What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? The phrase “Baptism in the Spirit” may seem strange if you're unfamiliar with it. This phrase comes from Acts 1:5 in the New Testament of the Bible, which says, “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” This promise of Jesus was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) when Jesus' disciples experienced the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Jesus. As a result, the Christian church was born!

We receive the Holy Spirit at salvation, but that doesn’t mean we are always full of the Spirit. We need a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit every day! Baptism literally means "to soak" - and today, we're sharing 3 ways we are called to soak in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

#1: BAPTISM AT SALVATION

When we make the decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Bible says we are sealed in that moment for the day of redemption. Ephesians 1:13 in the New Testament puts it this way: "When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit." God seals you as his child forever - and he promises to never leave you or forsake you. He will be with you always!

#2: BAPTISM IN WATER

After salvation comes soaking in the water of baptism. This is what we call Believers Baptism - and you know who started it? Jesus Himself was baptized, setting the example for us to follow in his footsteps (Matthew 28: 19-20, Mark 1:9). Baptism in water is a symbol of your new life in Christ. So understand, you are saved by your faith in Christ; the Holy Spirit comes on you and seals you as God's own. Then, the next step is to get soaked in the waters of baptism to make a public declaration of your faith and new life in Christ. If baptism is the next step on your spiritual journey, we're hosting Spring Baptism at Liquid Church on Sunday, April 10th! You can learn more and sign-up to get baptized this Spring at LiquidChurch.com/Baptism.

#3: BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT

Finally, the last type of baptism is the ongoing or continual soaking in the Holy Spirit. You know, there's a difference between receiving the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit. First, let's clarify that your salvation doesn't depend on you - you can't lose your salvation if the Holy Spirit has sealed you as belonging to the family of God at salvation. However, we aren't always full of the spirit, simply because we leak.

Think of "leaking" in this way: You come to church, enjoy the worship, and soak in that new song that really helps you connect to God. Or you go to Small Group and prayer time was powerful! You feel encouraged... but then, Monday rolls along and you're getting impatient in morning traffic. You get to work and your boss is critical of you. You face tech issues with your laptop throughout the day... and by the end of the day you are just exhausted and any filling of the spirit that you got on Sunday feels gone. You need a continuous filling of the Holy Spirit, because we leak.

THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

So how do you know if you're filled with the Holy Spirit? The answer: If you're filled with the Spirit, you produce the Fruit of the Spirit! Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." These are the character qualities that just ooze out of you when you are filled with God's Holy Spirit. The signs of the Spirit aren't just supernatural gifts, but attitudes of the heart. In every part of our lives, we get to live through the power of the Spirit of God in us, no matter our circumstances!

So, here's an invitation for you: This week, will you empty yourself of whatever holds you back from being filled with the Holy Spirit? Ask God the Father to pour out more of His Spirit in your life. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus says "the flesh is weak, but the Spirit is willing," - so ask God to empty you of anything that keeps you from being full of all God's peace, love, and joy, so that you can soak in the power and magnificence of His Holy Spirit!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For additional resources during Liquid Church's Wind & Fire series, check out the content below:

• ARTICLE: Karina's Baptism Story - In this article, Karina Canales of Liquid Church's Morris County Campus shares why she chose to get baptized and what you should know if you're considering baptism this Spring. Click here to read her story.
• DEVOTIONAL: Throughout our Wind & Fire series, we're gathering for Wednesday Wisdom on Facebook Live! Join our team of pastors as they share weekly encouragement. Click here to learn more.
• GROUPS: Have questions about joining a Small Group? Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about Groups.