“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 KJV
“But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
About two weeks after I was born again, all of us in the men’s program at the mission went to a church in Brooklyn. The pastor said “speaking in tongues is of the devil!” When we got back to the mission, I asked one of the staff why the pastor had said that. The day before I had read the entire book of 1 Corinthians and remembered that Paul said in chapter 14, “I would that you all spoke with tongues” and “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all” and “forbid not to speak with tongues”. They didn’t give me much of an answer but we never went back to that church.
After being at the mission for about a month I asked my counselor about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He told me that Pentecost was the beginning and now we don’t have to wait, we get the Holy Spirit when we are born again. I didn’t really know the word yet so I just accepted it. A few months later I asked again. This time my counselor asked me if I had asked for it. I said yes but I don’t speak in tongues. They showed me 1 Corinthians 12:30 where it says “do all speak with tongues”. I was told that not everyone received the same gift and that I had to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit by faith and ask God to show me what my gift was. Again I accepted it, this time because it seemed so clear in the scripture.
After I was saved several months, a lady in the church invited a bunch of people over for lunch. Another lady and I started talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. By this time I knew the Bible much better and I was fairly adamant about my convictions. She kept trying to tell me that I needed to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and I kept insisting that I was. I quoted 1 Corinthians 12:30 to her just as it had been quoted to me, “do all speak with tongues”. Finally she got fed up and yelled “Bill Cotton if you were baptized with the Holy Ghost, you would be dangerous!” She said it with such force and conviction; it almost felt like a slap in the face. So, I did something new, I asked God myself to show me the truth.
I don’t remember how long I prayed before God started showing me but it wasn’t more than a couple of weeks. The first thing God showed me was that everyone who could pray in tongues described the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a very distinct and definite experience that occurred after they were saved. And everyone who couldn’t pray in tongues had no such experience. The second thing God showed me was John 20:22 “and when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, receive the Holy Ghost”. This occurred on the first day of the resurrection and then 50 days later the same disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. God showed me that John 20:22 was the new birth (compare with Genesis 2:7 and Ezekiel 37:9) and Acts 2 was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Ezekiel 37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
I realized that I wasn’t baptized with the Holy Spirit and began to pray. There were some who told me that water baptism was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. God showed me Matthew 3:11 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”. In Acts 10 the Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Ghost before they were baptized in water. Also the Lord had to help me overcome the fear of getting something from the devil. The Lord showed me Luke 11:9-13, especially verse 13, “If you 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?” I had been warned against Pentecostals and I still wasn’t sure what was true. This verse showed me that I didn’t have to fear getting something evil if I was asking for the Holy Spirit. Later God showed me Acts 2:39 “for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Another issue the Lord helped me with was the feeling that I wasn’t good enough, that something was keeping me from receiving from God. The Lord showed me Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” I realized that just being hungry for his righteousness was enough. (Matthew 6:33 / Philippians 3:8-9)
Twice a couple I knew laid hands on me and prayed for me to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Both times I remember feeling the presence of God but that was all. One Saturday night I was at a Christian coffeehouse ministry on the lower east side. A friend of mine from the mission was there and he comes over to me and asks me “have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit yet?” I hesitated a moment then said no. Then he asked, “are you praying for it?” and I said yes. Then he said, “next time Pastor Dave preaches on it, go up for the altar call.” I thought to myself “why wouldn’t I”, but I just said sure. The next morning after the morning service, Pastor Dave announced, “Tonight I will be speaking on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” I was so excited that I shouted Hallelujah! Everyone turned and looked at me. I had no idea what I was facing that night. Pastor Dave did speak about the baptism of the Holy Spirit but when he gave the altar call he tied it to certain sins that I had been involved in and was ashamed of. I couldn’t get out of my seat. I just sat there praying desperately for God to help me. Finally I went up for the third altar call. No one touched me; I just raised my hands up and began to praise God. I felt the presence of God moving up my legs and down my arms and head until I was completely submerged in the Holy Spirit. I felt so much joy and love I thought I was going to fly. I have done some of the best drugs this world has to offer and nothing even comes close. I was high in the Holy Spirit for three days and no hangover either.
Now it is interesting to note that before I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, the devil tried real hard to convince me that I already was. And now that I was, he tried real hard to convince me that I wasn’t. I heard myself saying some syllables that I didn’t know but I just thought it was me so I didn’t think anything of it. About two weeks later my roommate and I were getting ready for bed and we had a worship tape on. As I was listening to the music I felt the joy of the Lord bubbling up in my soul and I blurted out a few syllables in tongues. My roommate said, “Brother what was that?” and I said, “oh nothing.” He said, “Brother that was the Holy Ghost!” and then it just flooded out like a river. Praise God!
