Holy Spirit Baptism IS NOT the Gifts

The baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues was PROMISED TO ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS, WHO REPENT AND WHO ARE BAPTIZED IN WATER. We read in Acts 2:38,39”And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 39“For the promise is for you and your children AND FOR ALL who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”

ALL THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT DO SPEAK IN TONGUES.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit IS NOT THE GIFTS of the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is to edify the individual, it is the infilling of the Holy Spirit of that specific person. You become spiritually connected to God. He gives you a tongue by which you can communicate with God, speaking mysteries to Him. We read in 1 Corinthians 14:2”For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.”
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for edification of the Body of Christ, not for the individual. The gifts of the Holy Spirit that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 12 only FOLLOW AFTER A PERSON WAS FIRST BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT with speaking in tongues. We see in 1 Corinthians 12:7 ” 7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit FOR THE COMMON GOOD.” That is when the Body of Christ assembles, it is for the edification of the Body, not of the individual. The gift of speaking in tongues is different from the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

We read in verse 8”For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another VARIOUS KINDS OF TONGUES, and to another the INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES.” That is distinct, different, from being baptized in the Holy Spirit. If a person is given a tongue and he speaks that tongue, he does not understand what he is saying, and the tongue is not translated, IT IS INTERPRETED. That person might be speaking in a known language WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT. I have spoken in a known language and people have asked me whether I know that language. I did not even know that I was speaking in that language, but that is a once off, on the occasion, for that specific time or occasion, that that utterance is given. It is a sign to the unbelievers not to the believers.

People are confused, the uninformed do not understand it that there is a difference between baptism in the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. THE GIFTS ONLY FOLLOW AFTER A PERSON HAS RECEIVED THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. Spiritual maturity and your ability to contribute to the Body of Christ only follows after you have grown in your relationship with God. A newcomer who is just baptized in the Holy Spirit is not spiritually mature. Those gifts are only given to those who participate and who build up the Body of Christ. It is for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ, FOR THE COMMON GOOD. Many have received these gifts and they use it for their own benefit. Many have received the gifts and they neglect the gifts, they don't use them. Many have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, they don't use the tongue that God has given them to communicate with Him and then they fall away.

Do not be deceived, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues WAS PROMISED TO ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE. And remember, if you keep on following Jesus and you make yourself available then God will give other gifts to you so that you can build up the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is a spiritual body, not an academic body. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.

Seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit, THAT IS THE BEGINNING, and then after that, SEEK THE GIFTS so that you can contribute to the Body of Christ and be fruitful for the Kingdom of God.

May Jesus bless you.