Experience God

Matthew 3:11 (Amplified)

 "I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

This verse is recorded in all the four gospels -- stating that after John baptized with water, Jesus will come and baptize with the Holy Spirit. And depending on who you read or listen to, this second baptism would mean different things. But the Word of God is clear on this second baptism and it was unanimously recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (the other John).

Now if you're going to ask me, I would say that because the church started with an "experience" and this happened during Pentecost and every single apostle of Christ did experience His miracles first hand, even Paul during his Damascus Road experience (because he really wasn't with Jesus from the start and was kind of a late bloomer, like some of us, he too got his own "experience") -- so Jesus will also allow us (new believers of today, especially for those Doubting Thomases among us) to have the same experience or allow us to "experience" Him by "baptizing" us with the Holy Spirit.

But get this, only if we want to. God is never one to impose Himself, never had He and never will He force us into anything, much like when He didn't really twist our arm to force us accept Him as our Savior, well I hope not. And like we've discussed in our Acts 2 meetings, God will meet us at the level of our hunger for Him. If we want it hard enough, it is waiting and is available for us.  And so if you haven't really let go and let God yet, then I encourage you to seek this "experience" and God will be right there, ready and waiting to "baptize" you -- believe me, He is waiting.

If you believe in the bible, then you could believe that. And let me assure you, this experience is not weird, it's not scary, it's not crazy, it's not bogus, it's not heretical (as you can plainly see it is biblical) and it's not irrelevant. It's not for show or to make us look more spiritual than others, the Word does tell us to pray in the Spirit, and going through this experience is the only way for us to do that.

And so if you really want it and if you want to obey Him, then ask Him who the Word says will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and experience God like never before. And daily lift your hands to Him in praise and receive the infilling of the Spirit that you need for that day, your daily manna.

Matthew 3:11 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Mark 1:8 “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:16 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John 1:33 “He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.”