Baptism In The Holy Spirit

Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit? In other words, are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
Some say that they don’t need to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Baptism in the Holy Spirit) because they already received the Holy Spirit when they accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and that itself is enough for the rest of their lives.
Some possibly look at others who say they are filled with the Holy Spirit (Baptized in the Holy Spirit) but bear little fruit in their christian lives and the former say,”If that’s the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit, better not to have it.”
Some even deny that there is anything called “filled with the Holy Spirit”.
To clarify these and some other points, let us look to the Bible for the answers.
Hope this study convinces you of the need for the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit”

As a case study, let’s take a look at the life of Peter, one of Jesus disciples.
Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen when Jesus invited them to be his disciples.

We read in Mathew 4:18, 19
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

I wonder what must have gone through Peter’s mind when Jesus told him “I will make you fishers of men.”He must have been perplexed and confused at this unusual man Jesus and his most unusual but authoritative statement.
“I will make you fishers of men!”
Peter must have asked himself,
“Where in the world do you fish for men?”and “With what nets?”
Still we read
“At once they left their nets and followed him.”(Matthew 4:20)

Interestingly Luke records Peter’s call by Jesus in a different fashion.
“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the Word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners”(Luke 5:1-10)
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From these verses we can infer that Peter realized his sinfulness and also that Jesus was Lord (Luke 5:8)

Now the question comes :Who made Peter realize his sinfulness and who made him know that Jesus is Lord?
In John chapter 14, verses 16 & 17 we read Jesus telling his disciples
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you known him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Did you notice that?
“But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you”
Could that mean that it was the Holy Spirit living with Peter who gave him the knowledge that he was a sinful man?

The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians says,
“Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed”, and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”except by the Holy Spirit”(1 Corinthians 12:3).

