TO BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT
WHAT DOES IT MEAN BY TO BE BAPTIZED WITH WATER AND THE SPIRIT?
When I was in secondary school, we used to have revival week.
During this period our senior students who were seen as Spirit filled, would lead out in the revival program.
They used to preach about heaven and hell then, they would tell us how we will be tortured by the devil if we miss rapture because we failed to repent.
Then we were so afraid and out of fear of being tortured by the devil we would repent from our sins.
If we used to steal people's water, or their lantern we stopped doing them, we would cry and cry and confess all our sins that day, and promise never to return to them again.
The sad thing was that the whole thing would only last just some few months, maybe one or two, and we would go back to our old lifestyles.
Then they would hold another revival again, and you will see us confessing and crying and repenting, this kept repeating itself until I left secondary school.
Then in higher institution, the same thing, after the preacher must have finished preaching, and he calls for alter call, I will come out, and repent of my sins and say the sinners prayers...
Then later after some few months I will go back to my old lifestyle.
This kept on happening over and over again, to the extent that I became tired of coming out so I gave up.
I was tired of confessing and was wondering when I will become a changed person and not keep living in sin, or going back to sin.
Not until in 2012 when I was invited to a church and I heard the pastor preach, and I liked his sermon.
Then I came back and decided to attend their baptismal class, that was when I was taught how to become a new creature, how to have a true conversion.
After the baptismal class, I was baptised by immersion and we were asked to pray for the Holy Spirit, that without him we will surely go back to our old ways, we needed him for directions etc..
Then I started praying earnestly, and I believe I received the Holy Spirit after that baptism thanks be to God.
Since then, my life has never remained the same things I used to do before, I found my self not doing them anymore to the glory of God.
What am I trying to bring out here before we start?
I want us to understand that true conversion is not by our power nor by our strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit.
True repentance is not based on fear of hell, but your love for Christ
And when you love God, that love must definitely pass down to your fellow human beings...
That is the greatest commandments.
1 Love for God.
2. Love for man.
I know that some of us may be passing through this process, but God i s able to take us to the higher ground that we desire.
*Except one is born of water and the spirit*
In other to understand what Christ said , we must first see what the meaning of Baptism is.
1. What is the meaning of water Baptism?
*Answer*: Baptism represents the believer uniting with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
In baptism the eyes are closed and the breath is suspended as in death. Then comes burial in the water and resurrection from the watery grave to a new life in Christ.
When raised from the water, the eyes open and the believer begins breathing again and mingles with friends a likeness of resurrection.
So we see that only baptism by immersion fulfils the meaning of Baptism.
No other baptism fulfills this.
Sprinkling doesn't fulfil this at all.
( Romans 6:4-6)
Baptism represents cleansing of sin.
Baptism is a public testimony that the repentant sinner has accepted Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Saviour. ( Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:9)
2. What are the steps to baptism?
*Answer* If we have passed through a baptismal class you will understand the steps to be followed before you van be baptised.
a. Believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as your personal Lord and Saviour.
There is no other name given to man by which we can be saved.( Acts 4:12, Acts 8:12)
Believe in the Bible that it is the infallible word of God.
b. Accept your sins, do not live in denial.
"For I acknowledge my sins and my sins are ever before me". ( psalms 51:3)
We have to acknowledge our sins and feel remorseful of them.
We have to tired of our present situation just like Jacob was tired of his name.
We have to long for a new name.
C. Repent and turn away from your sins.
( Acts 2:38)
3. What is the right form of water Baptism?
*Answer* baptism by immersion.
4. When should one be baptised?
*Answer* when one is of the age of differentiating between good and evil, when one is matured enough to make decisions.
Baptism should not be forced upon people it should be voluntary.
We see many people baptising little children, who know nothing.
This is not scriptural, because children don't know anything and are not able to differentiate between good and evil.
" The bible says who ever *believes* and is baptised will be saved" ( mark 16:16)
Can a child believe, does he/she even know what believing in Christ means, does the child understand that baptism means dying and resurrecting with Christ?
