gives us a constant tangible connection to the spirit (ie: tongues)24-7 continually available: side note; I do not personally know one spirit-filled believer that does not speak in tongues,
Watchman Nee. Experiencing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Broadly speaking, “a Christian who has not yet experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit is rather vague about the reality of the spiritual realm. He is like the servant of Elisha whose eyes were closed to that sphere.”
The great 19th-century Baptist preacher C. H. Spurgeon once said, “We need to learn once again what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” commenting on the elements of ‘wind’ and ‘fire’ on the day of Pentecost. Contemporary USA theologian J. Rodman Williams wrote, “To be filled with the Spirit is not so much to have something ‘more’ as it is to be in a new, wonderful and at times fearful situation of having the Spirit of God break into the whole being of existence and pervade all your thoughts and actions.”
The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe luxury edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people. AW Tozier
The issue then is not whether the Baptism of/in/with the Holy Spirit is a subsequent event occurring after salvation, but is it vital for living a dynamic Christian life? It would appear that this is, in fact, the case. In John 20:22, Jesus commanded that the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This means that they were saved since the Holy Spirit is not received by the unregenerate. Then, later in Acts 1:4-5 we read, "And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
We can see that the phrase is used in the Bible, and we can also conclude that when a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, he has power bestowed upon him or her. To think that God the Father would allow the third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, to come down and literally enter in and live on the inside of us where our bodies have now become the temple of His Spirit, is something that is truly awesome and completely mind-blowing!!
I discovered a verse while putting together this teaching that just exploded off the page and jumped into my Spirit and stayed active in my thoughts for many days afterward. I feel it appropriate to close out with it. Paul is writing to the Church about the gifts and operation of the Spirit inside the church body or congregation. In closing out that chapter 1 Cor 14:37-38 says, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant (If anyone does not recognize this, he himself will not be recognized) You can miss many things that God is speaking to you, not because of lack of study, dedication or preparation, but because of lack of enlightenment or willful ignorance. We must all be careful not to be blinded by our strengths and knowledge, as well as being hindered by our weaknesses or our personal preferences, but we should solely lean on God’s word.
What had I received? I had received the Bible evidence. This Bible evidence is wonderful to me. I knew I had received the very evidence of the Spirit's incoming that the Apostles received on the day of Pentecost. I knew that everything I had had up to that time was in the nature of an anointing bringing me in line with God in preparation and purity, but now I knew I had the Biblical Baptism in the Spirit. Smith Wigglesworth 1922
“But as I turned and was about to take a seat by the fire, I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without any expectation of it, without ever having the thought in my mind that there was any such thing for me, without my recollection that I had ever heard the thing mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended on me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression, like a wave of electricity, going through and through me. Indeed, it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love; for I could not express it in any other way. It seemed like the very breath of God. I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me, like immense wings. Rev Charles Finney …………. From his Memoirs
It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the very evidence of the ascended Christ. Oswald Chambers
Way too many Christians spend most of their life in the shallow end, in the safety and comfort of the familiar. For those of you who have not received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, If you are willing to take this extra step and receive this second gift that is available to all believers, – your whole life will take a major turn in your walk with the Lord. Will you be willing to swim in the deep end?
“Have you been Baptized”
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