Baptism of the Holy Spirit

How to Receive This Promised Gift

Reuben A. Torrey

• Publisher: Aneko Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781622456154
• eBook ISBN: 9781622456161
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? – Acts 19: 2Scripture clearly separates being born again, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. These three are not lumped together as one in Scripture. Instead, they are presented as separate experiences for the Lord's people. Today, however, few people know exactly what the Scriptures say regarding the Holy Spirit, and the consequence is men trying to do things in their own strength. Sadder still is how one group denies the power of the Holy Spirit, while another group pursues the things of the Spirit more than they pursue Christ Himself. Somewhere in the middle is the truth. This book takes a close look at Scripture to see what the Lord Himself tells us regarding His Holy Spirit and how it relates to us today.

Chapter 3

How to Obtain the Baptism with the Holy Spirit

We have now come to a place where there is a deep sense that we must be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The practical question confronting us is, how can we obtain this baptism with the Holy Spirit which we so greatly need? The Word of God answers this question very plainly and very explicitly.

The Bible points out a path consisting of seven simple steps, which anyone who wants to can take, and whoever takes these seven steps will, with absolute certainty, enter into this blessing. This statement may seem very positive, but the Word of God is equally positive regarding the outcome of taking these steps that it points out.

All seven steps are stated or implied in Acts 2:38. Repent and be baptized each one of you into the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The first three steps are brought out with exceptional definiteness and distinctness in this verse. The others that are clearly implied in the verse are brought out more explicitly by other passages to which we shall refer later.

Change Your Mind about Jesus

The first two steps are found in the word repent. What does repent mean? It means to change your mind. Change your mind about what? About God, about Christ, and about sin. As to what the change of mind is about in any given case must be determined by the context.

Here, the first and most prominent thought is a change of mind about Christ. Peter has just brought the awful charge against his hearers that they had crucified the man whom God had made both Lord and Christ.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (Acts 2:36-37)

Pricked in their heart by this charge, and carried home by the power of the Holy Spirit, his hearers had cried out, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Repent, Peter answered (verse 38). Change your mind about Christ. Change from a Christ-hating and Christ-crucifying attitude of mind to a Christ-accepting attitude of mind. Accept Jesus as Christ and Lord. This then is the first step toward the baptism with the Holy Spirit: Accept Jesus as Christ and Lord.

Change Your Mind about Sin

The second step is also found in the word repent. While the change of mind about Jesus is the first and prominent thought, there must also be a change of mind about sin. It is a change of mind from a sin-loving or sin-indulging attitude of mind to a sin-hating and sin-renouncing attitude of mind. This is the second step: Renounce sin, all sin, every sin.

Here we come upon one of the most common obstacles to receiving the Holy Spirit – sin. This means we hold on to something that we definitely feel to be not pleasing to God in our inmost heart. If we are to receive the Holy Spirit, there must be some very honest and very thorough heart searching. We cannot do satisfactory searching ourselves; God must do it. If we wish to receive the Holy Spirit, we should go alone with God and ask him to search us thoroughly and bring to light anything that displeases him.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way eternal. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Then we should wait for him to do it. When the displeasing thing is revealed, it should be put away at once. If, after patient and honest waiting, nothing is brought to light, we may conclude there is nothing of this kind in the way and we may proceed to the next steps. But we should not conclude this too hurriedly. The sin that hinders the blessing may be something that appears very small and insignificant in itself.

Charles Finney tells of a young woman who was in deep concern regarding the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Night after night she agonized in prayer, but the desired blessing did not come. One night as she was in prayer, some matter of head adornment that had often troubled her before came up before her; putting her hand to her head, she took the pins out and threw them away, and immediately the blessing came.

This was a small matter in itself, a matter that would not have appeared to many as sin, but yet a matter of controversy between this woman and God, and when this was settled the blessing came. Whatsoever is not out of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). It doesn’t matter how little the thing may be; if there are questions about it, it must be put away if we are to have the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The second step then toward the baptism with the Holy Spirit is to put away every sin.

Humble Yourself in Confession

The third step is found in the same verse as the first two steps. Be baptized each one of you into the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). It was immediately after his baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus (Luke 3:21-22). In his baptism, Jesus, though himself sinless, humbled himself to take the sinner’s place, and then God highly exalted him by the giving of the Holy Spirit and by the audible testimony, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee is my delight.

So we must humble ourselves to make open confession of our sin, our renunciation of it, and our acceptance of Jesus Christ in God’s appointed way by baptism. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is not for the one who secretly takes his place as a sinner and believer in Christ, but for the one who does so openly. Of course, the baptism with the Holy Spirit may precede water baptism as in the case of the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:47). But this was evidently an exceptional case, and water baptism immediately followed.

I have little doubt that there have been those among Christians who did not believe in or practice water baptism – as for example the “Friends,” or Quakers – who have had and have given evidence of the baptism with the Holy Spirit; but the passage before us certainly presents the normal order.6

Act in Obedience

The fourth step is clearly implied in the verse we have been studying (Acts 2:38), but it is brought out more explicitly in Acts 5:32. And we are his witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to thos...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Editor’s Foreword
• Introduction
• What Is the Baptism with the Holy Spirit?
• The Baptism with the Holy Spirit Is Necessary
• How to Obtain the Baptism with the Holy Spirit
• The Refilling with the Holy Spirit
• How to Keep Spiritual Power
• R. A. Torrey – A Short Biography
• Other Similar Titles