HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT SINCE YOU BELIEVED?


The Holy Spirit showed me something fascinating today. I saw houses with no lights on. The houses were still intact but the electricity was out. There are Christians who are saved but not filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants to fill and empower every believer on the face of the earth.

In the book of Acts chapter 19 Paul was traveling to Ephesus. He found some disciples and asked them “Did you receive the Holy Spirit since you became a believer?” They were already disciples of Jesus but had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They replied that they have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Then he asked them “Then what were you baptized into? They didn’t understand what he meant so they replied “Into John’s baptism”. Then Paul explained to them that Johns baptism was for repentance and to teach people how to follow Jesus. After they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Please note that they were already believers before this but they didn’t receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul was an amazing man of God. He was formerly named Saul and had an incredible conversion on the road to Damascus. Before this time he persecuted and even murdered Christians. He became so radical for Jesus that he wouldn’t stop preaching the word of God and converting people to Christianity. He had been imprisoned several times in which one time he was chained between two soldiers and an angel came to him, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. He wrote fourteen books of the New Testament and had an extraordinary ministry of miracles, signs and wonders. He led many into salvation and deliverance from demons and even raised the dead.

In the book of Acts chapter 2 when they were all assembled in the upper room, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Luke 4:1 mentions Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, in Acts 13:9 Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, Acts 4:8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, Acts 7:55 Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, In Luke 1:67 Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:4, 4:31 and Acts 13:52 The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts chapter 16:7 states that tongues is one of the signs that follows believers. The Lord wants to fill every born again Christian with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It is a free gift for those who believe to empower us and equip us to do extraordinary things in our personal lives and ministries for the Kingdom of God.


1 Corinthians 14:2
For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

Acts 2:4
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 16:17-18
And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Acts 19:1-7 (The Passion translation)
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would 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 hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 
 
Elaine Tavolacci  

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