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Sun. 16/3/2014

Quarter’s Theme: THE HOLY SPIRIT

Unit 1 Theme: Experiential Encounter With The Holy Spirit (Lessons 1-3)

SOUL WINNERS CROWN COMPETITION MONTHS

 

16/3/2014  LESSON  3

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 70, 80

Devotional Reading: JOHN 7:37-38

Topic For Adults

THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU

Topic For Youths

THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU

Scripture Lesson

ACTS 2:1-4, 38-39; 8:17; 

JOHN 7:37-39

 

Memory verse:    Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one 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) NKJV

 

DAILY BIBLE READING

Thirst For The Holy Spirit

Jn. 7:37-38; Matt. 7:6-11

On the last day of a particular Jewish feast – the festival of shelters, Jesus stood up and called on those who thirst, to come to Him and drink and that He was talking of the Holy Spirit whom those who believe in Him shall receive. This means only those who thirst for the baptism in the Holy Spirit will receive Him. The Bible says blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled (Matt. 5:6). Are you thirsting for the Holy Spirit? Matthew also tells us that God cannot give holy things to dogs and swine (sinners). Are you on the Lord’s side? He also enjoins us to ask, to seek and to knock for the gift of the Holy Spirit from our heavenly Father who usually gives good gifts to all His children.

Point of Emphasis:     Complacent, sinful and compromising Christian cannot receive the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Point:              Lord, I am hungry and thirsty for the Holy Spirit, fill me today to  fullness and to the overflowing.  

BACKGROUND

When a person is born again, doesn’t he or she have the Holy Spirit? What
then is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? How and when does it normally
happen? Who are the people qualified to have the experience? What are the evidences that a person has been baptised in the Holy Spirit? These are some of the questions that this week’s lesson will address.

NOTES ON THE TEXT

I.     THE MEANING AND THE EXPERIENCE OF BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE EARLY CHURCH – ACTS 2:1-4

The Holy Spirit baptism is a specific and important experience of the Christian in which the Holy Spirit comes upon him, fills him and empowers him more than the Old Testament experience. It is an experience in which the Holy Spirit takes a full control of the Christian’s life. It is the fullness of the blessings people had been having in part before the day of Pentecost. Put in another way, it is an experience whereby a child of God is immersed in the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ for the purpose of receiving power to be a fruitful witness for Jesus Christ.

Reinhard Bonnke gives a vivid illustration of the meaning of the baptism in the Holy Spirit when he explains that the word “baptism” did not have a religious meaning originally but it is from the trade of dyeing fabrics. The English equivalent is “dipping”. The cloth or garment is dipped into the dye and the cloth takes on the colour or character of the dye. In the same vein, when a Christian is baptised in the Holy Spirit, he partakes of the “colour” or character of the Spirit, he becomes a partaker of the divine nature – 2 Peter 1:4.

It should be noted that baptism in the Holy Spirit is a sure experience which will be clearly known to whoever has it. On the day of Pentecost, when about 120 disciples were baptised, they did not need anyone to tell them that they had received it. The Bible records how the baptism happened. First, there was a mighty rushing wind, then a cloven tongue as of fire sat on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. You should know that at conversion, a Christian has a certain measure of the Holy Spirit but at baptism in the Holy Spirit, he receives an infilling and outpouring of the Holy Spirit to empower, strengthen and energise him to be able to do and accomplish all of God’s plans and programmes for his life.

From the explanation above, you need to know whether you have been baptised in the Holy Spirit or not. It is a definite event that brings about a turn around in one’s walk and work with God.

II.    THE INITIAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – ACTS 2:4; 8:17; 10:46; 19:6

There seems to be controversy on the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit among Christians but if it is an experience one can be sure he has got, there must be a sign of having received it. Also, it must be known that there are many other signs and evidences of the Spirit’s fullness in a believer’s life but we are concerned here with the initial sign of being baptised. We are also concerned with the Biblical experience and not human tradition. Right from the day of Pentecost, to Cornelius’ household and to the Ephesian believers where the experience is recorded, the common denominator after receiving the Holy Spirit is that they began to speak with or in other tongues. The only place where the Bible is silent on the speaking in tongue as an initial evidence is that of Samaria (Acts 8:17) where it is recorded that “and they received the Holy Spirit”. But we can be sure that their own experience cannot be different from others.

However, it must be known that this does not mean that anyone who has not spoken in other tongues has not got the Holy Spirit, the only difference is that he has not got the sign of the experience of the Holy Spirit baptism. Also, each of us should beware of counterfeit tongues that people learn today by imitating other people and speaking the same language. This is deceiving oneself. If you so desire the genuine sign, you will receive it, if you pray earnestly for it.

III.   HOW TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM –  ACTS 2:38-39, JOHN 7:37-39

To have the experience of the Holy Spirit baptism, there are certain steps you need to take. You must understand that we call Him the Holy Spirit, so He likes dwelling in holy places and in holy people. The first step is to have genuine repentance and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour (Acts 2:38). The second step is for you to thirst for it (Jn. 7:37-39). This thirst should arise out of your understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit to your spiritual survival and fruitfulness in this world and in the world to come. The third step is for you to believe that it is a gift promised by God and you are qualified to receive the fulfilment of the promise (Acts 2:39). And the last step for the Holy Spirit baptism is prayer with faith without doubts (Lk. 11:11-13; Jam. 1:6).

CONCLUSION

There are some Christian groups that believe that the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit is specifically for the early Christians and not for our generation. This is a lie of the devil. The promise is for the believers of all generations. Those who are yet to have this experience should sincerely ask for it from God and receive in faith. Those who have been baptised before can always ask for the refreshing power in their lives.

QUESTIONS

1.     What do you understand by baptism in the Holy Spirit?

2.     To what trade is the word “baptism” originally connected?

3.     The Biblical initial evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongue. Do you agree? Why or why not?

4.     Mention the steps one must take to be baptised with the Holy Spirit.

 

French

DIMANCHE 16/03/2014

LA SOIF DU SAINT-ESPRIT

JEAN 7 :37-38; MATTHIEU 7:6-11

Au dernier jour d’une certaine fête juive – ‘le festival des abris’, Jésus se tint debout et appela tous ceux qui avaient soif, de venir à lui et de boire alors qu’il parlait du Saint-Esprit que recevront tous ceux qui croient en lui. Cela signifie que c’est seulement ceux qui ont soif du baptême du Saint-Esprit qui le recevront. La Bible dit : « Heureux ceux qui ont faim et soif de la justice, car ils seront rassasiés! » (Matthieu 5:6). As-tu soif du Saint-Esprit ? Matthieu nous dit aussi que Dieu ne peut pas donner des choses saintes aux chiens et aux pourceaux (pécheurs). Es-tu du côté du Seigneur ? Il nous impose aussi de demander, de chercher et de frapper pour le don du Saint-Esprit de notre Père céleste qui d’habitude donne de bons présents à ses enfants.

Point essentiel : Tout chrétien imprudent, pécheur et compromettant ne peut pas recevoir le Saint-Esprit.

Axe de prière : Seigneur, j’ai faim et soif du Saint-Esprit, remplis-moi aujourd’hui de ta plénitude jusqu’à déborder.