So definitely, it was the Holy Spirit who made Peter say that
“Jesus is Lord”.
Note Jesus telling his disciples
“... But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”(John 14:17)
He is “with you”- Present Tense
He will be “in you”- Future Tense
And when could the Holy Spirit possibly be “in”a person?
When a person is saved of course!
And when is a person saved in Biblical terms?
In Romans 10:9, 10 we read,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Notice the phrase : Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead”
The disciples including Peter also had to believe in the resurrection, which they hardly did, till they saw the resurrected Jesus with their own eyes. That was possibly because of their unbelief and also because they really didn’t understand what “resurrected”meant.
“They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”(John 20:9)
That;s why Jesus told Peter and the other disciples
“But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”(John 14:17)
With you (Now)
In you (Later)
Can we say that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit was “with him”?
After Jesus rose from the dead we read in John Chapter 20
Again Jesus said,”Peace be with you!As the father has sent me,I am sending you.”And with that he breathed on them and said,“Receive the Holy Spirit.”(John 20:21-23).
Luke also adds,
“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written : The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”(Luke 24:45-47).
Here the disciples were truly saved as for the first time as they received the Holy Spirit’s regenerating presence and new life from the risen Christ.
“The Holy Spirit in them”
Can we say that Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit.”because the Holy Spirit was “in him”?
Keeping Luke 24:45, 46 and John 20:19-22 in mind, we read 2 startling statements made by Jesus.
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high”(Luke 24:49).
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”(Acts 1:8).
Hearing this Peter could have said,
Lord Jesus! what more power do I need?
I’ve driven out demons
I’ve healed the sick
I’ve walked on water
I’ve preached repentance
I’ve seen your glory on the Mount of Transfiguration.
I’ve seen Elijah and Moses
I’m the one who had the revelation that you are God’s son.
I even caught a fish with a coin in its mouth
Now that you’ve breathed the Holy Spirit on me, “I am saved.”
“Why do I need more power?”
But none of the 11 disciples argued with Jesus like some of us do.
Not only the 11, but 120 of them got together to receive “Power”
Since we have taken Peter as a case study, let us imagine the resurrected Jesus telling Peter,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”(Acts 1:8).
Note the words, “The Holy Spirit comes on you”contrasted to “with you”and “in you”in John 14:17.
Imagine Peter calling the others after Jesus was taken up before their very eyes and the angels told them that Jesus will return later in the same way he was seen going.
“Hey guys”, let’s do what the Lord said.
And off they went to Mark’s upper Room
We read
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”(Acts 1:14)
And then in Acts Chapter 2, we read of an event that changed the whole perspective of their lives
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”(Acts 2:1-4).
Later in the Chapter we read,
“Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine”(Acts 2:13).
Acts 2:14-41 speaks of a new Peter (now filled with the Holy Spirit) bombarding his fellow Jews with Old testament prophecy and New testament reality and the result was what we read in Acts 2:37.
“When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
They were cut to the heart!
Imagine Peter’s words cutting through their hearts. (That’s something quite amazing)
One can imagine pre-pentecost Peter cutting ears with swords, but cutting hearts with words and the people crying out,
“Brothers, what shall we do?”
And Peter’s prompt reply,
“Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, everyone of you,in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2 :38)
And the result - 3000 Brand New Converts
What a baptism ceremony that must have been!
Peter, Andrew and John and the others immersing them 1 by 1 and Peter now getting the real meaning of Jesus’ words when he first called him.
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.”“Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”(Matthew 4:18, 19).
I guess Peter would have slept that night after praying thus, “Lord Jesus, thankyou for the 3000 that I caught today.”
You can’t stop post-pentecost Peter. He’s fellowshiping, breaking bread, doing wonders and miraculous signs, meeting together in the temple courts, praising God, enjoying the favour of all the people and fishing for men and getting them too”(Read Acts 2:42-47).
Thomas Ball Barratt , a servant of the Lord traveled from Norway to the USA in 1906 to raise funds for the Methodist Church. While in New York, someone asked him,”Did you know there is a revival going on in this country?”. When he searched for the same, he was astounded by what was happening; people were receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and he too wanted the same. Their response was for him to tarry and wait on God, seeking the baptism of the Spirit daily. On October 7,1906, he received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Baratt later said he must have spoken in 7 or 8 languages that night. Barratt went back to Norway, called the Methodist clergy together, and said, “Brethren, I’ve got it.”They thought he had received a lot of money and asked,”How much did you get?”He replied,”All I could hold.”When they asked him to tell them the amount he got, he replied and told them of Acts 2 and it’s fulfillment in his life. When they heard that he spoke in tongues, he was removed from the clergy.
