In our last lesson, we discovered five examples of Christians receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. 

In Acts 2: 1-4 – 120 individuals who were waiting in the upper room for the promise of the Father that Jesus talked about just before his ascension into heaven, received the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4 - And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

I want you to notice verse 4 – And they (the 120 disciples) were filled with the Holy Spirit – how do we know they were filled or baptised with the Holy Spirit? Let’s continue reading – and they began to speak with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance.

The initial evidence that someone is baptised with the Holy Spirit is the evidence of a supernatural language – the Bible calls, “speaking with other tongues.” Notice again, this verse does not say the Holy Spirit spoke with other tongues. This verse says, “they,” referring to the 120 believers in the upper room – they spoke with other tongues, notice, “AS,” the Holy Spirit gave them the utterance – or we could say, “As the Holy Spirit prompted them.”

You might be thinking that speaking with other tongues was simply the ability to speak in a foreign language, as illustrated in the next few verses. The supernatural part of this experience is not that the 120 disciples spoke multiple languages; instead, they heard them speak in their language.

This was a supernatural experience. How do we know that? In Acts 2:13, the people who heard them speak said they were full of new wine or intoxicated. But Peter responded in Acts 2:15; these are not drunken as ye suppose. What would cause those who heard these disciples speak in other tongues, think that they were intoxicated?

This experience was supernatural. There was nothing natural about it. The Holy Spirit was manifesting Himself through these 120 disciples in a powerful. So powerful, that when Peter spoke to the multitudes about Jesus Christ, 3000 people became Christians.

So this supernatural experience, we call the baptism with the Holy Spirit did not cause people to turn away from Christ. It accomplished the exact opposite – it caused people to stop and listen to the Gospel message.

In reality, the baptism with the Holy Spirit and any accompanying supernatural manifestations should always point people to Jesus Christ and His plan of redemption.

Let's continue by examining the other examples of individuals receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.

In Acts chapter 10, Peter preached the Gospel to a group of Gentiles. Let’s read this story beginning with verse 44 - While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

Verse 45 - And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Verse 46 - For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Verse 47 - Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptised, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

In verses 45 and 46, we read that Peter and his companions were astonished because when the Holy Spirit fell on those who were listening to Peter, they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

It is quite apparent that Peter understood what was taking happening in the lives of these gentiles. He was with the 120 in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out. Peter seemed to confirm their experience as real and authentic. One of the indicators Peter used to confirm the fact the gentiles had received the Holy Spirit is what is written in verse 46 – “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

Once again, we see a second biblical example of individuals receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. How do we know they received this experience? For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

The third biblical example is found in Acts 19: 1-7.

Act 19:1  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,

Act 19:2  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.

Act 19:3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptised? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Act 19:4  Then said Paul, John verily baptised 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.

Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Act 19:7  And all the men were about twelve.

It is evident from reading this passage, the disciples that Paul discovered in Ephesus were not born-again followers of Jesus. When Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit, they responded by saying they have never heard of the Holy Spirit.

Paul then asked them about their water baptism experience. They responded by saying they were baptised with John the Baptist’s baptism, indicating that they had not heard that Jesus had already died and was risen from the dead.

So then Paul preached Jesus to them, and they became believers and followers of Jesus Christ. In verse 6, we read Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.

This is the third biblical example of individuals in the book of Acts receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. In all three instances, every time the Holy Spirit was received, individuals experienced a supernatural manifestation called speaking with other tongues.

This type of tongues that is connected to the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a confirmation to the believer that they have received this experience the bible refers to as the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

This type of tongues is also the doorway that leads into the supernatural power of God and into a life that is empowered by the Spirit.

The purpose of this lesson is not to have an in-depth discussion concerning the various kinds of tongues the Bible addresses, neither is the purpose of this lesson to argue or to attempt to convince you that you are not a true Christian without this experience.

The purpose of this lesson is to inform you and hopefully to inspire you to search the scriptures on this subject. To incite within you, hunger for everything God offers to you that will help you become a stronger and more fruitful believer. It is also my desire to give answers to questions that you might have had about this subject.

We have already discussed, in previous lessons, the difference between the New Birth and the baptism with the Holy Spirit. If you have not heard those lessons, let me encourage you to listen to all of them in sequence so that you will have the proper context when listening to this message.

If you are a Christian, a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. If you desire to become a powerful Christian, a Christian that has an additional supernatural power to equip you to become a more effective witness for Christ, then I ask you to prayerfully consider the command of Jesus given to His disciples – to wait for the promise of His Father – or we could say, to wait for the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

The good news for you today is this: you do not have to wait for this supernatural empowerment. It is available to every Christian right now. All you need is a humble heart and an intense desire for more of God.

Let me pray with you right now. Heavenly Father, I desire to have everything you provided through Christ's redemptive work. I am a child of God. I want to become a more effective disciple for you. I ask you, Jesus, to baptise me with the Holy Spirit. Jesus fill me with the Holy Spirit. I am a willing and receptive vessel for the Holy Spirit to fill and to use. I desire to have a supernatural experience that is consistent with what I read in the book of Acts. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your promise of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Jesus, for filling me with the Holy Spirit.