Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Baptized in the Holy Spirit -- Dave Mangan
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Are you still excited about being baptized in the Holy Spirit? Are you still eager to share about it with others? Are you still growing in the spiritual gifts? Do you remember that it was the descent of the Holy Spirit that enabled the early Christians to evangelize? I ask these questions because sometimes need to be reminded that this is part of God’s plan for us. So why should you want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? Please allow me to share my top 10 reasons why you should.
1. Because God wants you to have it! That should be enough for you.
Acts 1:5 - For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38 – 39 - Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
2. This is one of the things Jesus came to do. John 1:32 –33 - Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’” Also see Matt. 3:11
3. You need a relationship with all three members of the Holy Trinity. Matthew 3:16 – 17 - As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him am well pleased.”
4. You will do the same things as Jesus – and even greater things. Do you actually think you can do this on your own power! John 14:12 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
5. It’s part of the normal Christian life. Acts 19:1- 6 - While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at 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.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
6. You need power to witness for Jesus. Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
7. God wants to give you spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:7 – 11 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. Also see Rom. 12:6 – 8
8. You are a Christian and that is how Christians live their life. Galatians 5:16 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galatians 5:24 – 25 - Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
9. We don’t want to be opposing God. Acts 11:15 – 17 - “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”
10. It comes highly recommended. Pope John Paul II – “Thanks to the charismatic movement, many Christians, men and women, youths and adults, have rediscovered Pentecost as a living and present reality in their daily life. I desire that the spirituality of Pentecost be spread in the Church, as a renewed thrust of prayer, holiness, communion and proclamation. May 30, 2004 Many other great Christians have testified to the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives: David duPlessis, Dennis Bennett, Francis of Assisi, John Wesley, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa (the preacher to the papal household of both Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict) and a host of others.