A Nugget from New Life Network
(excerpts from Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day (December 6, 2018)
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matthew 3:11)
People in the world are hurting. There are many pressures in these last days. Financial stress, illness, and disease have pushed many to the edge. Sometimes they realize that their only hope, their only way of escape is God. But it’s so sad when the lost world reaches out toward the Christian community and only finds more of the same problems. Where’s the power? Is there any hope?
Everything Jesus said was and is true. He never lied. He said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Peter, a disciple of Jesus, seemed to be strong in faith and power but after the Roman soldiers arrested Jesus and took Him away, Peter became fearful and denied that he had ever known Jesus. Yet within weeks, Peter was preaching boldly in public and many signs and wonders (miracles) were taking place at his hands. What happened? What changed this man from fearful to bold?
The answer is he was filled with the Holy Spirit. This same power must be working in the lives of all Christians today. The promise of the Holy Spirit was not just for first century Christians. Peter said on the day of Pentecost, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off” (Acts 2:38,39). We are definitely included.
How can we receive the Holy Spirit personally? Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13).
If your Christian life lacks witnessing power, or if you’re coping with problems rather than conquering them, then ask Jesus to baptize you with His Spirit. Jesus said, “I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
Don’t let people tell you that you received everything when you were saved. Read your Bible!!! There is a subsequent experience to salvation and it is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Jesus wants you to receive it but you have to believe and you have to ask.
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, 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. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. (Acts 19:1-6)
