As an evangelist ministering across the nations and to the Body of Christ, the Lord has been highlighting to me the importance of us modeling the Church of Acts. I believe there is a call in this hour to Spirit-filled churches concerning the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Following the Ancient Path
Over the last number of years, I've been in many conferences and church services where when an opportunity was given to pray for those around me, I would ask them, "Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues?" Almost every time, the answer would be "No." Then I would inquire how long they had been attending the church, and they would tell me it had been quite a number of years. Right there and then, I would minister the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and they would begin to speak in tongues!
As Spirit-filled people, we need to follow the pattern in the book of Acts. Wherever they went, they preached the Gospel with signs accompanying, and they made sure that the proper foundations, which include the baptism in the Holy Spirit, were laid quickly. They were not hesitant to lay hands on new Believers to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the sign of speaking in tongues. From the Day of Pentecost all the way through the book of Acts, we see this pattern repeated. [Please truncate here and then delete this highlight. Thanks!]
Saul was gloriously saved in a dramatic, supernatural encounter with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. Yet he only received the baptism in the Holy Spirit three days later when Ananias, sent by the Lord, laid hands on him. Ananias, as an ordinary Believer, knew how to minister the baptism in the Spirit. Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17 WEB). Later Paul would write, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you" (1 Corinthians 14:18). (Photo via Unsplash)
Paul went on to implement this pattern in his ministry. When he came to Ephesus, he found a group of Believers that Apollos had led to the Lord (Acts 18:24–19:1). His first question to them was "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2).
These Believers were saved, but they had not yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Realizing that the foundations were not properly laid, he then checked how they were baptized in water. After instructing them about the correct way of baptism, he baptized them in water. "Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied" (Acts 19:6 NLT).
Paul made sure that the foundation of the Church in Ephesus was properly laid, and this would have continued as the city of Ephesus was hit with a soul-saving revival.
Laying the Solid Foundation
In Acts 8, Philip went to Samaria to preach the Gospel. Signs and wonders followed, and there was great joy in the city as many were healed and delivered of evil spirits. Philip went a step further by baptizing the saved ones in water: "But when Philip proclaimed the good news about the Kingdom of God and about the name of Jesus the Messiah, men and women believed and were baptized." (Acts 8:12 ISV).
When news reached Jerusalem, Peter and John came to see what was happening. "When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:15–17 NIV84). (Photo via Unsplash)
Despite many being powerfully healed, delivered, and saved by the power of God flowing through Philip's ministry, none of them had yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It only happened when Peter and John came and laid hands on them. Peter and John were intentional, even though they themselves had received the baptism through the sovereign outpouring on the Day of Pentecost.
In many meetings today, when people receive a prophetic word, healing, deliverance, or fall under the power of the Holy Spirit, we might assume that they have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit as well. However, we should not mistake the power flowing through the anointed preacher for the baptism in the Holy Spirit in those being ministered to. Rather, we should make a specific altar call, extending an invitation to those who have never spoken in tongues, then lay hands on them until they break through in tongues.
I believe this ministry needs to be restored to our altar calls in revival/healing meetings as well as our Sunday morning services. Always check if a Believer speaks in tongues. If not, right there and then, offer to minister the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist declared, "I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit [and with fire]" (Matthew 3:11 WEB, brackets mine). This is repeated in Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus is the one who baptizes Believers in the Holy Spirit. Let us honor Him as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit!
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Hamilton Filmalter
Active in the Harvest
Email: hamiltonfilmalter@gmail.com
Website:Â www.activeintheharvest.com
Hamilton Filmalter is passionate about making Jesus known and seeing Believers transformed into His likeness! He received the baptism into the Holy Spirit in high school, studied theology in Pretoria, and had a powerful encounter with the Holy spirit while attending Bible college. Hamilton and his wife, Helena, spent their first years in ministry pastoring and pioneering a church plant in South Africa. In 1994, they moved to America and held Holy Spirit revival meetings in churches all over the nation. Today, they travel America, as well as Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and Asia, laying the foundations of evangelism and discipleship in churches, holding Holy Spirit and healing revival meetings, and mentoring leaders. Hamilton and Helena are contending for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit, souls saved, as well as churches moving with the Holy Spirit and grounded in the Word of God.
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