EVIDENCE. Bill Taylor. January [All references are from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, unless otherwise stated.

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2 EVIDENCE Bill Taylor January 2017 [All references are from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, unless otherwise stated.] This discussion is an addendum to a paper titled Baptisms written in December of In that paper I discussed the four baptisms for the New Testament Christian: baptism into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit upon accepting Christ as savior; baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ through water baptism by the Church; baptism into the Holy Spirit by Jesus for power and anointing to minister; and baptism into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ by the world and the Devil. In that paper, I explained why God intends for the baptism into the Holy Spirit to be a separate experience after salvation and how it was used to empower and embolden the disciples to spread the Gospel of salvation and that it has the same purpose today. If we look at Acts 2, we see the first instance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples: Acts 2:1-18: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one 2

3 another, Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, Whatever could this mean? 13 Others mocking said, They are full of new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. In the same way, we see that Jesus was baptized in, or by, the Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17, where it says, 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This anointing and empowerment gave Jesus the power to withstand the sufferings and temptations in the wilderness for forty days and then to begin his ministry. 3

4 Spiritual Law God s kingdom is established on spiritual law and order. Therefore, whenever a spiritual change is accomplished, it is first enacted and established by spiritual law then we begin to experience the consequences, just like when a law is passed by Congress. First it is entered into the books and, over time, we begin to see the changes in our environment. Salvation is a spiritual transaction whereby the law of payment by blood for sin is effected and we are legally transferred by this legal action from death to life. In our present system in the United States, legal transactions are sealed or notarized and filed in the courthouse. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the seal of our salvation He takes up residence in our hearts upon accepting Christ: In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13) After that, baptism in water and baptism in the Holy Spirit are the next two legal steps God has established for us to be equipped to walk in His kingdom in victory. They were not provided as just nice options, but expected steps or building blocks in the Christian s life. See my paper on baptisms and read Acts 1:3-8; 2:1-11 for support of the fact that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is expected before disciples go out to minister. Legal Seal So, the point of this paper: What is the legal seal of the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Must a person speak in tongues to be baptized into the Holy Spirit? This a controversy that has raged throughout the church for many years. Well, if we look at Acts 2:4, the sign or seal of those present receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was that they spoke in numerous foreign languages. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. It is very doubtful that these few uneducated disciples could, at will, speak all these languages (at least fifteen are enumerated) and know what they were speaking to the point of amazing and impressing the crowd. It is obvious that they did not know what they were saying, even though various members of the crowd understood. And we sometimes think of this as an isolated incident with a few Jews, but it also happened to the Gentiles. 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had 4

5 been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. (Acts 10:44-46a) And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. 3 And he said to them, Into what then were you baptized? So they said, Into John s baptism. 4 Then Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:1-6) Why would God choose this particular sign as a seal of our baptism in the Holy Spirit? Well, Psalms 12:3-4 says, Master May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things, 4 Who have said, With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us? The entire point of the Kingdom of God is about who is master. This was man s original sin I will be in control! It is all about giving that control back to God. But, you say, How can I trust this is God? What if it is just me? Or the Devil? All of the Kingdom is about trust and faith from salvation to everything we walk in. Yet, so many want proof that speaking in tongues (or prophecy, for that matter) is different. Others bring the accusation that it is mysticism. Well, duh! Isn t the Holy Spirit mystic? Isn t all of the Kingdom of God and all the teachings of the Bible on a spiritual level, which is the very definition of mystical? Romans 14:11 says, For it is written: 5

6 As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God. And, Philippians 2:9-11: 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The knee represents my physical submission, while the tongue represents submission of my soul, who I am on the inside. We all know the story of the little boy who was standing up on the pew in church and his mother told him to sit down. He sat down, but he told his mom, I may be sitting down on the outside, but I m standing up on the inside! That is the way of many of us. We obey God with actions, but our soul is still disobedient on the inside. Look what God says about the tongue in Psalms 52:2-4: Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. 4 You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. Notice how God speaks of the tongue as if it is an entity in itself and it is used for evil. And in Romans 3:13-14: Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit ; The poison of asps is under their lips ; 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. The tongue is the instrument of the soul that creates or destroys spiritually. Read Genesis chapter one. God created everything with the spoken word. In fact, in John 1, it is made clear that Jesus Christ is the living Word incarnate. So, the power of the tongue is incalculable. Everything that has ever been created or established in scripture and Biblical history was done by God or His representative speaking or making a proclamation. Just as a carpenter uses tools to build, the spiritual tool for building or destruction is the spoken word, and the tongue (meaning our actual speaking, using the mouth to make words) is the instrument that makes the words. Conversely, 6

