Baptism of Power
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: Acts 1:8
Although hard to believe, there is still much controversy about this spiritual phenomenon today despite a century having passed since its widespread restoration to the Church. This is because one of the major problems in the Church is people don’t believe the Bible. We find many scriptures discussing this baptism both during the ministry of Jesus and after His resurrection. The most notable and often quoted is found in Acts 1:1-9.
Jesus said they (His disciples) were to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise from the Father of the Holy Spirit. He said when the Spirit came upon them they would receive power.
The Pentecostal or Neo-Pentecostal camps today will argue that there is an experience subsequent to salvation called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is about this experience, they say, that these scriptures expound. While traditional Pentecostals will admit that a person receives the Holy Spirit at conversion or the New Birth, they also point to this scripture and others to show proof that there is indeed an experience subsequent to salvation. Sometimes it is called the “Infilling of the Holy Spirit.”
So the real century-long controversy has been over the issue of “other tongues.” Pentecostals insist that for a person to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, they must speak in tongues. Evangelicals would say they do not. Most would say tongues passed away with the early Church. What is the truth? There is much debate over this issue. However, the truth is that without a true Baptism of Power you will have great difficulty in your spiritual warfare against the Dark Kingdom. The power we are speaking of here is, of course, the Power of God operating through a human being by virtue of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This comes with the Baptism of Power or Baptism of the Holy Spirit as many call it. The initial evidence of this experience is speaking in other tongues.
Baptism of Power or Baptism of the Holy Ghost?
When we compare Luke 24:49 (Jesus didn’t say they would receive the Holy Spirit – He said they would be endued with power from on high), with Acts 1:4 we can see that pneuma hagion means, “Power from on high.” Thus we can see that the words pneuma hagion mean the Divine Power of God the Holy Spirit as manifested in His operations. So we normally see the Giver, the Spirit, and the spiritual gifts or gifts of power which He bestows upon us as being separate in the Greek. When we closely examine all fifty passages where pneuma hagion occurs without the definite article, “the,” we can see that they are never used of the person of the Holy Spirit, but always of His work, gifts, and operations.
Once we realize this fact – that the promise Jesus is talking about is one of power, spiritual power – we can see that evangelicals are correct in their assertion that one does not get more of the Holy Spirit after the New Birth. One does, however, receive by faith this Divine Power or Gifts of the Holy Spirit from Heaven. This experience should more accurately be called the mighty Baptism of Power. So, in a sense, the Pentecostals are correct in that there is an experience subsequent to salvation; however, it should not be called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as they refer to it, but rather the Baptism of Divine Power.
We can see this if we note certain other scriptures in addition to those already given, two of which will be mentioned here. In Acts 2:4 the word pneuma is used twice indicating that the Giver (the Holy Spirit) and the gifts (pneuma hagion) are both mentioned. We see this also in a key text, Acts 1:8, as well. Here the Lord identifies pneuma hagion with the gift – power from Heaven (cp. Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5). A careful study of these and, indeed, all fifty passages containing pneuma hagion, prove the gifts and the Giver are not the same.
Why is this important? Not to prove a doctrine – we have enough religious doctrine to float three battleships. Rather, it is to convince you, especially if you are an evangelical and not familiar with this Power Baptism or been taught to fear it, that this Baptism is a tremendous weapon that you need for spiritual warfare.
CHRISTIANS NEED THE BAPTISM OF POWER.
Christians today need the Baptism of Power. If you have no power in your life today, believe me you will be no match for the devil. Is it God’s will for everyone? The answer, to be succinct, is a resounding, “Yes!” (cf. Acts 2:39)
Look at Acts 1:8 again. Now you know why the average church in the world doesn’t have any power – because the average member doesn’t have any power. If you are already a Christian, you need the Baptism of Power in order to withstand the attacks of the Dark Kingdom. The Baptism of Power is promised to every born again believer but, it is not automatic, you must ask for it and receive it by faith just as you did your salvation. Ask the Lord Jesus to give you this mighty Baptism of Divine Power today. Luke 11:9-13 tells us that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
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