THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD
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1
Cor. 12:13 - For by one spirit are
we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be
bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Let’s
take a look at the first part of this verse: for By one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body.
John
6:44 - No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the
last day.
John
16:13 - Howbeit when he, the Spirit
of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you
things to come.
Without the drawing of the Spirit of God, we will not have a desire to accept Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Saviour.
But I do know through a personal experience, that while I was in sin, at a point of deep despair, the Spirit of God touched my heart and opened my eyes, that Jesus is saying I am here, come unto Me…, cast all your burdens on Me, I will take them away, and cleanse and make you new.
So I opened my mouth and asked Jesus into my heart, there in that construction trailer, just me and the Lord.
I didn’t need someone to tell me that I was saved, for I knew Jesus had forgiven my sins, for all my despair and pain was suddenly lifted away, and the love of Jesus filled my heart.
I was clean and pure, washed in the Blood of the Lamb of God, by the Spirit of God, as the first part of 1 Cor. 12:13 states. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body.
After having this experience of salvation, the Spirit of God gave me a hunger and a thirst to continue in the Lord. I wanted all that God has for me.
I wanted all that God has for me, I wanted the infilling of the Holy Ghost and Fire with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.
For I had or have no desire to be just a bystander in God’s army, For there are many scriptures dealing with the unprofitable servants.
For I had already failed with that shallow walk, without the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
In my twenties I sought for the baptism, but when I didn’t receive, I stopped trying, so eventually I backslid.
Just
like the scripture in Matt. 12:43-45 - When
the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking
rest, and findeth none.
Then
he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is
come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with
himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and
dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so
shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
The promises for the infilling of the Holy Ghost is for ALL, as Acts 2:38 and 39 proclaim.
But there is an adversary, whose name is the devil, that does all he can to keep us from receiving the Holy Ghost.
But I know I had a desire that the Lord gave me through the leading of his Spirit, to understand I had to receive the infilling of the Holy Ghost, just like I believe the disciples received in John 20:22 - And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Those that hunger and that thirst, shall be filled.
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.
There are some that teach and preach, that the infilling of the Holy Spirit is when we have our sins washed away.
Let’s
look at John 14:17 - Even the
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with, you, and shall be in
you.
Matt.
9:17 - Neither do men put new wine
into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the
bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
In 1 Cor. 12:13 states when we accept Jesus Christ, there is a Blood baptism. By the Spirit.
The latter half of that verse states we have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Here
Paul is speaking to the Corinthians, for indeed they had all received the
infilling of the Holy Spirit, as 1 Cor. chapter 14 proclaims.
Acts 19:1-7 - And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
He
said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said
unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
And He said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
And
all the men were about twelve.
Here in verse 2, He said unto them Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?
This
question needs to be asked in our churches today!
Matt. 3:11-17 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
And
Jesus answering said unto him. Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us
to fulfill all righteousness, Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and , lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son,
in whom I am well pleased.
In
verse 15 Jesus is saying, suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to
fulfill all righteousness.
Acts 8:14-17 - Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Then
laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
This scripture is very clear in these verses, saying they had accepted Jesus as Lord, and was water baptized but as yet had not received the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
1 John 5:5-8 - Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
And
there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the
Blood: and these three agree in One.
Here in verse 8 it states the spirit, the water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one.
Here is how I see this scripture:
The Spirit: The infilling of the Holy Ghost.
The Water: Water baptism.
The Blood: The Blood of Jesus, in Salvation.
Jesus
said in Matt. 3:15 - Suffer it to
be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.
Rom. 8:9-16 - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
John 14:9-20 - Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then Show us the Father?
Believest thou no that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Believe
me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the
very works’ sake.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye now him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
AT THAT DAY.
Verse
23 - Jesus answered and said unto
him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and
we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 3:5-8 - Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not
tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the
Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 - And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:16-18 - But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAITH GOD, I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH: AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS:
AND
ON MY SERVANTS AND ON MY HANDMAIDENS I WILL POUR OUT IN THOSE DAYS OF MY SPIRIT;
AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY:
Acts 2:38,39 - Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For
the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The promise is for us all, not just Preachers, but ALL BELIEVERS.
There is a scripture in Matt. 11:12 - And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Luke 16:16 - The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
There are many scriptures on the spiritual warfare we must go through if we want to receive what we need from God.
I personally sought for two years for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
And, Then one evening in a little Assembly of God church, there was an Evangelist from Tennessee visiting that didn’t care about the feelings of religious people, but cared about doing all he could do to help people receive what they needed form God.
When he made the alter call that evening for the ones that would like to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost, I went, This wasn’t the first time I went forward to receive the infilling, I had been to many alter calls, and prayed for long periods of time, but this time as I prayed, the evangelist said to me as he was looking to God for the words to speak, he said to me with his voice shaking, IT’S BY FAITH. You receive by FAITH!
When he said this I felt and knew God gave him that message for me, as a crippled person must stand and walk to receive their healing.
I opened my mouth and whatever noise was going to come forth to be uttered, I was going to utter it, and as soon as I did, the Spirit of God filled and spoke through me as I used my vocal cords. Praise God! What an experience, The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire, and the verse in John 14:20 came alive in me: For there was an awareness within me, that the same Spirit that was in Christ now abides in me.
And
can and will abide in you only if you are willing to come to Jesus with all of
you heart and all of your soul. At that point, whether at salvation or two years
later, or longer, when we give our all.
Jer. 32:38-42 - And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
For
thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this
people, so will I bring upon them, all the good that I have promised them.