Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 9/21/2009

Question
Do we need an anointing of the Holy Spirit even today as the pentecostals says?

Answer
Rajan,

I hope you don't mind, but your questions was placed in the "Question Pool" (an option for volenteers) and I thought I could help answer it.

First, let me tell you a lttle bit about myself. In the past, I attended a fundamental independent Baptist church for many years. While attending the church I learned the doctrines and beliefs of the Baptist movement. Now I attend an independent Full Gospel/Pentecostal church. I have served there as an Elder for fourteen years. I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord 26 years ago. It was during a Sunday night service. I was not raised in a Pentecostal church, so some of the ways that they worshipped (hands lifted, exuberant praise, speaking in tongues, ect) were a little strange. Yet in spite of being unfamiliar and ignorant of how these folks worshiped, it was the message that the evangelist preached that night that made it unforgettable. He preached a message titled "Look, and Live!" It was not real deep theologically, but it was defiantly ordained of God. It was a message of salvation and repentance to the lost (of which I was at that time). At the conclusion of his message, he gave an invitation for those who were not Christians to come forward and receive Christ by faith. At first I did not respond. But the Holy Spirit so dealt with my soul that I found myself walking forward and kneeling at a bench near the platform. It was there I cried out to God for mercy and forgiveness. That night Christ came into my heart, I repented of my sin's, and made a full commitment my life to Him. Yes, that was the most unforgettable experience I've ever had walking into a Pentecostal church. That night changed my life, and I've never been the same since. Am I perfect, and is everything a "bed of roses"? No. But every day I find that God loves me, in spite of my faults.

As to receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, that happened a few months after my conversion. Let me tell you about it. You see, I was raised in a church that taught that tongues, and the things of the Spirit had passed away. And that anyone who did speak in tongues was "of the devil". This past indoctrination hindered me from receive the baptism/infilling of the Holy Spirit for a couple of months. But praise God for His mercy! The Lord had helped me get rid of all that "religious junk" so that I could be filled. And two months after my conversion, during a Sunday night service, while singing in the back row of the church choir, God gloriously baptized me with the Holy Ghost with the initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues! I was so thrilled and happy that I ran out of the service and around the building three times before I really realized where I was. And though I am not where I want to be in the Lord, and I am not to the place God has planed for me yet, I have not stopped shouting and praising Him for all that He has done for me!

Now to your question. The question is yes, all born-again Christains need an "anointing of the Holy Spirit". The Bible calls this being baptised "in" the Holy Spirit. What does this mean? The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the empowering for service that takes place in the life of the Christian.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the empowering for service that takes place in the life of the Christian. The most important thing is that you are a Christian. You see, a Christian is not a religious person or merely a member of a church; a Christian is one who has been forgiven of his or her sin and has an ongoing personal relationship with God. Not only this, a Christian is someone that Jesus Christ lives in, one that has been born again (John 3.3) and lives in the assurance that Jesus paid the price for them to be right with God and go to heaven.

Its as easy as A.B.C.
A. Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness .
B. Believe that Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins on the cross.
C. Confess Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

However, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a Second encounter with God. The first encounter with God is called as 'conversion' or salvation. Just as the indwelling Spirit reproduces the life of Jesus, the outpoured, or baptizing Spirit reproduces the ministry of Jesus.
Luke 24:49; John 14:16; Acts 1:8; 2:4, 38-39; 10:44 -48, 19:6

Do not think that I am saying you have to speak in tongues to be saved. I am not. The work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the mercy of God bring salvation and the indwelling Spirit, and that does not involve speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues, from all indications in the New Testament, is the consequence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. There was an initial utterance in tongues, bearing witness that the tongue had been sanctified and empowered by God for His use. But speaking in tongues was not necessary for the salvation of those people.

You may be asking yourself, how do I receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? Realize that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit comes by faith just like salvation, healing or anything else received from God. God wants you to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said in Luke 11:13, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Praying in tongues is an act of faith. You must step out in faith after you have asked to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and begin to speak. The Bible says in Acts 2:4 that when the disciples received an infilling of the Holy Spirit that they "...began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." They stepped out in faith, following the leading of the Spirit, and started speaking in tongues. They (themselves) began to speak the words the Spirit was speaking in their hearts.

My friend, no one can tell you what to say or lead you in a language. You must step out in faith after you have asked to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and begin to speak. When you do, God has promised in His Word that you as His child will receive.

Begin by letting God know that you believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is Biblical, that it is for you, and that you are asking Him for this experience. As you do this, begin to praise God. Lift your voice in worship and adoration to the Father. As you do you the Spirit will place words, and phrases inside your own spirit. As you begin to sense these sounds, open your mouth and begin to verbalize outwardly what is happing inwardly. The Bible says that "...they began to speak in other tongues...". And as a disciples of the Lord, we too must open our mouths and receive the Holy Ghost baptism. Believe it, and receive it!

Rajan, please let me know if this helps, or if you have any further questions.

Elder Greg Madden