For a little while now, Vanessa and I have been talking to others about baptism. Of course there is the initial water baptism, and then there is a baptism in the Holy Spirit. What does the Word say about this?
And he was preaching, and saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Mark 1:7-8
So, we have John's water baptism and then Jesus' Holy Spirit baptism.
JOHN'S WATER BAPTISM
John's is of repentance, to allow us to change our ways...to turn from our sins and get ourselves out of the way! Just the basics here, repentance and belief....but awesome basics nonetheless. In this baptism we show our initial emptying out and belonging to Christ. God uses the empty vessels. This is where we die to ourselves and have our 'old man' done away with. This is where we become a new creation. We die to the flesh, beginning with water baptism, and pave the way for God to work.
We have not yet been 'endued with power' yet (Luke 24:49), because humans do a terrible job handling power. There has to be some purifying, some dying, and some sanctifying first. (Of course, with God, all of that can happen in an instant). The Spirit comes in and makes us more like our master.
Purity (generally) comes before God-given power as a means to keep us safe, humble, and not overly accountable. Our character by the Holy Spirit has to safely accommodate our gifts by the Spirit. So the character--and mind of--Christ should come first. This is a baptism that signifies purity and heart change.
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
So, we get ourselves out of the way when baptized in water. We die with Christ, and then also rise with Him. What's next? Well, God has made us pure. And He wants to intensify the power of Jesus' resurrection within us. He wants to pour into us more of the Spirit--He wants to give us a greater, secondary infilling. Unlike at the start, now we can be entrusted more power.
"But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2:20-22
Jesus said this while comparing His methods to John's. And this analogy can also apply to the difference between Jesus' baptism and John's. The second baptism, in the Holy Spirit, brings in a much larger gifting. It brings in much more 'new wine'. It enlarges our spiritual capacity, so that we can drink into the fullness of Christ. This baptism gives us power--not just any power, but the wonder-working power of the Spirit. This second baptism unleashes the essence of Jesus within us. It sets us on fire for Him, for the entire world.
The Lord wants to make us more effective. He has promised to make His minister a flame of fire. (Hebrews 1:7) He has promised to give us a light, that, if shown, is bright enough for all to see. (Matthew 5:16) It is time to start operating in the gifts. It is time to move in His power. That's what this second baptism is--power of equipping for effective ministry.
"Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." Ephesians 3:7
And he was preaching, and saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Mark 1:7-8
So, we have John's water baptism and then Jesus' Holy Spirit baptism.
JOHN'S WATER BAPTISM
John's is of repentance, to allow us to change our ways...to turn from our sins and get ourselves out of the way! Just the basics here, repentance and belief....but awesome basics nonetheless. In this baptism we show our initial emptying out and belonging to Christ. God uses the empty vessels. This is where we die to ourselves and have our 'old man' done away with. This is where we become a new creation. We die to the flesh, beginning with water baptism, and pave the way for God to work.
We have not yet been 'endued with power' yet (Luke 24:49), because humans do a terrible job handling power. There has to be some purifying, some dying, and some sanctifying first. (Of course, with God, all of that can happen in an instant). The Spirit comes in and makes us more like our master.
Purity (generally) comes before God-given power as a means to keep us safe, humble, and not overly accountable. Our character by the Holy Spirit has to safely accommodate our gifts by the Spirit. So the character--and mind of--Christ should come first. This is a baptism that signifies purity and heart change.
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
So, we get ourselves out of the way when baptized in water. We die with Christ, and then also rise with Him. What's next? Well, God has made us pure. And He wants to intensify the power of Jesus' resurrection within us. He wants to pour into us more of the Spirit--He wants to give us a greater, secondary infilling. Unlike at the start, now we can be entrusted more power.
"But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2:20-22
Jesus said this while comparing His methods to John's. And this analogy can also apply to the difference between Jesus' baptism and John's. The second baptism, in the Holy Spirit, brings in a much larger gifting. It brings in much more 'new wine'. It enlarges our spiritual capacity, so that we can drink into the fullness of Christ. This baptism gives us power--not just any power, but the wonder-working power of the Spirit. This second baptism unleashes the essence of Jesus within us. It sets us on fire for Him, for the entire world.
The Lord wants to make us more effective. He has promised to make His minister a flame of fire. (Hebrews 1:7) He has promised to give us a light, that, if shown, is bright enough for all to see. (Matthew 5:16) It is time to start operating in the gifts. It is time to move in His power. That's what this second baptism is--power of equipping for effective ministry.
"Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." Ephesians 3:7
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