Is it for us today?

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. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

It is important for every Christian not only to correctly understand what is this baptism in the Holy Spirit so as to be able to explain it to others correctly, but also to actually experience this baptism in the Spirit, and thus enter into a dimension of life full of the power of God. Christians need the power that comes with the Baptism in the Spirit in order to do their part in continuing the supernatural ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus promised the believers that they would do greater works than He (John 14:12). How can this be done unless the Holy Spirit is with us as He was with Jesus? Truly the church today needs the power that comes through the Holy Spirit and ought to remain in fellowship with the Holy Spirit so as to maintain this power and ability to minister the reality of Christ to a world in trouble. in-the-Holy-Spirit

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowering for service that takes place in the life of the Christian (Acts 1:5,8). In it we are immersed in the Spirit's life and power. To illustrate, if we drank water from a glass, then the water would be inside us. However, if we went to the beach and stepped into the ocean, then we would be in the water. We receive, as it were, a drink of the Holy Spirit when we are saved, but when we are baptized in the Spirit, it is as if that initial drink becomes an ocean that completely surrounds us. Just as the indwelling Spirit that Christians receive when they are saved reproduces the life of Jesus, so the outpoured, or baptizing, Spirit reproduces the ministry of Jesus, including miracles and healings. s/Gifts_of_the_Spirit.aspx

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

Matthew 3:11-12 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. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” John’ s purpose is to show Jesus’ superiority to him. The focus is on the baptizer, not the baptizee. The same “you” that will be baptized with the Holy Spirit will be baptized with fire – hellfire.

John 13-17, cf. Matthew 26:20 John 13:33, 14:1-3, 14:16-17 John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,… John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, … John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, …

 Luke 24:46-49  Acts 1:1-8

 Acts 1:26-2:4  Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.  Acts 2:37-38

 John 14:26 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 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  John 16:13 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.

Mark 16:15-20 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Hebrews 2:1-4 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

 Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,  Ephesians 4:7-12  1 Corinthians 12:1-11  1 Corinthians 13:8-13, cf. Jude 3

Great Commission  Performed by men.  Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16  Baptism in water  Acts 8:35-39  Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  1 Peter 3:20-21 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  For all men until the end of the age.  Matthew 28:19-20

Spirit baptism  Performed by Jesus  Matthew 3:11 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.  John 1:33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’  Promised only to the apostles. Acts 1:1-8  Fulfilled in Acts 2.

 Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 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 2:21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’ cf. 1 Peter 1:19-21

 Acts 8:4-19  The Samaritans had believed and been baptized.  V. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.  They had not received the Holy Spirit.  V who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Cf. Acts 19:1-6

 V. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”  V Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.  V While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

 v “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.  Acts 11:11-18

Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

 Believe – John 8:24  Repent – Luke 13:3  Confess – Romans 10:10  Be baptized – Mark 16:16  Be faithful – Revelation 2:10