Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOjwbxZ1A1A&feature=related receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit now and do not be afraid.
The Baptism with the Holy Spirit Is For You Today
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.
http://www.jimfeeney.org/baptism-Holy-Spirit-filled.html Summary: There is a source of Holy Ghost “power from on high” that too many
Christians have either overlooked or rejected to their own loss. Come and read about
the mighty baptism with the Holy Spirit — a gift that is “for you” and for today. It
will change your life!
After spending 3-1/2 years with Jesus, Peter denied the Lord three times. The third
time he even went so far as to “call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, 'I
don’t know this man you’re talking about.' ” (Mark 14:71)
Fast forward about seven weeks. Now we see this same Peter preaching an anointed
message to crowds of thousands in Jerusalem. It is a virtual certainty that the crowds
contained many of those who, seven weeks earlier, had been screaming in the direction
of Jesus: “Crucify him! Crucify him!” But now we see Peter, the former Christ-denier,
preaching boldly and openly about the crucified and now-resurrected Savior. The
result of Peter’s now-courageous testimony was 3,000 of his audience believing in the
Lord and being water baptized.
What made the difference? The answer is simple and is right there in Scripture for us
to see. Between his denial of Christ at Passover and his mighty, soulwinning sermon
less than two months later, Peter experienced the first New Testament Day of
Pentecost. Peter was among the 120 who had received the heaven-sent baptism with the
Holy Spirit.
Let’s examine this great biblical truth — the mighty Holy Spirit anointing known as
the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It was vitally important to Jesus that His disciples be
filled with the Holy Spirit. In fact, just before His ascension back to heaven, He
forbade the disciples from going forth to minister until they had received this Holy
Ghost power from on high.
Luke 24:47-53 “...repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to
send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been
clothed with power from on high” ... [51] and [Jesus] was taken up into heaven. Then
they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed
continually at the temple, praising God.
•• Just think of it! Peter, James, John, and the other disciples had just finished 3-1/2
years of intensive, daily training by Jesus Himself. They had been with Him “24-7”. He
gave them on-the-job-training ministry assignments and debriefed them afterwards.
He explained the Word of God to them. He modeled godly behavior and effective
ministry. Surely no men on earth, before or since, had been better trained. Yet to these
same men Jesus said (my paraphrase), “Don’t go out yet to minister. Stay in Jerusalem.
You are not fully ready for New Testament ministry. You still need something for
effective ministry that you now lack, and that is Holy Ghost power from on high.”
•• These men had the Word of God. They had been personally trained by Jesus. And
yet they were not considered ready for ministry! Why? They didn’t yet have the “power
from on high”. Let’s step forward to the Book of Acts and see how they received this
promised power. It is the pattern for the Church then and now.
Acts 1:4,5,8 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this
command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which
you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit ... [8] you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
•• Luke (the author of Acts) continued to record Jesus’ parting words to the disciples.
Key elements in Christ’s message were:
• (As in Luke 24:49) Don’t leave Jerusalem. Wait.
• They knew about water baptism, but they needed to be “baptized in the Holy Spirit”.
• That mighty Holy Spirit baptism would give them the promised power for ministry.
• It would make them effective witnesses in the global Great Commission.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=019Z3lfLxWM Speaking in Tongues Is the Unique Initial Evidence
of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.