Acts 19:4-6

Acts 19:4-6 - Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

As Paul was spreading the Word of God throughout the city of Ephesus he found some men who already believed. These men had heard the message and turned their lives over to Jesus. They had received the baptism of John, water baptism, but knew nothing of the baptism of the Spirit. When Paul asked them about it they said they had never heard anything about the Spirit.

On hearing this Paul began to explain the differences between the two baptisms. Now both baptisms are important. When we receive Christ we get baptized in water. As Paul explains it, this is a baptism of repentance. It is an outward sign of what is going on inside our heart and mind. Water baptism represents us turning from our old life of sin and turning to new life in Jesus. Paul later describes it as a representation of us joining with Christ in death, burial and resurrection.

While this is important we must not stop here. Jesus has more for us. He wants to give the Holy Spirit as our helper. Once inside us the Spirit is our direct link to God. Paul says later that God’s Spirit “testifies along with our spirit that we are God’s children(Romans 8:16).” As we see in this passage the Spirit of God often comes with the laying on of hands, but it is not always that way.

You can receive the Spirit on your own. if you have not yet received this baptism don’t wait any longer. Go before God and be baptized into the name of Jesus and let His Spirit come inside of you. Then you can walk in direct fellowship with God.