Baptism of the Holy Spirit: What, How, and Why

In one paragraph

This message from Pastor Brian walked through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, covering what it is, why it matters, and how a person receives it. It came on the heels of a water baptism the congregation had done at Flat Creek the week before, so the timing felt natural. The conversation-style format meant questions and comments from the room were woven in throughout. Pastor Brian opened by reading...

Read together

1. Luke 11:11-13 used as the main launching text to introduce the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a good gift from a good Father
2. Luke 24:49 Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes and fills them with power from heaven
3. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 God places the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a first installment guaranteeing everything he has promised
4. Romans 5:3-5 read by a congregation member connecting suffering to endurance, character, hope, and the Holy Spirit filling our hearts with love
5. Romans 7:7-25 read at length to illustrate the two competing operating systems, the flesh and the spirit, and Paul's struggle to do good
6. Ephesians 1:17 Paul's apostolic prayer that God give the spirit of wisdom and revelation so believers might grow in knowledge of him
7. Revelation 22:17 the Spirit and the bride say come, used to illustrate the need for synchronization between Christians and the Holy Spirit
8. Ephesians 3:20 briefly referenced as the verse calling believers God's workmanship, his masterpiece, using the Greek word poema
9. 1 Corinthians 12 mentioned as the source for the gifts of the Holy Spirit that believers can begin to practice

What was said

• Ask the Holy Spirit to operate through you, not just live in you, by praying simply and honestly the way Brian described: tell him you want him to fill you and give him permission to work in and through you.
• Pick up John Bevere's book 'The Holy Spirit: An Introduction' or Robert Morris's 'Holy Spirit, My Best Friend' if you want to keep exploring what was talked about this morning.
• If you felt something stir during the message but are not sure what to do with it, find Lee or Colleen after a service and ask them to pray with you.
• Sign up for the Tribe Mountain Adventures top rope climbing day in Wilson Canyon on August 18, even if you just want to hike up and watch.
• Sign up to bring a meal for Tuesday night service at the TMC, where the church gathers at 6pm around food and the Word.

Talk about it

1. Brian described God as a good Father who gives good gifts, but also said he allows things in his wisdom that he could easily prevent in his power. How do you hold those two things together, especially when life gets hard?
2. Brian used the image of two operating systems running side by side after salvation, and Paul in Romans 7 described the same tension. Where do you feel that tension most in your own life right now?
3. Brian said the Holy Spirit lives in every believer from the moment of salvation, but waits for permission to operate through them. What does giving him that permission look like practically, day to day?
4. The Lionel Messi analogy ended with the idea that the goal is not us trying to play like Jesus, but Jesus playing through us. How does that change the way you think about your own effort and discipline as a follower of Jesus?
5. Brian shared honestly that he faked receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit in a youth group setting because of the pressure of the moment. Have you ever felt that kind of pressure around spiritual experience, and how did it affect your relationship with God?