In my study of the Book God’s Plan for Man written by Rev. Finis Jennings Dake, I found it very informative on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In my teaching there have been some who have asked me about this and what it means. I explained how I felt it meant but that was not enough for me I wanted to research this and make sure I understood what this really was and that I did give the right explanation to those who asked about it.

I have always used the God’s Plan for Man as a reference book for I knew I could trust Rev. Dakes explanation, so I began to read and found it to be very close to what I had given as my answer. I felt that baptism in the Spirit was when you are truly anointed and filled all the time. It is this baptism of the Spirit that has caused me to have the power to talk to the lost about accepting Jesus and lead them to Salvation, laying hands on the sick and see the Lord heal them. The feeling that I have is all the time and yet I always want more I can not get enough of the Holy Ghost. Always asking for less of me and more of Him.

Rev. Dake talks about how important it is to have the Three Baptisms.

Baptism “into Christ” is essential to salvation (Gal 3:26-27); 5:24; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:3-12; Col. 2:11-13; ) baptism into water essential to obedience and to a “good conscience” after one is saved and in Christ (Matt. 28: 19; 1 Pet.3:21; 1 John 5:6-10); and baptism into the Holy Spirit is essential to receiving power for service ( Luke 24:49; John 14: 12-17; Acts 1:4-8.)

There are Three Baptisms for Believers today. Paul taught that there were “baptisms” for believers (Heb. 6:2)

The three agents in the three baptisms for all of today are the minister, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. The three elements that believers are baptized into are Water, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the agent that baptizes the believer “into Christ” and “into the Holy Ghost, provided he/she understands, ( 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). The minister then baptizes the believer in water ( Matt. 28:19) Then Christ baptizes the same believer in the Holy Ghost, provided he/she understands, and asks for (Luke 11:13) , obeys God (Acts. 5:32) , and has faith for it ( John 7:37-39) , but it is always AFTER the baptism into Christ and into a His Body. This baptism into Christ is the “one baptism” of Eph. 4:5 that all must have in order to be saved and be in the one body of Christ, the Church. This is the baptism that cleanses from all sin, and makes one a new creature in Christ and a fit candidate for the baptism in water and in the Holy Spirit. ( John 3:3-5; Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:1-8; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:37; Col. 1:11-13). Water-baptism is merely an outward figure or symbol of the baptism into Christ, or the inward work that brings one into the body of Christ and the family of God.

The Baptism in the Spirit is the Spirit without measure ( John 3:34; Matt: 20:20-23; Luke 4:18-21; Acts 10:38), and are only a part of the fullness of God.

It is the Spirit coming in, upon, filling, overwhelming, infusing, anointing, and enduring with full power, and not with just a “measure” as in the O.T. days. It is the Spirit men/women had in part before Pentecost.

The difference between a “filling” and “ baptism” in the Spirit, or the Spirit “by measure” and “without measure” may be illustrated by a glass and a pitcher of water. To the extent one pours water into a glass, to that extent it is filled. One can fill the glass by pouring different measures into it at different times until it is full, or one can fill it at one pouring. You can fill the glass over and over filling it but it is not baptized it is just full and running over. If you are living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit you are baptized in the Spirit but if you are not than you are not baptized in the Spirit. He must be all in us not our selves. However one can still have a measure of the baptism of the Spirit. So if one wants to always be in grace and be saved, let him stay in grace and stay saved. If one ever gets baptized in the Spirit he/she must constantly maintain this place in God or he /she will lose the spiritual anointing. Yes this is exactly the right explanation yes this is just how I feel. You must stay in this anointing by prayer, study the Word always asking for more.

I always feel this anointing and many have asked me how come I am so full of JOY and that they want what I have. Well if they are born again and baptized by water than there is no reason why they can not have what I have. I thank God every day for how He has blessed me with the anointing and in truth it is of the Holy Spirit that I have this. Jesus needed the Spirit-baptism in order to have power to do His mighty works. The purpose of the Spirit-baptism in His case then was not to sanctify Him, to save His soul, or to make Him a child of God.

The SOLE PURPOSE of the Spirit-baptism is to endue ( Third Person present)(giving us) the power from on high to do the same works that Christ did. Christ plainly taught that such an enduement of power was necessary to confirm the Word of God ( Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-3) to do the things that Jesus taught ( Acts 1:1-2; Matt 28:20) to make us successful witnesses ( Acts 1:8) and to prove us to be true believers and divinely sent to represent God. ( Mark 16:15-20; John 14:12; Acts 1:8)

One really needs to be filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit today more than ever before for there are more demon possessed people, more sick and diseased people, more false doctrines, more false teachers, and more divisions among Christians than at any other time in history. The Word of God needs confirmation today as before to convince the people of the truth so they will be saved and not lost. So in reality the real purpose of being baptized in the Spirit is for the enduement of power for service, it does not make us more qualified for the rapture or our just going home to be with the Lord. We receive the power that we need to our service for the Father as well as to help those who need Jesus.

I pray that you understand more about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit now that it did not confuse you. I believe it is quite clear how it comes about and the why it is so important to want and ask for the Baptism of the Spirit for it is very much needed in order to really serve God. The Word of God says, “ we have not because we ask not” ask and receive what is important for YOU as a believer today, if you want to be successful in gospel work in service to the Lord. Jesus make it clear to the disciples that it was a command for them to be baptized in the Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1: 4-5.) Just as Jesus needed the Spirit-Baptism to do all He had to do, so do we to do all that He wants us to do.

Lets get busy for the Lord not be lazy not think that what was can not be now. Let us pray for the Spirit-Baptism power to evangelize reaching the lost seeing souls saved, reaping the harvest, laying hands on the sick and see them healed doing the works of Christ, it is still for today.

