How does a person receive the Holy Spirit?

[Chris V++]

When I was baptized by a baptist preacher he actually put his hands on me when he dunked me in the water and baptized me in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Does that count?

 

[Eha]

How do we tell the difference?

I am a bit confused - what you really talk about?
There is baptism with Holy Spirit and fire and
there is filled with The Spirit?
Baptism may happen just once
Filled you may be daily.

about baptism with Holy Spirit and fire

a) praying together

Acts 2: 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

b) Who already are baptized with Holy Spirit, put hands on you

Acts 8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

c) When you listen someone who is filled (do not mess with baptism) with Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.

Note: Water baptism can take place after the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 10:47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

i was baptized with Holy Spirit and fire 30 years ago.
last time filled with Holy Spirit today.
i have experienced both.

 

[Charlie24]

When I was baptized by a baptist preacher he actually put his hands on me when he dunked me in the water and baptized me in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Does that count?

The answer to this will open a can of worms. But here it goes anyway.

Water baptism has nothing to do with receiving the Holy Spirit.

It is a commandment of our Lord after salvation to publicly acknowledge the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

The apostle Paul said that we were crucified with Him, buried with Him, and resurrected with Him at salvation.

Water baptism is our public confession of our faith in His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Nothing more!

 

[Eha]

Water baptism is our public confession of our faith in His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Nothing more!

BRAVO!

 

[Carl Emerson]

The definition of being filled with the Spirit is to be controlled or influenced by the Spirit. But I hold to the view that the initial baptism with the Spirit is concurrent with the total transformation that comes with true conversion to Christ. The Holy Spirit doesn't come and indwell a person at conversion, and then go away again to re-indwell at a later date. The Holy Spirit came and went with Old Testament saints, but comes to dwell permanently with New Testament saints. But there are times when the Holy Spirit causes a greater influence for a particular task, ie: the Holy Spirit gift of faith, where for a particular challenge or activity a powerful injection of faith is required. So, I believe that when New Testament saints were 'filled with the Spirit' on a particular occasion, they were manifesting this powerful injection of the spiritual gift of faith to accomplish what the Spirit intended at that time.

With all due respect I differ from Oscarr on this one.

I Believe we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit at conversion and Baptised in the Spirit later as an additional permanent anointing to be empowered for ministry.

The disciples already had the Holy Spirit indwelling before pentecost but not the permanent empowering on their lives for ministry.

We receive the indwelling presence at conversion when we repent and ask Him to take over our lives - we open the door for Him to reside in us.

In His Time when we are ready to be empowered for ministry we receive the same anointing Jesus received at His baptism - when the Spirit comes upon and remains upon as John testified. Jesus already had the Holy Spirit within from birth.

On some but not all occasions one can be born again and Baptised in the Spirit at the same time but this is rare.

 

[HTacianas]

Time and time again scripture says "laying on of hands". Is there someone you know who can do this for you? It seems you need a sign, which is also stated in scripture. So? Know someone? If I was around, I would do it for you!

How did you get the power to do that?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

How do we tell the difference?

We can't - through outward appearance- this is why we don't make hasty judgments about people, but rather give others the benefit of the doubt. God is the only one who knows the hearts of people, and He has reserved the day of judgment for the true hearts of everyone will be revealed. This is why I treat every Christian brother and sister has being filled with the Spirit regardless of how they appear. There are many who appear very earnest and religious and they may or may not be filled with the Spirit; and there are others who appear to have one problem after another, and we might be tempted to doubt that they are filled with the Spirit when they could very well be living and walking very successfully in the Spirit as for as God is concerned.

 

[crossnote]

Please give examples from the bible of people receiving the Holy Spirit. Preferably the new testament.

Acts 19:2 (KJV) He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(Gal 3:2)

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
(Joh 7:37-39)


There is no magic formula except believing the Gospel

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Can I have an example from the new testament? It's just that simple.

Book thus ?:?? Some guy decided to believe in Jesus and he received the Holy Spirit.

It is not as simple as that. For me "deciding to believe in Jesus" is easy believerism which involves putting on the Christian badge, and getting religion. One can attend church regularly, live a moral life, talk the talk and walk the walk and appear outwardly to all intents and purposes that he is a genuine Christian. But his heart may not be changed at all. All he has done is to make some outward cosmetic changes to his conduct and behaviour.

I like the Puritan way in that a person can profess belief in Christ but he is not saved until after seriously seeking God with all his heart, he is genuinely converted to Christ, involving a total transformation of his heart and attitude to Christ. Then he is living a holy life because he loves Christ and wants to glorify Him, and not for the purpose of having others approve of his earnest religious conduct.

It is interesting that many Pentecostals make a decision for Christ, and seek earnestly for the baptism with the Spirit. When it happens, they experience a total transformation. I have come to the belief that when the transformation happens that is when they were genuinely and totally converted to Christ and therefore saved.

 

[Peter J Barban]

John 20
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

There is no Biblical evidence that they didn't receive the Spirit right there.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

How did you get the power to do that?

It is the power of prayer. Any believer can pray for you in this way. Or you can ask Him yourself. Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Then, stop doubting and walk in His Spirit.
Blessings

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

It's not one in the same! The indwelling Holy Spirit is received as Paul said, when we believe the Gospel.

The receiving of the Holy Spirit as in the example you gave is a different experience.

Both can be received together or separately.

I agree the Pentecostals have muddied the waters but not by saying they are two different experiences but by stealing the name "baptism of the Holy Spirit."

That term was long held by theologians as meaning the regeneration process at salvation. But the Pentecostals hi-jacked that term to mean something else.

