MRE- Acts 8:15

Acts 8:15 (NLT)
“As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.”

Today's verse is another verse that clearly shows that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate encounter apart from the New Birth. Note this verse says the believers had yet to receive the Holy Spirit, but I thought when a person is born again the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside them? That is correct, but there is more!

We need to look at a phrase in verse 16, which says:

Acts 8:16 (NLT)
“The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“Had not yet come upon them”, is the key phrase. This lines up with what we see in the Upperroom when Jesus comes to His disciples after His resurrection.

John 20:22 (NLT)
“Then He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.”

This is the moment they were born again, then we see they remained in the Upperroom. We see Jesus’ words to another couple of other disciples in Luke 24.

Luke 24:49 (NLT)
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

We also see another account of Jesus’ words to the disciples in Acts 1

Acts 1:4-5 (NLT)
“Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:8 (NLT)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We then see the promise fulfilled here

Acts 2:1-4 (NLT)
“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

There are other examples of this same pattern in the Book of Acts, so it's hard to see how anyone can stand against this wonderful work of the Lord Jesus. He doesn’t just want people born again, He wants to clothe them and empower them by His Spirit, and even at that point there is always more!

The first sign that backsliding is upon you is complacency, when you think you have made it and received all the Lord has for you. All the while He is saying, come on, come up higher, I have more, do you want more, come and get it!

Go after Jesus with ALL you have and never look back!

Blessings in Jesus Name!!!