Don't study the Bible! Unless....

[LastDaysJames]

4 hours ago, warrior12 said:

So, why only the pentecostal church ?.  

It is not. It is just one I personally know that they teach on the Bibtism of the Holy Spirit.

[angels4u]

On 5/11/2025 at 9:36 AM, AnOrangeCat said:

I agree with this, and I can't see any reason for anyone to not study the Bible. I can't recall a single verse in the vein of "Thou shalt not dig into God's Word unless X, Y, and Z..." so it feels very much like a manmade statement to me. The Holy Spirit can convict us in a variety of ways, which can include study.

 

Amen. I've found it to be the case in my own walk. Read the same chapter a different day and different things stick out, and through the process of discussion of scripture we can learn more. I'd argue that scriptural discussions can be a form of study as well.

Agree with you brother,God will help us to understand what He wants us to understand through His Spirit in His time,I find just like you new things everytime I read the same book of chapter,isn't that amazing? I take turns with a friend to pick everyday a chapter from the Bible ,and its a pleasure to read it everyday,there's so much God wants us to learn and therefore to getting to know Him better!( Example today was Ezekiel 8. Everybody can read the Bible and its only by Gods Spirit that we can understand what we read and He gives everybody understanding who asks for understanding and discernment.  ( Our body is getting old but our spirit is everyday renewed .

 

[Sower]

1 hour ago, LastDaysJames said:

12 hours ago, Sower said:

 

Thank you. (1) It would help me to know the verse/verses that states specifically we need a second baptism to fully grow in the power of the holy spirit. That would set me straight. Could you tell me the verse/verses. Thanks.

You said;

"I wish I could remember my salvation, and baptism of the Holy Spirit.
   I was 3 when it happened"

So I would assume as you grew in Christ and studied the word you must have found the scriptures that would verify your toddler epiphany so as to know it wasn't just  feelings but the truth backed up with scriptures, as most 3 yr olds don't understand being a sinner in need of a savior.. And Yes, I have ask God to reveal to me the truth about receiving additional power/filling of the spirit in his scriptures.

I am always seeking truth even though I'm less than a couple yrs from eighty, about a half century believer. If God is showing me something new to me here and something that is also scriptural and will enable me to walk in the spirit and abide in Christ, I want it.

So far I have not heard a specific answer to how to receive this filling/power other than asking, and you say you do not remember how you received it as a very young child. OK. So,(2) what do you say to someone (like myself) seeking this filling besides going to a certain church denomination? Surely God is not limited by a denomination. I don't get it, James.
Just tell me in your own words. If it is something going on in a Pentecostal church that facilitates this 'baptism/filling' could you elaborate to me here how it is done there?
Just want to know specifically what to do to receive what you have been telling me that I need. Thanks again, Sower.

 

Expand  

John the Baptist mentioned it, Also Jesus Himself set the example, plus the book of Acts is full of it.

All you quoted is great, but you still didn't specifically answer my question I need an answer to. I ask, quote;  (1) It would help me to know the verse/verses that states specifically we need a second baptism to fully grow in the power of the holy spirit. That would set me straight. Could you tell me the verse/verses. Thanks.

Your hesitation to give me specific answers is lowering my view of your ability to show scriptures that 'might' increase my faith in your being "twice baptized/filled" to have the power you say I lack only being baptized once. If you have no scripture that specifically does say that, then just say so, if you please. Thanks.

1 hour ago, LastDaysJames said:

I always knew what I was doing, at 4 years old, I even had a dream of the rapture.. (that I do remember) I grew in Christ, and even at that age I could tell Bible stories that interested adults.

Thanks for your honesty. But I cannot change my understanding of what being filled/re-baptized in the spirit means based on a 3yr old dream/vision. I assumed as you grew in the faith you verified your stand on your young experience. If I never questioned my faith, with scriptures, I would still be a roman catholic praying to Mary and dead saints, hoping my works would save me.

I had hoped, James, that you would have given me specific scripture verses that I could go to and 'study to show myself to be approved' and learn of this 'available extra power' that God has for us. Your hesitancy in giving me specific verses will have to be my answer.

Thank you for taking the time to respond, James.    Sower..

[Alive]

13 minutes ago, Sower said:

All you quoted is great, but you still didn't specifically answer my question I need an answer to. I ask, quote;  (1) It would help me to know the verse/verses that states specifically we need a second baptism to fully grow in the power of the holy spirit. That would set me straight. Could you tell me the verse/verses. Thanks.

Your hesitation to give me specific answers is lowering my view of your ability to show scriptures that 'might' increase my faith in your being "twice baptized/filled" to have the power you say I lack only being baptized once. If you have no scripture that specifically does say that, then just say so, if you please. Thanks.

Thanks for your honesty. But I cannot change my understanding of what being filled/re-baptized in the spirit means based on a 3yr old dream/vision. I assumed as you grew in the faith you verified your stand on your young experience. If I never questioned my faith, with scriptures, I would still be a roman catholic praying to Mary and dead saints, hoping my works would save me.

I had hoped, James, that you would have given me specific scripture verses that I could go to and 'study to show myself to be approved' and learn of this 'available extra power' that God has for us. Your hesitancy in giving me specific verses will have to be my answer.

Thank you for taking the time to respond, James.    Sower..

Yup---there isn't one. The idea is suggested by events in scripture, but there is no emphatic statement saying so.

This is coming from a former Pentecostal teacher and pastor.

:-)

[Your closest friendnt]

@LastDaysJames

You may have your spiritual experiences and your understanding but God also is working in mysterious ways and we are not the ones to say that he is working only in this way and not in anyother way. Jesus is free to help his children in the way they are asking. 

