After Jesus rose from the dead, He instructed His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to them, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). Now Jesus gave His disciples this command after they had accepted Him as the Messiah; in other words, after they were born again.
What is this “baptism with the Holy Spirit” that Jesus talked about? The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a special gift whereby the born-again believer in Jesus Christ is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life victoriously. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us. When we are baptized with or in the Holy Spirit, we are immersed, or “baptized,” in Him.
The outward manifestation of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. In the Book of Acts, we read of the disciples that “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4). Later on in the same book, when Peter visits the house of the Gentile Cornelius, we read, “While Peter was still speaking…, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message…For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (Acts 10: 44, 46). Again, when Paul was in Ephesus, he asked some disciples there, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” According to Paul’s question, the Ephesians had already believed—that is, they had already been born again—but they had not yet received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. When the Ephesians answered “no” to Paul’s question, he laid his hands on them. Then, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19: 1-6).
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is available to every born-again believer. If you have already accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord and wish to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, simply pray the prayer below. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord and wish to do so, please click here first.
When you receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, you will begin speaking in a language you never learned. You will have total control over your speaking. The gift of tongues is not something that gushes out of you against your will. God is a God of order, and everything He does is done in an orderly fashion. Moreoever, He will never violate your free will.
As you pray the prayer below, yield your voice to the Holy Spirit. You will be speaking in tongues with your own voice, but the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak. When you speak in tongues, you will be declaring God’s perfect will.
Speaking in tongues (also called “praying in tongues” or “praying in the spirit”) has two purposes: 1) it builds you up spiritually; 2) it is a way to pray when you don’t know how to pray. Speaking in tongues is for every believer in Jesus Christ.
There is a third aspect to speaking in tongues. This aspect is used in worship services. Some people are used by God to speak a message in tongues aloud during a church service. When this occurs, there is always someone in the service who has the gift of interpreting the message into the language of the people present. Not everyone has the gift of tongues for public worship.
Most important of all, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit will empower you to be victorious in every situation you will ever face in life. The disciples did not begin their active ministries until they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. God offers you the same gift. To receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, pray the following prayer:
Father, I am reborn. I am a Christian, Your child. Referring in Your Word to ordinary men, You said, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13). So now, Father, I ask You to baptize me with Your Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, rise up within me. As I begin to praise God, I fully expect to speak in tongues as You, Holy Spirit, give me the words. Thank You for this great gift. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.
As you pray this prayer, strange-sounding words will come to your mind. These words will sound like gibberish, but speak them anyway. At first, the words may come haltingly, but soon they will flow out of your mouth like a river of living water. Your spirit will be filled with great joy, unlike anything you have ever known.
After you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, you will find it life-changing to pray in tongues every day. This practice has revolutionized my life. Speaking in tongues will do the same for you.
God bless you!
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Copyright 2000-2022 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.