How does a person receive the Holy Spirit?

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At Pentecost all believers received the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you believe in the true sense, you have the Holy Spirit. The fulness of the Spirit comes through repentance.

But only few received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Twice in the outpourings. And other times through the laying on of an Apostle's hands. These spoke in tongues and prophesied. Also worked miracles. These gifts ended with the last apostle.
If the power of the Holy Spirit is the conversion of souls through the preaching of the gospel, I can believe that when the church went apostate and the Holy Spirit withdrew, there were many religious people, but very few true converts. Even today, with all the claims made about the power of the Holy Spirit, we see just a small trickle of genuine conversions among the majority of people getting religion. This means that we have yet to see people truly moving under the power of the Holy Spirit, preaching the gospel and getting souls saved.

It is one thing for people to sit in a church and say, "We have the Holy Spirit" and quite another for a church to demonstrate that power by having a steady flow of conversions to Christ in it. If a church never has souls saved, one could say that the Holy Spirit is either dormant or non existent in that church.
 
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BBAS 64

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If the power of the Holy Spirit is the conversion of souls through the preaching of the gospel, I can believe that when the church went apostate and the Holy Spirit withdrew, there were many religious people, but very few true converts. Even today, with all the claims made about the power of the Holy Spirit, we see just a small trickle of genuine conversions among the majority of people getting religion. This means that we have yet to see people truly moving under the power of the Holy Spirit, preaching the gospel and getting souls saved.

It is one thing for people to sit in a church and say, "We have the Holy Spirit" and quite another for a church to demonstrate that power by having a steady flow of conversions to Christ in it. If a church never has souls saved, one could say that the Holy Spirit is either dormant or non existent in that church.


Good Day, Oscarr

You seem to imply quite strongly that the Churches main function is to save souls.
Is it not God's job?

In Him,

Bill
 
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Carl Emerson

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OK in reply to Oscarr...

This is because Oscarr believes that being born again and being Baptised in the Spirit are one in the same.

I asked 4 questions...

1. Was Jesus indwelled by the Holy Spirit before He was baptised?

2. How was John the Baptist told by God that he should identify the Messiah?

3. Did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit before Pentecost?

4. Is being born again only possible through the laying on of hands.

Question 1. is asked because because Jesus was 'born of the Spirit' at conception and is later Baptised in the Holy Spirit prior to commencing His ministry. Two seperate issues.

Question 2. John was told that unlike all others who came to him for baptism, the Messiah alone would have the Holy Spirit come and remain on Him. He saw this happen for the first time and knew that He was for real and would Himself, Baptise in the Holy Spirit. From this we know that being born of the Spirit is a permanent indwelling and being Baptised in the Spirit is a permanent anointing and empowerment for ministry.

Question 3. The disciples received the Holy Spirit within when He breathed on them after the resurrection. They still had to wait for the coming permanent anointing at Pentecost when they were empowered for ministry by receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Question 4. As we know that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was given by the Laying on of Hands, Ocsarrs position of combining the two events into one would mean one would have to have hands layed on them to become a Christian when being born again. We know that in reality believers are commonly born again without the laying on of hands.

So Oscarrs claim that these two events are one, raises serious issues. This position is often wrongly pushed by those insisting that one has to be a tongue speaker to be born again. I cant say that this is why Oscarr believes this, but he does admit that scripture records two seperate events.
 
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dqhall

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The Bible only says that the Spirit descended upon those in the upper room.

The people in the streets heard the Apostles speaking in tongues in their languages! They did no t need the Holy Spirit to understand their own languages.
The disciples living in an upper room after the ascension is not the same as the later assembly during the day of Pentecost where a large number of people were assembled in one place. The air was filled with the sound of a rushing wind from the sky and then there was the visitation of the Holy Spirit.

Check your Bible for accuracy.
 
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Good Day, Oscarr

You seem to imply quite strongly that the Churches main function is to save souls.
Is it not God's job?

In Him,

Bill
The great commission that Jesus gave to His disciples was to go into all the world and make disciples. That'w what the early disciples did, and the Scripture says that the Lord worked with them with signs and wonders.

How else is God going to get souls saved if most church members sit on their couches at home, and then go and sit on their acres in church pews on Sunday morning just being passive observers to the floor show at the front?

Paul says in Romans that people need to hear the gospel, but how can they hear without a preacher, and how can a man preach unless he is sent?

Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Also, the Scripture says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. This means that for the unsaved to hear the Word of God, preachers need to preach the gospel.

To be quite frank, the power of God works through preachers of the gospel. He doesn't speak in some disembodied to get sinners saved. This is why believers are baptised with the Spirit so that God's power can work through them as they preach the gospel to the unsaved.