Paul, in Acts 19:2, is quite clear that Christians receive the Holy Spirit when they believe. Read it for yourself - "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Notice that Paul does not say if they received the Holy Spirit after they believed, but when they believed. This is consistent with the other two examples in Acts. These Ephesus disciples had only the baptism of John and presumably had left town before the events around the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Because they had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit, they were not in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

When Paul wrote the Galatians, he automatically assumed that Christians received the Holy Spirit as soon as they embraced Christ by faith.

"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3).

Paul is quite clear in saying that believing what the Galatians heard in the gospel of Christ and starting in the Spirit are exactly the same thing. Along with the three direct examples in Acts, and what Paul says here in Galatians, there is a much stronger case for accepting that the baptism with the Spirit and conversion to Christ are one and the same, than of a subsequent experience after conversion.

The main problem with Pentecostals and Charismatics is that they are more experience oriented than Scripture oriented. This means that their faith is more strongly based in experiences than in the bare written Word. So, they can believe on the bare written word that they are saved when they receive Christ, but expect some type of experience before they will believe that they are baptised with the Spirit. The reality is that the baptism with the Spirit doesn't have to be an experience. In fact, the impact of the power of the Spirit is not in the believer at all. It is in the unsaved when the gospel is preached to them. This is supported by Paul's statement, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

Therefore, much of what Charismatics and Pentecostals describe concerning power is nothing more than goosebumps up the spine and wacky flesh manifestations which contribute nothing to the impact of the gospel on the unsaved and the salvation of their souls.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Same with "Born Again"

In my view, and I think supported by Scripture, is that being born again is exactly the same as being baptised with the Spirit.

 

[Carl Emerson]

This is not supported by scripture.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

With all due respect I differ from Oscarr on this one.

I Believe we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit at conversion and Baptised in the Spirit later as an additional permanent anointing to be empowered for ministry.

The disciples already had the Holy Spirit indwelling before pentecost but not the permanent empowering on their lives for ministry.

We receive the indwelling presence at conversion when we repent and ask Him to take over our lives - we open the door for Him to reside in us.

In His Time when we are ready to be empowered for ministry we receive the same anointing Jesus received at His baptism - when the Spirit comes upon and remains upon as John testified. Jesus already had the Holy Spirit within from birth.

On some but not all occasions one can be born again and Baptised in the Spirit at the same time but this is rare.

I understand that traditional Pentecostal doctrine has the baptism with the Spirit as an experience subsequent to conversion. But I can't see it in Scripture. But then, many Pentecostals don't hold to Sola Scriptura, but add experiences to it. Not much different to the RCC adding church tradition to Scripture.

It is very interesting to me that many receive Christ by faith in bare written Scripture, but then go on to believe that they are baptised with the Spirit through some sensory experience or the ability to speak in tongues. But isn't faith in sensory experience the flesh and not the Spirit?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

This is not supported by scripture.

From what I see, there is only one event that seems to indicate that the baptism with the Spirit happened after people believed the gospel and embraced Christ. That is the event where Philip preached the gospel to the Samaritans and a revival took place, and then Peter and John came, laid hands on the people who received the Holy Spirit.

I think it is risky to base an important doctrine on one narrative event in Acts, when there are a number of references that clearly indicate something different to that event. Luke recorded what he observed, or what was reported to him from the many interviews he had with the eye witnesses; but it is obvious to me that Paul believed differently. Paul believed that conversion to Christ and the baptism with the Spirit were one and the same. He has said nothing about receiving the Spirit is subsequent to conversion. Perhaps I might have missed something he might have said, but I don't think so.

 

[PaulCyp1]

Primarily through the two sacraments Jesus Christ instituted for that purpose - baptism and confirmation.

 

[Carl Emerson]

OK starting with Jesus.

Matters to consider.

Was He indwelled by the Holy Spirit before He was baptised?

How was John the Baptist told by God that He should identify the Messiah?

Did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit before Pentecost?

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

Can we resolve these 4 issues before embarking on a theology from Scripture.

 

[Paulus59]

Please give examples from the bible of people receiving the Holy Spirit. Preferably the new testament.

Read the NT starting from Acts and see examples for yourself, better still read the Gospels - with an open heart - starting with Mark and receive the Holy Spirit yourself? Get a good bible version though.

 

[Paulus59]

Copy & pasted from GotQuestions.org​

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"When / How do we receive the Holy Spirit?"

Answer: The apostle Paul clearly taught that we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. First Corinthians 12:13 declares, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Romans 8:9 tells us that if a person does not possess the Holy Spirit, he or she does not belong to Christ: “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Ephesians 1:13-14 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

These three passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit is received at the moment of salvation. Paul could not say that we all were baptized by one Spirit and all given one Spirit to drink if not all of the Corinthian believers possessed the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 is even stronger, stating that if a person does not have the Spirit, he does not belong to Christ. Therefore, the possession of the Spirit is an identifying factor of the possession of salvation. Further, the Holy Spirit could not be the “seal of salvation” (Ephesians 1:13-14) if He is not received at the moment of salvation. Many scriptures make it abundantly clear that our salvation is secured the moment we receive Christ as Savior.

This discussion is controversial because the ministries of the Holy Spirit are often confused. The receiving/indwelling of the Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the Christian life. While we hold that the baptism of the Spirit also occurs at the moment of salvation, some Christians do not. This sometimes results in the baptism of the Spirit being confused with “receiving the Spirit” as an act subsequent to salvation.

In conclusion, how do we receive the Holy Spirit? We receive the Holy Spirit by simply receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 3:5-16). When do we receive the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit becomes our permanent possession the moment we believe.

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So all TRUE Christians are examples of those that have received the Holy Spirit!