A Fuller Experience

"I'm born again, filled with the Holy Ghost, baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues!" Have you ever heard that before? It's true and it's Biblical. Some people get born again and when you are born again you have the Holy Spirit residing in you to comfort, teach and guide you into a holy life - others get born again and besides being given the Holy Spirit within they gain a fuller experience by being baptized in the Holy Spirit and this experience comes with the evidence of speaking in tongues as well as living a holy life.

In Acts 19:1-7, Paul finds a group of men who are basically unaware of the development of Pentecost and have not experienced this baptism. Their conversion experience - or could we say their being born again (baptized by John the Baptist) was with the knowledge that a fuller experience with the Holy Spirit would come but without the realization that it had come. So Paul takes care of this by leading them into a fuller experience with the Holy Spirit by re-baptizing them.

With the coming of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements came the demonstration of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience that provides the believer with spiritual power for intensified service. Shouldn't we all long for this fuller experience in our Christian walk?

The Holy Spirit is a gift from God. Speaking in tongues is a gift. It is a sign or one evidence that the presence of the Holy Spirit is in you. This assures the believer of a living witness within. It is not himself that has the power but Christ in you - the hope of glory!

Acts 10:44-47, Colossians 1:27