While I was seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit I searched the scriptures diligently. I especially wanted to know what the power was really about. Most of what I had heard up to that point was that it was power to witness, heal the sick, cast out devils and preach, etc. The problem I had was that the disciples did all those things before Pentecost. Matthew 10:1 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Luke 10:17-20 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Even after I was baptized with the Holy Spirit I wasn’t satisfied about what the power was really about. I knew the power was real from the testimony of scripture and the story of Teen Challenge and its effect on my own life. So once again I started asking God myself, “What is the power really about?” Over the years from time to time I would ask God what the power was. After about ten years I was reading my Bible, and I wasn’t even thinking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit at all. I was reading Ephesians 3 and when I got to verse 16 the Holy Spirit said to me, “This is it.” I said this is what? He said, “This is what the power is really about.” I was so surprised.
Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
When I looked in the concordance I found that the word “might” in Ephesians 3:16 is the same Greek word Jesus used in Acts 1:8 for “Power”. Power in the inner man to know the love of Christ! Now everything fit. That is why praying in tongues edifies and build us up.
1 Corinthians 14:4 “He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself”
Jude 20-21 “But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Romans 5:5 …and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
That is why fearful Peter was able to boldly preach to a hostile crowd on the day of Pentecost.
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.”
Peter already had the power in Jesus name to preach, heal the sick and cast out devils. He also knew that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the Living God but that wasn’t enough to keep him from denying Christ. He had to be convinced of God’s love for him in a deeply personal way and that came with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I believe any true believer can preach, heal the sick and cast out devils in the name of Jesus. As stated earlier Jesus gave first the twelve then the seventy power over devils and sickness before Pentecost. I have had many people ask me about great preachers who don’t speak in tongues. Apollos was a man who was “mighty in the scriptures”, instructed in the way of the Lord” and “fervent in the spirit” knowing only the baptism of John. Remember in the original there were no chapters and verses.
Acts 18:24-26 “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
Acts 19:1-7 “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, 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. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized 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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7And all the men were about twelve.”
The baptism in the Holy Spirit does give us power for ministry because faith worketh by love and perfect love casts out fear. When we truly understand the incredible love of God, it gives us faith to believe Him for mercy and to find grace for help in time of need, for ourselves and for others. When we are convinced of God’s love for people it motivates us to speak to them about Jesus. To share the incredible love He has shown us by dying on the cross. The love brings faith when we realize God’s love for us. Love also brings faith when others see the love of God through us. When we know God’s love so deeply that even when people persecute us we are still loving and confident in God’s love.
Galatians 5:6 NASB For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
Hebrews 4:16 NASB Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
Now what is the big picture, as my son once said to me? I believe the power of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is power to know the love of Christ in the inner man so that we will fully know the love of God, not just for ourselves but for everyone.
In conclusion, here is an excerpt from “The Communion of the Holy Spirit” by Pastor Dave Wilkerson.
“If he’s been sent and in him is the fullness of the Godhead and he has all wisdom and all knowledge of God I want to know why he’s here? I want to know what his ministry is in me? I want to know why God sent him to me? So that I can cooperate with him, so that I can have all the benefits of him. I must have the blinders removed from my eyes. The Holy Ghost can no longer be just some emotional experience. He can’t just be speaking in tongues, and interpretation and gifts. He’s so far beyond that. That’s just the fruit of the tree. I want to know, he is a person, I want to know why this person, this God person abides in me? I want to know all about him. Folks, you and I cannot be satisfied in these last days until God tears off the blinders and we can see the glory of the Holy Ghost whose been sent to us…
Alright let’s go to the next step. How many understand that? Do you understand that walking in the Spirit is simply allowing him to do what he’s called to do? Secondly he’s called to find and fetch the bride. Thirdly everything he does has to do with that divine purpose. Now further, here’s the next step. The Holy Spirit is our keeper sent to preserve a bride as a virgin. Paul, speaking through the Holy Ghost, said this, for I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2 Godly jealousy here in Greek means red hot fighting defense. God said I am red hot, white hot to defend you against the devil, and every seducer, because you have been espoused, your engaged to Jesus Christ. And God sent me to keep you as a chaste virgin. If I had my way, the Holy Ghost says, I’ve been sent, not to just gift you, not just to do something to make you happy and just get you through life. No, I have a grand purpose, I have a grand mission, because when you’re saved, no matter how dirty you were, or filthy, you’re considered a virgin in the eyes of God. You’re a virgin in the eyes of Jesus; the blood makes you a virgin. The Lord says I’m going to send the Holy Ghost, I’ve got an investment in you, I’ve invested the blood of my own son. You’re his bride now, and I’m going to send the Holy Ghost to make sure you stay a virgin. You are going to stay a virgin. The devil’s going to come at you with all kinds of seductions. He’s going to come disguised as an angel of light. He’s going to send his ministers disguised as angels of light. And he’s going to mimic another lover, he’s going to mimic and say God sent me. Jesus sent me. Come with me. You see that’s an allurement and the Holy Ghost has come to expose all the devices of the devil.”