And God will show again His mighty works: “Call unto me and I will hear you and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not even know”. Jer. 33:3.

It is very clear from Prophecy, promise, and history what the evidences of the baptism in the Holy Spirit are:

They include power to: 1) Speak with stammering lips and other tongue and new tongues. Isa.28:9-12; Mark 16:17; John 15:26; 16:13-16; Acts 2:1-13; 34-39; 10:44-48; 19:1-7; compare Acts 9:17 with 1 Cor. 14:18 and Isa. 28:9-12 with 1 Cor 14: 21-22.

2) Cast out demons: ( Mark 16:17; Luke 24:49; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; 8:7; 16:18; 19:11-17; Rom. 15:18-29; Heb.2:4.)

3) Be immune from poisons and have power over wild beasts: ( Mark 1:13; Luke 10:19; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; 8:7;16:18; 19:11-17;Rom. 15: 18-29; Heb. 2:4)

4) Heal everyone prayed for: ( Matt. 4:24; 8:16-17; 9: 35; 12:15; 14:34;21:14;Luke 4:40; John 14:12; Acts 2:43; 3:6; 4: 10; 30, 33; 5: 12-16; 6:3-8; 8:4-12; 9:34; 10: 38; 11: 21;14:8-10; 19: 20; 15: 4; 12; 19:11-21; 28: 1-10; Rom. 15: 18-29; Heb. 2:3-4; Jas. 5: 14-16.) 5) Cleanse the lepers: ( Matt. 8:1-4; John 14:12; Acts 28: 3-6; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8.)

6) Raise the dead: John 11; 14:12; Acts 9:40; 20: 9-10.)

7) Bind and loose anything and forgive sins: ( Matt. 9:1-8; 16:18-19; 18:15-20; John 14:12-15; 15:7; 16; 16:23-26; 20:22-23; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24.)

8) Destroy the works of Satan: ( John 14: 12; 17:18; Acts 10: 38; 1John 3:8; 4:17.)

9) Do works as great as and even greater than did Christ: ( John 14:12; Luke 4:16-21; 24:49; Acts 5: 12-16; 9: 17-18; 10: 38; 19: 1-29; Rom. 1:11; 15:18-29.)

10) Get everything prayed for: ( Matt 7:7-11; 17:21; 21:22; Mark 9:23; 11: 22-24; Luke 11: 1-13; 18: 1-8; John 14: 12-15; 15:7; 16; 16: 23-26; Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1: 5-8; 1 John 3: 20-24; 5: 12-15; Ps. 91; Isa.58.)

11) Have sound health: ( John 14: 12-15; 15:7; 16; 16: 23-26; Mark 9: 23; 11: 22-24;Rom. 8: 11; 3 John 2; Matt. 8: 16-17; 1 Peter 2: 24; Heb. 11:6; Sound health was even promised to OT saints who had only the SPIRIT by “ measure” Ex.15:26; Deut.28; Lev. 26. Ps. 34: 12-13; 37: 1-10; 84: 11; 91: 1-15; 103:1-3; Pr. 3; 12: 18; 13: 3; 15:4; 18:8; 21; Isa. 58.)

12) Have rivers of living water flowing out of the innermost being; ( John 7:27-39; Acts 2: 1-4; Eph. 3:19; John 14:12; Luke 24:49.) This expresses the Spirit with out measure (John 3:34;) Rivers can not be measured or stopped. A well can like in John 4:14 speaks of the “ well of water springing up”.

13) Control the elements and to do all kinds of miracles: ( John 14:12-15; 15:7,16; Luke 24:49; 1 Cor. 12: 4-11; 2 Tim. 2:21; Heb. 2: 3-4; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24.)

14) To execute judgment: ( John 14:12; Acts 5: 1-11; 13: 6-12; 1 Cor. 4:21; 5: 1-5.) 15) Exercise all the gifts of the Spirit: ( 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Rom. 12: 4-8; 1 Cor. 1:7.)

16) To impart spiritual gifts to others: ( Rom. 1:11; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6; Heb. 6:2.)

17) To impart the baptism in the Spirit to others: (Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19: 1-7;.)

18) exercise unlimited authority in the fullness of God: (Luke 24:19; John 14:12; 15:7; 16; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; 16:15-20; Matt. 17:20; 21:22; Acts 2:43; 3:6; 4:10-16; 29-33; 5:1-16; 6:3-8; 8:5-20; 9:17-18; 32-43; 11:21; 13:6-12; 14:3; 8-20, 27; 15:4; 12; 16: 16-34; 19:1-20; 20: 9-12; 28:1-10; Rom. 1:11; 15:18-19, 29; 1 Cor. 1:7,18-24; 2:1-5; 4:19-21; 5:1-5; 9:18; 12:1-31; 13: 1-3; 14: 1-40; 16:10; 2 Cor. 3: 6-18;4:7; 5:20; 6:7; 10:3-11; 12:9; 12; 13:4; 10; Gal. 3:3-5, 14; Eph.1: 19-20; 3: 7, 19-20; 6:10; Phil. 4:9; Col. 1:11; 2:10;1 Thess. 1:5; 2:13; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2:17; 1 Tim.4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6-8, 14; 2:21; 3:5; Tit. 2:14; Heb. 2:3-4;6:2; Jas. 2:18; 5:14-16; 2 Peter 2:4.)

I pray that I have all the scriptures correct and that you will look them up and read what they say and know that it is God’s Word and God’s Word is truth. This can be for the person who receives the Spirit of Baptism. Pray and ask God for the Baptism of the Spirit and than believe.

God bless you, may the Lord fill you and anoint you with power by the Baptism of the Spirit. I speak it over you right now in the name of Jesus Christ so let it be.

Barbara Miller