“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John the Baptist said he could baptize with water but Jesus was going to be the one who would come to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This baptism with the Spirit immerses us into the person of the Holy Spirit. He then fills us and empowers us.
The Message Bible says: “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.”
We are born of the Spirit the moment we are born again. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. Yet, Jesus will totally saturate us in this baptism. Another phrase for baptizing us with the Spirit is “filling us with the Spirit.”
We are to be filled to overflowing with the Spirit of God. We must be baptized in the Holy Spirit to have the power to successfully live out our Christian life. Life is better with God’s power.
Jesus, I look to you to fill me with your Spirit and to be empower me for success.
- Reading Plan A: 1 Timothy 4
- Reading Plan B: 1 John
- Reading Plan C: Jeremiah 11-13; 1 Timothy 4
by Tim Davidson
Excerpt permission granted by
Word of Faith Church & Outreach Center
Called to the Body of Christ as a pastor and teacher, Tim Davidson pioneered Word of Faith Church in Bismarck in 1980. He served as its Lead Pastor for 35 years and now serves as Founding Pastor. Pastor Tim has pioneered 6 churches in North Dakota and now serves as Regional Director for Rhema Ministerial Association International. Teaching believers foundational truths from God's Word is his passion.
He has authored 3 yearly devotion books that are used both here and overseas to help believers become "rooted and grounded" in their faith.
God is now calling Pastor Tim to share the treasury of wisdom and knowledge God has given to him with other pastors and churches.