This story is in the D-Path: Discipleship Landmarks.
Motto: Love one another – Go and make disciples
There are four stories in this training. You may need to take some time to go through them prayerfully and discuss them with your trainer.
John 3:3-6 Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
(Listen Q’s:) What do you think Jesus is referring to when he says that to enter the Kingdom of God we must be “born of water”? Look at D8 if you aren’t sure.
What do you think Jesus is referring to when he says that to enter the Kingdom of God we must also be “born of the Spirit”?
Is being “born again” something that you can do by being baptised and praying a prayer of commitment?
Luke 11:9-13 Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Acts 19:5-6 “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”
(Listen Q’s:) Do you have any idea what “they spoke with tongues and prophesied” means? If not, ask your trainer to show you in the bible.
Some people say that speaking in tongues is THE evidence of baptism in the Spirit – that if you cannot speak in tongues you have not been baptised in the Holy Spirit. This is not what the bible teaches. Paul teaches about this in 1 Corinthians 12:
1 Cor 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a 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. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
v30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
It is true that most examples of the Holy Spirit being given as recorded in Acts include speaking in tongues, but it is clear from the above passage that this was not always the case. In fact anyone can make up gibberish and call it speaking in tongues. Jesus said a tree is known by its fruit, so we should look for the biblical evidences for baptism in the Holy Spirit in a changed life, not just in the appearance of “manifestations”. The final story in this training shows us what to look for as evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Listen Q’s:) What does this scripture say is the evidence of having received the Holy Spirit?
(Obedience Q’s:)Will you ask your Christian trainer to baptise you in water?
Will you ask your Christian trainer to baptise you in the Holy Spirit?
