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| Our second baptism takes place when we present ourselves for �water baptism� in the name of Jesus. It is a baptism of identification with Jesus� death and resurrection. We are declaring that we are now dead to sin and alive to God! We are putting off the old sin nature and putting on the new nature of Christ � even as He �died� for us, in our place, we are �dyed� with � immersed in - His character so that we might live for Him! There is a difference between �character� and �personality�. We all have different personalities, but the character of God can be manifested through every personality type. �For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.� � Romans 8: 29 In Acts 19 Paul finds disciples at Ephesus who have not moved beyond the A of the ABC�s of the gospel. They have repented and believed. They were born again - baptised by one Spirit into one body � baptised in the name of the Father. So Paul took them and baptised them in the name of Jesus. Notice it doesn�t say, �in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit� � when you try and put all three in one package you seriously limit people in their experience of God. Although it is not necessary to engage in semantics here and argue about the wording connected with water baptism, it is important to understand that there are three distinct baptisms. Paul then went on to introduce these Ephesian disciples to the third baptism. |
| 3. Baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit �You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you (immersing you); and you shall be witnesses to Me (My witnesses) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth� � Acts 1: 8 �And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...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 2: 1 � 4, 33 Jesus had told the first disciples that they would also do the works that He had been doing. Jesus� ministry was fivefold � preaching, teaching, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. Jesus� ministry was very much �audio � visual�. When John the Baptist sent men to Jesus to ask if Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus told them to go back to John and tell of the things which they heard and saw � �The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them� � Matthew 11: 1 - 5 Jesus had previously told the disciples � �As you go, preach, saying, �The kingdom of heaven is at hand.� Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give� � Matthew 10: 7 If we are going do the works that Jesus did we must be baptised in the Holy Spirit � we must �die� to our tendency to depend on our own natural talents, giftings, and methods, and be �dyed� with the Holy Spirit � clothed with His anointing and power, and with His gifts manifesting in our life and ministry. This does not mean that natural gifts and talents are irrelevant � only that they must be �dyed� or endued with Holy Spirit power. �God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him� � Acts 10: 38 If Jesus needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit and power to do the works He did, then how much more do we need the same anointing and power to continue these works. Without the Baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit we will have a ministry limited to the �audio� and even then it will be �mono� rather than �stereo�. Receiving the Holy Spirit baptism is foundational for a life and ministry that is built on the �audio � visual� � that enables us to �go out and preach everywhere, the Lord working with us and confirming the word with the accompanying signs. Amen� � Mark 16: 20 |
| The Laying On Of Hands The �laying on of hands� follows on from the Baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit. It is a means of imparting the blessing of God and the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit either from one believer to another, or in the context of evangelism from a believer to a nonbeliever. It is also the means of imparting authority within the Body of Christ � used in the ordination of leaders. �Lay hands on the sick, and they will recover� � Mark 16: 18 �Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up� � James 14 � 15 |
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