The Full Gospel Includes the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The Full Gospel of the Kingdom - Part 4

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the Gospel message. It was being declared by John the Baptist even before Jesus began His earthly ministry.

“I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”—Mark 1:8 (AMPC)

Some churches believe that we receive the full impartation of the Holy Spirit when we are saved, so there is no need for a separate experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but the Bible seems to be clear that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience. It is not part of the “salvation package.”

The New Testament is clear that there is more than one baptism available to us. This is one of the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ.

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”—Hebrews 6:1-2 (KJV)

People who deny the baptism of the Holy Spirit also have ministries that are powerless, because it is through the experience of Holy Spirit baptism that God imparts power to His disciples. This is one of the main reasons that Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus was about to leave His disciples and ascend to His Father in Heaven, He instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until they received supernatural power that would be needed for the ministry. This power would come to them through the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

“Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”—Luke 24:49 (AMP)

“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”—Acts 1:5 (NKJV)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”—Acts 1:8 (ESV)

People who have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit can only “witness” to people by speaking persuasive words to try to lead a person to salvation. But those who are filled with power after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit become living witnesses whose lives and ministries themselves testify of the Truth of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is clear that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience that is necessary after conversion.

“And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ And they said, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ And Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus. On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.”—Acts 19:1-7 (ESV)

Many people in Samaria believed and were baptized with water, as we read in Acts chapter 8:

“But when they believed the good news (the Gospel) about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women.”—Acts 8:12 (AMPC)

But then after they were baptized with water, Peter and John came and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. This was clearly a separate experience that did not come with their conversion experience.

“When word reached the apostles in Jerusalem that Samaria had accepted God’s word, they commissioned Peter and John to go to Samaria. Peter and John went down to Samaria where they prayed that the new believers would receive the Holy Spirit. (This was because the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) So Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”—Acts 8:14-17 (CEB)

If you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit since you believed in Jesus Christ, find a church that believes in the Holy Spirit baptism and ask the leaders of that church to lay their hands on you and pray for you to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Then you will have the power you will need to live the life of a true Christian disciple and to be a witness of the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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