7 Satan uses the same spiritual laws to tear down and destroy. That is why curses, judgments, and things said in bitterness and anger have the power to do more than to just hurt emotionally. They actually destroy spiritual structures and put people, groups, and efforts in bondage and can thwart the work of God. Power of the Tongue As God s representatives and ambassadors, we have the same authority and power as the prophets to spiritually build up or tear down by what we say with our tongue. Here s what James says about the tongue: If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one s religion is useless. (James 1:26) In chapter 3, verses 3-10, James gets even more emphatic about the rebellion of the tongue: 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. In verse eight, James says that no one can tame their own tongue. The implication is that it can only be done by God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps none of you have ever said something you were sorry for the moment you said it, or words came out of your mouth that you knew were not pleasing or edifying to God, but you said them anyway. I know I sure have and continue to. I am asking God s forgiveness for my language and my spoken thoughts on a regular basis. Why do we do this? They say the eye is the window into a person s soul. If so, then the mouth is the door. What is there spills out, and it often is not pleasing to God or edifying to us or others. Consequently, our tongue is the most unruly member of our body, because it is an expression and mirror of our core being and attitudes, and the flesh which so easily rules us. The baptism into the Holy Spirit is all about yielding our control to God in our total experience, in the very core of our being. Does this mean I never say something again that I m sorry for or that I have 7

8 no more problem with the flesh? Not at all. It just means I have taken one more step, as established in scripture, to yield myself to God and to His control and take myself out of the equation. Two Gifts At this juncture, it is important to understand that praying in an unknown language is a different gift than giving a message to a congregation in an unknown language. Paul said, I pray in the spirit more than you all, indicating he expected everyone to do the same. However in 1 Corinthians 14:13, he says, Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. In that passage, he explains that you should not give a message in a tongue unless you know there is someone there who can interpret or has the gift of interpretation of tongues. That gift is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10. So, it seems clear that Paul refers to personal praying in an unknown language as a source of personal edification and praying according to the Holy Spirit when you don t know what words to use, versus speaking a message to a congregation in an unknown language, which requires an interpretation. So, what are the benefits of praying in an unknown tongue? Let s look at 1 Corinthians 14:13-17: 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say Amen at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. First, it is clear from this passage that Paul s reference to praying with the spirit is not understandable in his native language. Now, there are debates about whether this means in another human language used somewhere in the world or a heavenly language used by angels or God himself. What does it matter? Paul doesn t understand it and he is doing it by faith, knowing that the Holy Spirit is praying through him. He also makes it clear that there are others in the congregation that would not understand. If we look at several scriptures, we see that prayer in an unknown tongue is for personal edification, building up the spirit and soul, and praying for what the Spirit of God knows we need that we are not even aware. 8

9 John 4: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Romans 8: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 1 Corinthians 2: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 9

10 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Philippians 3:3 Jude 20 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Not every scripture here mentions praying in tongues, although praying in the Holy Spirit is mentioned. However, the powerful indication is that we cannot even approach God or pray effectively just in our own understanding or logic. That was the way of the Pharisees. God set up a whole new dimension of the spirit in which He expected us to move and it is only possible through the direction and power of the Holy Spirit. Praying in tongues is an act of giving your most unruly member over to the control of God Himself. Tongues is the Seal After examination of all this evidence and personal experience, I do not feel you can fully receive the baptism into the Holy Spirit without the seal of speaking in an unknown tongue. The gift of praying in an unknown language is the seal of the baptism into the Holy Spirit. Without it, the question remains did it really happen? Just as you have not completed a legal action until you have signed the papers and had the notary sign it and put on their seal, you have not been sealed in the baptism into the Holy Spirit until you have released control of your tongue to the degree that you let Him give you another language that glorifies God. Many people are afraid that means that they must let the Spirit come over them and possess them to the point they have no control kind of like demon possession. In fact, that is what many evangelicals and fundamentalists have likened it to demon worship or submission. First of all, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and God never overrides our free will. So we may receive words or strong urges, but we are always in control. I can always decide whether to pray in the Spirit, or English, or not at all. Secondly, if we carry this thought of demon control to the end, then the disciples and apostles, including Paul, must have been demon possessed also. We seem to think that mystical and unexplainable spiritual experiences stopped with those in the Bible. That is a heresy called the cessation theory. Now days we explain everything scientifically because that is what we have been taught in school and by society. God has been thrown out of our schools and universities and even many of our 10

11 seminaries. Science has become a tool of the enemy to keep us away from anything of God we cannot understand or control. Consequently, we can start the process (by agreeing in principle and even filling out the papers), seek God, receive other gifts, and try to walk in God s power but without the seal, the legal action isn t completed. In my experience, I have seen a number of people that have said they wanted to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and prayed for it, and sometimes even exhibited some other gifts for a while. But, eventually they let doubt and apathy seep in and, in the end, stopped functioning in any anointing. And some even denounced the spiritual gifts and baptism of the Spirit. Did they lose their salvation? No! But, they certainly lost the opportunity to partake of a blessing and source of edification that God meant for them to have. So, don t let the Devil and your flesh steal God s intended blessing. When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, due to my inhibitions and fundamentalist background, I only received one or two words in my mind and I felt great embarrassment in speaking them. After a few days, I quit saying those words because there was no more words coming and I still felt embarrassed, even when alone. After a couple weeks of seeking, God told me that if I was faithful in the little things, He would add more. So, as I was faithful with two or three words again, my gift began to grow and I soon could just let myself go in prayer in the Spirit. If you really want what God has to offer, He is ready to give it: 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luke 11:11-13) All you need do is ask. Find someone who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit and ask them to help you in the process and to pray with you. Then pray expecting and be willing to give control of your tongue to the God of all control. ****************************************************************************** Website: billsbiblebriefs.com Contact me at bill@billsbiblebriefs.com 11