Notes On Baptism in the Spirit: Student Life-Groups

I have no doubt that Jesus wants to break into these times together and pour his presence upon us by his Spirit. Lets be expectant of his presence in these times together.

From the very beginning of your Christian life, the Holy Spirit has been working in you. You are ‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive a dynamic power to witness for Him when the Holy Spirit came upon them. (Read Acts 1 v 4-8)

Read Acts 2 38-39

Was the promise of the Holy Spirit only for the New Testament church or is it for us today?

Why do we read incredible moves of the spirit in the book of Acts but rarely see anything like that in our lives today? Shouldn’t this be our daily experience? What is the difference between the New Testament early church and us? Has the Spirit changed? Are we just different? Are we missing out of what God wants to use us for?

Read Acts 19v 1-17.

When Paul met with ‘disciples’ at Ephesus he felt something lacking and asked a very basic question to them:

‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

He knew that there was a receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which every believer was entitled to, but not every believer had automatically. He also expected them to know whether they had been filled with the Holy Spirit or not.

Scripture to think about:

Acts 2 v 1-4
Acts 10 v 44-48
Acts 8 v 12-17
Acts 19 v 1-7

According to these accounts, is the baptism in the Spirit a definite experience? i.e. would you know if you’d had it?

These next few verses talk about things that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would do for us:

John 14 v 26 “Helper- teach you things and bring things to your remembrance”
John 15 v 26 “Bear witness about the Father”
John 16 v 13 “Guide”
John 16 v 14 “Glorify the Father”

How to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit:
Read John 1 v 29 and v33
Who is the one who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit?

Jesus tells us how to receive: John 7 v 37-39

Focus on this verse: particularly the thirst. If you’re not thirsty ask God why, and to make you thirsty!

These notes were largely based on 'Foundations' by John Groves.