Prayer to Receive Holy Spirit Baptism

(Luke 3:16 NKJV) John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

(Acts 1:5 NKJV) “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Both Jesus and John the Baptist testified that Jesus would baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit. To baptize means to immerse or overwhelm. Jesus also promised that his disciples would be “clothed in power from on high.” Obviously, clothing covers us just as the water is outside and all over us when we are immersed in water baptism. This is the way he wants you to be encased in his holy fire and power today and every day.

Jesus’s promise to his apprentices was initially fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost:

(Acts 1:1-4 APE) And when the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, as all of them were assembled together, (2) Suddenly there was from Heaven a sound like a mighty wind and the whole place in which they were sitting was filled with it. (3) And tongues like fire that were divided appeared to them, and they sat on each one of them. (4) And all of them were filled with The Spirit of Holiness, and they were going out speaking in various languages, according to whatever The Spirit was giving them to speak.

What looked like tongues of fire came upon them. This was the baptism or immersion in the fire that John the Baptist spoke of. The power clothing had come on them, and they were finally ready to move out into their assigned ministries in Jesus’s name.

The Holy Spirit gave them ability, power, and holiness. They could then allow him to manifest himself through them in what we call the gifts of the Spirit:

(1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NKJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ( for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (11) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Today, you can receive the wonderful indwelling of the Holy Spirit, be baptized in his fire, and be clothed in his power. How do we receive? Jesus explained that this is simply a matter of asking:

(Luke 11:13 NKJV) “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

To ensure that we would be confident of receiving the Holy Spirit when we simply ask the Father for him, Jesus preceded this promise with another reassuring one:

(Luke 11:9 NKJV) “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Then, to doubly reassure us, he confirmed this again with a very succinct and definite promise:

(Luke 11:10 NKJV) “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Receiving the Holy Spirit from God is simply a matter of asking for him, and then believing that you have received him. To receive the Holy Spirit right now, simply pray the prayer below—directing it to God and meaning it with all of your heart. Then thank him that his answer to your asking is, “Yes!” Remember, Jesus assures you that “everyone who asks receives.” God is not holding back; he wants you to be filled with, and clothed by, his Spirit of holiness:

Prayer for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit:

“Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus’s name. Today, I ask you in Jesus’s name to fill me with your Holy Spirit, to baptize me in his fire, and to clothe me in his power. According to the promise in your word, I believe that your answer is, “Yes,” and that therefore by faith I have received your Holy Spirit into my life today. Thank you Father in Jesus’s name. I love you. Amen.”

Speaking in Tongues:

We note that in God’s word it says that those who were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost were “speaking in various languages, according to whatever the Spirit was giving them to speak.” This is sometimes called speaking in tongues— “tongues” in this context is simply an old English word for languages.

You see, one of the manifestations, or gifts, of the Holy Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 is “different kinds of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:10 nkjv). Today, you can also ask the Father that you might receive and operate in this amazing manifestation of his wonderful Spirit of holiness.

One of the amazing benefits of having the gift of tongues operating in your life is outlined in this passage:

(1 Corinthians 14:4-5 NKJV) He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. (5) I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied ….

When we speak and pray to God in tongues, we receive edification. This is like charging your spiritual batteries so you are ready to go out and minister to others. The effect of speaking in tongues in the Holy Spirit is a gradual re-energizing of the Holy Spirit’s power clothing. If you edify yourself in this way, you will be ready to edify others through the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit when you go to them.

You could pray like this:

“Heavenly Father, thank you for filling me with your wonderful Holy Spirit, and for clothing me with his power. I now ask that you impart his gift of speaking in tongues to me in Jesus’s name. Thank you.

After praying this in faith, believe that you have received. Begin to exercise your voice, trusting that he will manifestly put his words in your mouth by guiding your speech mechanism—tongue, lips, mouth, etc. Remember, you produce the sound; he provides the words and articulation. This is an act of pure faith to trust that he will step in when you begin to speak, believing that he will supply the words.

For God’s perspective on all of this, I encourage you to study 1 Corinthians, chapters 12-14. Here are some verses from it to start you off:

(1 Corinthians 14:2, 13-14 NLT) For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. ... (13) So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. (14) For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.

Conclusion

If you have been through all nine sections of this series of devotional teachings; and if you have devoured God’s word, while submitting yourself to Jesus’s training apprenticeship; and if you have received Holy Spirit indwelling and empowering, I believe you are now ready for your deployment into your assigned part of Jesus’ commission.

Let’s summarize Jesus’s Great Commission one more time as we conclude:

Teaching his word in the authority of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ,

Making disciples of all nations,

Preaching the gospel of his resurrection everywhere to everyone,

Believing for signs to accompany, follow, and confirm the preached word,

Preaching repentance and the remission of sins,

Shepherding and feeding his flock,

Going in the same way that Father sent Jesus, but

Waiting until you are baptized in fire and clothed in Holy Spirit power, before you step out in obedience to your assigned part of his great commission.

To the apostle Paul, Jesus added to and clarified this list by saying:

(Acts 26:17-18 NLT) “ … I am sending you to the Gentiles (18) to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me.”

As we set out enthusiastically to fulfill the evangelistic aspects of our commission, we must not overlook Jesus’s other expectations of us:

Be baptized

Be holy,

Love one another,

Look after the poor, widows, and orphans,

Worship God in spirit and in truth,

Renew our minds with the truth of God’s word,

Pray and intercede,

Learn of Jesus,

Meditate on the word day and night,

Have faith in God,

Forgive all others,

Gather regularly with other believers,

Be a good steward of God’s resources,

Develop the fruit of the Spirit, etc.

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (12) Greet each other with Christian love. (13) All of God’s people here send you their greetings. (14) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—2 Corinthians 13:11(niv) 12-14 (nlt)

Praying for your success in God’s assignment for you,

David W. Palmer

PS. A new series begins tomorrow