Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God… – Acts 1:2-3
When Jesus appeared here to the disciples, He was giving them some information and some direction on the way that He wanted the kingdom of God to go. How do we know this? He gives them instructions in verse four.
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. – Acts 1:4-5
What has always puzzled me is how people can believe in water baptism, but not believe in Holy Ghost baptism when they are right here in the same verse. People want to cut the verse off and say it’s okay to be baptized in water, but it’s not okay to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. But Jesus said it right here in verse five. It’s in red letters in my Bible. That means that Jesus said it.
You may ask, what’s the purpose of water baptism? The purpose of baptism in water is to make sure somebody is saved. How do you make sure they’re saved? You hold them down. How long? 16 kicks and 16 bubbles. What happens if you get the preacher that doesn’t know how to count? Well, you just pray that you’re right with God. I’m joking of course.
No. Water baptism is not to hold you down. Water baptism symbolizes us going into the grave with Jesus Christ. You go under the water, and you’re cut off from the necessity of life – mainly oxygen. And then when you come up out of the water, it symbolizes you are being raised with Christ and you’re alive as a new creature. You are doing something naturally that symbolizes what has already been done to you spiritually.
However, there is a big division in the body of Christ. There are factions that believe in water baptism, but don’t believe in Holy Ghost baptism. We thank God for those that believe in water baptism. But we need to go further. You will never progress and grow in God like you should without being baptized in the Holy Ghost and speaking in other tongues. I’m not saying you can’t go to heaven. But you will never develop properly. There will be things that you just can’t perceive. There’ll be things that you just can’t understand. Thank God that we go to Heaven just by being born again. But if you are going to have the greater abilities of God you have to be baptized in the Holy Ghost and speak in other tongues.
And it is not just baptized and speaking in other tongues one time, but a continual flow of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives you utterance. It’s continual, daily praying in the spirit that will move you into the greater things of God.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. – Acts 1:8
One way to describe this power that the Scriptures talk about here is, a supernatural power that you cannot possess within yourself. It’s supernatural, miracle working power that you cannot possess within yourself without the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The baptism in the Holy Ghost takes you into an arena of the supernatural on a level that the mind and the physical body cannot go and cannot understand. If we are going to live in the supernatural to the extent that God desires us to, we must first be baptized in the Holy Ghost and speak with other tongues. It is this supernatural experience and a life that is lived with continual praying in the spirit that will lead us into the spirit and all that God has for us. It is not just a one time event, but a lifestyle of prayer. God is with you and I believe you are going on with God in this area.