In to Acts chapter 3 we go and meet Peter and John again at the temple. A 40 year old lame man begging for alms and Peter’s bold remark.
“Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”(Acts 3:6).
Hearing Peter’s remark, some of us would have said (if we were nearby)
“What Arrogance!”
“What Pride!”
But Peter knew what he was saying and doing and the result was
“Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God”(Acts 3:7, 8).
Imagine you standing there and you are as filled with awe and amazement as the people who saw this great miracle with their eyes (Read Acts 3:9, 10).
Later you call Peter aside and you have a tete-a -tete with him.
“Hey Peter, how did you manage that?”
“That’s Pentecost Power Man! he replies coolly.
“You mean it wasn’t fixed?”
“Fixed!”he smiles. I don’t do that anymore! I’m filled with the Holy Spirit. I’m baptized in the Spirit.”
“Now, Now, don’t give me that jargon of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
I too have the Holy Spirit”
“Not as I have”, Peter would say.
I am filled with the power of God
The Holy Spirit told me “Say this and do this”and I just obeyed.
“The Holy Spirit told you? Well, that’s preposterous.
“Nothing preposterous Brother”
Jesus my Lord had told me before he went to the cross,
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you”(John 16:13-15).
“You mean the Holy Spirit speaks to you? you ask, rather amused by all this.
Well; my Lord said,
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever”(John 14:16).
You then try to discourage him reminding him about his old life.
Say, aren’t you the one who denied Jesus?
Well, that was some time ago and I was not yet filled with the Holy Spirit.
I am not the same Peter anymore.
“I was very impulsive earlier. I said and acted first and only later thought of what I said and did.
I tried to walk on water in the early hours of the morning;
I had only earthly thoughts when the Lord was transfigured and I said, “Let us build 3 booths here.”
I cut off Malchus’ ear without a thought.
I even discouraged the Master from going to the cross.”
I went back to fishing because I didn’t know what happened to my Lord after he died.”
Well, I’m no more like that. I’m different now. I’m baptized in the Spirit. I am led by the Spirit of God now.”
Acts Chapter 3 records another bold sermon by Peter to the onlookers who witnessed the miracle of the lame man being healed (Acts 3:12-26).
The result was that he was jailed along with John (Acts 4:3)
More astonishingly 5000 belived in the Lord Jesus. (Read Acts 4:4).
God said He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh in the last days. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came in power. This was the “early rain”that God had promised. The 20th century saw the beginning of the “latter rain “stage of of God’s pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh and it is still continuing. The “latter rain”began in a small way in a Bible school in Topeka, Kansas when a man Charles Parham sought the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Then it spread to Texas where William Seymour took it to Los Angeles and it became a full downpour. People came to Azusa Street Mission from all over the world and the movement spread all over the earth.
The next day Peter and John were questioned by the rulers, elders and teachers of the law; Annas and Caiphas were also present and they asked them.
“By what power or what name did you do this?”
And Luke records another sermon by Peter glorifying Jesus.
Interestingly Luke starts verse 8 of chapter 4 like this,
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit............”
Later they were released after being given warnings and further threats.
“Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.”(Acts 4:18).
Let us read Peter and John’s reply to their command.
“But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.”For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard”(Acts 4:19, 20).
My word! What boldness!
This is the same Peter who ran away with the other disciples when Jesus was arrested by the soldiers and remember his comment to Jesus before that event.
“But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death”(Luke 22:33).
Peter and John later went back to their friends and reported all that had happened. They prayed to the Lord for more boldness (Acts 4:29) and for the Lord to heal and perform miracles and wonders (Acts 4:30).
In Acts 4:31 we read
“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Did you observe that?
They were again filled with the Holy Spirit
Victor Plymire, a missionary, while on the mission field was told by the Lord,”Leave your family here and go to Los Angeles.”He asked,”What for?”but the Lord did not tell him. He left his family on the mission field and went to Los Angeles where he received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. As a result his denomination cut off his support. Plymire then became a faith missionary in Tibet where he took the power of God to thousands of people. in the Himalayas.
In Acts chapter 5, Luke records the account of Ananias and Sapphira and the discerning power that God gave Peter to detect the false lives that they were living.
The extent to which Peter grew close to the Lord can be understood from these verses in Acts chapter 5.
“As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jersalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. (V. 15, 16).

