For us to be effective in our walk with God and partner with Him in ministry we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to complete our work. This is for all believers, which includes you!
Jesus made this clear when speaking with the disciples in Acts 1:4-5.
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”
It has been my experience that the empowerment (baptism) of the Holy Spirit has been essential for my serving others. This is in essence what ministry is; serving others with the love of God. How else could we serve in the love of God without God as a partner?
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- When I prophesy I speak with the empowerment of God.
- When I love with compassion, I empathise with the heart-beat of God.
- When I preach or teach, the wisdom I share is not my own.
In short, without God I cannot be effective in the working out of my calling to serve (minister) to others.
In short, without God I cannot be effective in the working out of my calling to serve (minister) to others.
When we confess our faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection we are what the Bible calls “believers”. At this moment we all have the Holy Spirit come and make His home in our hearts – He becomes a deposit which marks us as God’s children and is a pre-taste of our guaranteed inheritance in Christ. When we are baptised in the Holy Spirit we receive power for the work God has called us to do. This in-filling is a process that I have experienced many times and continue to seek. The more I seek the more I receive!
I encourage you to search the scriptures to find God. When you submit yourself to His empowerment you will access a new realm of His love and goodness. You will begin to see things from God’s perspective and apply yourself to the opportunities that present for ministry. You’ll be serving others with the love and empowerment of God.
Additional Reading
Here are two articles which present biblical evidence for you to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Each of these articles present slightly different views but they are both useful. Please take time to read them and seek the Lord’s leadership for the infilling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
I personally agree with John Piper and leave his conclusion here as my final thought.
“So here is my conclusion: being baptised with the Holy Spirit is when a believer in Jesus Christ receives extraordinary power for Christ-exalting ministry.”
You Will Be Baptized with the Holy Spirit