The problem with much of modern "evangelism" is that church leaders do everything else to try and get the unchurched into their meetings, except actually preaching the true gospel of Christ. There are all sorts of community activities to attract people, and "easy believerism" techniques are employed, such as, "Jesus is your friend. Just join up with our church and you will be saved". The trouble is that you get religious people who have one foot in the church and the other foot in the world. And a large proportion of those people last a year or two and then they are never seen again.

Paul say, "Woe is me if I don't preach the gospel!" In this he knew that unless he preached the gospel to the unsaved, no one would get to hear it, and therefore they would stay unsaved.
 
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Dave L

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The RCC has their traditions and papal bulls to add to the Scripture; the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have their experiences to add to the Scripture; and the Evangelicals have their extra-Scriptural doctrines to add to the Scripture as well.

The notion that the gifts ceased with the last Apostle is an extra-Scriptural doctrine in the same manner as the RCC and Pentecostal extra-Scripture tradition and experiences. My view is that if it hasn't been clearly taught in Scripture then it ain't true.
The truth of the matter is in the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Both received the gift of the Holy Spirit as believers did on the day of Pentecost, as foretold by Joel. That is, they believed, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and were baptized. But only the Samaritans received a visit from the Apostles so they could receive the Holy Spirit. How do you solve this paradox? Every time the Apostles laid hands on people, they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Simon no doubt saw this vocal evidence and tried to by the office of administering the Baptism.
 
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Yeshua HaDerekh

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Well if god inspired the New Testament- He did!

John 3:
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jesus equated being born of the Spirit with being born again! Unless we are born of the Spirit we are still in the flesh and thhose in the flesh CANNOT please God!

Yes it is inspired but what YOU say it means is NOT what He means. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man. Flesh can NOT inherit the Kingdom. 1 Corinthians 15:50 explains it. There are 2 births and 2 deaths. Do you know what they are?
 
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The truth of the matter is in the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Both received the gift of the Holy Spirit as believers did on the day of Pentecost, as foretold by Joel. That is, they believed, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and were baptized. But only the Samaritans received a visit from the Apostles so they could receive the Holy Spirit. How do you solve this paradox? Every time the Apostles laid hands on people, they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Simon no doubt saw this vocal evidence and tried to by the office of administering the Baptism.
Luke doesn't explain why the Samaritan event was different to the day of Pentecost, Cornelius' household and the Ephesus disciples. These examples involved the spontaneous infilling of the Holy Spirit upon acceptance of the gospel. It remains an unanswered question that the Samaritans did not manifest the evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came and laid their hands on them.

What is does show is that there is no set formula for how the Holy Spirit comes and indwells a believer and shows the evidence of it. Did Paul receive the Holy Spirit when he was baptised? Could be. And similarly, the Ethiopian Eunuch when he was baptised by Philip.
 
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None. I disagree with your interpretation of them...
You need to justify why you disagree to be anywhere near convincing for me. Just because you say you disagree doesn't automatically prove that you are right. All I learn from your comment is that you disagree. Great. That is your personal choice.
 
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Dave L

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Luke doesn't explain why the Samaritan event was different to the day of Pentecost, Cornelius' household and the Ephesus disciples. These examples involved the spontaneous infilling of the Holy Spirit upon acceptance of the gospel. It remains an unanswered question that the Samaritans did not manifest the evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit until Peter and John came and laid their hands on them.

What is does show is that there is no set formula for how the Holy Spirit comes and indwells a believer and shows the evidence of it. Did Paul receive the Holy Spirit when he was baptised? Could be. And similarly, the Ethiopian Eunuch when he was baptised by Philip.
If you can formulate it. All according to Joel had the gift of the Holy Spirit. But only those in the two outpourings had the Baptism. Or those whom the apostles laid hands on hat the Baptism. It ceased with the last apostle.
 
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BBAS 64

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The great commission that Jesus gave to His disciples was to go into all the world and make disciples. That'w what the early disciples did, and the Scripture says that the Lord worked with them with signs and wonders.

How else is God going to get souls saved if most church members sit on their couches at home, and then go and sit on their acres in church pews on Sunday morning just being passive observers to the floor show at the front?

Paul says in Romans that people need to hear the gospel, but how can they hear without a preacher, and how can a man preach unless he is sent?

Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Also, the Scripture says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. This means that for the unsaved to hear the Word of God, preachers need to preach the gospel.

To be quite frank, the power of God works through preachers of the gospel. He doesn't speak in some disembodied to get sinners saved. This is why believers are baptised with the Spirit so that God's power can work through them as they preach the gospel to the unsaved.

