WATER AND SPIRIT

This story is told in the New Testament, that the apostle Paul came to Ephesus and found some disciples and asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2-6). They answered, “We have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (19:2). Paul asked them what they were baptized into, and they replied, “into John’s baptism” (water baptism) a baptism of repentance (19:3). Paul then replies, “John did say to receive a baptism of repentance” (water baptism), but he also said, “people should believe on Him who would come after him; that is, on Jesus Christ” (19:4). Scripture then teaches that when they heard this, they were baptized into the Name of the Lord King Jesus (19:5). Then the real difference: “Now when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (19:6).
So there are those who take the first step when they are drawn by the Spirit to believe resulting in salvation, water baptism, and by the grace of God through faith, become part of God’s family as His children. And then there are those who go through this initial process and then go on to also ask the Father for the Holy Spirit baptism, which gives the believer power and authority to go with the gifts and service for God and man (Luke 11:11-13). Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. We just have to ask for it.
That beats just going to church and squeezing out a 10% tithe check.
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus