Wednesday, January 03, 2007

How to be Baptized in the Holy Spirit (Part 4)

You would have asked Him (John 4:10)

I think that, in many ways, we have often made receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit more complicated than it really is. Some have taught that we must tarry for long periods, waiting to receive the Holy Spirit. Some preach that you must take a class, often costing hundreds of dollars, to learn to receive the Holy Spirit. Others have come up with many gimmicks, like saying “see my bow tie, tie my bow tie” three times really fast to release the gift of tongues that is often associated with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The truth that Jesus taught us, however, is that all we have to do is but ask. Jesus simply told the woman at the well that, if she would ask, then she would receive.

“Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:11-13)

It is really not any more complicated that that; simply asking. We don’t have to beg, plead, or find some anointed person to pray for us, we simply need to ask Him. And if we ask Him, He is not going to give us something harmful or something counterfeit; if we ask Him, He will give us His Holy Spirit. So why wait, if you have not yet been baptized in the Holy Spirit, there is no better time then the present. Ask! And you will receive.

More to come… David Robison

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