The Holy Spirit ... Part I

I believe there is an added anointing or infilling that goes beyond the initial receiving of "the Holy Spirit" that a new convert receives when he or she accepts Jesus as Lord and is born again. 

According to John 3:34, God did not give the Spirit by measure to Jesus ... which I understand to mean, we are only given a measure (a small amount, a portion) of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus was God wrapped in flesh ... He had it all.  An example of how much of the Holy Spirit we receive at conversion would be Romans 12:3 where it says ... "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  We don't know how much that measure is.  But whatever the measure is, it is enough to give birth to our faith.

There's a story in Acts 19:1-7 about twelve men that the Apostle Paul found in Ephesus. They were disciples of John the Baptist and were believers in Jesus.  Paul asks them ... "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?"  And they answered ... "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost."  So Paul re-baptizes them, this time in the name of Jesus, and as Paul laid his hands on them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Ghost) and began to speak with tongues, meaning ... unlearned languages.   

So ... if we receive a measure of the Holy Spirit when we first believe and are born again, what is this added anointing or infilling that these twelve men received?

Jesus said this on three separate occasions about the coming of the Holy Spirit ...

In John 14:26 He said ... "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things ..."

In John 15:26 He said ... "But when the Comforter is come, (the Holy Spirit) whom I will send to you from the father ... he shall testify of me."

Finally, in John 16:7, Jesus said ... "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) will not come; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

On the day of the resurrection of Jesus, (John 20:19-22) He appears to the disciples gathered together again, most likely in the upper room, and does what might be considered a little strange.  Jesus breathed on them and said ... "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."  The way it is written ... "He breathed on and said to them" ... it appears as though Jesus went to each one individually and ministered personally to them.     

And now here's the ... But ... the Holy Spirit hadn't been sent yet.  But this was Jesus.

If the disciples received the anointing (or baptism) of the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them ... and I believe they did ... a few days later on Pentecost, is when they received their tongues ... not at the moment they were filled.

In Acts 1: 8, just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He tells His followers that they would receive "power" when baptized with the Holy Ghost in a few days.

This word power in the Greek is "dunamis" ... meaning: "miraculous power, ability, might and strength ... beyond your own."  This is what happened in Acts 2:1-11 ...

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place ... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven ... the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."  (edited)

Simply put ... this added anointing, (the extra infilling of power, or "dunamis") gives you a boldness and strength to tell others about Jesus.  In this case, the first outward sign was the miraculous ability to speak in other languages or dialects ... called speaking in tongues.    

So, what are the tongues all about?  According to 1st Corinthians 14:22 ... "Tongues are for a sign ... to unbelievers ..."  Why did God choose tongues?  I have no idea.  That's His business.

Paul speaks of helps and gifts given to the church body in 1st Corinthians 12:27-31 ...

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way."

Is Paul showing the rank of importance?  Notice, of the few gifts Paul speaks of ... tongues and interpretation of tongues are listed last.  When Paul asks ... "do all speak with tongues" ... could he be saying, not all will be able to operate in "the gift of tongues."  Your personal gifting of the Holy Spirit may be one or two of the other eight gifts, not tongues.

This leads me to wonder ... when a believer is "filled or baptized in the Holy Spirit" ... does he or she always speak in tongues?  Could this be part of Paul's question ... "do all speak with tongues?"
 
To be Continued ...