ICS Daily Devotions
The Laying On of Hands
The second foundation that Paul wanted us to know is the laying on of hands (Hebrews 6:1-3)
Acts 19:1-2,6 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit”………… And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Paul here is not asking if the disciples had received the indwelling Holy Spirit because Paul himself taught that all Christians were automatically sealed with the Holy Spirit when they believed. Instead, Paul was asking if they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit yet. This shows that it is possible to be saved without receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
There are always supernatural manifestations which accompany the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. There are no exceptions to this. When Paul realized that they did not know anything about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he proceeded to lay hands on them and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidence by their speaking in tongues and prophesying.
We as adopted children of God, can ask our heavenly Father for the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 11:13 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!”
First, you must be saved, then you can ask for the Holy Spirit. You do not have to ask for the Holy Spirit when we become saved because We will automatically receive the permanent, sealed indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Yet Jesus says that God will give the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask for it. This demonstrates that the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes after salvation.
How then do we start to speak in tongues?
Firstly, we must be open to receive the Holy Spirit in much the same way as one drinks water, allowing for Him to fill us up.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart (belly) will flow rivers of living water.”
We need to open our mouth and begin to speak, understanding it is the Holy Spirit who gives us utterances. Remember, it will come from your belly where the “spirit man” is located and no sentence structures will be formed in your mind. Your mind will be unfruitful or unproductive. We need to allow the tongues to flow out from our heart rather than our mind. You can control when it starts and ends. As you begin to get used to praying in the spirit, then you can use it after praying in the understanding. You can also use it to stir yourself up as you prepare to minister to someone or to edify yourself. It will also help you to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when you pray in the spirit. Remember, God leads us through the inner man or the “spirit man”. We need to speak out in faith and allow the Holy Spirit to flow out of us. We do it by yielding to the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Series: Laying the Foundation
