SLIDE: Luke 3:15-16 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
INTRODUCTION
ILLUST: Testimony: Hearing about the Holy Ghost for the first time.
• Rodney, “You’ll know when you get it!”
• Friends, “Hey, don’t tell people about speaking in tongues or they’ll put you away.”
• Deep inside I wanted it and knew that I just had to have it!
OLD TESTEMENT Talked about it
The Prophets of the Old Testament foretold of the coming of the Spirit of God.
SLIDE: Ezekiel 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
SLIDE: Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
SLIDE: Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
SLIDE: John said, “I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”
The Jews had longed for the day when the Spirit would come.
• The prophets had foretold His coming time and again;
• The people knew exactly what John was talking about!
IT’S POWER
I would like to address some questions that people ask…
1. “Do we need the Holy Ghost?”
2. “Can ANYONE have it?”
3. “How do I get it?”
Let’s start with the first question, “Do we need the Holy Ghost?”
SLIDE: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Like all of us, the Disciples lacked power without the POWER of the Holy Ghost and Fire!
• They failed repeatedly when trying to heal or cast out demons
• They lacked the courage to stand for Jesus and forsook Him
o Peter denied that he even knew Jesus
BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED!
SLIDE: Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was 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 all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The promise that the Prophets had foretold was finally fulfilled.
• God’s Spirit was being poured out and into the lives of people
• They were no longer without power
• The Holy Ghost Fire changed them.
That same Peter…
• Powerless
• Cowardly and Afraid
• Denied that he knew Jesus now stood up in front of a multitude of people and preached a message of salvation and thousands of souls were saved that same day!!!
SLIDE: Acts 2:14-16 KJV But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.
That same Peter that powerless to heal or cast out demons before, now with the power of the Holy Ghost Fire sees a lame man in front of the temple…
• SLIDE: Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?
THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST FIRE!
The Holy Ghost Fire changes us!
How many times do people make commitments to live for God, but then continue to keep going back to their old life?
• They want to serve the Lord.
• They desire a relationship with Him.
• They make promises to live for Him and serve Him, but something is missing!
• They have the desire, but not the power!
We need the Power of His Spirit and FIRE in our lives
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire
Baptism: the word "baptism" means to dip, to immerse, to submerge, to place into. John's baptism was with water, but Jesus' baptism was "in the Spirit and fire."
1. John's baptism was both a preparation and a symbol of the spiritual baptism that Jesus was going to bring.
John's water baptism meant two things.
• First, it symbolized cleansing from all sin. A person was being prepared for the cleansing that Christ would provide.
• Second, it symbolized separation or dedication. A person was setting their life apart to God in a renewed spirit of dedication. They were committing themselves to the Christ that John was preaching about.
2. Jesus' spiritual baptism is a double baptism.
First, Jesus baptizes the person in the Spirit. He dips, immerses, and places the person in the Spirit, and the Spirit in the person.
SLIDE: John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
A person may be carnal and materialistic, but once they have been baptized into the Spirit by Christ, they become spiritually minded.
SLIDE: Romans 8:5-7 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Second, Jesus baptizes the person in fire.
Fire has several functions that graphically symbolize the work of Christ.
• It illuminates
o Our spiritual eyes are open
• It warms
o It’s the warmth of the Love of God in our hearts
• It melts
o Those areas of our heart that have become cold and frozen
• It burns
o The impurities, chaff, sin and the desire for sin
Jesus Christ separates a person from his former life and purifies them within by filling them with the Power and the Fire of His Spirit.
CONCLUSION
So, can anyone have it? How do I get it?
SLIDE: Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
I CLOSE WITH ONE LAST QUESTION!
SLIDE: Do you WANT IT?!?!
It’s a PROMISE of the FATHER
It’s for EVERYONE and Jesus paid the price, so that you can have it today?
