Read Acts Chapters 1-2 & Acts 18-19:7
Acts 1:8 says “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (KJV).
There is power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. In the past before Jesus the Spirit of the Lord would come upon certain people at certain times. It was temporary as compared to the New Testament believer after Jesus died and rose again and ascended to Heaven. Now, because of the blood that was shed on the Cross we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. However, not all are “filled” (have the baptism of the Holy Spirit). With the power of the Holy Spirit upon us, dwelling in us and having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit we can go on to do great and mighty things for the Lord.
In Acts 18 Apollos was described as “mighty in the Scriptures.” He was “instructed in the Lord” and “fervent in spirit”. He taught “diligently the things of the Lord.” Clearly Apollos was well versed and educated but he missed the fact of Jesus baptism which is that of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is when the Spirit of God in-fills us, overtakes us as we begin to speak in other tongues and receive our own prayer language to the Lord. One of the major things that is missing from the American church is THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. This is not to say there aren’t churches operating in the fullness of the Spirit because there is but it seems to be fewer in number as we get so caught up in the technical and functional aspects of church rather than the spiritual.
Apollos had all the tools to the common eye but he was missing something. He believed in John’s baptism rather than the baptism of Jesus. John’s baptism was that of repentance to believe in the One (Jesus) who is coming after (Ref. Matthew 3:11). John baptized with water for repentance but mentions that later Jesus would baptize them (and us) with the Holy Spirit and fire (Ref. Matthew 3:11). The baptism of Jesus is that of the Holy Spirit evidenced by the gifts of the Spirit. Thankfully Aquila and Priscilla pulled Apollos aside to show him “the way of God more perfectly”. Apollos wasn’t a bad person because he believed in John’s baptism rather than the baptism of Jesus which was of the Holy Spirit and fire. He just needed to be shown the way more perfectly. He spoke the Scriptures boldly but God had more for him just like He has MORE for us. Now there is nowhere in Scripture where it specifically says that Apollos was filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. However, as mentioned, we do at the very least see that he was shown the way more perfectly (which was the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by the gifts of the Spirit) from Aquila and Priscilla. This certainly must have affected his ministry for the better because now Apollos would be able to preach and teach regarding the baptism of Jesus (which was of the Holy Spirit and fire evidenced by the gifts) rather than John the Baptist and his baptism of water for repentance.
Later, we see another example regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul comes in the picture in Acts 19 at Ephesus and straight up asks some invasive yet necessary questions about the Ephesian disciples beliefs. Paul was concerned whether they received the Holy Spirit when they believed. These disciples began to tell him they never heard of the Holy Spirit and they believed in John’s baptism. It is interesting to read because Paul appears to be on a mission. He then lays hands on these disciples and they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and prophecy. Power has now entered them from on High. This is just one of multiple examples in the Bible of people being being baptized in the Holy Spirit receiving the gifts of the Spirit.
As we back track to Apollos in Acts 18, we can see that he took Aquila and Pricilla’s advice when they showed him the way more perfectly. As we moved further into the New Testament we see Paul mention Apollos in writing to the church at Corinth and when writing to Titus. Apollos was seemingly well respected by Paul for his ministry and what he was doing for the Lord. Apollos was a good man. He could have been offended when Aquila and Priscilla showed him the way more perfectly but instead he received what they said in humility. The same goes for the Ephesian disciples as they also believed in John’s baptism. Instead of ignoring Paul, they received what he said of the baptism of Jesus and experienced the filling/baptism of the Holy Spirit with the gifts of tongues and prophecy.
There is an important lesson to be learned here. The power of the Holy Spirit is necessary and needed (and so is humility). The American church (speaking generally) has made it seem as though we all have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. To this point they would be right as long as we have salvation in Jesus! However, we don’t all have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This needs to be preached as something necessary for believers and to be sought after. We all have not been filled with the evidence of speaking in tongues, prophesy, etc. People almost put it down anymore. They say those who have the baptism of the Holy Spirit make those who don’t feel like second class Christians. This is not the case. Yes you can be a Christian without the filling/baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, there is a more excellent way which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t you want all that’s offered to you?
God honors those who preach Jesus, those who live for Him and those who love their neighbor and others. But we encourage you today, to not miss all of which God has for you. If you do not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we encourage you to seek God for this. Receive it in faith and don’t try to understand how it happens and how to make it happen. Just simply ask God to fill you with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe when you ask in faith that God will do the work at the right time! Don’t try and force it either and listen to others who may try to convince you that you can manufacture this gifting. Allow God to bring it about. At the same time pray for discernment that you would know the fake from the real as unfortunately there are people who try to manufacture the moving of the Holy Spirit and it’s not of God. Pray that you would know the difference. God honors those prayers and it will benefit you to have this discernment in your walk with the Lord in this life. Don’t hold back anything in your life from God and pursue time with Him more and more!
The power of the Holy Spirit is valuable. Look at Paul and the miracles that occurred. He was on fire for God. The filling of the Holy Spirit enables a believer to go on to do great and mighty things for God. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit we miss all that God has for us. You want the power of the Holy Spirit? Ask God and pursue His presence. Stay longer than 45 minutes at church and press in more. Give God time and show God you want it. The American church as a whole has missed it tremendously. We are more concerned with the comfortable then alter calls and we are more concerned with pre service coffee than pre service prayers. We have lost the way. One of the reasons we aren’t seeing these miracles like those in Bible times is because we have lost the way and simply don’t want it. The power of the Holy Spirit is being choked out by shortened services so that people aren’t inconvenienced being at church too long. We need to be a church seeking God personally and corporately. We need to be a church operating in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. Most importantly, we need to be a church preaching the blood of Jesus Christ!
We encourage you today to not fit the mold of the world. America is a wonderful nation to live in there is no doubt but sometimes because of our comfortable culture we loose out on what God has for us because we never want to go deeper or get uncomfortable at church or in our personal lives. We encourage you today, if you haven’t been baptized with the Holy Spirit to ask God for this. In His time, we believe if asked in faith, you will receive it and power will come upon you just like it says in Acts!
May His Name Be Praised!