After Stephen was murdered, we read
“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city”(Acts 8:1, 4-8).

Later in the chapter we read of a few astonishing verses.
“When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit”(Acts 8:14-17).
Philip was also present on Pentecost day with the other 119 when the Holy Spirit came upon them, but we see in this chapter that though Philip brought many to Christ and did great miracles, he was not able to witness them being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Verse 16 says that the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
From this we infer that the Holy Spirit was “in them”when they accepted Jesus and were baptized. i. e. They received the regenerating presence of the Holy Spirit and new life.
If only this was enough, (as some say) there was no need for the apostles in Jerusalem to send Peter and John to Samaria where Philip was evangelizing.
But that was not the case. The Aposltes knew that the people who accepted Jesus as their Saviour need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We read in Acts 8:17
“Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit”

Astonishingly Philip was not able to do what Peter and John did.
The explanation here is that
1) Philip was not yet as filled with the Holy Spirit to impart it to others as Peter and John were
2) Philip was not yet given this gift of imparting the Holy Spirit.
(Remember how the Lord took a portion of the Holy Spirit that was on Moses and gave it to 70 others (Read Numbers 11:25) and the result was that they all prophesied)
In Acts chapter 9; We read of Peter telling a paralytic, bedridden man called Aeneas “Jesus Christ heals you.”and another miracle taking place.
At Joppa, Peter prayed and the Lord raised a woman name Dorcas from the dead (Read Acts 9:36-41).
In Acts chapter 10, we read of a centurion named Cornelius, who was devout and God fearing, one who gave generously and prayed regularly.
He was told by an angel of the Lord to send for a man named Peter and when Peter came and preached, we read that the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message and they spoke in tongues. (Read Acts 10:44-46).
So even a devout, God fearing and praying man like Cornelius needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That was God’s Soverign plan for him and his family I guess.

Let’s see if we have any conclusion from all this.
1) Peter had the Holy Spirit with him (Luke 5:8)
2) Peter had the Holy Spirit in him (John 20:22)
3) Peter had the Holy Spirit upon him (Acts 2:4)
4) Peter could impart the Holy Spirit that was on him to others (Acts 8:17)

All this occured step by step in his life and not all at once.
The gift the Father promised (Joel 2:28, 29, Matthew 3:11) is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The fulfillment of that promise is described as being “filled with the Holy Spirit”(Acts 2:4).
Thus “baptized in the Spirit”and “filled with the Spirit”are one and the same.
The preposition “with”is the translation of the Greek word en and is often translated as “in”. The “Baptism in the Spirit”is for all who profess faith in Christ, have been born again and have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is distinct and separate from his work of regeneration
“Baptism in the Spirit”occured only at and after Pentecost. Concerning those filled with the Holy Spirit before Pentecost (Luke 1:15, 67), Luke does not use the term baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Some Points to note
1)The Baptism in the Holy Spirit will bring the personal boldness and power of the Holy Spirit into the believer’s life in order to accomplish mighty works in Christ’s name and to make his or her witness and proclamation effective (Acts 2:14, 41; 4:31; 6:8).
2) In the book of Acts, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is the initial outward sign accompanying the baptism in the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4, 10:45, 46, 19:6).
3) Baptism in the Holy Spirit also results in spiritual growth and desire to become like Christ. It is God’s will and purpose that Christ in us must be fully developed and formed (Galatians 4:19) and this can occur only through the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
4) When we receive the Holy Spirit during our salvation experience, we are blessed, we are comforted, we are convicted, we are healed, we are delivered, we are edified; but only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit we can become a true channel of blessing to others.
5) To fulfill God’s plan in our lives, we need the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
6) We need the baptism in the Holy Spirit to do the works that Jesus did.

In 1906, Charles Parham, the man who helped birth Pentecost into this century, visited Zion city where F.F.Bosworth was living at that time. Parham preached a message on being filled with the Holy Spirit. Bosworth acknowledged that Parham had something he wanted for his ministry to be successful. Bosworth was Baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Bosworth went on to become one of the great healing evangelists of his times.

Finis Jennings Dake, the author of the Dake’s Bible was born again and baptized in water at age seventeen. He yearned for a closer walk with God after being born again. Three months later, in May 1920, Dake received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Immediately, Dake said that he became aware of an ability he did not previously possess. He could quote Scripture verses by the hundreds although he had read little of the Bible upto that time. This was a definite gift from God. Dake authored several books, tracts, and pamphlets, although he is best known for his Annotated Reference Bible.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”(John 14:12).
When Jesus commissioned his disciples to go into all the world, to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and to make disciples of all nations (Mathew 28:19), he told them first to wait in Jerusalem until they were endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49).
7) Baptism in the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome the power of the enemy and live a victorious life. (Luke 10:19).
8) After the baptism in the Spirit, believers are equipped for the ministry. God’s power, God’s love, God’s wisdom, God’s spiritual riches and God’s workmanship are imparted to them who are filled with the Holy Spirit.
9) Baptism of the Holy Spirit causes the believer to have an enhanced seusitinity to sin that grieves the Holy Spirit, a greater seeking after righteousness and a deeper awareness of God’s judgement against ungodliness.
10) Because of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, various gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifested in the life of a believer.
These are for personal edification, for the growth of the church and building up of God’s Kingdom on earth.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues”(1 Corinthians 12:4-10).

