I had a wonderful conversion experience and assumed I received the Holy Spirit then. Doesn’t conversion bring the Holy Spirit?
Certainly, the Holy Spirit is present in conversion. Paul says, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3). We know that every Christian experiences a measure of the Holy Spirit’s power. But the Scriptures plainly teach there is spiritual power available beyond our experience of conversion.
Obviously, Paul was converted on the road to Damascus, but the Lord sent Ananias to him to pray for him to get his sight back and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 9:17). And while the Samaritan Christians were soundly converted under Philip’s teaching, still it was through prayer and the laying on of hands that they received the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 8:14–17).
Let us stress that this deeper experience of the Holy Spirit in no way refutes or denies any experience the Christian may have had before. It simply opens unto us a whole new realm of spiritual possibilities.
Many Christians seem to feel that since their conversion was so wonderful, this must be all that God has for them. Yet, many of those same Christians confess to a lack of boldness and a lack of power.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a saving experience for the non-Christian; it is an empowering experience for the Christian in order that he may be supernaturally equipped to perform his ministry.
One pastor observes that in these days of the devil’s wrath it is almost tragic to bring a person to Jesus Christ and stop short of praying him through to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. “It’s like recruiting a man into the army,” Bennett declares, “and not giving him any weapons to fight with. He goes into battle unarmed and may soon end up a prisoner of the enemy.”
This pastor also has a unique way of picturing the difference between the Christian’s having the Holy Spirit in conversion and receiving Him in terms of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
“A man may push his way past my secretary and come into my office and sit down while I am very busy at my desk. I know he is there, but continue working, not acknowledging his presence. After a few minutes, my telephone rings and someone on the other end of the line asks, ‘Have you a man in your office?’ and proceeds to describe my visitor. I reply, ‘Yes, he’s here, but I haven’t laid aside my work to welcome him. I haven’t received him yet.’”
“But then suppose,” the pastor continues, “I lay aside my work and give my visitor a cordial welcome and devote to him my undivided attention and ask him, ‘Why are you here and how may I serve you?’
Let us stress that this deeper experience of the Holy Spirit in no way refutes or denies any experience the Christian may have had before. It simply opens unto us a whole new realm of spiritual possibilities.
Many Christians seem to feel that since their conversion was so wonderful, this must be all that God has for them. Yet, many of those same Christians confess to a lack of boldness and a lack of power.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a saving experience for the non-Christian; it is an empowering experience for the Christian in order that he may be supernaturally equipped to perform his ministry.
One pastor observes that in these days of the devil’s wrath it is almost tragic to bring a person to Jesus Christ and stop short of praying him through to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. “It’s like recruiting a man into the army,” Bennett declares, “and not giving him any weapons to fight with. He goes into battle unarmed and may soon end up a prisoner of the enemy.”
This pastor also has a unique way of picturing the difference between the Christian’s having the Holy Spirit in conversion and receiving Him in terms of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
“A man may push his way past my secretary and come into my office and sit down while I am very busy at my desk. I know he is there, but continue working, not acknowledging his presence. After a few minutes, my telephone rings and someone on the other end of the line asks, ‘Have you a man in your office?’ and proceeds to describe my visitor. I reply, ‘Yes, he’s here, but I haven’t laid aside my work to welcome him. I haven’t received him yet.’”
“But then suppose,” the pastor continues, “I lay aside my work and give my visitor a cordial welcome and devote to him my undivided attention and ask him, ‘Why are you here and how may I serve you?’
Then my visitor may rise to his feet with a glad smile and shake my hand and say, `Oh, I’m so glad you finally received me, for I have a check for you for one million dollars and I want to give it to you. And I have an important message from a friend whom you haven’t seen in a long time, plus so many other good things I want to share with you, now that you have received me.”
So it is with many Christians. They have the Holy Spirit present in their lives, but He sits quietly waiting to be received. They have not yet made Him fully welcome, nor given Him their full attention, nor tried to discover the purpose of His coming, thus robbing themselves of the gifts and powers He wishes to bestow.
So it is with many Christians. They have the Holy Spirit present in their lives, but He sits quietly waiting to be received. They have not yet made Him fully welcome, nor given Him their full attention, nor tried to discover the purpose of His coming, thus robbing themselves of the gifts and powers He wishes to bestow.
They are like the Ephesian disciples whom Paul asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2, emphasis added). The baptism in the Holy Spirit is receiving Him with power into our lives.
