Receiving and Reviving the Spirit of God
What is the profound experience one undergoes when the Holy Spirit is received?
This is the most crucial question for those in search of God. What can they anticipate when the Spirit is received and in the following days? We have the illuminating example of the disciples and Pentecost. We witness a powerful instance from the first gentile conversion, including Spirit indwelling, in Acts 10: 44–47. We even observe a failure to receive the Spirit after water baptism in Acts 8:12–17. This was considered an anomaly. When the Disciples in Jerusalem learned of it, they dispatched Peter and John to investigate and address it through prayer and laying hands. As a side note, laying hands by spiritual individuals was also a means to impart spiritual gifts.
This is mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:6, where the Apostle Paul urges his disciple Timothy to stir up the gift of God he received when Paul laid his hands on him.
Today, Protestant evangelical churches teach that only the apostles had the authority to lay hands and transfer a spiritual gift. However, in the book of Acts, there are instances of the church also laying hands on members being called out to perform specific tasks that required spiritual gifting. Paul even warns Timothy, who is not an Apostle, to not lay hands quickly on others (1 Timothy 5:22), which some bible translations call ordination. This demonstrates that the laying of hands wasn’t limited to only the apostles.
Some churches, like Pentecostals, insist on an experiential demonstration of receiving the Holy Spirit and do not accept new converts without one. This is usually done through signs of speaking in tongues or glossolalia. However, this isn’t the only means of demonstrating the reception of the Spirit; a change is expected, and the lack of such a change may mean the Spirit was not received.
This is (or should be) a serious concern.
Much as in natural birth, when a child comes into the world unless the child shows evidence of breathing, there is a risk of stillbirth or failure to thrive. Jesus calls receiving the Holy Spirit “born again,” as seen in John 3:3–8 in his conversation with Nicodemus. He further informs the Samaria woman in John 4:23 that true worship of God must be in spirit and truth. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must do so in spirit and truth. In John 7: 37–39, Jesus describes one born of the spirit as having living water that flows out of the believer. That one is born anew is confirmed by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, who states that true Christians are born anew and not of flesh or perishable but imperishable seed — the living and enduring word of God.
There are many more possible references to spiritual birth. Still, one fact that should be known is that this is a requirement and expectation for all new believers to obtain the promises of God, and being so utterly important, it is too vital to be ignored.
Any conscientious Christian convert should seek confirmation of this at all costs. A parable of Jesus illustrates how precious acquiring the kingdom of God is, as in Matthew 13:44–45; it is a pearl of great value, such as selling everything to obtain. This should be the attitude of the convert, and the Holy Spirit is God’s response to such dedication and intent. If the Spirit is missing, the convert must search and petition God to provide it. Still-birth Christians are more likely to stray from the truth and create myths and obstructions to salvation for others. These are the ones the scriptures powerfully point out as arising in the last days, corrupting the church and believers. I will elaborate on this later in this writing as I discuss the previous days.
I was baptized in water on three different occasions. This was because, at the time, I had a zeal to do things right. The more I learned, the more I felt needing correction. I wasn’t confident that I had received the promise of the Spirit as I had no extraordinary experience other than getting wet. I was immersed in the name of Jesus as in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why? Because some claimed there was a specific formula of words that had to be used in baptism for it to work. At that time, I wanted to cover the basis. Once, and during my baptism in a Pentecostal church, the minister and church waited and prayed over me to receive the Spirit. They were not going to be satisfied until I spoke in tongues. The waiting went on for what felt like forever, and I started thinking that I knew a little German from college and thought I should use that to end the prayer vigil.
I started, but only gibberish came out of my mouth. A wave of euphoria rose from my stomach, catching me by surprise and making me feel embarrassed. I felt weird inside; the feeling was one of the best experiences I ever had…but it only happened once. This seemed to appease the minister and audience, so they disbanded, but I was left in doubt as the feeling diminished and I returned to normal.
I do not know if that was my first real encounter with the Holy Spirit, and looking back, I wish it had been; however, my pessimism and doubts returned. This is why I now say I likely suppressed the Spirit’s fire and haven’t rekindled it since. Sorrow about my life failures since that time clouds my mind to this day. But I still wonder what a Spirit-filled person is like. How would they feel? How would they act? I read in the scriptures such things as “being in the Spirit” as seen in Revelation 1: 10; praying (and singing) in the Spirit as seen in 1 Corinthians 14:15, Jude 20; and Ephesians 6:18. So what does doing these things differ in the Spirit than within the mind or voice? Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:15 describes doing both, with the mind and the spirit — how do they differ?
For many, if not most, going to church and singing is expected, and to fit in, you learn the hymns (or fake it) and hope your voice doesn’t offend others. The power of influence is ever present, and no one wants to stick out unfavorably. If you have a good voice, no problem; praying aloud is fine if you are good with words. But if those aren’t your talents, it’s easy to be embarrassed and remain quiet. This is a normal reaction being human, but what makes doing so in Spirit different than using a talent or not having such talent? The question is, what is the difference between spiritually gifted and just average human talent? Indeed, in today’s world, there is little expectation of a difference. Many think they are simply the same. This is not the teachings of scripture. There is a qualitative difference in the expression of spiritual communication and regular human talent.
So, we first must establish some baseline for comparison. The spiritually gifted and the ungifted. What exists before our conversion, and what develops afterward? We have talents and abilities when we are born and develop them over time. Some have more or less than others and in specific areas. This is the primary playing field for all human beings. Differing cultures, class differences, and resources provide the foundation for developing talent or stifling them. However, when a true convert both accepts the gospel message and takes steps to show intent for conversion, what happens?
Conversion as an experience requires using the imagination to illustrate a roadmap based on the totality of scripture. I will describe it without the numerous references to support it. However, another excellent example of the disconnect between water baptism and spirit baptism is seen in Acts 19: 1–7. Here, we see converts having received the baptism of John (water baptism) but did not receive the Holy Spirit; in fact, they did not know that they should receive the Spirit. Paul asked them to point blank if they received the Spirit, and they denied it. Interestingly, Paul asked for confirmation as to whether the coverts should have known. If there were no signs, then the question would have been meaningless. Paul goes on to have them baptized (again in water) in the name of Jesus and then lays his hands on them. The Holy Spirit fell on them, as evidenced by their speaking in tongues and prophesying.
