The work of the Holy Spirit in Salvation.
The Born Again experience
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. -John 3:5
What Jesus is talking about here, being born of water, is actually referring to the natural birth of being born physically into this world, where we become a part of the human family with a natural Father or Mother. The waters in your mothers womb break and the baby is born shortly thereafter.
Being born of the Spirit takes place in the salvation experience when you receive Christ as your personal Lord and saviour. The human spirit is reborn in a work of the Holy Spirit hence the term “born again Christian.” You receive Christ as you do the Spirit of God creates new life in you and you are adopted into Gods family and become a child of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -John 3:6
To experience the Kingdom of God you must be born again! You must be born of water (be a human being) and be born by the Spirit (Born again) and become a child of God.
As many as received him to them he gave the right to become the children of God. John 1:12
You are born again, when you believe in your heart that Christ was raised from the dead and when you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Salvation is simple when the gospel is preached faith comes, then the belief in your heart is released to God through a confession of faith. I believe Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead, for the forgiveness of my sins. Now I receive Jesus as Lord of my life!! This is how the Holy Spirit brings about the miracle of the born again experience.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, -Romans 8:16
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3
Again here the Holy Spirit brings about the cleansing and renewal of your spirit which is the born again experience.
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5
Jesus after he rose from the dead appeared to his disciples…
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:20-22
I believe this was the moment where peace came into their lives and salvation was received. Prior to this moment, salvation was not available as the atoning death of Jesus had not been fully completed. After Jesus rose from the dead he went back to into heaven and into the heavenly tabernacle. His blood was applied to be a one time sacrifice sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world.
Jesus breathed on his disciples and said receive the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word here used is employed nowhere else in the New Testament, but is the very one used by the Septuagint translators of Gen 2:7: 'And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.' There, man's original creation was completed by this act of God; who, then, can fail to see that here in John 20, on the day of the Saviour's resurrection, the new creation had begun, begun by the Head of the new creation, the last Adam acting as 'a quickening spirit' (1Cor 15:45)"
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." -John 20:23
Jesus was showing the disciples that their sins were forgiven and they received the Born again experience in this moment. Hallelujah!!
Baptism of the Holy Spirit a Second experience apart from Salvation
Jesus did not only come just to save us.He came to empower us to become witnesses to all nations. He wants you and I to experience Gods power flowing in our lives. Before he left this earth he told his disciples clearly about a promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit that they would experience. He called this the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. -Luke 3:16
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." -Acts 1:4-5
In these verses the word Baptised is from the Greek word Baptizo - which means:
1) to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
2) to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
3) to overwhelm
Jesus promised a separate experience from John’s Baptism. His baptism was a baptism of water unto repentance and faith and the washing away of sin and its effects. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is to empower believers to be a witness and flow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit. Luke 7:37-39
The Outpouring of the Spirit has been promised!
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You knw him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. -John 14:16-17
"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. -John 15:26
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days." Joel 2:28-29
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." -Luke 24:49
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: -John 16:7-8
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. -John 16:13
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; -Mark 16:17
for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." -Acts 1:5
These are all promises that the Holy Spirit will be given as a second blessing apart from salvation. The Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost in the upper room and he has been moving all over the world ever since that time. Now it is time for you to receive the promised Holy Spirit with power.
The purpose of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to fill you with power to be a witness for the Lord! Jesus did not do any miracles in his ministry until he received the Power of the Holy Spirit. This happened when John the Baptist baptised him in the Jordan River the Holy Spirit descended onto Jesus in bodily form and the Father spoke; “This is my beloved son listen to him.”
Jesus said to his disciples before he left….
John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." -Acts 1:5
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." -Acts 1:8
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" -Luke 11:13
This was described by Jesus to his disciples before he went back to heaven so they were expecting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as he had been promised! The key to receiving the Holy Spirit is to ask for him to fill you and to Baptise you in his power.
The outpouring of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts
Jesus told his Disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. The infilling of the Holy Spirit. Seven days later the Holy Spirit fell on them, and when he did they all began to speak in tongues.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts2:1-4
The Holy Spirit filled everyone in the upper room, they all began to speak in tongues as God gave them the words.
"'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophecy. Acts2:17-18
After Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospel many received the Lord. Then Peter and John came down to Samaria and prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit with power.
Who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:15-17
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:17
While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. Acts 10:44
For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, Acts 10 :46
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:1-6
All through the book of Acts the sign or proof that people had been filled with the Holy Spirit was people began speaking in tongues and they were filled with boldness to be a witness for Christ.
The Purpose of Tongues (Praying in the Spirit)
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 20
When you speak in tongues your spirit is built up and strengthened, your faith is built up. Many times when praying in tongues the presence of God begins to flow in a greater way.
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:2
The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. -1 Corinthians 14:4
God wants everyone to speak in tongues!
Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. -1 Corinthians 14:5
Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. -1 Corinthians 14:22
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 1 Corinthians 14:13-15
Praying in the Spirit is synonymous with praying in tongues and it applies to singing in the spirit also. We are to pray in tongues and in our own understanding that brings understanding, revelation and knowledge about what you are praying about.
When you get your prayer language and start speaking in tongues ask God for the ability to interpret your tongues. Tongues plus interpretation of tongues is equal to prophecy, this can happen privately. Can also happen in Prayer meetings and in Church services. This manifestation of the Spirit is even more powerful as it is a sign to believers and to unbelievers at the same time!
Paul was the greatest advocate for speaking in tongues. He knew the power of what it was achieving in his life and ministry. The Apostle Paul spoke in tongues more than anyone else he knew!
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 1 Corinthians 14:18
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. -1 Corinthians 14:26
When we come to Church services it's important that the goal of the gifts of the Spirit moving is to cause the strengthening of the local Church. Then people will grow in their faith and in their ability to connect with God. They will gain understanding and knowledge experiencing the benefits of the Holy Spirit moving while simultaneously being strengthened in the Word.
Conclusion
Let the gifts of the Spirit flow for the purpose of strengthening and building up the body of Christ.
“So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.” - 1 Corinthians 14:39-40
If you haven’t yet received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, know that God desires for you to experience this second work of grace, separate from salvation—and you can receive it now! Ask for the Holy Spirit, and He will come he has been promised to you! In faith, step out in Jesus' Name and receive the Holy Spirit and start to speak in your heavenly language just as the early Church did—He will come and fill you the same way with the same supernatural evidence they experienced, praying in other tongues!
God bless you! If you have questions, please feel free to reach out, and we will endeavor to respond.
Blessings AR