Lam Jeevaratnam, an Indian had gone to England to make money as an artistic entertainer, but God’s plan prevailed. He was saved in an open air meeting in Leeds, then went to Bible school where he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. He gave up his worldly belongings and began preaching Christ with signs and wonders following. In his meetings the dumb spoke, the ears of the deaf were opened, the lame walked, and the blind received their sight. The true power of the Gospel was so visibly evident.

11) Baptism in the Holy Spirit brings a greater desire to pray and a deeper love and understanding for God’s word.
12) The Bible teaches that there may be new fillings with the Holy Spirit after the believer has been baptized in the Spirit. (Acts 4:31, 13:9) (Ephesians 5:18)

Q. Who can receive the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit”?A. Anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour by faith and turns from sin and the world and is determined to obey God by surrendering to Him. If you have not accepted Jesus as your saviour, pray the prayer at the end of this book to make Him your Lord.
(Acts 2:38-40, 5:32; 8:12-17)

Q. How can we receive the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit”A. To receive we must hunger and thirst for it; desire and ask for it; believe we will receive it and be willing to use it for God’s Glory!(Luke 11:9, 10, 13; Matthew 21:22)

Q. How can we sustain the baptism and receive more fillings?A. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is sustained in the believers life by prayer (Acts 4:31), witness (Acts 4:31, 33) worship in the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18, 19) and living a sanctified life. To receive more, ask, seek, knock the doors of heaven.

Mark the great change in the life of the disciple Peter after he was baptized in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Peter before Peter after
1.Limited Power 1.Unlimited Power
2.Poor or little discernment 2.Greater discerning power
3.Immature 3.Mature
4.Impulsive 4.Spirit controlled temperament 5.Tendency to backslide 5.A genuine leader
6.More of worldly desires 6.God’s kingdom oriented life
7.Unable to comprehend 7.Focused to do his his Master’s will
8.Little or no faith 8.Full of faith
9.Could not impart
the Holy Spirit 9.Laid hands on others and they received the Holy
10.Fearful 10.Fearless and Bold.
Now, would you like to receive the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit?”
or
If you are Baptized in the Holy Spirit would you like to be filled more?Then Go for it. And let the Lord richly bless you.

Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”(Matthew 7:18,20)

If you see or know a person who says he/she is baptized in the Spirit or filled with the Holy Spirit, doing great works for Christ and not bearing good fruit (Galatians 5:22, 23), know that he/she is a counterfeit believer.
Paul the apostle writes to the Corinthains,
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light”(2 Corinthians 11:14).

That should not stop you from asking for the genuine Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Think about it like this.
You go to buy fresh flowers for your life partner; but all you find in your initial search are plastic ones which resemble the genuine ones but are not real for that matter. Would you just pack up and go home? I guess you wouldn’t. A little more search and there you are: genuine, fresh, sweet smelling flowers. You got your heart’s desire.
So forget the counterfeits!
Ask, seek, and knock the doors of heaven for a geniune experience. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and tell others about your experience.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”(Psalm 34:8)

Prayer to receive filling of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father in Heaven,
Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
So kindly fill me with the Holy Spirit this day dear Lord. I believe that He is my Counselor and Comforter as I have accepted Jesus as my Lord. Grant me the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live a strong Christian life and to serve you better. Let the Holy Spirit guide me through your Word to bear fruit abundantly.
Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer,
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.