Why We Need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

We can see throughout Scripture that the Holy Spirit plays an integral part in the life a believer and in the life of the church. Yet, He is often neglected and/or misunderstood. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. While all believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, there is a difference between being indwelt by the Spirit and being empowered by the Spirit. Below is an excerpt from the Rooted Discipleship Manual which expounds on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

When John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River, he pointed to Jesus as the One who would “baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire” (see Luke 3:16). Jesus referred to this as the “promise of the Father” (see Luke 24:49). This baptism of the Holy Spirit is for all believers, and it comes to empower us to live the Christian life and minister to others.

In the early church, we can see that they had experiences of being filled with the Holy Spirit beyond their initial indwelling.

• • The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (see John 20:22)
    • The disciples have an initial experience of receiving the Holy Spirit.

• • The baptism of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1:5, 8; Acts 2:1-4)
    • The disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be empowered.

• • Ongoing encounters with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 4:31)
    • The disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit again, giving them boldness to continue to proclaim God’s Word.

It seems to be the normal pattern that when believers are initially baptized in the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues as the Spirit enables them (see Acts 2:1-4; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:1-6). We should expect this to happen today as well.

Aside from speaking in tongues, the effects of the baptism of the Holy Spirit will vary from person to person. Some of the common results are:

• • Greater awareness of the presence of God
  • More boldness to be a witness for Christ
  • Major growth in prayer
  • Fresh insight into the Word of God
  • Release of one or more of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit
  • An overflow of the love and power of God towards others
  • Empowerment to fulfill a specific call from the Lord

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The Rooted Discipleship Manual is all about spiritual growth. Being saved and set free should be seen as a beginning, not an end. We are born again into God’s Kingdom, and now we are called to know God intimately, mature in Christ, and produce the fruit that He desires. In order for this to happen, we must be rooted.

This discipleship manual will help equip you with foundational truths and spiritual disciplines necessary to grow in your relationship with God. Each lesson contains biblical teaching combined with sections for reflection and personal application. Rooted can be used for personal study and growth, small group teaching and discussion, or as a tool for discipling others.