3 Powerful Reasons We Need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Now More Than Ever

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We are living in a time in history very similar to that of the early Church.

After Jesus ascended to heaven and the 12 apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, the early Church exploded.

Thousands were being saved, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Only 20 years after Jesus ascended, Nero became Emperor of Rome.

Before that, there certainly was persecution and suppression of the church. We read about in Acts how the Apostles were forbidden to share the gospel and were imprisoned, killed, and even crucified.

But Emperor Nero took persecution to a whole new level.

Christians were torn in two alive, used as live human torches to line his gardens.

While we may not experience the same type of persecution, we have been and are experiencing suppression of the the gospel, mocking of the gospel and the Church.

Many Christians are doing this to themselves.

Just as in the early church, there are factions within the body of Christ that are persecuting their own: Schooling the body of Christ on political correctness, calling out their “homophobia”, “xenophobia”, and patriarchy.

These join the ranks in the world that seek to shame the Church into silence.

But there is one significant difference between the early Church and the 21st century Church.

Before the Apostles went out and began spreading the gospel, in Acts 1 we read Jesus’ command that they were not to leave Jerusalem until they received the “Promise of the Father”.

The Promise of the Father was the Holy Spirit; more specifically, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

The Holy Spirit, together with their spiritual language, would give them the power and boldness to be salt and light in an era of intense persecution.

3 Powerful Reasons We Need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Now More Than Ever

We are entering such an era.

The question is, will we have the power and boldness to be salt and light, or will we be crushed under the weight of persecution that has already begun?

The answer lies in our seriousness in seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit, our seriousness in daily waiting in His presence, and our daily practice in praying in the Spirit for the boldness and power we need for this time in history in which we live.

“But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11

1. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to give us boldness

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31

In Luke 22, we see a fearful, intimidated Peter who denied that he knew Jesus, out of fear that what was happening to Jesus in that moment could happen to him.

But once we get to Acts, we see a completely different Peter!

The Peter in Acts is bold, courageous, strong, stable despite the continual persecution, and eventual martyrdom.

What changed in Peter in such a short span of time?

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance.

And this is what the church desperately needs right now.

It is one thing to sit in the comfort of our church pews and shout “amen” as the pastor preaches about being bold in a time of persecution, and actually doing it.

Just as it was one thing for Peter to declare to Jesus that he would stand with him and even die with him.

But the moment he saw what Jesus had to endure, he couldn’t stand the heat.

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us power and courage to stand in this culture of ever-increasing violence and hatred; in a culture that is going out of it’s way to cancel the church.

It is the Holy Spirit that will keep us from falling into the temptation to find a comfy seat in the Woke Church.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:2

2. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit to understand truth

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13

We are living in a culture that 2 Thessalonians 2 talks about:

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped…the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. [Emphasis mine]

There has been a great falling away, because God has sent out strong delusion.

Without the Holy Spirit, it is simply impossible to know what is truth anymore.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

All around us swirl lies, deception, “fake news”, distorted science, deep-state, rewrite of history, rewrite of the Bible…

And deception sounds very convincing if we don’t know truth.

Jesus said, in John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

But this promise is only valid when we follow what He said in John 8:31. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” [emphasis mine]

When we abide in God’s Word: we read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it, we will know the truth.

But he has also sent the Holy Spirit to teach us and guide us in all truth!

But he doesn’t guide us in truth just so that we keep the truth to ourselves. He then gives us boldness to speak the truth.

“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance…” 1 Thessalonians 1:5

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

How did Peter have, not only the boldness, but the words to speak to share the gospel that day when 3,000 souls were saved?

I don’t imagine he was a very prolific speaker. He was an uncouth fisherman.

It was the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through him the gospel of Jesus Christ that went straight to their heart and led them to salvation in Jesus Christ.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, his words would have fallen flat….if his courage to speak hadn’t evaporated first.

3. We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit so that we are not lukewarm

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:15-19

Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are tempted to approach faith and the gospel intellectually or rigidly.

We know what the Bible says, and we understand God on an intellectual levl.

Or we see Christianity as a command for how we should live to get to heaven.

We see the Laodicean church was a church…these were not unconverted people. But their faith had never reached their heart.

It was more like a club membership they belonged to, and in the meantime they lived like the world: accumulating wealth and toys.

Their affections were for the things of this world, not for the things of God.

But they still fulfilled their Christian duties. They weren’t cold – they hadn’t ‘t walked away from God entirely.

And God was saying to them “…be zealous and repent”.

The Greek word “Zealous” is: Zeloo and means “affection, desire, to burn, to boil” and it brings to mind this verse.

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11 [emphasis mine]

We need the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues to fill us with zeal – with fire – for God once again!

Dear sister, this Promise of the Father is for you!

“For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:39 [emphasis mine]

We are “all who are afar off”. We are two-thousands years “afar off”; and if the Lord has called us to himself, then this promise is for us!

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13

Have you asked him to give you the Holy Spirit?

Have you waited in His presence, as the apostles waited for the Promise of the Father?

If you’re an imperfect parent, and you want good things for your kids, how much more does our perfect Heavenly Father want to give us this promise?

He does!

I challenge you today to get alone with him and seek him for this very special gift he wants to give to you today!

I also invite you to check out this incredible study written by Dr. Hackett (also my father), about the Holy Spirit. It is a simple but powerful handbook.

Resources for Baptism in the Holy Spirit