That is why Jesus says that we must be baptised in other to make it to heaven, because there are steps to follow before the baptism.
5. Is water Baptism enough to make heaven?
*Answer* No!
Repenting and accepting Jesus Christ does not mean that you will not continue to sin.
Baptism itself does not change the heart; it is a symbol of a change that has taken place.
A person might be baptized without faith and even go back to his/her old life.
Neither can it change or regenerate anyone. It is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that changes the heart. One must be born of the Spirit, as well as of water (John 3:5).
Water baptism does not guarantee salvation. Salvation comes only as a free gift from Jesus Christ when one experiences the new birth.
Baptism is a symbol of true conversion, and unless conversion precedes baptism, the ceremony is meaningless.
6. Since water Baptism is not enough what else do we need?
*Answer* The Holy Spirit Baptism.
If we notice throughout the new testament the Apostles baptised the people with water and they also prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit, because they knew the importance of the Holy Spirit Baptism.
"14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 *because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized* in the name of the Lord Jesus.( Acts 8:14-16)
7. So what is the difference between water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism?
*Answer* While water Baptism involves accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour, confessing your sins and repenting from them.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit signifies:
. New birth
True conversion
Death to self.
8. What does the Holy Spirit do to us?
*Answer* When we receive the Holy Spirit we see changes in our lives, there is no way you will receive the Holy Spirit and remain the same.
Those things that you used to do before you find out that you no longer do them, your old man is gone, you are now a new creation old things have passed away.
The Holy Spirit teaches us the truth
Be convicts us of our sins
And convinces us. ( John 14:26, John 16:8)
There is no way we will receive the Holy Spirit and continue to remain the same.
The Holy Spirit is a no nonsense person, he does not condone sin especially when we continue to refuse his promptings....
The Holy Spirit is the Law of God written in our hearts.
Jeremiah 31:33
Without the Holy Spirit we could only be hearers and not doers .
When we have the Holy and we hear the true message the Holy Spirit will convince you to accept it.
" the bible says my sheep will hear my voice and they will come to me.( John 10:27)
When we receive the Holy Spirit we become dead to self.
We will start walking in the Spirit and not according to self.
Worldly things will no longer interest us.
We will start seeking for his kingdom. (Matthew 6:33)
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The bible says in the book of 1 John 3:9
" No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because *God’s seed remains in them*; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God".
What is that God's seed? It is the Holy Spirit, born of God( born of the Spirit)
8. How do we know that we have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
* Answer* you will have the Fruit of the Spirit and exhibit the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 *If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit*".
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
The manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is an evidence that you have received the Holy Spirit. Remember the apostles on the day of Pentecost, when they received the Holy Spirit they started speaking in
tongues.
And those things that they couldn't do before even when they were with Christ, after receiving the Spirit they could do them.
Peter even when he followed Jesus denied Jesus, even though it was not his intention.
Because when Christ told him that he would deny him, Peter argued that he loves Christ and would never deny Christ.
But it was not by his power or might, it is the Holy Spirit that enables us.
After they had received the Spirit they became bold and ready to die for their Saviour.
They became dead to self and started living for Christ and Christ alone.
We have heard people say that Speaking in tongues is the only or major sign that you have received the Holy Spirit and without this sign you have not received the Holy Spirit, how true is that?
*Answer* It's not true, the
So called speaking in tongues in our Churches today is a joke and a mockery to the Holy Spirit.
People now go to learn how to speak in tongues, some just force themselves and say Gibberish, that's not speaking in tongues.
And from our study today we have also seen that somebody who is not born again can't receive the Holy Spirit, you can't speak in tongues when you have not truly repented from your sins.
You can't receive him in your old person, you must pass through the process of conversion, and become a new creation.
