"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:   And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses" (Isaiah 44:3-4).

 "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth" (Hosea 6:3).  There are two rainy season in Israel the early rain is for planting, but the later heavier rain is that the crops may mature.

"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23).

"Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field" (Zechariah 10:1).

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11).

"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:21-22).

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19).

"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened" (Luke 3:21).

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13).

"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49).

"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts 1:5).

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren" (Acts 1:14).

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.    And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them"  (Acts 2:1-3).

"And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses" (Deuteronomy 34:9).

"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money" (Acts 8:17-18).

"And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 9:17).

"And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied" (Acts 19:6).

"Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.    When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied" (Acts 19:4-6 ). Here we find a normal order of events.  First, we assume that after Paul preached that Jesus was the Messiah to these disciples of John the Baptist that they did believe and were born of the Spirit.  Second, they were baptized in water (immersed) as an act of obedience as new Believers. Third, Paul laid his hands upon them, and they received (were baptized in) the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and prophesying.

A. In the land of Israel there are two basic rainy seasons.  One is a gentle rain (early rain) that comes in the fall and winter month.  This is a pre-planting rain.  The other one is heavier and comes in the spring time. The latter rain is for the growth, maturing, and harvest of the crops.   Isaiah speaks of the Holy Spirit as being rain.  "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:    And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses"  (Isaiah 44:3-4).  Joel confirms this by saying, "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23).  Hosea also speaks of coming of the Spirit of God as being the latter rain. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth" (Hosea 6:3).  The conclusion is there is a general work (former rain) of the Holy Spirit in the rebirth.  Then there is a second work (latter rain) of the Holy Spirit in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

B. Historically, the Disciples were saved on the day of the resurrection when Jesus offered them the rebirth by the Holy Spirit. "And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:20-21).   In looking at the context of these verses, one will find that Jesus had just made his first ascension following the resurrection.  The Peace Offering had been made in that he was the wave offering before the Father in heaven.  Now that peace had been made for man with the Father, Jesus could offer them the rebirth experience which is peculiar to the New Testament.  Therefore, what took place at Pentecost (fifty days later) was the baptism in and filling of the Holy Spirit. Question: Have you received the Holy Spirit and been born of the Spirit?  If you have, the next step is to be baptized (immersed in water) as a demonstration of your faith. Then you are to be baptized in the Holy Spirit for power to live the Christian life.

C. When one is saved, he receives an "earnest" or "down payment" of the Holy Spirit.  Paul says, "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (II Corinthians 1:22).  Furthermore, he states, "Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit" (II Corinthians 5:5).  The Holy Spirit (in rebirth) is our down payment of our inheritance..   "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14).

D. However, the primary purpose of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is for POWER!  "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth"  (Acts 1:8).  One can witness about Jesus without being a Believer.  Every Believer is a witness of Jesus, but may not give a true witness.  One may even feel the duty to witness, but give a false witness.  Therefore, the power of the Holy Spirit is to be a witness UNTO Jesus.  That is, when someone looks at us he should see JESUS.  This only takes place as the power of God flows through our lives.

IX.  Here are some purposes of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

A. The Holy Spirit will enable us to becomes witnesses unto Jesus. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). (See Acts 1:8).

B. The Holy Spirit will enable us to operate in the spiritual realm beyond the natural. "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will"  (I Corinthians 12:11).

C. The Holy Spirit will enable us to do the works of Jesus and greater works. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father"  (John 14:12).

D. The Holy Spirit will enable us to grow, mature, and become spiritually productive. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain" (James 5:7).

E. The Holy Spirit will enable us to learn what God would have us to learn. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26).  

F. The Holy Spirit will enable us to have a greater revelation of Jesus and his work. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me" (John 15:26).

G. The Holy Spirit will enable us to discover the truth and show us things to come. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13). 

H. The Holy Spirit will enable us to discover our inheritance in Christ. "All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:15). 

X. There are five factors in receiving the fulness off the Holy Spirit.

A. Be sure that you have been saved and baptized in water.  (see: Searching For Truth).

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9).

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).

B. Have a clean vessel. (see: Get A Clear Conscience).

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me". (Psalm 51:10).

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

C. Have a  strong desire to receive the Holy Spirit. (see: Motivated From Within)

"I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.    And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened"  (Luke 11:8-10).

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24).

D. Submit yourself to the laying on of hands.

"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts 8:17).

"And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied" (Acts 19:6).

E. Pray in faith for (ask the Fathers for) the Holy Spirit. (see: Positive Mental Attitude)

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13).

 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrew 11:6).

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit"  (Ephesians 5:18).  The term "be filled"  means to be "continually filled".  The Old Testament example is of the Lampstand.  The priests were to refill the lamps twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.  "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.   And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations" (Exodus 30:7-8).   That is a good example for us as well.  Yesterday's filling is not sufficient for today, nor today's filling sufficient for tomorrow.  When was the last time you were filled with the Holy Spirit?

First, it is by asking.   "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,  By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:29-31).

Second, we are refilled by  praise.  Ephesians 5:19  "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord".    "I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psalms 81:10).  "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3).     See "I did it in Desperation!"

Third, we may be filled when we are filled with His Word.  This means that we are to read, memorize and mediate on it.    "... for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34)    "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).

We are to be refilled TWICE a day.  A good way to do this is through keeping a prayer journal.  (See: Finding Peace of Mind)

Also see: The Anointing Breaks The Yoke

---

Return to
"Motivate From Within"

---