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Your
Personal Pentecost:
Praying for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
By Janet Biggart
"Have you received
the Holy Spirit since you believed in Jesus?" This is the question
Paul asked a group of believers (Acts 19:2), and it is also a question
for each of us to consider. On the day of Pentecost, Peter says this gift
of the Holy Spirit is for you, your children, and all who are far from
Jerusalem (far in geography and far in time--even today here in Seattle).
(See Acts 2:39).
We believe in God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit--three persons--one God.
It is the by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are enabled to believe
in Jesus and to receive Him as our Lord and Savior. At the time of conversion,
the Holy Spirit comes to live inside the believer. At the baptism in the
Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11;Mark 1:8;Luke 3:16;John 1:33;Acts 1:5,2:4) the
Holy Spirit saturates us and flows out of our innermost being to influence
the world around us.
The work of the Holy
Spirit is to reveal the presence and truth of Jesus Christ and to glorify
Him. We also receive greater power from God when the Spirit is released
in our lives. He brings us into a more intimate and loving relationship
with the Lord Jesus and God the Father. The Holy Spirit also convicts
us of sin and in this way leads us to repentance and the peace and strength
of a clear conscience. He desires for us to walk in the Spirit and be
led by the Spirit. He wants God's power to flow through us and He wants
to develop in us the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Here are some guidelines
to follow when praying for this gift of the Holy Spirit:
- Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ, that He is God made flesh who came to earth--fully
God and fully man. It is by His sacrificial death and physical resurrection
that we have access to God the Father and experience complete forgiveness
for our sins and receive new life in rebirth and redemption.
Prayer: "Father God, thank You for sending Jesus, Your only begotten
Son, to live and die for me. Jesus, I believe that You died and were
physically raised from the dead to give me new life. Please forgive
my sins and come and live in me now. I give my life into Your care.
Thank You, Lord. Amen."
When by faith you invite Jesus to live in your heart, He does that.
That is His promise to you, whether you feel different or not.
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Renounce all
involvement in the cults and occult. The spirit world is sharply divided
into the world of God and the world of God's enemy, Satan. Before
prayer for the release of the Holy Spirit, it is important to do some
spiritual house cleaning which will help prevent problems later.
Many people searching for God have knowingly or unknowingly walked
into Satan's territory. Satan is a liar and will use these deceptions
whenever possible. Here is a partial list of false religions and occult
teachings and practices which must be renounced and avoided.
A. False religions and cults teach there is some other way to
know God than through Jesus Christ or some later time instead of right
now. They do not teach that God is a triune being: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. They sometimes use and teach the Bible, but it is distorted
or they add supplemental writings as also necessary.
Examples: Christian Science, Unity School of Theology, Mormonism,
Jehovah's Witnesses or world religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism,
Bahai, and pagan religions.
B. Occult categories to be renounced: Fortune telling--Tarot
cards, crystal ball, etc. Extra-sensory perception--telepathy, clairvoyance,
mind-reading, astrology, and horoscopes, so-called mind expansion
drugs, hypnosis, TM, sorcery or witchcraft--magic, spirits or spiritualism--going
to a medium or channeler (Human spirits do not remain on earth after
death, but evil spirits can counterfeit them). Physical phenomena--telekinesis
(control movement of matter such as dice, cards or bending spoons
with the mind), levitation or astral projection. The power is demonic.
C. The New Age Movement is a mixture of cult and occult teachings
and practices, such as belief in reincarnation and channeling. Scripture
references: Deut 18:9-14; Acts 16:16-19, 19:19,20.Two kinds of problems
experienced by people who have participated in any of these are intellectual
confusion and harassment by evil spirits. Therefore, the following
should be spoken:
"Father God, please forgive me for being involved in _____________________
(be specific). I will not do this again and I will burn any books
and equipment involved in this as soon as possible.
"Spirit of ______________ (false teaching), I bind you under
the blood of Jesus Christ, my Savior. I break your power over me and
command you to depart from me, never to return in Jesus' name. "Thank
you, Jesus, for setting me free. Amen"
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Ask Jesus to
baptize you in the Holy Spirit. Prayer: "Dear Jesus, thank you
for coming to live in me and for cleansing me from all sin. Now please
baptize me in the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Now stop speaking English and begin to use your own voice to make
a "joyful noise unto the Lord." The Holy Spirit will give
you a supernatural prayer language, with which to talk or sing to
God (1 Cor 14:2) in praise, confession, petition, intercession and
thanksgiving. As you speak the sounds, don't judge them but continue
to speak. On the day of Pentecost, Luke reports, "They began
to speak in other tongues (languages) as the Holy Spirit enabled them"
(Acts 2:4). This is a cooperative effort. You do your part and God
does His. It's a beautiful symbol of our working relationship with
God. We don't do it all and God doesn't do it all. It is a mutual
cooperation; as we yield to God in faith and experience, His power
comes forth to do through us what we could not do alone.
As the new language begins, allow it to flow and use these words in
prayer daily along with your prayer in English. Paul says, "I
will pray with my spirit (tongues) and I will pray with my mind (English)
also" (1 Cor 14:15).
Then give thanks. "Thank You, Lord for baptizing me in the Holy
Spirit. Help me to be led by Your Spirit and walk in the ways You
have prepared for me. Amen."
Copyright 1989 by
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
5710 22nd NW, Seattle WA 98107
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