BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
“Scriptural Answers to Common Objections”
All Scripture is taken from NKJV unless otherwise marked
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16 17 NKJV
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, means the Bible is supernaturally written. The Bible was inspired by God Himself, and because of that, the Scripture is profitable to you and me for Biblical doctrine or teaching.
Scripture is good for reproof and correction. The way you and I live and think needs to be reproved and corrected from time to time. Ideas we have about certain doctrines need to be reproved and corrected, based on what the Bible teaches about these doctrines.
Scripture is good for instruction in righteousness. We need to learn what the Scripture says about righteousness so we can put away sin - consciousness and enjoy our right standing with God.
When we allow the knowledge of the Word of God to teach us through life, we become more skillful in the good works of God.
Some might be wondering where I’m going with this verse. The reason I opened with this scripture, is because the topic we are about to discuss is scriptural. “Speaking in Tongues”. All over there are people who make not so scriptural objections to this scriptural experience.
Can we all agree by saying, the Bible must be the Christians final authority on any topic?
When talking about being filled with the Holy Ghost with other people there are those people who have made up their minds that they are not going to believe in this experience of speaking in tongues. I going to be blunt for a moment, “Don’t waste your time, or theirs, by having a Bible trivia debate with them. They will say, “That is not what that verse means, or my mind is made up. Don’t confuse me with the facts.
In Matthew 5:6, Jesus said it like this, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” If a person is not thirsty or hungry, will not be filled. The desire for us to have all that God has available must grow from the inside of us.
In Mark 16:17 Jesus said, And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; NKJV According to this scripture they will speak with new tongues.
Let’s look at some of the objections some people have about speaking in tongues.
Objection One: “Speaking in Tongues Is of the Devil”
People will say, those people are speaking in tongues. They are speaking in demonic gibberish. Some demon get on them and rants and raves. Or they say, You are demon possessed, or Tongues are strictly from the Devil.
Man’s opinion that tongues are of the devil has NO scriptural basis whatsoever. There is however, a scriptural answer for this objection. Look at Luke 11:9 13 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" NKJV
Objection Two: “Tongues passed away”
Many believe that tongues passed away after the Bible was completed, and that tongues ceased after the apostles’ deaths. Actually, there are more people speaking in tongues today than at any time in history.
For two thousand years, speaking in tongues has been documented and has never died out. The Pentecostal experience was first of by the prophet Joel.
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” Joel 2:28 29
So, the assumption that tongues was dependent upon the apostles’ life spans or upon the length of time it took the Bible to be written has absolutely no scriptural basis.
The Bible was not assembled as a book until over three hundred years after Jesus Christ was resurrected. If we believe tongues were in operation only until the Bible was completed, then we would have to agree that this manifestation was in existence for at least three hundred years.
This would mean that God favored the believers who lived in the first three hundred years of the Church more than those of us in the last seventeen hundred years. But the Bible says, God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34)
Objection Three: Only the Apostles Could Minister the In-filling
Some people maintain that only the apostles could the in-filling of the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues. However, Acts 9 deflates this belief.
In the beginning of Chapter 9, Saul was on a journey to arrest Christians. He was saved on the road to Damascus through a supernatural appearance of Jesus Christ. Jesus told Saul to go into the city and there he would be told what to do next. Saul arose and went to the city, but for three days he was blind and did not eat or drink.
Now take a look at Acts 9:10 12, Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 So the Lord said to him, "Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight." NKJV
Ananias was that certain disciple, but that certain disciple today, could be you. Disciple simply means a follower or student of Jesus Christ. Ananias was not one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Now look at verse seventeen and see what happened.
And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:17 NKJV
This champion tongue talker of the New Testament was ministered the in-filling of the Holy Ghost by a certain disciple, Ananias.
Now look at Acts 2:1-4, I want to point out some of the manifestations of this promise of the Father.
Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1 4 NKJV
The First manifestation was a sound. There came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind. V.2 Secondly, fire appeared. Thirdly, they were heard speaking in tongues. Fourthly, they acted like drunk people v.13. These four indications from the Word of God reveal that experiencing the promise of the Father could be seen and heard.
Five Recorded Instances in Acts of the Holy Ghost Baptism.
In Acts there are five recorded instances of believers receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, or the, in-filling, of the Holy Ghost. We can learn from these five examples.
FIRST OCCURRENCE (ACTS 2)
The first occurrence we have already look at, that is found in Acts 2:4
SECOND OCCURRENCE (ACTS 8)
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5 8
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Acts 8:12
Philip was having a revival here. Notice what the Bible says:
1) They gave heed to what he was saying.
2) They believed the things that he preached about the Kingdom.
3) They believed in Jesus.
4) They were baptized.
Now let me ask you a question, according to what we just read, were these people saved? Of course they were! They received the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost. They were born again, new creatures in Christ. Now lets look farther down this chapter. (vv. 14-16)
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 8:14 16
They were born again and indwelt by the Spirit of God. The apostles in Jerusalem had heard about it. So they sent Peter and John, because the Holy Ghost had not yet fallen on these people. The Samaritans were born again, they believed in Jesus and they were baptized, but they weren’t speaking in other tongues. They hadn’t experienced any of the manifestation that we read about in the second chapter of Acts.
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is a subsequent experience to salvation. It is different from your born-again experience. This is evidenced by the fact that the apostles in Jerusalem heard about it and sent Peter and John to minister this experience to them. Look at what happens next! (vv. 17-18)
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, Acts 8:17 18
Some might be thinking, “It doesn’t say anything at all about manifestations in the chapter”. Oh, yes it does. Look at v.18, when Simon saw... Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given. He saw them doing something didn’t he?
THIRD OCCURRENCE (ACTS 9)
We already talked about this occurrence earlier in the beginning.
FOURTH OCCURRENCE (ACTS 10)
Acts 10 is the fourth experience listed in the Bible.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." Acts 10:38 46
Here Peter just preached the salvation message of the Gospel. He didn’t bother giving an alter call, but somewhere in that message Cornelius got saved. How do we know that? Look at (v.44-45)
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Acts 10:44-45
How did those who came with Peter know that these Gentiles received the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Look at (v.46)
46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Acts 10:46
FIFTH OCCURRENCE (ACTS 19)
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 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." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John’s baptism." 4 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." 5 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. Acts 19:1 6
This verse also confirms that there is an experience with the Holy Ghost subsequent to and distinct from salvation, which is the indwelling, re-creative power of the Holy Ghost
Five out of five times when people were filled with the Holy Ghost, there were manifestations: sounds, fires, and prophesies. They magnified God, praised Him, and there were tongues. Only one of these manifestations was uniquely present on each occasion. The sign was the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Benefits of Speaking in Tongues
What is the purpose or benefit of speaking in tongues?
1) The first benefit of speaking in tongues is Edification.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Cor 14:4
Vines Expository Dictionary relates this experience to a charging up. (Ex. Putting jumper cables on a battery that is low).
2) The second benefit of speaking in tongues is Rest and Refreshing.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little." 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, 12 To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,"And, "This is the refreshing"; Yet they would not hear. Isa 28:10 12
Speaking in tongues is a refreshing from the cares of this world. It is also a relief not to say the same old stale prayers that beg and squall and bawl for God to do something. Just throw those prayers aside, begin to pray in other tongues, and be rejuvenated in the presence of God.
3) The third benefit of speaking in tongues is Holy Spirit Intercession.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Rom 8:26 28
4) The fourth benefit of speaking in tongues is Spirit Communication.
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. 1 Cor 14:2
I will close with this thought, I believe that God’s Glory is going to fill this place. And that great manifestations of the Holy Spirit will take place. Why??? Because God’s Word tells me, ’The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ’And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty." Hag 2:9 NIV
