Matthew 3:11-12 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The Bible mentioned two kinds of baptisms. Their difference lies in the baptists. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:13, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." The one Spirit mentioned here is the baptist. It's clear that the baptist was the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the baptism is so that we can be of one body. Christians are individuals who has received Jesus Christ as our saviour. But when we receive baptism, we are connected together, and become one body. We start to relate to each other, and become parts of that one body. In Jesus Christ, we are one family. However, the baptist who performed "baptism by Holy Spirit" in these two verses in Matthew chapter 3 was not the Holy Spirit, but Jesus Christ. In English it is "baptized with the Spirit". Lord baptized us with the Holy Spirit. The purposes of the baptism is to purify life and manifest power. That's why verse 11 says that He baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire. If it is fire, it can not be still. Because Lord is Holy, when a fire starts, all thing that are not pure will be burnt. He will do this kind of work in our hearts. When Jesus went into the Holy Temple, the first thing he did was to purify the temple. Before the Lord went in, people did all kinds of commerce, and anything they desired in the temple. But Lord came to destroy sins. Once he went in, he started the work of destruction. He would rebuild later. On the other hand, when the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, it specifically mentioned that the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire resting on everyone, bringing power and miracle. This is also what our generation needs. We pray for miracle. At this end of time, we pray to God through Mark 16:20, "Oh Lord, we pray that you work with us, confirming what we preach through miracles." Today, we need baptism by the Holy Spirit. It is not just for us to be connected in Jesus and become the body of Jesus Christ; more importantly, we need the Holy Spirit to shower us and fill us. Let Jesus Christ baptize us with Holy Spirit and fire so that our lives and ministries can be empowered! Pray with Pastor Tong 
Lord, we are eager for the work of your Holy Spirit, because baptism by Holy Spirit not only connects us, but also changes our lives. We ask that you empower our lives and empower our ministries so that your name is lifted high, drawing thousands to yourself. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! |
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