Jesus on his own is free to help his children in a way He knows it is beneficial to them without them asking. 

Also the Holy Spirit knows what we need and  prays for us. 

The Holy Spirit is working in the unbelievers to help them and to bring them to faith in Jesus Christ. Also unbelievers are healed from Jesus Christ. 

The Holy Spirit is the one who is helping unbelievers to see the need to have their sins forgiven in Jesus Christ. 

Judge not the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and also in the life of an unbeliever to help him to see the need to believe in Jesus Christ. 

Edited May 12 by Your closest friendnt

[LastDaysJames]

You're right there is not much for biblical scriptures that say you must be filled the the Holy Spirit! What we have are examples of the power of those that are filled with the Holy Spirit - oh wait.....

(Eph 5:18 [KJV])
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Jesus, as I have said before thought it was important enough to tell His followers to wait for the promise - that is the Holy Spirit. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit before they did Jesus other command - go preach the Gospel!

Jesus also said the Holy Spirit will be given to those that ask... that is NOT talking about salvation; you don't ask for the Holy Spirit to come when getting saved. You make Jesus Lord!

Edited May 13 by LastDaysJames

[Your closest friendnt]

14 hours ago, LastDaysJames said:

You're right there is not much for biblical scriptures that say you must be filled the the Holy Spirit! What we have are examples of the power of those that are filled with the Holy Spirit - oh wait.....

(Eph 5:18 [KJV])
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Jesus, as I have said before thought it was important enough to tell His followers to wait for the promise - that is the Holy Spirit. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit before they did Jesus other command - go preach the Gospel!

Jesus also said the Holy Spirit will be given to those that ask... that is NOT talking about salvation; you don't ask for the Holy Spirit to come when getting saved. You make Jesus Lord!

 Acts 9:17  And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Edited May 13 by Your closest friendnt

[Your closest friendnt]

14 hours ago, LastDaysJames said:

You're right there is not much for biblical scriptures that say you must be filled the the Holy Spirit! What we have are examples of the power of those that are filled with the Holy Spirit - oh wait.....

(Eph 5:18 [KJV])
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Jesus, as I have said before thought it was important enough to tell His followers to wait for the promise - that is the Holy Spirit. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit before they did Jesus other command - go preach the Gospel!

Jesus also said the Holy Spirit will be given to those that ask... that is NOT talking about salvation; you don't ask for the Holy Spirit to come when getting saved. You make Jesus Lord!

 We have John 16:8 posted below active in the life of Paul during the time when he was persecuting the disciples of Jesus Christ. 

We can tell that from the testimony of Jesus when he said to Paul on the way to Damascus the following in Acts 9:5-6 and from Paul's response to him. 

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

 Paul had heard the testimony of Jesus Christ or the Gospel from disciples whom he persecuted  who knew the scriptures and the Holy Spirit was at work with him but he resisted wanting further proof.  This is why Jesus told him "It is hard for you to kick against the goads" which revealed to Paul that the Lord knew his thoughts all along. 

Goads definition: a spiked stick used for driving cattle. Used to plow the ground. 

John 16:8

 New Living Translation
And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

English Standard Version
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

Edited May 13 by Your closest friendnt

[Your closest friendnt]

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

Edited May 13 by Your closest friendnt

[PATrobas]

14 hours ago, LastDaysJames said:

You're right there is not much for biblical scriptures that say you must be filled the the Holy Spirit! What we have are examples of the power of those that are filled with the Holy Spirit - oh wait.....

(Eph 5:18 [KJV])
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Jesus, as I have said before thought it was important enough to tell His followers to wait for the promise - that is the Holy Spirit. They were to wait for the Holy Spirit before they did Jesus other command - go preach the Gospel!

Jesus also said the Holy Spirit will be given to those that ask... that is NOT talking about salvation; you don't ask for the Holy Spirit to come when getting saved. You make Jesus Lord!

JESUS WAS ‘FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM CONCEPTION.

Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus had the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Jhn 3:34  For he whom God hath sent [Jesus] speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

Jesus did not need to be water baptized.

Mat 3:13  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Jesus did not need to be Spirit baptized either.

Mat 3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 

Jesus, having been filled with the Holy Spirit from conception, was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His water baptism. This was not an empowerment (for He already had the fullness of the Spirit for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him) but rather a sign of His Father’s approval and beginning of His public ministry.

As to asking for the Holy Spirit, there is no command to do so but the example was to Israel, not Christians, and this was to be a Jewish sign given of because of belief that Jesus was the Messiah.

Jhn 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Jhn 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

There is no term in the Bible “baptism IN the Holy Spirit”

BUT

There is a baptism BY the Holy Spirit INTO the body of Christ.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

We are baptized with the HS the moment we believe.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The disciples in the upper room had already received the Holy Spirit by Jesus 50 days prior.

Jhn 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

At Pentecost, the disciples were anointed (baptized) with the Holy Spirit for SERVICE, just as Jesus was. They did not receive MORE of the HS, just a public recognition of God’s power in them.

Mrk 1:8  I indeed have baptized you with water: but He  [Jesus] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The filling of the Spirit is something I don’t understand but I ask to be filled nonetheless, the same way I ask to be anointed and that God would fulfill His promise of John 14:26 “to bring all things to my rememberance” before I teach. So, I don’t get drunk and pray I be totally under the HS influence as I teach.

Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

 Our experiences should never dictate doctrine no matter how real they seem. God may do with you what He doesn't do with me and vice versa. I'm happy you speak with tongues but it is not a proof of anything. I don't, yet we are both born again and Spirit filled.

1Cor 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

1Cor 12:30  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

Keep studying

. It is better to ask for understanding than power.

Blessings.