The major sign that you have received the Holy Spirit is Fruit of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 13:1-
"13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails"
The Fruits of the Spirit is he major sign, there are so many fake miracle workers out there, so many false prophets, and so many false speaking in tongues.
But the sign of a true converted person is the Fruits.
Didn't the bible say "by their fruits ye shall know them"?
Your lifestyle is the best message you can preach to someone.
If certainly you have received the Holy Spirit people will see the fruits in you and glorify God.
You can't pretend for long.
If you haven't received the Holy Spirit then you can't exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, rather you will exhibit the works of the flesh, because you're still walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit.
8. how do we get the Holy Spirit?
*Answer* By asking God.
Luke 11:13
"Luke 11:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
I believe when we genuinely ask God for his Spirit he will give us.
9. Can the Holy Spirit leave us even after receiving him?
Answer: When we continue to ignore the 'voice' that tells us what we're doing is bad or habitually reject the prompting of the Holy Spirit, through our conscience to repent from our sins, then we grieve and reject the Holy Spirit.
When we hardened our hearts against the truth probably because of the 'inconveniences' of obeying it, we reject the Holy Spirit.
This can be very dangerous, because over time, the Spirit may stop appealing to us to change...resulting in a hardened heart - one that no longer recognizes the voice of the Holy Spirit n has become incapable of responding to it, by so doing wereject him and grieve him and will leave us.
Ephesians 4:30
I want to add this, we all are waiting for the Latter rain isn't it?
"The latter rain will not fall upon those who don't have the Holy Spirit in them at all"....
In other to receive the latter rain we must have the Holy Spirit in us.( we must have some Oil)
The latter rain is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in full measure, nobody will be able to withstand this power.
This is necessary in other to bring in the last harvest.
Those who will receive the latter rain will be filled with power and great glory of our Lord, and nothing will be impossible for them to do.
They will exhibit the gifts of the Holy Spirit in full measure, and we know that the gifts are for the edification of the Church, or an individual. It's very necessary for evangelism.
So we have to strife to receive the Holy Spirit now, so that we won't miss the latter rain.
It's my prayer that we all will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and start walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.
When I was in secondary school, we used to have revival week.
During this period our senior students who were seen as Spirit filled, would lead out in the revival program.
They used to preach about heaven and hell then, they would tell us how we will be tortured by the devil if we miss rapture because we failed to repent.
Then we were so afraid and out of fear of being tortured by the devil we would repent from our sins.
If we used to steal people's water, or their lantern we stopped doing them, we would cry and cry and confess all our sins that day, and promise never to return to them again.
The sad thing was that the whole thing would only last just some few months, maybe one or two, and we would go back to our old lifestyles.
Then they would hold another revival again, and you will see us confessing and crying and repenting, this kept repeating itself until I left secondary school.
Then in higher institution, the same thing, after the preacher must have finished preaching, and he calls for alter call, I will come out, and repent of my sins and say the sinners prayers...
Then later after some few months I will go back to my old lifestyle.
This kept on happening over and over again, to the extent that I became tired of coming out so I gave up.
I was tired of confessing and was wondering when I will become a changed person and not keep living in sin, or going back to sin.
Not until in 2012 when I was invited to a church and I heard the pastor preach, and I liked his sermon.
Then I came back and decided to attend their baptismal class, that was when I was taught how to become a new creature, how to have a true conversion.
After the baptismal class, I was baptised by immersion and we were asked to pray for the Holy Spirit, that without him we will surely go back to our old ways, we needed him for directions etc..
Then I started praying earnestly, and I believe I received the Holy Spirit after that baptism thanks be to God.
Since then, my life has never remained the same things I used to do before, I found my self not doing them anymore to the glory of God.
What am I trying to bring out here before we start?
I want us to understand that true conversion is not by our power nor by our strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit.
True repentance is not based on fear of hell, but your love for Christ
And when you love God, that love must definitely pass down to your fellow human beings...
That is the greatest commandments.
1 Love for God.
2. Love for man.
I know that some of us may be passing through this process, but God i s able to take us to the higher ground that we desire.
*Except one is born of water and the spirit*
In other to understand what Christ said , we must first see what the meaning of Baptism is.
1. What is the meaning of water Baptism?
*Answer*: Baptism represents the believer uniting with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
In baptism the eyes are closed and the breath is suspended as in death. Then comes burial in the water and resurrection from the watery grave to a new life in Christ.
When raised from the water, the eyes open and the believer begins breathing again and mingles with friends a likeness of resurrection.
So we see that only baptism by immersion fulfils the meaning of Baptism.
No other baptism fulfills this.
Sprinkling doesn't fulfil this at all.
( Romans 6:4-6)
Baptism represents cleansing of sin.
Baptism is a public testimony that the repentant sinner has accepted Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Saviour. ( Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:9)
2. What are the steps to baptism?
*Answer* If we have passed through a baptismal class you will understand the steps to be followed before you van be baptised.
a. Believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as your personal Lord and Saviour.
There is no other name given to man by which we can be saved.( Acts 4:12, Acts 8:12)
Believe in the Bible that it is the infallible word of God.
b. Accept your sins, do not live in denial.
"For I acknowledge my sins and my sins are ever before me". ( psalms 51:3)
We have to acknowledge our sins and feel remorseful of them.
We have to tired of our present situation just like Jacob was tired of his name.
We have to long for a new name.
C. Repent and turn away from your sins.
( Acts 2:38)
3. What is the right form of water Baptism?
*Answer* baptism by immersion.
4. When should one be baptised?
*Answer* when one is of the age of differentiating between good and evil, when one is matured enough to make decisions.
Baptism should not be forced upon people it should be voluntary.
We see many people baptising little children, who know nothing.
This is not scriptural, because children don't know anything and are not able to differentiate between good and evil.
" The bible says who ever *believes* and is baptised will be saved" ( mark 16:16)
Can a child believe, does he/she even know what believing in Christ means, does the child understand that baptism means dying and resurrecting with Christ?
That is why Jesus says that we must be baptised in other to make it to heaven, because there are steps to follow before the baptism.
5. Is water Baptism enough to make heaven?
*Answer* No!
Repenting and accepting Jesus Christ does not mean that you will not continue to sin.
Baptism itself does not change the heart; it is a symbol of a change that has taken place.
A person might be baptized without faith and even go back to his/her old life.
Neither can it change or regenerate anyone. It is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that changes the heart. One must be born of the Spirit, as well as of water (John 3:5).
Water baptism does not guarantee salvation. Salvation comes only as a free gift from Jesus Christ when one experiences the new birth.
Baptism is a symbol of true conversion, and unless conversion precedes baptism, the ceremony is meaningless.
6. Since water Baptism is not enough what else do we need?
*Answer* The Holy Spirit Baptism.
If we notice throughout the new testament the Apostles baptised the people with water and they also prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit, because they knew the importance of the Holy Spirit Baptism.
"14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 *because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized* in the name of the Lord Jesus.( Acts 8:14-16)
7. So what is the difference between water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism?
*Answer* While water Baptism involves accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour, confessing your sins and repenting from them.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit signifies:
. New birth
True conversion
Death to self.
8. What does the Holy Spirit do to us?
*Answer* When we receive the Holy Spirit we see changes in our lives, there is no way you will receive the Holy Spirit and remain the same.
Those things that you used to do before you find out that you no longer do them, your old man is gone, you are now a new creation old things have passed away.
The Holy Spirit teaches us the truth
Be convicts us of our sins
And convinces us. ( John 14:26, John 16:8)
There is no way we will receive the Holy Spirit and continue to remain the same.
The Holy Spirit is a no nonsense person, he does not condone sin especially when we continue to refuse his promptings....
The Holy Spirit is the Law of God written in our hearts.
Jeremiah 31:33
Without the Holy Spirit we could only be hearers and not doers .
