STAGES OF ENCOUNTERS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
"WHO, when they had come down, PRAYED FOR THEM THAT THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT."
Acts 8:15 (NKJV)
We could see in the above passage of the Bible that there is a difference between being born-again and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some are of the notion that once you are born-again you would not need any baptism of the Holy Spirit again—that the Holy Spirit needed is already given to you when you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour (John 3:3-6).
However, in the passage where our text is picked; we have the record that the Samaritans had given their lives to Christ and were baptized in water (Acts 8:12,14). But when the apostles who were in Jerusalem heard of it, they sent Peter and John to them in Samaria (Acts 8:14). When they got there, they ministered to them—the Samaritans—the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15).
It is true that you were saved or become born-again through the Holy Spirit (John 3:5,6); you however would still need to ask for the baptism, to have the fullness of the Holy Spirit working in and through your life (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,5).
I. When you were saved, born-again, you started at the Well or Fountain level, in your relationship with the Holy Spirit (John 4:13,14).
THE Holy Spirit is within you at this level for the enrichment of your personal spiritual life—He would satisfy your thirsts and longings (John 4:14).
II. You, however, needed to go beyond that first level with the Holy Spirit; you would have to move to the the River level—the level of the flowing of the living water (John 7:37-39).
THIS also is known as the level of receiving power, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and that is for service (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4).
IT is the coming of the Spirit upon you to serve, or be an instrument of honour in God's hand, to be a blessing to others.
III. The third encounter could be considered as the progression of the second encounter, the higher level of being used for service through the Holy Spirit.
a. It is the level of being anointed for signs and wonders—the miraculous. The apostles experienced It in the book of Acts 4:29-31.
b. It is a level which you can be used as a vessel in God's hand for the healing and deliverance of others who are being oppressed by the devil.
If you stopped at the well or fountain level, which is the first level that was meant for your enrichment; there are things you would not be able to handle in the course of doing the ministry work. The Disciples, later the Apostles, were admonished to tarry or remain in Jerusalem until they are endued with power, that is, until they are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,5). Jesus knew they would not be able to do the work without the help of the Holy Spirit; the Comforter or Helper (John 14:16,17,26).
Jesus Himself did not start His earthly Ministry until the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form of Dove (Matthew 3:16); and was led into the wilderness for fasting and praying for a period of 40 days and 40 nights (Luke 4:1,2).
Jesus' encounter at the time of the Baptism:
a. The Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form of Dove (Luke 3:21,22).
b. He was led into the wilderness for fasting and praying (Luke 4:1).
The two incidences mentioned above preceded His launching out in His Ministry and signs and wonders began to trail His works.
There was no record of any miracle performed by Jesus prior to His Baptism and the period of fasting and praying in the wilderness. It was after He returned in the power of the Holy Spirit that His Ministry started fully and took a new turn (Luke 4:14).
Thus, for success in your Christian journey, and in whatever assignment God has given to you or laid in your heart; you would need the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4,5,8).
Take a step now; ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and you will receive now (Luke 11:13).
Peace.