The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Forty-One Years Later, I Can Still Say, "It Is Real"

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." — Acts 1:8

Few subjects within Christianity generate more discussion than the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Mention it in a church, Bible study, or online discussion, and opinions quickly begin to surface.

"It was only for the early Church."

"It passed away with the apostles."

"You received everything the moment you were saved."

"Speaking in tongues is emotionalism."

"It is fanaticism."

"It is not a separate work of the Holy Spirit."

"It is of the devil."

The conversation often becomes louder than the Scriptures themselves.

I have listened to these arguments for decades. Some have been presented with sincerity. Others have been spoken with great confidence. Still others have dismissed the subject without ever taking the time to honestly search the Word of God.

I do not write these words to argue with anyone.

I write because forty-one years ago, God forever changed my life.

One Locked Door... One Open Heaven

The date was November 4, 1985.

At the time, I was serving aboard the USS Fletcher (DD-992), a Spruance-class destroyer in the United States Navy.

Life at sea has a way of stripping away pretenses.

There are moments when the noise of life becomes so overwhelming that you desperately need to hear only one voice—the voice of God.

That day I found a supply storeroom aboard the ship.

I locked the door behind me.

There was no audience.

No preacher.

No choir.

No emotional service.

No one to impress.

Just a sailor...

...and his God.

For some time I had been wrestling with questions.

Was the Baptism in the Holy Spirit real?

Was speaking in tongues biblical?

Was this experience only for the Book of Acts?

Or had God intended it for believers today?

I asked the Lord every question that had been weighing upon my heart.

Then, after pouring out my questions, I prayed one of the simplest prayers I have ever prayed.

"Lord...

If this is real...

Then I want it.

Please baptize me with the Holy Spirit."

What Happened Next

People are free to explain away what happened next.

Some will say it was psychological.

Others will call it stress.

Some will say it was imagination.

Others may insist it was nothing more than emotion.

They are entitled to their opinions.

But opinions cannot erase experience.

I know where I was.

I know what happened.

I know the difference between imagination and divine reality.

As I prayed, something happened that I had never experienced before.

In my mind, I saw what appeared to be the Holy Spirit coming through the closed and locked door like a flame of fire.

Slowly, that flame moved behind me.

Then it touched the top of my head.

The instant it did, I lifted my hands toward heaven.

Without anyone teaching me...

Without anyone coaching me...

Without anyone standing beside me...

I began speaking in another tongue.

Time disappeared.

Minutes seemed like hours.

The presence of God filled that little storeroom aboard a Navy destroyer.

I entered that room asking questions.

I walked out with answers.

More Than an Emotional Moment

That experience was not the end.

It was the beginning.

Emotions fade.

Excitement fades.

Experiences become memories.

But what God does by His Spirit continues to transform a life.

For forty-one years the Holy Spirit has remained faithful.

He has comforted me.

Corrected me.

Strengthened me.

Directed me.

Empowered me.

Convicted me.

Encouraged me.

Opened doors I could never have opened.

Closed doors that would have harmed me.

Led me into ministry opportunities around the world.

The experience did not replace Scripture.

It drove me deeper into Scripture.

It did not make Jesus less important.

It made Jesus more precious.

It did not exalt spiritual gifts above Christ.

It exalted Christ through the power of His Spirit.

Acts 1:8 Was Never About Tongues Alone

Sadly, many discussions become fixated on one issue—speaking in tongues.

But Jesus emphasized something even greater.

"You shall receive power..."

Power for what?

Power to witness.

Power to obey.

Power to endure suffering.

Power to remain faithful.

Power to preach Christ.

Power to love people.

Power to forgive.

Power to stand when the world bows.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit has never been to make believers appear more spiritual than others.

His purpose is to glorify Jesus Christ and empower His people to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

That is exactly what Acts 1:8 declares.

The Holy Spirit is not given so that Christians can boast about an experience.

He is given so that the world may hear about a Savior.

The Evidence of a Spirit-Filled Life

Much attention has been given to the initial evidence described in Acts.

Yet there is another evidence that should never be overlooked.

A Spirit-filled believer increasingly resembles Jesus.

Love grows deeper.

Humility becomes more evident.

Holiness becomes more precious.

Compassion expands.

Forgiveness becomes quicker.

Obedience becomes sweeter.

The fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly visible.

The gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit were never intended to compete with one another.

Both point us toward Christ.

What If You're Still Unsure?

Perhaps you remain unconvinced.

Perhaps you have sincere questions.

Perhaps your church tradition has taught something different.

I respect your desire to examine the Scriptures carefully.

That is exactly what every believer should do.

My encouragement is simple.

Do not reject something merely because someone else rejected it.

Do not accept something merely because someone else accepted it.

Search the Scriptures.

Pray honestly.

Ask God to reveal His truth.

The Lord has never been threatened by an honest seeker.

If your heart is open to Him, He is more than able to guide you into truth.

Forty-One Years Later

Looking back over more than four decades, I have absolutely no regrets for praying that simple prayer aboard the USS Fletcher.

God answered.

Not because I deserved it.

Not because I understood everything.

But because He delights in giving good gifts to His children.

The same Holy Spirit who empowered the believers in the Book of Acts has never ceased pointing people to Jesus Christ.

Cultures have changed.

Technology has changed.

Nations have changed.

But God has not changed.

The Holy Spirit has not retired.

The Gospel has not lost its power.

Jesus Christ is still saving sinners.

He is still transforming lives.

He is still building His Church.

And He is still empowering believers to be His witnesses.

A Personal Invitation

If you have never seriously studied what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, I encourage you to begin today.

Read the Gospels.

Read the Book of Acts.

Read the Epistles.

Ask the Lord to teach you.

Lay aside preconceived opinions.

Lay aside fear.

Lay aside pride.

Simply say,

"Lord, whatever Your Word teaches, that is what I want."

That prayer changed my life aboard a Navy destroyer over forty-one years ago.

It is still one of the greatest prayers I have ever prayed.

A Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to empower, comfort, guide, and strengthen Your people. Give us hearts that are willing to search Your Word honestly and to follow wherever You lead. Keep us from pride, fear, and division. Fill us with a deeper love for Jesus Christ and a greater passion to take His Gospel to a lost and hurting world. May our lives bear witness not only through what we say, but through how we live. And may everything we do bring glory to Your Son.

In Jesus' precious name,

Amen.

Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International

Our world does not need less of the Holy Spirit.

It needs more believers who are fully surrendered to Him.

The promise of Acts 1:8 was never meant to end in an upper room.

It was meant to carry the Gospel to "the uttermost part of the earth."

May we never stop going until every soul has had the opportunity to hear the wonderful news that Jesus Christ is Lord.