When we have the Holy and we hear the true message the Holy Spirit will convince you to accept it.
" the bible says my sheep will hear my voice and they will come to me.( John 10:27)
When we receive the Holy Spirit we become dead to self.
We will start walking in the Spirit and not according to self.
Worldly things will no longer interest us.
We will start seeking for his kingdom. (Matthew 6:33)
Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The bible says in the book of 1 John 3:9
" No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because *God’s seed remains in them*; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God".
What is that God's seed? It is the Holy Spirit, born of God( born of the Spirit)
8. How do we know that we have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
* Answer* you will have the Fruit of the Spirit and exhibit the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 *If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit*".
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
The manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is an evidence that you have received the Holy Spirit. Remember the apostles on the day of Pentecost, when they received the Holy Spirit they started speaking in
tongues.
And those things that they couldn't do before even when they were with Christ, after receiving the Spirit they could do them.
Peter even when he followed Jesus denied Jesus, even though it was not his intention.
Because when Christ told him that he would deny him, Peter argued that he loves Christ and would never deny Christ.
But it was not by his power or might, it is the Holy Spirit that enables us.
After they had received the Spirit they became bold and ready to die for their Saviour.
They became dead to self and started living for Christ and Christ alone.
We have heard people say that Speaking in tongues is the only or major sign that you have received the Holy Spirit and without this sign you have not received the Holy Spirit, how true is that?
*Answer* It's not true, the
So called speaking in tongues in our Churches today is a joke and a mockery to the Holy Spirit.
People now go to learn how to speak in tongues, some just force themselves and say Gibberish, that's not speaking in tongues.
And from our study today we have also seen that somebody who is not born again can't receive the Holy Spirit, you can't speak in tongues when you have not truly repented from your sins.
You can't receive him in your old person, you must pass through the process of conversion, and become a new creation.
The major sign that you have received the Holy Spirit is Fruit of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 13:1-
"13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails"
The Fruits of the Spirit is he major sign, there are so many fake miracle workers out there, so many false prophets, and so many false speaking in tongues.
But the sign of a true converted person is the Fruits.
Didn't the bible say "by their fruits ye shall know them"?
Your lifestyle is the best message you can preach to someone.
If certainly you have received the Holy Spirit people will see the fruits in you and glorify God.
You can't pretend for long.
If you haven't received the Holy Spirit then you can't exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, rather you will exhibit the works of the flesh, because you're still walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit.
8. how do we get the Holy Spirit?
*Answer* By asking God.
Luke 11:13
"Luke 11:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
I believe when we genuinely ask God for his Spirit he will give us.
9. Can the Holy Spirit leave us even after receiving him?
Answer: When we continue to ignore the 'voice' that tells us what we're doing is bad or habitually reject the prompting of the Holy Spirit, through our conscience to repent from our sins, then we grieve and reject the Holy Spirit.
When we hardened our hearts against the truth probably because of the 'inconveniences' of obeying it, we reject the Holy Spirit.
This can be very dangerous, because over time, the Spirit may stop appealing to us to change...resulting in a hardened heart - one that no longer recognizes the voice of the Holy Spirit n has become incapable of responding to it, by so doing wereject him and grieve him and will leave us.
Ephesians 4:30
I want to add this, we all are waiting for the Latter rain isn't it?
"The latter rain will not fall upon those who don't have the Holy Spirit in them at all"....
In other to receive the latter rain we must have the Holy Spirit in us.( we must have some Oil)
The latter rain is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in full measure, nobody will be able to withstand this power.
This is necessary in other to bring in the last harvest.
Those who will receive the latter rain will be filled with power and great glory of our Lord, and nothing will be impossible for them to do.
They will exhibit the gifts of the Holy Spirit in full measure, and we know that the gifts are for the edification of the Church, or an individual. It's very necessary for evangelism.
So we have to strife to receive the Holy Spirit now, so that we won't miss the latter rain.
It's my prayer that we all will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and start walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.
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