I realize that, in my blog of a few weeks ago, on the subject of praying in the Spirit, I should have made a prerequisite clear. Not only must you, of course, be born again, but also you need to have been baptized in/filled with/received the Holy Spirit.
In my own case, I was born again as a fairly young child, probably aged 8 or 9. But as a young mother, I was reading in Luke one night and came across Luke 11:13: "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" I thought, "I've never asked for the Holy Spirit." And so I did. In the next few days, I experienced such an assurance of my salvation, and such a new interest in the Word, that it was clear this was some kind of real experience. Not long after that, I came across a book about the Holy Spirit and was introduced to the possibility that I could speak/pray in tongues.
Jesus' ministry here on earth was introduced when John the Baptist announced, "I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:8). Then, when Jesus came to John to be baptized in water, "immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:10, 11).
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days, and on the day He was to ascend to heaven, He reminded them "not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said, ' you heard from Me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now'"(Acts 1:4, 5). On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was initially poured out on the believers as "divided tongues as of fire...sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:3, 4). These were all Jewish believers.
In the book of Acts, in some of the instances where people spoke in tongues, two things happened first. First, of course, was that they believed in Jesus and His death, resurrection and complete work on the cross. Secondly, the Holy Spirit had come upon them or they were baptized in or filled with or specifically received the Holy Spirit. This could happen at the same time as they received Jesus, or subsequently.
When the first Gentiles had this experience, Peter was preaching to them the truth about Jesus and His resurrection, confirming that "'whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.' While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision (Jews) who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?'..." (Acts 10:43-48).
By that time, Philip had already been preaching Christ in Samaria with great success as "the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city...But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized" (Acts 8:6-8, 12). They were obviously true believers at this point. The story continues in verses14-17: "Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."
As born-again believers, we have the Holy Spirit within us (1 Corinthians 6:19, 2 Timothy 1:14). The baptism in or with the Holy Spirit, or the infilling of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience, which can happen at the same time as the new birth or any time after.
Similarly, speaking in tongues can come at the same time as this baptism in the Spirit, or any time afterward, when we ask for it and receive it in faith.
So, hopefully I have fixed an important gap that I left in that blog on "Praying in the Spirit" and I would love to hear from any of you who receive and begin to practise this gift.
