The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Receiving God's Power
What the baptism of the Holy Spirit is — a renewal of your confirmation and a fresh filling of God's power and gifts for everyone who knows and has chosen Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a fresh filling of God's Spirit — His power, His presence, and His gifts released in the life of a believer. Think of it as a renewal of your confirmation: the grace already given to you is stirred into flame and made real (2 Timothy 1:6).
A Renewal of Your Confirmation
Many people are confirmed in their churches without truly knowing Jesus or having accepted Him as Lord and Savior. Confirmation is meant to seal us with the Holy Spirit — but God does not pour out His power and His gifts on someone who has not first come to know His Son.
That is why the baptism of the Holy Spirit matters so much. It is not a new religion or a second salvation. It is the moment you say yes to Jesus with your whole heart and ask Him to fill you with His Spirit — and He does.
It Begins with Knowing Jesus
God cannot fill you with His power and His gifts apart from a living relationship with His Son. You have to know Jesus and choose Him for yourself. The pattern in Scripture is always the same: people meet Jesus, believe in Him, and then receive the Holy Spirit.
- Jesus told His followers, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8).
- At Pentecost, the believers "were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4).
- Peter promised the same gift to everyone who turns to Jesus: "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39).
If you have never personally chosen Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that is where it begins. Tell Him you believe, ask Him to forgive you, and give Him your life. Then ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit.
Why It Matters
The Holy Spirit is how God empowers ordinary believers to live the Christian life — to pray with faith, to walk in His gifts, and to see His power at work. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the Spirit God wants to fill you with today (Romans 8:11).
Go Deeper
Marybeth has written and taught much on the Spirit-filled life. Continue with Jesus Came to Empower Us and You Will Do Greater Things — and join us live at our weekly Bible study and daily prayer calls, a welcoming place to grow in the Spirit.
Related Resources
This page is part of our free Scripture & Prayer Library. For Marybeth's personal teaching, testimony, and encouragement, visit the blog — or join us live at our daily prayer call and weekly Bible study.