Laying on of Hands



Acts 19:2-7

English Standard Version (ESV)

² And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” ⁴ And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in^[a] the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

 

More evidence of the being filled with the Holy Spirit after conversion, but this time with the laying on of hands.  It seems God is very diverse how He accomplishes the outcomes He desires.  Some were filled first with the Holy Spirit, some after they were baptized, but one fact remains, the Holy Spirit, the third person in God is a vital part of our walk with Jesus. Holy Spirit, I want to know You, I want to be filled with You to accomplish God's will in my life.   

Dark Night of the Soul

The bible verses below are a little longer than my usual, but they set the stage for my thinking about trials.  In my past, I would read about Paul being beaten, stoned and imprisoned and calmly think "Well, God gave him faith to handle it and so all was fine."  Guess what, I WAS WRONG!  Big news flash huh?  When someone is beaten, it hurts, when someone is in stocks it is awful. When someone loses a loved one, or is in the midst of a horrible trial they hurt and are broken. 

I had a crisis of faith some years back. When my marriage broke up, I hurt so bad it felt like cancer on the inside. After 3 or 4 years of the divorce, I was still hurting. I felt abandoned by God. I was hurt and angry. Everytime I went to church I would cry. I felt He had abandoned me. I was going through a "Dark Night of the Soul."

From Wikipedia

Typically for a believer in the dark night of the soul, spiritual disciplines (such as prayer and consistent devotion to God) suddenly seem to lose all their experiential value; traditional prayer is extremely difficult and unrewarding for an extended period of time during this "dark night." The individual may feel as though God has suddenly abandoned them or that his or her prayer life has collapsed.

I survived, I came back stronger, but I would not wish this on ANYONE!  I can say it has helped me to help others. At least in the bible verse below Paul and Silas were together in their trails. I know if I go through this again, I will understand.  I wish I had known about this while going through it.

Acts 16:16-24  ²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. ²³ After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

 ²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. ²⁷ The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
 ²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

 ³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” ³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³ At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. ³⁴ The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Trials and Tribulations

Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. acts 14:22

I will say it! Family joke, "Me no like!" being raised Catholic we would hear stories about the saints being martyred for their faith. St. Lucy had her eyes poked out, St Peter was crucified upside down because he wasn't worthy to die like Christ. Saints being thrown to the lions. As a little girl I remember being scared but being taught we must be willing to suffer martyrdom for God. Fast forward, I still struggle with tribulation. Yesterday I went to the funeral of an 11 year old boy. His celebration service at his family church made me cry and made me laugh. I was amazed at the faith of his family as they spoke, especially his mother. People face trials everyday. Cancer, job loss, family problems, death of loved ones. I know we live in a sin stained world and our faith is sorely tested. Lord Jesus, please provide the Holy Spirit's comfort to weather our tribulations.

Filled with joy and the Holy Spirit

You really can't read the book of Acts and not see how they mention over and over the Holy Spirit. They seem to have a close relationship with this third member of the Trinity. Chapter 13 speaks three times about Him. Verse 2 while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting the Holy Spirit said...verse 9 Paul filled with the Holy Spirit said...verse 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

This being "filled" with the Holy Spirit is interesting. I can't say, Last week when I was talking to so and so I was filled with the Holy Spirit and said...or last week when I was fasting the Holy Spirit said... I have had pockets, and times of this, but want more. Holy Spirit, teach me how to walk with You, listen to You and when needed to speak, be filled with You.

My GOAL:



Gift of the Holy Spirit and Water Baptism

Acts 10: 44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[a] and praising God.
   Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Like my previous post, there seems to be evidence that there are two separate experiences.  Some people first were baptized in water and then the apostles came and laid hands on them and they recieved the Holy Spirit. In the above scripture the gift of the Holy Spirit came and then they were baptized in water.  I believe the Holy Spirit is the key.  I am a "Spirit filled" believer.  I think being filled with the Spirit, is a path that each Christian must seek.  Some churches routinely practice this as the Catholic Church would call it a "sacrament".  Just like water baptism, it seems to be another step in our walk of faith.  Being filled with the spirit is not a one time fix all.  Our walk with God, our prayer time, our time reading the word will produce times of being filled with the spirit.  For me, one day I have a marvelous morning with the Lord and everything "feels" so clear.  I have insights and feel the Holy Spirit with me.  But, life has a way of going on and the clarity fades.  But we walk in faith and decide to continue and surrender each day.  Today and each day Lord, I ask for the Holy Spirit in my life.  Fill me, teach me, guide me, give me wisdom, give me boldness.  Let me use the "gift" you have given us and not leave it wrapped up on the shelf.   

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 8:14-17 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

This is a theological question in churches.  Catholics call it confirmation. Some churches believe it is an all in one deal at salvation or water baptism, others believe it is a separate in filling after baptism.  I am going to study, pray and seek God on this subject. 

What a Prayer Meeting!

The Book of Acts is amazing.  Chapters 3 and 4 tell about Peter and John, after a miraculous healing of man crippled since birth and some awesome preaching about Jesus were put in jail overnight. The next day they were brought out to  the religious leaders. They boldly preached to them and were told not to spread or teach at all in the name of Jesus.  The leaders could only threaten them because the people were prasing God for the miracle.  Peter and John went back and had a prayer meeting and prayed for BOLDNESS!  Wow, I thought it was pretty bold to get out of jail and preach in the face of the people who threw them in jail.      

Acts 4:23-31
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
   “‘Why do the nations rage
   and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶ The kings of the earth rise up
   and the rulers band together
against the Lord
   and against his anointed one.^[a]’^[b]
 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
 ³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
   
Praying together shook the house!!!  Also, while God knows scripture, using his Word in prayer builds faith. I pray the same prayer, enable ME to speak Your word with great boldness!!  Let's rock the house!!