The baptism in the Holy Ghost is the endowment of power from on high upon a sanctified believer. It is the promise of the father. When a Christian receives this gift of the Holy Ghost, it is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking a language previously unlearnt (Acts 2:1-4).
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The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is not the same as the new birth, salvation, conversion or sanctification. Though Jesus prayed for the sanctification of His disciples, He commanded them to wait for the endowment of power. While the sanctification experience keeps us pure, the baptism of the Holy Ghost fills us with power and authority.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal being or a wave force or influence but a divine personality, whom we must honour, worship fellowship with and listen to as much as we do God the Father and God the Son. In fact, the Holy Ghost is the third person in the trinity(2 Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19).
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The endowment of the Holy Spirit’s power triggers the sanctified believer into effective soul winning and edification of the body of Christ. Our Lord Jesus was able to do much in His earthly ministry because He had the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Much more than the results we see in our evangelistic outreaches in our life would be accomplished, if we become empowered by the Spirit. In fact, until the believer is Spirit filled, he is powerless; cowardice and prone to sudden failure. It is the Spirit that sets him on the path of success previously unknown, unattainable and unimaginable.
Many great men of God, who did exploits for God, both in the Bible days and in our contemporary times, were all filled with the Spirit. The disciples were unlearned and ignorant men (Acts 3:6), and had no beautiful cathedral, yet they effectively carried out the great commission and fulfilled their ministries because they were endowed from on high with the Holy Spirit.
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Phillip the Evangelist, Paul the Apostle, Elijah; The Prophet of Fire, Elisha and a host of others subdued kingdoms, preached righteousness, fought the good fight of faith and performed great wonders through the Spirit’s power. We can also accomplish much with the power of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost helps us in so many ways like;
- Praying and interceding for souls (Romans 8:26, Zechariah 12:10)
- Productive Counselling
- Overcoming persecution and discouragement
- Bring down miracles and supernatural interventions (Acts 13:6-12, 12:5-11)
- Giving us divine comfort in times of trouble
- Helping us to overcome our challenges.
Even though God has promised the Holy Spirit’s power, there are conditions to be met before anyone can be endowed with power from high. These conditions are thus;
- Genuine salvation experience with evidence of a transformed life (Acts 2:38,39).
- Purification of Heart (Ezekiel 36:26,27).
- Total consecration to God, His service, and seeking only for his Glory (1 Chronicle 29:5, Proverbs 12:1,2)
- Strong thirst and desire for the spirit’s power (John 7:37-39, Isaiah 44:3)
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It is therefore necessary as believers to meet this conditions, so as to enables us access this wonderful gift from God.
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