TWO SUPERNATURAL EVENTS (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 02 DAY 19)

ACTS 8:5,8 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and PREACHED CHRIST unto them.... 8 And THERE WAS GREAT JOY IN THAT CITY. Therefore, the Samaritans already had great joy, so that could not have been the sign or evidence which Simon saw that indicated the Samaritans had been filled with the Spirit. As I said, since the Holy Ghost can't be seen with the physical eye, there had to be some kind of sign that would cause Simon to know that these Samaritans had received the Holy Ghost when Peter and John laid hands on them. All evidence indicates that the sign that was manifested was speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues was the sign that convinced Simon beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Samaritans had received the Holy Ghost (we discuss the Bible evidence for receiving the Holy Spirit in Chapter 9).

 Two Separate Experiences: Saul's Conversion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit 

The passage in Acts chapter 9 which records Saul's baptism in the Holy Spirit also shows us that receiving salvation and receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences. We know that Saul was already born again when Ananias came to lay hands on him, but Saul had not yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. 

Saul's Conversion 

We know Saul had already been converted or born again on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9) for three reasons. First, in Acts 9:15,16, Jesus, speaking to Ananias in a vision, called Saul His chosen vessel. ACTS 9:15,16 15 But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he I Saul] is a CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME, to bear MY NAME before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for MY NAME'S SAKE. 

Second, we know Saul was saved because when Ananias entered the house where Saul was staying, Ananias greeted Saul by calling him "Brother Saul." ACTS 9:17 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him [ Saul] said, BROTHER SAUL, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Ananias recognized that Saul was already a Christian brother in the faith. 

Third, we also know Saul was already saved when Ananias came to lay hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit because the Bible says in Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Saul called Jesus, "Lord" in his conversion on the Damascus Road. ACTS 9:3-6 3 And as he [Saul] journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, LORD? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, LORD, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 

However, even though Saul had received Jesus as his Lord, Saul was not yet baptized in the Holy Spirit. As we have seen, Saul was not baptized in the Holy Spirit until Ananias came and laid hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit. ACTS 9:17 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house: and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. So we see that salvation and the baptism in the Holy Ghost are two separate experiences. 

The Gentiles of Cornelius' Household: Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit 

We also have other scriptural accounts of those who were saved and then immediately following salvation, they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We find one such example in the very next chapter, Acts 10, where the Bible gives us Peter's account of his visit to Cornelius' household. The men of Cornelius' household were all Gentiles, and they were not saved until Peter came and preached the gospel to them. In Acts chapter 11, Peter recounts his visit to Cornelius' household to the brethren in Jerusalem. ACTS 11:13-15 13 And he [Cornelius] shewed us [Peter and the six Jewish brethren] how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be SAVED. 15 And as I began to speak, THE HOLY GHOST fell on them as on us at the beginning. According to Peter's account, these Gentiles received salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit almost simultaneously. (Actually, the best time for someone to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit is when he is first saved J Notice that no one in Cornelius' household failed to receive the Holy Spirit. Notice, no one laid hands on these Gentiles. They all received the Holy Spirit about the same time. And, again, not one person failed to receive the Holy Spirit. Actually, speaking with tongues is what fully convinced Peter's company — the Jewish believers who accompanied Peter — that these Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit. The Jewish believers were astonished that the Holy Ghost was poured out on the Gentiles. ACTS 10:45,46 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 46 For they heard them speak with TONGUES, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Also, as we mentioned earlier, there is no suggestion of waiting in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Ephesian Disciples: Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit We find another example in the Bible showing that salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences. 

ACTS 19:1-7 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, THE HOLY GHOST CAME ON THEM; and THEY SPAKE WITH TONGUES, and prophesied. 

7 And all the men were about twelve. These Ephesian disciples were also all Gentiles. They had all been followers of John the Baptist, but they hadn't heard that Jesus had come, and therefore they had never been saved and baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. They had been baptized in the Name of the Father according to John's baptism. We must understand that news didn't travel then like it does now. Back then, you could live your entire life and die, and something newsworthy could have taken place a hundred miles from you, and you would probably have never known about it because in that day news only traveled by word of mouth. 

These folks had heard John the Baptist preach and tell that One was coming who would save them from their sins and baptize them in His Holy Spirit. They believed John's message and were baptized by John. But they had never heard that Jesus had come. They were walking in all the light they had, of course. Then here in Acts chapter 19, we see that Paul came to Ephesus and told these disciples that Jesus the Promised One, had come and that Jesus had died on the Cross and had risen again. Paul explained to these believers in Ephesus that the One whom John said would come after him had come, and that now they should believe on Jesus, and be saved. 

So when Paul came to these Ephesian disciples, he then baptized them in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and they were born again (Acts 19:5; Gal. 3:27). But Paul didn't stop there. He also wanted them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so he laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. When he did this, the Holy Ghost came upon them, ". . . and they spake with tongues . . ."(Acts 19:6). These Ephesians, who were brand-new converts, received the Holy Spirit when Paul laid hands on them. All of them received the Holy Spirit without exception. Again, there is not one suggestion of tarrying or waiting to receive the Holy Spirit. 

In conclusion, let us sum up two important thoughts. First, as we have seen, salvation and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences, although the Holy Spirit is involved in both supernatural events. Second, in all of these scriptures we have examined, there is no suggestion that the people in the Early Church were ever taught to tarry or to wait before they could be filled with the Holy Ghost. Let's find out what the Bible says about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Bible should be our example in everything we do; not tradition, nor the opinion of men.

FFT: Believers can receive this wonderful experience of the infilling of the Holy Spirit the Bible way! 

ACTION POINT: Be filled with the Holy Spirit now!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Do you believe in the instant baptism with the Holy Spirit?