We have been learning about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in Tongues. Today is our second-to-last teaching, in which we will show from the Scriptures that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the speaking in tongues.
Remember it’s about POWER
Even though the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the speaking in tongues, we must remember that tongues are not the main thing.
Acts 1:8 says that we would receive POWER after that the Holy Spirit comes upon us.
The focus is POWER to witness, and POWER to live, and POWER to operate in the gifts of the Spirit!
There is a definite experience of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:11 says, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Those were the words of John the Baptist. Three and a half years later Jesus affirmed that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit. It says,
“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “ which,” He said, “ you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now (Acts 1:4)
The time indication, “Not too many days from now” was 10 days. 10 Days later, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-4.
Now, let’s move into learning what the Scriptures teach specifically about tongues as accompanying the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:
Tongues accompany the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Acts 2:4:
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4)
This is the very first time that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit occurred. They spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
A great lesson we learn here is that what Jesus called “baptized with the Holy Spirit” in Acts 1:4 is the equivalent to being “filled with the Holy Spirit” in Acts 2:1-4, when Jesus instructions on the baptism with the Holy Spirit was fulfilled.
(Note: If you have questions about whether these tongues were understandable languages or not, or whether tongues are for the purpose of preaching to people in their own language, check out my previous blog post articles and videos, because we won’t discuss it here today. Our focus on this study is that tongues typically accompanied the Baptism in the Holy Spirit)