The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

We have two guests at the kebaktian today. Pastor Voitto from Finland and brother Glen from US.

Brother Glenn spoke for a while and requested everyone to pray for the majority group.

Pastor Voitto then preached about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (hereafter called BHS.)

Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Brother Glen thought this is part of the Great Commission.

BHS is normally linked to extra boldness to share the Gospel. When Peter preached to the multitudes, he was risking his life. BHS is connected to evangelism. It is not just for our comfort.

1. BHS is connected to Calvary and the blood of Jesus
Pentecost (as recorded in Act 1) came after the crucifixion and the resurrection. An old pastor in Finland feels songs about the blood of Jesus are more powerful.

2. Holy Spirit is God.
He is a person. We refer to the Holy Spirit as He, not it. Some charismatic churches give us the feeling that the Holy Spirit is a force like the electricity.

3. The Holy Spirit is Holy
The human mind sometimes cannot understand this because the holiness of God is beyond the comprehension of the human mind.

2 Sam 6:6-7
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

The Philistines stole the Ark of the Covenant. King David's men retrieved it and they were carting it back to Israel. On the way, the oxen stumbled. Uzzah tried to stready it and died. Even King David did not understand it and he was angry with God.

4. The Holy Spirit is the leader and master
6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

Paul was in his mission to Asia, passing by Turkey. The Holy Spirit led him there. Paul had this wonderful message of the Gospel. We may plan but we can only operate according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Two things we must do:
1. We must seek God from the bottom of our heart and with all our heart.
2. We must be obedient to God and to the Word of God. If we need to repent, we repent. The Bible says we need to get water baptism, so we get it. If we take anything away from the Bible, God will not confirm our ministry.

BHS is a great thing. Smith Wigglesworth (and the wiki) was one of the most ministers in the last century. In the beginning, he was a quiet believer. He believed he had already received BHS when he had not. He later experienced BHS in a seminar in Sunderland. There was a great change. He was on fire. He was full of love and mercy to the lost, just like Jesus. He began the speak in tongues, which he believed to be a mark of BHS.

He worked many unusual miracles. There were reports of a man growing his legs back. Wigglesworth said he would not change the experience of BHS with anything else.

Smith Wigglesworth also thought that the devil wanted to hide BHS from believers.

BHS is more valuable than any possessions (Pastor Voitto cited the examples of what Microsoft or Bill Gates owns). The Bible tells us that a soul is worth more than any properties. That's why the devil wants to hide this (BHS) from us. BHS is linked to saving souls. From his books, we can tell Smith Wigglesworth valued BHS.

The Israelite have three temples:
1. The Temple of Solomon
2. The Temple of Zerubabbel
3. The Temple of Herodotes

A temple have a few parts, namely the Holy of Holies, the Holy, a hall, inner cour and outer court. Gentiles are only allowed in the outer court.

We should not take this lightly. Through the blood of Jesus we can enter the Holy of Holies. This is a great privilege.

When Jesus was crucified, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. That was the curtain separating the Holy of Holies and the Holy. That was the exact moment Jesus was crucified (wasn't this the moment Jesus died?). This is extraordinary.

The Bible tells us Jesus healed people. The Quran tells the same thing. God has also healed Ps Voitto. He is now 43. He experienced a miracle when he was 23. He lived a liberal life and he didn't know God then. He smoked and took alcohol. In Mar of 1990, he had chest pain. He was scared and depressed. He came from a Christian family and he know there were heaven and hell and nothing in between. After a few weeks of chest pain, he asked Jesus to forgive him and help him. That was the first time he called upon the name of Jesus. The chest pain went away. No more depression and his additions were gone too. He received joy.

If we desire the BHS, God desires to give it to us. He is a powerful God.

When Jesus returns, we will be surprised by His glory. Every knee will bow.