Let us read from Mathew 3:11, the last part, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”. The filling of the Holy Spirit is continually required in our lives. This is the second promise in the New Testament. The first promise is in Mathew 1:21, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The second promise is what Jesus will do in our lives. Are we willing to allow God to do this in our lives?
John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus. In Luke 3 we read that the voice of God came to John and he preached the message of repentance and baptism in water. He was a voice in the wilderness and he prepared the hearts of people to receive the message of Jesus. He taught them to show fruits of repentance. In verse 16 we read, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John speaks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire that Jesus will do. In Acts 1:8, we read, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” This is the promised power of the Holy Spirit for us. This power will help us to do the will of God in our lives. On our own it is impossible. When we realize that and come to the point where we realize our need for the Holy Spirit, God will fill us with the Spirit.
In Acts 2 we read of when the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came as a gushing wind and as tongues of fire resting on each of the disciples. We see how the lives of the disciples changed when they were filled in the Holy Spirit. They were in unity and obtained strength and power. The prophesies of Joel became fulfilled. This filling of the Holy Spirit can be ours because Jesus came, died for us and was resurrected. Him who had no sin, took baptism under John and gained God’s approval. He went ahead of us and showed us the way to walk.
In Acts 10 we read how the household of Cornelius was baptized in the Holy Spirit. In verse 38 we read, “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” It was the power of the Holy Spirit that helped Jesus to do the will of God. Jesus needed the power of the Holy Spirit while He was on this earth. How much more we need the power of the Holy Spirit! Allow God to change your life with the power of the Holy Spirit today. We need to have an attitude of poverty in Spirit and have that attitude every day in our lives.
After Jesus was baptized, we see 3 things happening. In Mathew 3:16, 17 we read, “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”” When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God came upon Jesus and Jesus received God’s approval. If we follow Jesus footsteps and do the will of the Father, these can be ours also. Each day as we start our day, let us pray that the Holy Spirit’s anointing may be upon us that day. May God bless us all.