The problem with much of modern "evangelism" is that church leaders do everything else to try and get the unchurched into their meetings, except actually preaching the true gospel of Christ. There are all sorts of community activities to attract people, and "easy believerism" techniques are employed, such as, "Jesus is your friend. Just join up with our church and you will be saved". The trouble is that you get religious people who have one foot in the church and the other foot in the world. And a large proportion of those people last a year or two and then they are never seen again.

Paul say, "Woe is me if I don't preach the gospel!" In this he knew that unless he preached the gospel to the unsaved, no one would get to hear it, and therefore they would stay unsaved.

Good Day, Oscar

I think we agree can we both affirm it is the Churches job to preach the Gospel the Gospel is a benefit to even to regenerated believer.

The Gospel is the instrumental cause ordained by God to save souls as it is the power unto Salvation. The results are a testimony to Gods grace, and by this Jesus build His Church.

Can we agree?

In Him,

Bill
 
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Eha

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Why do you believe it took so long after asking? and how do you know you received it after the year and not when you first asked?
because i didnt believe, i was worthy to get it. still i wanted it - with whole my heart.

well, you cant miss it, when Holy Spirit fills you, rushes trough you and you start talking in foreign language with blink of the eye - literally.
 
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Good Day, Oscar

I think we agree can we both affirm it is the Churches job to preach the Gospel the Gospel is a benefit to even to regenerated believer.

The Gospel is the instrumental cause ordained by God to save souls as it is the power unto Salvation. The results are a testimony to Gods grace, and by this Jesus build His Church.

Can we agree?

In Him,

Bill
Yep!
 
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Eha

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if it is not proper, then just remove this post, but, as it was very hard for me, to get Holy Spirit baptism, I talked about it with Father later.
So maybe story or Father given hints help you?
I copy-paste it here, it's from my old blog, i deleted.
...
I wanted it so badly.
I met 2 famous pastors to get it - nothing.
I asked Jesus to baptism me almost every day - nothing.
I asked my pastor to help me - nothing.
I did lost hope and thought - its not for me.
Then i went to my friend to pray.
There were others with us. And i saw vision.
I saw Jesus standing over me, with lifted hands, in clouds, all white and smiling.
I told about that vision to my friend and she told me - time to get baptism with Holy Spirit and fire!
I wasn't sure, that vision was about it, i didn't believe, it ever will happen to me, but she convinced me to ask it and others start to pray.
We did pray for long time - nothing.
I told my friend - enough! its just not for me.
She laughed and told me - its for everyone. Do this - say "Thank You, Jesus!" like you already got it.
I did it.
Long time.

Nothing.

Then i lost my last hope and wanted to say - stop! ...But something happened with my tongue.
I couldn't say anything in my language. My tongue moved and weird words came out - names from Bible and something more.

I closed my mouth with hands and looked at my friend. I was scared, and happy...She laughed again, with tears in her eyes and told me - don't stop, get used to it!

Later i asked Father - why it was so hard to get that gift?

And He told me - until you peek around, wondering what is going on, what you feel, thinking - how it will happen or about stories, how it was with others and do you feel the same... until yours mind get you 1001 thought per second, you cant accept it.
Just that moment, second, you wont wonder, just that second you stop control yourself, Jesus will baptize you.
Its all about faith - faith don't wonder, peek around or try to feel, faith believes.


So if you tried to get baptism with Holy Spirit and fire and failed (i did try to get it a year), next time you ask - just repeat "Thank You, Jesus!" until yours mind get tired to "peek around, wondering and asking 1001 questions per second".

When it happens, yours mind don't control you anymore with "rationality" - you will get it. Because Jesus wants to give it to you.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Mark 16 - 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Act 2 - 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
 
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I think the Holy Spirit cannot be begotten with any man made ritual. There is no combination of words or actions that can force God to act. I would say that the Holy Spirit dwells unto which He is sent to.
 
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I think the Holy Spirit cannot be begotten with any man made ritual. There is no combination of words or actions that can force God to act. I would say that the Holy Spirit dwells unto which He is sent to.


One can not say “ Jesus is Lord” and mean it without having the Holy Spirit Indwelling them
 
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Andrewn

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From this we know that being born of the Spirit is a permanent indwelling and being Baptised in the Spirit is a permanent anointing and empowerment for ministry.
Are you saying that one can be empowered for holy living but not empowered for ministry? I've heard people who distinguish between being baptized with the Spirit and with fire. Is this what you have in mind?
 
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Eha

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I think the Holy Spirit cannot be begotten with any man made ritual. There is no combination of words or actions that can force God to act. I would say that the Holy Spirit dwells unto which He is sent to.
you missed whole point. no combination of words, no nothing give you Holy Spirit, but Father! Thing is that to accept it, you FIRST must believe. but for me it was really hard, so those words PREPARED MY MIND - if you read my post, you see it, i told it, i explained...
 
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