Baptized in the Holy Ghost

Acts 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

After salvation, in my mind, being baptized in the Holy Ghost is the next important thing. To be filled with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, is so amazing and so important. This separate experience, after you have been saved, is so vital and so misunderstood. The devil and religion team up together to fight against it, and yet it is so evident that the Lord wants us to be filled to overflowing.

We can start with Ephesians 5:17-18. We are told in these two verses that the will of the Lord is for us to be filled with the Spirit. Verse 17 says, “Be not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” So, someone who doesn’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost is being unwise concerning the will of the Lord.

We can also look at Acts 2:4, 10:44, and 19:6 to see different groups within the church being filled with the Holy Spirit, meaning that it was not just for the Day of Pentecost and not just to get the church started. I’m telling you that it is the will of God that every born-again believer be filled with the Holy Spirit. According to Luke 24:49, this promise of the Father is so important that the early church was not supposed to go without it. We are told that we must be endued with power from on high. We need the dunamis power of God.

The Bible says that the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is speaking with other tongues. In Acts, it says they were all filled and spoke with other tongues. Tongues are not the baptism, but they are the sign of the baptism.

This evidence of being filled and speaking in other tongues has many benefits, so let’s look at these benefits to make sure you are enjoying each and every one of them. First Corinthians 14:2 says that when you pray in tongues, you speak directly to God, and while praying in tongues, you pray out mysteries. What a benefit. There are many times we don’t know what to pray, and the Holy Spirit helps us and makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26-27).

We can also worship in other tongues. First Corinthians 14:17 says that we give thanks well. After the outpouring at Pentecost, they heard them speak the praises of God in different tongues. They were praising God in a language they did not know. I know, for me, this was one of the main reasons I wanted to be filled. You can only go so far in worship in a known tongue. English, Spanish, and French all have limits, but speaking in other tongues has no limits.

The Bible also says that we edify, or build ourselves up, when we pray in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:4 and Jude 20). Sometimes, you just need to recharge your battery. It is good to pray in tongues and build ourselves up. Praying in tongues causes you to build upon your most holy faith (Jude 20).

The last thing I want to mention about why the baptism of the Holy Ghost makes my top ten is because it is when I received the fire of God. The Bible says in Matthew 3:11 that Jesus is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost and fire. Notice the fire! When you get baptized in water, you are fully put under the water, but when you get baptized in the Holy Ghost, you get fully immersed in the fire of God.

Remember, in Acts 2:3, it says that cloven tongues of fire sat on each one of them. The Holy Spirit didn’t just touch their heads with His fire, like you see in pictures. No, the Holy Ghost, in His weight and glory, sat on each person, and they were immersed in a baptism of fire, and Jesus is the One who did it.

That is why we can say that our God is a consuming fire! Get filled with the Holy Ghost and stay full!